A genuinely free barber booking app
Let's make the offer completely clear. Encorra's Starter plan is free forever for one barber. It includes:
- Your own online booking page
- A barber appointment calendar
- A client list
- Services and appointment durations
- Working hours and availability
- Online appointment management
- One staff member
- Mobile access
- No long-term contract
You don't have to upgrade after a certain number of days — use the free plan for as long as it suits your business. If you later want appointment reminders, AI marketing, analytics and revenue-recovery tools, you can upgrade to Encorra Pro. But that choice is yours.
Stop managing appointments through messages
Taking bookings through Instagram, Facebook or WhatsApp feels manageable — until the shop gets busier. A client asks when you're free. You send three times. They reply two hours later, and one slot has already gone. Then someone else messages mid-cut. Before long, your inbox is the booking system.
Encorra gives clients a much easier option: open your free booking page, see your genuine availability and pick a time. You don't stop cutting, you don't check the diary, and you don't answer “what times have you got?” ten times a day.
How the free online barber booking app works
- 1Create your free Encorra accountAdd your name, business details and basic booking preferences. No credit card required.
- 2Add your barber servicesEnter each service with its price, duration and availability — skin fades, standard cuts, beard trims, kids' cuts, senior appointments.
- 3Choose your working hoursSet the days and times you're available. Encorra uses this to show clients exactly which slots they can book.
- 4Share your free booking pageAdd the link to your website, Google Business Profile, Facebook, Instagram bio, WhatsApp, texts, email signature and QR codes in the shop.
- 5Let clients book themselvesClients choose a service and an available time, and the appointment drops straight into your Encorra calendar.
What's included in Encorra's free plan
The free plan covers the essential tools a solo barber needs to start taking appointments online.
Free online booking page
One simple place for clients to book, on phone, tablet or desktop — no app to download. They see your availability and book a time that suits them.
Free barber calendar
See upcoming appointments in one clear view. Add bookings, manage available times, block unavailable periods and keep the day organised.
Free client list
Keep essential client details connected to their appointments, so you recognise returning clients without contacts scattered across your phone.
Services & durations
Add your services, prices and appointment times so a 30-minute service never gets squeezed into a 15-minute gap.
Working hours & availability
You decide when clients can book. Set your normal hours and keep unavailable times closed — clients see what's open instead of messaging to ask.
Mobile booking management
Runs from your phone, so you can check and manage bookings without a desk — ideal for chair renters, mobile and home-based barbers.
What isn't included in the free plan
We'd rather be upfront than hide it halfway down a pricing page. Starter gives one barber the essential booking tools for free. More advanced tools are on paid plans:
- SMS and email appointment reminders
- Ask Cora AI
- Marketing Agent
- Business analytics
- Smart client-return predictions
- Overdue-client recovery & win-back campaigns
- Multi-barber team management
- Additional staff calendars
- Priority support
You don't need these to start taking bookings — they're there when your business grows.
Free Starter vs Encorra Pro
| Feature | Free Starter | Pro |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking page | ||
| Barber calendar | ||
| Client list | ||
| One barber | ||
| Mobile booking management | ||
| SMS & email reminders | — | |
| Ask Cora AI | — | |
| Marketing Agent | — | |
| Business analytics | — | |
| Revenue-recovery tools | — |
The free plan helps you take bookings. Pro helps you reduce admin, recover missed revenue and market the business.
Is the free plan right for you?
Encorra Starter could be a good fit if:
- You're an independent barber
- You're moving away from a paper diary
- Most clients currently book through messages
- You want a professional online booking link
- You're starting a new barber business
- You don't need advanced automation yet
- You want to test online booking with no financial risk
Who will want a paid plan?
