No-shows
The client books and never turns up. That slot is gone. International apps take deposits by card, not MB WAY, the way Portuguese clients actually pay.
Online booking for barbershops · Portugal
Cut the commission.
Not the client.
Your own booking page, WhatsApp reminders, no-show deposits via MB WAY and clients who keep coming back, all in one dashboard, for a flat monthly fee.
- 0% commission
- 24 h · 2 h reminders
- MB WAY deposits
I · The problem
An empty chair still costs you.
In a small barbershop, every no-show, every unanswered message and every commission comes out of the same pocket: the barber's.
Booking chaos
Calls and messages on your personal WhatsApp, often mid-cut. The diary lives on paper or in your head, and every reschedule means another conversation.
Commissions
On marketplaces, new clients come with a toll: some platforms charge a commission on the first visit of every client they send you, plus a percentage on payments.
And at the end of the month, booking apps don't talk to certified invoicing software, so the barber re-types everything for the accountant.
Pain points identified through desk research, to be confirmed in interviews.
II · How clients book
Booking takes less time than a beard trim.
No app to download, no account to create. The server re-checks the slot at the moment of booking, so two people can never end up with the same time.
-
01
The service
With duration and price, just like the price list on the wall.
-
02
With whom
A specific barber, or whoever is free.
-
03
The time
Only genuinely free slots are shown.
-
04
Name and mobile
No accounts, no passwords. Portuguese +351 number.
-
05
You're booked
With a link to reschedule or cancel without calling.
III · One shop, one link, one dashboard
Everyone sees exactly what they need.
The owner
A full diary, fewer no-shows, tidy books.
- Optional no-show deposit via MB WAY or Multibanco
- Loyalty: birthdays, vouchers and stamp cards
- Google review requests, within the rules
- Monthly CSV with VAT, vouchers and deposits for invoicing
The barbers
The whole day at a glance, without picking up the phone.
- Day and week view, one column per barber
- Create, move, complete or mark as no-show
- Block time for breaks and training
- Client records with history and no-shows
The client
Books in seconds, whenever it suits them.
- The shop's own page, no app or account
- Reminder 24 h before (and 2 h before, on Pro), with the address
- A link to reschedule or cancel on their own
- Vouchers and stamp card on their phone
Dashboard
The whole day, one column per barber.
Services with duration and price, split shifts, buffer time between clients. From each booking: send a WhatsApp, redeem a voucher and check the deposit status.
Works on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Reminders and deposits
Remind first. Then protect.
Every booking creates a reminder 24 h before (and another 2 h before, on the Pro plan), with the address and a link to reschedule. On the Pro plan, for the services you choose, clients pay a deposit via MB WAY or Multibanco, with the policy shown before they pay.
- Shows up
- the deposit is deducted from the price
- Cancels in time
- the deposit is refunded
- No-show or late cancellation
- the deposit is kept
- The shop cancels
- full refund
Configurable: % of the price, free-cancellation window and “new clients or past no-shows only”. Legal basis: article 442 of the Portuguese Civil Code. Payments coming soon
Loyalty · Pro plan
Regulars count.
A birthday voucher (with consent only), vouchers and gift cards with a unique code and expiry date, and a stamp card: “10th cut free”, or whatever number you choose. The reward is issued automatically.
Google reviews · Pro plan
More reviews, no tricks.
- Request sent 2 h after a completed visit, through the same channel as reminders
- At most 1 request per client every 60 days
- No “review gating”: everyone gets the Google link
- No requests after no-shows or cancellations
Figures on screen are demo data, not real results.
Invoicing export · Pro plan
Your month, closed in one file.
MarkBarber doesn't issue invoices: it hands the data to your certified invoicing software or your accountant. One CSV per month, with net amount and VAT split out, vouchers deducted and the status of every deposit, ready for Moloni, InvoiceXpress or Vendus.
Sample calculation
Haircut + beard · €18.00 incl. VAT
- Net
- €14.63
- VAT 23%
- €3.37
- Total
- €18.00
markbarber-faturacao-YYYY-MM.csv
In 90 seconds
The full walkthrough.
Silent video with on-screen captions (in Portuguese).
IV · Why MarkBarber
Good apps. Built for another market, or paid for in commission.
A flat fee, never a percentage
One monthly price, however many new clients you get. No lock-in contracts.
MB WAY deposits
The payment method Portuguese clients already use: more than 6.5 million users.
Talks to your accountant
Monthly export with VAT, vouchers and retained deposits, ready for certified invoicing software.
WhatsApp first
Reminders, vouchers and birthday messages on the channel your clients already use.
| Type of solution | Pricing model | Deposit / MB WAY | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Commission platforms | A percentage on the first visit of every new client, plus a fee on payments | Card deposits; MB WAY usually not advertised | The cost grows with every new client the platform sends |
| Per-staff pricing apps | A base monthly fee, plus an amount for each team member | Card deposits; MB WAY usually not advertised | Built for many markets, with no link to Portuguese invoicing |
| MarkBarber | From €14.90/month with 1 barber included · 0% commission | MB WAY and Multibanco Coming soon | Export for Portuguese invoicing, loyalty and reviews on the Pro plan |
Generic comparison by type of solution, based on public pages consulted in October 2026. Not an exhaustive analysis.
V · Pricing Launch prices
Two plans. Zero commission.
