The best CRM for makeup artists in the UK (2026)
There isn't one best CRM for every makeup artist. The right one depends on how your work arrives: bridal parties you quote first, or fixed-price appointments clients book straight into your diary. Here's an honest look at the tools UK artists actually use. We make one of them, so we've tried to be fair to the others and we link to each one's own pricing page.
What to look for
- Quote-first or slot-first? Bridal work usually needs a quote (date, venue, faces, ready-by time) before a booking. Occasion and lesson work often doesn't.
- Deposits and written terms held against the date.
- Total cost: subscription, card fees, text credits and any commission, in pounds.
- Exporting your client list if you ever leave.
- Help moving your existing bookings over.
The roundup
1. Booked & Busy (that's us)
Best for: Freelance bridal and occasion MUAs who quote first and take deposits against written terms.
Price and trial: 30-day free trial, no card. Starter £15/mo (£132/yr), Pro £25/mo (£250/yr). No VAT.
Enquiry inbox fed by your email and DMs, quotes, deposits, contracts, invoices, diary and client portal. We import your bookings for you. It isn't a slot-booking tool, on purpose. We're obviously biased, so weigh this entry accordingly.
2. Patch
Best for: MUAs who want a booking page clients book and pay deposits on directly.
Price and trial: 14-day free trial, no card. £24.99/mo or £249.90/yr. 3.5% Patch fee plus Stripe fees on card payments.
UK-made, with a makeup artist setup, deposits, Scan to Pay and text reminders on prepaid credits. Source.
3. Nextro
Best for: Artists who want every appointment paid upfront through a booking link.
Price and trial: 14-day free trial. £29/mo.
Booking link for bridal, event and editorial appointments with upfront payment; it says it takes no commission and adds a checkout fee to the client's total. Source.
4. Studio Ninja
Best for: Hybrid photographer-MUAs, or anyone happy with a photography-first tool.
Price and trial: 7-day free trial, no card. Starter £13/mo (5 active jobs), Pro £20/mo, Master £29/mo.
Mature studio management with quotes, contracts, invoices, payment schedules and many photography integrations. Source.
5. HoneyBook
Best for: Artists who want lots of automation and an all-round client platform.
Price and trial: Free trial, no card. Three plans, billed in GBP in the UK since its 2026 UK launch; check current UK prices on its site.
Proposals, contracts, invoices, scheduler, automations and a client portal. Broad rather than bridal-specific. Source.
6. Dubsado
Best for: Artists who enjoy building their own workflows.
Price and trial: 21-day free trial of Premier, no card. Priced in USD: Starter $35/mo, Premier $55/mo.
Very configurable forms, workflows and client portals. Expect to spend time setting it up. Source.
7. Light Blue
Best for: MUAs who also run a photography business.
Price and trial: 30-day free trial, no card. From £30/mo including VAT (up to 5 devices).
Long-standing UK software for photographers, with every feature on every plan. Source.
8. Fresha
Best for: Salon-style, slot-based appointments.
Price and trial: Core booking is free; fees apply to payments and marketplace new-client bookings. Check Fresha for current rates.
Great for walk-in style booking and a marketplace presence; less suited to quote-first bridal work. Source.
9. A form, a doc template and your calendar
Best for: Artists just starting out with a handful of weddings a year.
Price and trial: Free or nearly free.
Honestly fine at low volume. You'll feel the strain when enquiries, deposits and balances start overlapping.
Quick picks
- Mostly bridal, quote-first: Booked & Busy, HoneyBook or Dubsado.
- Mostly fixed-price appointments with a booking page: Patch, Nextro or Fresha.
- Makeup plus photography: Studio Ninja or Light Blue.
Whatever you choose, run the free trial with a real week of enquiries before you move everything over.
Prices and trial lengths were taken from each company's own website on 20 October 2026 and change often. Please check before you sign up. All trademarks belong to their owners; we're not affiliated with any of the other tools listed.