A paid plan makes sense if you want Encorra to help run and grow the shop — barbers who want to:
- Send automatic SMS reminders
- Reduce missed appointments
- Identify clients who are due back
- Fill quiet spaces
- Run client win-back campaigns
- Create marketing content
- Track shop performance
- Manage multiple barbers with separate calendars and permissions
Free booking software built specifically for barbers
There are plenty of free appointment scheduling apps — but most are designed to serve every possible business: consultants, tutors, dog groomers, fitness instructors, therapists, and somewhere at the bottom of that list, barbers. Encorra is different. It was built inside a real UK barbershop by someone who's spent more than 20 years behind the chair, so it understands different haircut durations, busy and quiet periods, regulars, walk-ins, last-minute changes, individual barber schedules, parents booking for children, and no-shows. It isn't generic software with “barber” added to the sales page — it's a barber booking app from the ground up.
Give your clients a better booking experience
Clients don't want to wait for a reply, phone during opening hours or download another app just to book a haircut. With your free booking page they can view your services, check available times, book from their phone and choose an appointment any time — even when the shop is closed. The easier you make it to book, the less chance a client gets distracted or picks another barber.
Move away from the paper diary
A paper diary works — until you leave it at the shop, or someone messages while you're at home, or a client wants to know what you have next Thursday. A free barber appointment app lets you check and manage bookings from your phone without standing next to the diary: a clearer view of your day, a quicker way for clients to book, and a schedule that's easier to manage.
Already using another booking system?
If you already have client information stored elsewhere, Encorra supports importing clients by CSV — depending on what your current provider lets you export — so you can move without rebuilding your client list by hand. More advanced migration support can depend on your chosen plan and the system you're moving from.
Built by a barber — not a software company
I'm Craig Mariner. I opened my first barbershop at 17 and have spent more than 20 years behind the chair. Encorra came from the same problems most barbers deal with — clients messaging mid-cut, appointments scattered everywhere, no-shows, empty spaces, regulars disappearing, and too much admin waiting after a full day.
I wanted a system that made booking simple from day one, then offered more powerful tools as the business grew. That's why Encorra has a free Starter plan: start with the essentials, and upgrade only when Encorra can do enough extra work to justify the cost.
Frequently asked questions
Is Encorra really a free barber booking app?
Yes. Encorra has a Free Forever Starter plan for one barber, including an online booking page, barber calendar and client list. It isn't a time-limited free trial.
How long can I use Encorra for free?
As long as the Starter plan suits your business. There's no automatic requirement to upgrade after a set number of days.
Do I need a credit card to start?
No. No credit card is required to create a free Starter account.
Can clients book appointments online for free?
Yes. Share your Encorra booking link and clients can book available appointments online through your page.
Do clients need to download an app?
No. Clients open your booking page in a normal web browser and book from a phone, tablet or computer.
Can I add my Encorra booking link to Instagram?
Yes. Add it to your Instagram bio and share it through posts, stories and direct messages.
Can I connect my free booking page to Google?
Yes. Add your booking link to your Google Business Profile so people who find your shop on Google can continue to your available appointments.
Can I add Encorra to my website?
Yes. Add a Book Now button to your website and link it to your Encorra booking page.
Does the free plan include appointment reminders?
No. Automated SMS and email reminders are part of Encorra's paid plans, not the Free Starter plan.
Can I use the free plan for multiple barbers?
The Free Starter plan supports one barber. Multi-barber management is available on the Business plan (up to 5 barbers).
Can mobile barbers use Encorra?
Yes. Mobile barbers can display their services, manage availability and take online bookings from their phone.
Is Encorra suitable for new barbers?
Yes. The free plan is ideal for new and independent barbers who want a professional booking page without adding a monthly expense.
Will Encorra charge me automatically?
No. The free Starter plan doesn't automatically become a paid plan — you choose whether to upgrade.
Can I cancel a paid plan later?
Yes. There's no long-term contract, and paid subscriptions can be cancelled at any time.
Related guides
Your free booking page is ready when you are
Your own online booking page, a clear barber calendar, a client list and a simpler way for people to book their next haircut — start with the essentials.
Free forever for one barber. No credit card required. Upgrade only when you want more.