HolidayFox vs Freetobook | Honest comparison for UK B&Bs

If you're running a B&B, guesthouse or small accommodation business in the UK, Freetobook is probably the first booking system you came across. They've been the go-to entry-level option for UK B&Bs for over a decade, partly because they have a free starting tier.

I run HolidayFox, so this isn't a neutral page. But I'll try to be honest about it. Freetobook is a solid product, and for some owners they're the right answer. Here's when they are and when they aren't.

What Freetobook is, and what they do well

Freetobook is a UK-based online booking system founded in 2008, headquartered in Glasgow. They serve B&Bs, guesthouses, small hotels and self-catering, primarily in the UK and Ireland.

Their pitch, and the reason they're so well-known, is the free starting tier. You get a booking calendar, an embeddable booking widget, and basic guest management without paying anything. Paid add-ons (channel manager, SMS, Facebook integration, etc.) unlock at modest monthly fees.

Things Freetobook genuinely does well:

✓The free tier is real. Not a trial. You can take direct bookings through their widget with no monthly fee, and they make money on per-booking transaction fees instead.
✓UK-focused and battle-tested. They know the UK B&B market well: VAT, deposits, the operational rhythm of small accommodation.
✓Easy entry. If you've never used booking software before, Freetobook is one of the simplest things to get started with.
✓UK phone support. Their support team is based in the UK and answers the phone.

If your priority is "I run a 2-room B&B, I've never used booking software, and I want the cheapest way to accept a deposit through my website," Freetobook is a perfectly reasonable answer.

What HolidayFox is, and where we're different

HolidayFox is a WordPress-native booking widget plus a booking management back-office. We're UK-focused. We live inside the WordPress site you already have, or the one you build yourself.

Compared to Freetobook, three things are different in practice:

Where the booking engine lives. Freetobook hosts the booking page on their platform; you embed a widget on your site that points to it. HolidayFox is a proper WordPress plugin: the booking flow runs on your own domain, your own design, your own SEO. Looks and feels native.
Onboarding. Freetobook is self-service: you set yourself up by following their guides. HolidayFox has Candice on our team handling the setup in 5 working days, including unit/pitch structure, pricing rules, Stripe configuration, and any migration from your existing system.
Strategic positioning. Freetobook is designed as cheap, dependable booking software that co-exists comfortably with Booking.com etc. HolidayFox's pitch is take direct bookings on your own site, reduce Booking.com commission. Same software category, different worldview.

We're more expensive than Freetobook's free tier (obviously). The question is whether the WordPress-native flow, the white-glove setup, and the strategic direction are worth the difference for your business.

Feature-by-feature comparison

Capability	HolidayFox	Freetobook
Where the booking engine lives	Your WordPress site (native plugin)	Freetobook's hosted platform (embedded widget on your site)
Free tier	No. paid subscription	Yes, basic features free, paid add-ons
Per-booking transaction fees	No. Stripe processing only	On free tier; reduced on paid tier
Onboarding	White-glove: Candice sets you up in 5 days	Self-service
Channel manager	Yes (paid)	Yes (paid add-on)
Multi-property	Yes	Yes
Dynamic pricing	Yes	Limited on free tier
Deposit + balance	Yes (UK-tuned)	Yes
Guest comms automation	Yes	Yes (some on paid tier)
WordPress-native experience	Yes	Embedded widget only
UK-specific (VAT, seasonality)	Native	Yes, UK-focused company
Switch-out risk	Your WordPress site stays; you keep everything	Booking page lives on Freetobook; disappears if you leave

Pricing

Freetobook's entry point is free, with per-booking transaction fees and paid add-ons for additional features. Total cost depends heavily on booking volume and which add-ons you turn on.

HolidayFox is a flat monthly subscription with no per-booking fees, no surprise costs as you scale. For a small B&B taking modest volume, Freetobook's free tier is cheaper. At higher volume (and higher direct-booking ambition), HolidayFox is competitive or cheaper because the per-booking fees on Freetobook's free tier add up.

We'll quote you on a 15-minute call. If the maths doesn't work for you, Hannah will say so.

Who each one is right for

Freetobook is probably the better fit if:

•You run a small B&B (1–4 rooms), modest booking volume, and cost is the dominant factor.
•You don't have or want a WordPress site, and an embedded widget pointing to a hosted booking page is fine.
•You're new to booking software and want the simplest entry point.
•Per-booking transaction fees don't bother you at your volume.

HolidayFox is probably the better fit if:

✓You want the booking flow to feel native to your own WordPress site, not redirect to another platform.
✓You're actively trying to reduce Booking.com / Expedia commission as a strategic priority.
✓You'd value white-glove setup over self-service.
✓You're at meaningful booking volume and want flat pricing rather than per-booking transaction fees.

Talk to us

15 minutes with Hannah. She'll ask three or four questions and give you a straight answer, including whether Freetobook might be a better fit for where you are right now.

Book 15 minutes with Hannah →

Hannah runs HolidayFox. If you spot anything in this article that's inaccurate about Freetobook, drop her a note at hannah@holidayfox.com and she'll fix it. We want this to be fair.