Both platforms take compliance seriously. The difference is price and complexity — Pabau is built for large multi-practitioner clinics, Bookchair is built for independent and small aesthetics businesses.
Pabau is a strong, well-regarded platform for larger aesthetics clinics with complex clinical documentation needs. If you run a multi-practitioner clinic with extensive clinical workflow requirements, Pabau may be the right fit. If you are an independent or small aesthetics business that needs solid UK compliance at a fair price, Bookchair is built for you.
Bookchair is £20/month regardless of practitioner count. Pabau typically starts from around £79/month and scales per user — significantly more for any team.
Age restriction hard block (Botulinum Toxin Act 2021), consultation form gate, medical history, patch test tracking, and region-specific GDPR — all built in to Bookchair.
Bookchair is designed for independent business owners, not IT teams. No complex onboarding. Start taking bookings on day one.
| Feature | Bookchair | Pabau |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £20 flat — unlimited practitioners | From ~£79/month, per-user pricing (based on published rates) |
| Commission | None | None |
| Per-staff / per-user fees | No | Yes — cost scales with team size |
| Age restriction enforcement | Yes — hard block (Botulinum Toxin Act 2021) | Yes |
| Consultation form gate | Yes — hard block without signed form | Yes (clinical grade) |
| Medical history records | Yes | Yes (advanced) |
| Patch test tracking | Yes | Yes |
| GDPR / region-specific consent | Yes — England, Scotland, Wales, NI | Yes |
| Compliance dashboard | Yes | Yes (advanced) |
| Online booking portal | Yes | Yes |
| Other business types (hair, nail etc.) | Yes — 6 types with vertical-specific tools | Primarily aesthetics/medspa |
| Setup complexity | Simple — ready in minutes | More complex — onboarding required |
| Contract | No — cancel anytime | Possible contract periods |
| Free trial | Yes — no credit card | Demo / trial available |
Pricing and features based on publicly available information at the time of writing (June 2026). Always verify current terms directly with the provider.