Final prices, VAT exempt under article 53 of the Portuguese VAT Code (CIVA). No lock-in. Subscription billing is not live yet.
Founder price
€12.90 / month on the Essencial plan
For the first 20 barbershops, for 12 months. After that, €14.90/month.
Essencial
€14.90/ month
1 barber included · each extra barber +€5/month
or €149 per year (12 months for the price of 10)
- Unlimited bookings and a public page with your shop's profile
- Day and week calendar
- Clients, history and no-shows
- WhatsApp reminder 24 h before
- Link for clients to reschedule or cancel
Pro
€24.90/ month
Up to 3 barbers included · each extra barber +€7/month
or €249 per year (12 months for the price of 10)
- Everything in Essencial
- WhatsApp reminders 24 h and 2 h before
- No-show deposit via MB WAY or Multibanco
- Loyalty: birthdays, vouchers and stamp cards
- Google review requests
- Monthly CSV export for invoicing
Do the maths Illustrative
- MarkBarber Essencial / month
- €14.90
- Marketplace commission at 25% (€15 service)
- €112.50
Example using the Essencial plan (€14.90) and a typical marketplace commission. These are calculations, not results.
VI · Pilot Proposed
A guided start in your barbershop. No lock-in.
Week 0
Set-up
We gather your services, prices, team and opening hours, then configure your shop and link.
Week 1
Launch
The link goes into your Instagram bio and Google profile. The new diary runs alongside your current method.
Weeks 2 and 3
Whole shop
The whole team on the dashboard; reminders, vouchers and review requests switched on. A 20-minute check-in each week.
Week 4
Review
We look at the numbers together and decide: continue, adjust or stop.
What we measure
- Online vs. phone bookings
- No-shows before and after
- Vouchers used and returning clients
- Time saved on the phone
What we ask
- A barbershop with 1 to 3 chairs
- One contact person
- Honest weekly feedback
- A testimonial only if you're happy
What we offer
- Founder price: €12.90/month for 12 months
- We do the set-up for you
- Adjustments to the way you work
- A place among the 20 founding barbershops
VII · Roadmap
What already works, what's in progress and what comes next.
Live today
- Booking page and scheduling engine
- Day/week calendar, clients, time blocks
- Loyalty: vouchers, birthdays, stamps
- Google review requests
- CSV export with VAT, vouchers and deposits
Integrations in progress
- WhatsApp: ready-to-send link today; automatic sending via the official API
- MB WAY / Multibanco: full flow built, payment provider still simulated
- Moloni / InvoiceXpress: CSV ready; API connection next
- Subscription: billing not live yet
Next
- Individual logins for each barber and password recovery
- WhatsApp waiting list to fill cancellations
- Priorities set together with pilot shops, with no promised dates
VIII · FAQ
Frequently asked questions.
Something else? Ask us on WhatsApp.
Do clients need to install an app?
No. They book on your barbershop's own page, in their phone's browser. Nothing to download and no account to create: just a name and mobile number. The link goes in your Instagram bio, on Google and on a QR code by the mirror.
Does MarkBarber charge commission on new clients?
No. You pay a flat monthly price (Essencial €14.90, Pro €24.90), however many new clients you get. Every client stays 100% yours.
What is the difference between Essencial and Pro?
Essencial (€14.90/month) includes 1 barber, online booking, a public profile page, the calendar, clients and the WhatsApp reminder 24 h before. Pro (€24.90/month) includes up to 3 barbers and adds the 2 h reminder, no-show deposits, loyalty, review requests and the invoicing export. Each extra barber costs +€5/month on Essencial and +€7/month on Pro.
What is the founder price?
The first 20 barbershops pay €12.90/month on the Essencial plan for 12 months, then the regular €14.90/month. All prices are final, VAT exempt under article 53 of the Portuguese VAT Code (CIVA).
Are WhatsApp reminders already sent automatically?
Not yet. In this version, each reminder is logged or comes with a ready-to-send wa.me link. Automatic sending through the official WhatsApp Business API is in progress and will be switched on before each shop's pilot.
Do MB WAY and Multibanco deposits already work?
The flow is complete (policy shown before payment, deduction from the service, refunds and retention), but the payment provider is still simulated. Going live requires a contract and credentials between the barbershop and the provider (e.g. SIBS, ifthenpay, Eupago or Stripe).
Does MarkBarber issue invoices?
No. MarkBarber is not certified invoicing software. Every month it exports a CSV with VAT, vouchers and deposits, ready to import into Moloni, InvoiceXpress or Vendus, or to hand to your accountant. A direct API connection is in development.
Is there a lock-in contract?
No. No lock-in and no commission. You can cancel at any time, effective at the end of the paid period. If you prefer, the annual plan gives you 12 months for the price of 10.
What about my clients' data (GDPR)?
The data belongs to the barbershop. MarkBarber processes it as a data processor, following your instructions. Birthday messages go only to clients who have given consent, and anyone can ask to stop receiving messages.
What size of barbershop is it designed for?
Neighbourhood barbershops and salons with 1 to 3 chairs that currently take bookings by phone or WhatsApp. It works on desktop, tablet and mobile.
Let's book the first conversation.
10 minutes with the app up and running: the client booking flow and the shop dashboard. Then we set up your barbershop and start the pilot.
Aguiar Tech · Portugal