0% Commission vs 10% Platform Fees: Which Booking Software Is Better for Your Play Centre?

Booking software comparison. For Irish play centres and family entertainment venues, the right booking system can do more than accept online payments. It can reduce administration, improve the customer journey and protect more of the revenue each booking generates.

The commercial question is straightforward:

Is it better to pay a fixed cost for booking software, or give 10% of every booking to a third-party platform?

For most venues taking a meaningful level of direct bookings, a 0% commission system is the more efficient model. The exact saving depends on your current fees, booking value, payment provider and software requirements: but the difference can become substantial as your venue grows.

The cost grows when your bookings grow

A percentage-based platform fee may look manageable when you consider one booking at a time. At 10%, a €25 booking costs €2.50 in platform fees. A €100 party booking costs €10.

The calculation changes when you look at a full month or year.

A play centre processing €20,000 in online bookings each month would pay:

• €20,000 in monthly booking revenue
• 10% platform fee
• €2,000 paid to the booking platform
• €24,000 paid away over 12 months, before considering other charges

The platform may provide useful functionality in return. It may also help customers find your venue. However, if those bookings are already coming through your own website, social media, Google Business Profile or email campaigns, paying a percentage of each sale can become an unnecessary ongoing cost.

A 0% commission model creates more predictable costs

With a 0% commission booking system, you generally pay an agreed software, support or subscription cost rather than a percentage of booking revenue.

That means your booking cost does not automatically increase every time your venue performs better.

The model can help you:

• Keep more of your booking revenue
• Forecast monthly software costs more easily
• Protect margins during busy periods
• Reinvest savings into staff, maintenance or marketing
• Avoid paying commission on repeat customers
• Scale online bookings without scaling platform fees

This does not mean that 0% commission means completely free bookings. Standard payment-processing charges from your selected provider may still apply when customers pay by card or digital wallet. Those charges are separate from booking commission and should be included in any honest comparison.

The important distinction is that your booking software provider is not taking an additional percentage of your sales.

The numbers are clearer with a direct comparison

Consider two illustrative booking setups for a play centre.

Option one: 10% platform fee

• Monthly online booking value: €20,000
• Platform fee at 10%: €2,000
• Payment-processing charges: may also apply
• Total platform cost: €2,000 plus applicable payment fees

Option two: 0% commission booking software

• Monthly online booking value: €20,000
• Booking commission: €0
• Software and support cost: depends on the system and scope
• Payment-processing charges: may still apply
• Total commission cost: €0

The difference is not a promise of a particular saving. Your current platform, software requirements, payment provider and implementation costs all need to be reviewed.

It does show the commercial logic. A 10% fee is linked directly to turnover. A fixed software cost is not.

The higher your booking value, the more important that distinction becomes.

Direct bookings give you more than better margins

Commission is only one part of the comparison. Your booking system also affects how much control you have over the customer relationship.

A third-party marketplace or platform can create distance between your play centre and the people booking with you. Depending on the platform, you may have limited access to customer information, restricted control over the booking journey or fewer opportunities to encourage a second visit.

A booking system connected to your own website can help you build a more direct relationship.

You can create a booking journey around:

• Your own branding
• Your venue’s session types
• Party packages and private hire
• Deposits and payment rules
• Gift vouchers
• Memberships
• Multiple locations
• Customer confirmations
• Availability and capacity
• Follow-up marketing

Your website remains the main destination. Your customers see your venue, your offers and your reasons to book: without unnecessary marketplace distractions.

Your customer data supports future revenue

The first booking is valuable. The second and third bookings often become more efficient because you have already built awareness and trust.

When your booking setup gives you appropriate access to your customer data, you can plan practical retention activity such as:

• Birthday reminders
• Seasonal campaigns
• School holiday promotions
• Post-visit follow-ups
• Membership renewals
• Gift voucher campaigns
• Offers for quieter periods
• Party booking reminders

This is particularly relevant for play centres. A family may visit for an ordinary play session, return for a birthday party and later purchase a gift voucher or membership.

That opportunity is harder to manage when customer information remains inside a third-party platform or is not connected to your marketing activity.

Explore email marketing for leisure businesses

A better booking journey can reduce administration

The cheapest booking system is not necessarily the best choice if it creates more work for your team.

Your staff may already be dealing with:

• Phone bookings
• Social media messages
• Manual availability checks
• Payment chasing
• Party enquiries
• Cancellation requests
• Confirmation emails
• Changes across multiple venues
• Separate spreadsheets or calendars

A suitable custom booking system can bring more of that activity into one place.

For a leisure venue, this may include:

• Online deposits and payments
• Automated customer confirmations
• Session capacity management
• Party and activity availability
• Multi-location administration
• Secure reporting
• Customer information
• Gift vouchers
• Memberships
• Custom booking rules

The practical benefit is not simply having more software. It is reducing the number of disconnected steps your team needs to manage each day.

