Booking is native, not an app
A salon selling retail, a garage selling parts, a pet shop offering grooming — these need appointments and products in one system. In BookWave both are native, so services and sales report into the same dashboard.
Alternatives
A Shopify alternative for businesses that also take bookings
Shopify is a serious ecommerce platform. If you are a local business that sells *and* takes appointments — and would rather not wrestle an app store to do both — BookWave is a simpler fit.
Card payments without plugins
Connect your own Stripe account and customers pay by card at checkout, with funds going directly to your balance. Cash on delivery works out of the box as well.
Start free, stay flat
The free plan includes up to 15 products and 30 orders a month. Paid plans are a flat fee — BookWave does not take a percentage of your sales.
BookWave vs Shopify
| Capability | Shopify | BookWave |
|---|---|---|
| Appointment booking | Ecommerce-first; booking generally added via apps | Native appointment, class, and stay booking |
| Payment options | Card-first; other methods typically configured or added | Card payments, with cash on delivery also available |
| Free plan | Trial-based, then paid | Permanently free plan for small catalogues |
| Scale | Built to scale to very large catalogues and volume | Built for local and small businesses, not enterprise retail |
Comparison reflects how each product is architecturally positioned and is kept to durable, structural differences rather than pricing or plan limits, which change frequently. Shopify is a trademark of its respective owner; check their site for current details.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a cheaper alternative to Shopify for a small shop?
BookWave has a permanently free plan for small catalogues (up to 15 products, 30 orders a month) and flat-fee paid plans with no commission on sales. For very large catalogues or high-volume retail, a dedicated ecommerce platform like Shopify remains the stronger choice.
Can I sell products and take bookings in one place?
Yes. That combination is the core of BookWave — products, POS, and appointments share one dashboard, one inventory, and one set of analytics.
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