Patch and Booked & Busy are both UK tools that makeup artists use, and they take different approaches. Patch gives you a booking page where clients pick a service and pay a deposit. Booked & Busy is built around enquiries and quotes, because a bridal party usually has to be priced before it can be booked. Here's a fair side-by-side.
| Patch | Booked & Busy | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | UK trades and appointment businesses, with a makeup artist setup | Freelance bridal and occasion makeup artists in the UK |
| How clients book | Your own booking page: pick a service and time, pay a deposit | Enquiry from your email, DMs or enquiry link → quote → deposit and terms → trial → balance |
| Card payments | Via Stripe; 3.5% Patch fee plus Stripe processing on card payments taken | Card payments on Pro via Stripe; no commission on bookings. Starter clients pay you directly by bank transfer |
| Reminders | Email unlimited; 100 free text credits, then 5p a text | Email reminders; SMS reminders coming soon |
| Free trial | 14 days, no card | 30 days of everything in Pro, no card |
| Price | £24.99/mo or £249.90/yr (launch code for 50% off the first 3 months on monthly) | 30-day free trial (no card) · Starter £15/mo or £132/yr · Pro £25/mo or £250/yr · no VAT |
Patch details checked on 20 October 2026 from usepatch.co.uk/pricing and their makeup artist page. Prices change, so check their site for the latest.
Patch is built around a booking page where customers pick a service and time and pay a deposit. Booked & Busy is built around enquiries and quotes: bridal work is quoted first (date, venue, party size, ready-by time), then secured with a deposit and written terms.
Patch's pricing page lists a 3.5% Patch fee on card payments taken through Patch, on top of Stripe's processing fees. There's no Patch fee if you don't take card payments.
Yes. Send us an export, a spreadsheet or even photos of your diary and we'll set your upcoming jobs up for you, usually within a day. It's free during your 30-day trial.
There's a 30-day free trial of everything in Pro with no card. After that Starter is £15 a month (£132 a year) and Pro is £25 a month (£250 a year). No VAT is charged. If you don't subscribe, your account is paused rather than deleted straight away.
The next 20 artists to claim a place get 3 months of Starter free. You add a card when you claim and nothing is charged during the 3 months; cancel before they end and you pay nothing. It closes on 30 November 2026, or sooner if the places go.
Try it free for 30 days, no card. Send us your bookings and we'll set your pipeline up for you.