See what commission-free booking software can include

Mobile performance affects completed bookings

Parents often search and book from a mobile phone. The booking journey therefore needs to be fast, clear and easy to use on a smaller screen.

Friction can appear in simple places:

• Too many form fields
• Slow-loading pages
• Unclear session availability
• Confusing party package options
• Unexpected charges
• A booking button that is difficult to find
• A checkout process that does not work well on mobile

A commission-free system does not automatically solve these issues. The software still needs to be configured around how your venue trades, and the website needs to guide customers towards the right booking.

That is why the booking platform and website should be considered together.

A mobile-first website, clear navigation and a straightforward booking flow can help more of your existing visitors complete the action they intended to take.

Learn more about custom websites for leisure businesses

Real example: Jungle Den retained €1,038.80 in one month

Jungle Den operates family activity venues in Naas and Newbridge. We delivered a custom website and multi-location booking platform built around the way the business actually operates.

In August 2026, the new system produced:

• 371 confirmed bookings
• 221 bookings in August 2025
• 68% year-on-year booking growth
• €1,038.80 saved in one month
• 0% booking commission charged by MBM

The €1,038.80 saving was measured against Jungle Den’s previous 1% booking-platform fee. It is not a comparison with a 10% platform fee, and it is not a guarantee of future savings.

If the August 2026 volume continued for 12 months, the measured saving would equate to a potential annualised saving of €12,465.60. That annualised figure is illustrative and depends on maintaining the same booking volume.

The project also included:

• A mobile-first customer journey
• Availability for two venues
• Deposits and online payments
• Gift voucher integration
• Customer and booking-data ownership
• SEO and local search support
• Google Ads and Meta advertising
• Email marketing for repeat bookings

Read the Jungle Den success story

When might a 10% platform fee make sense?

A percentage-based platform may be worth considering where it provides genuine additional value that you could not easily generate yourself.

For example:

• It delivers new customers through a marketplace
• Your booking volume is currently very low
• There is no meaningful upfront cost
• The platform handles administration your team cannot manage
• The fee is clearly understood and commercially justified

The key question is not whether the platform brings any bookings. It is whether the margin you give away is justified by the customers, visibility or operational support it provides.

You should also check:

• Whether the 10% applies to all bookings or only new customers
• Whether repeat bookings are charged at the same rate
• Whether payment fees are additional
• Whether fixed monthly charges also apply
• Who owns the customer data
• Whether you can export your booking information
• What happens if you leave the platform
• Whether the platform promotes competitors alongside your venue

A platform that charges commission on bookings you would have received directly is usually difficult to justify once your booking volume becomes established.

More control over your booking revenue

For PALI members, the decision should be based on your actual numbers rather than a generic software comparison.

We can review:

• Your current booking platform
• The percentage and fixed fees you pay
• Your monthly and annual booking value
• Your payment-processing costs
• Your booking journey on mobile
• Your customer-data access
• Your repeat-booking opportunities
• Your requirements for parties, sessions and locations

We then provide clear, prioritised recommendations. If a commission-free system would not make commercial sense for your venue, we will explain why.

MBM charges 0% commission on bookings. Standard payment-processing charges from your selected payment provider may still apply. Final software, build and support costs vary according to the number of locations, booking rules, integrations and level of customisation required.

Claim your free PALI member review

PALI members receive preferential rates, sector-specific recommendations and access to commission-free booking software from Myk Baxter Marketing.

The first step is simple:

1. 1Confirm your PALI membership.
2. 2Book a free consultation.
3. 3Share what you currently use and what it costs.
4. 4Receive a practical review and clear recommendations.
5. 5Proceed only if the numbers make sense.

There is no obligation to move forward.

Claim your free review as a PALI member or book a free consultation.

Frequently asked questions

Is 0% commission the same as free booking software?

No. A 0% commission system does not charge a percentage of your booking value, but software, build, hosting or support costs may still apply. Standard payment-processing charges may also apply when customers pay by card.

How much could a play centre save by removing a 10% platform fee?

The calculation is simple: multiply the value of bookings affected by the fee by 10%. For example, €20,000 in monthly bookings would produce €2,000 in platform fees. Your actual comparison should also include software costs, payment charges and any implementation investment.

Can a commission-free system manage parties and multiple venues?

It can, provided the system is configured for those requirements. Relevant features may include party packages, deposits, capacity rules, gift vouchers, private hire and multi-location availability.

Will a 0% commission system bring me new customers?

Usually, a direct booking system is designed to convert customers who reach your website, social channels, Google profile or campaigns. It is not automatically a marketplace. You may need SEO, Google Ads, Meta advertising, email marketing or other activity to generate demand.

Is commission-free booking software available to PALI members?

Yes. Myk Baxter Marketing provides 0% commission booking software exclusively to PALI members across Ireland, with preferential member pricing and a free, no-obligation review.