The Singapore-built alternative to Timely
for beauty & wellness businesses
Timely is a capable salon platform built in New Zealand and now owned by US-listed EverCommerce. Its integrated payments (TimelyPay) are not available in Singapore, and it is priced per bookable staff member. Idle is built in Singapore, priced per store, and takes payments through your own Stripe account with PayNow and PayLah.
Here is the quiet, fact-checked side-by-side.
Built AI-native: AI client briefings and growth insights, plus AI agents like the WhatsApp Agent that books and reminds.
What's the difference between Timely and Idle?
Idle is an all-in-one platform built in Singapore for beauty and wellness businesses. It covers booking, calendar, CRM, POS, packages, inventory, staff shifts and leave, resource allocation and multi-store, with payments through your own Stripe account including PayNow, PayLah and GrabPay, and is priced per store.
Timely is a long-running salon and spa platform founded in New Zealand in 2011 and now owned by US-listed EverCommerce. It is feature-complete (POS, CRM, packages, memberships, inventory, rostering, rooms and resources, SMS and email, reporting), priced per bookable staff member across three tiers. Its integrated payments product, TimelyPay, is offered in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and parts of Europe, not Singapore.
The practical difference for a Singapore business: Timely can be used here as scheduling software, but its integrated payments are not available in Singapore and it charges per bookable staff member. Idle is Singapore-built, settles to your own Stripe account with PayNow and PayLah, and is priced per store.
Idle vs Timely: side by side
A quiet, factual comparison across what Singapore studios use day to day.
Based on publicly available information, including Timely's own website, as of June 2026. Prices and features set by Timely are controlled by Timely and may change, so verify current details on its own site.
Singapore-first vs overseas-owned
Timely is a solid product with a full feature set. For a Singapore salon the real differences are payments, pricing shape and local fit, not feature presence.
What sets Idle apart for a Singapore business
Timely matches Idle on most core tools, so the differences that matter here are payments, pricing and local fit.
Payments built for Singapore, on your own Stripe
- Your own account: settlements land in your own Stripe account.
- Local methods built in: card, Link, PayNow, PayLah and GrabPay, plus Stripe Terminal.
- No reliance on an overseas-only payments product.
Timely comparison: Timely's integrated payments run through TimelyPay, a Stripe-managed account offered in Australia, New Zealand, the UK, the US and parts of Europe, not Singapore. You can connect your own Stripe only as an alternate online gateway, one gateway at a time.
Priced per store, not per staff
- Per-store pricing: your cost is scoped to the store, not the size of your team.
- Add part-time or seasonal staff without adding a per-seat charge for each.
- Clear pricing scoped to your business.
Timely comparison: Timely is priced per bookable staff member across three tiers, so part-time staff count toward the bill.
Singapore-built, with done-for-you migration
- Local support and SGD billing, with GST-ready invoicing and PDPA-aware workflows.
- Our team migrates your clients, services, packages and history for you.
- A product shaped by what Singapore beauty businesses ask for.
Timely comparison: Timely is built in New Zealand and owned by US-listed EverCommerce, with no documented Singapore presence or local payment support.
Built AI-native, from briefings to agents
Idle puts AI where it saves an independent owner the most time, from client prep to retention to messaging.
AI client briefings
LiveBefore each appointment, Idle pulls together a short brief on the client: their history, preferences and spend, and what to suggest next, so every visit feels personal without digging through records.
AI growth insights
LiveIdle reads your bookings, revenue and retention and highlights what is working, which services and staff drive the most revenue, and who has stopped coming back, in plain language.
Churn and retention signals
BetaIdle flags clients at risk of lapsing, alongside a retention view of lifetime value and who has not returned, so you can reach out before they are gone.
AI restock for inventory
BetaIdle learns from your sales and usage to suggest what to reorder and when, so you hold the right stock without guesswork.
AI shift optimiser
BetaIdle suggests rosters that match staffing to expected demand, so you are covered at the busy times and lean at the quiet ones.
WhatsApp Agent
LiveAn AI agent that handles confirmations, reminders, rebooking nudges and campaigns over WhatsApp, SMS and email, in your salon's own voice.
AI HR Manager
LiveCommission tracking, payroll, payslips and attendance, handled in one place.
How this compares to Timely: both teams are adding AI. Idle's focus is client briefings and growth insights today, plus a WhatsApp Agent that handles confirmations, reminders and rebooking.
Features marked Beta are in active development and may change. Inclusions can vary by plan.
Switching from Timely to Idle
Most salons make the move in under a week. Our team runs the migration with you, end to end.
Discovery call
Day 1We scope your current setup, services, staff and data, and agree a timeline.
Data import
Day 1 to 3We import your clients, services, packages, booking history and balances from your export.
Setup and configuration
Day 2 to 4We configure Idle to match your services, staff and policies, and connect your own Stripe account.
Walkthrough and go-live
Day 3 to 5We walk your team through Idle and switch you over on a date you choose, with your old data kept as a backup.
Idle already handles the rest
Booking is only the start. Idle runs your whole front desk: checkout, packages, staff, inventory, and client CRM, all on one screen.
Compare Idle to other tools
See how Idle stacks up against the other platforms Singapore beauty and wellness businesses actually evaluate.
Fresha
Fresha is no longer free and processes card payments only through its own Fresha Pay. Idle takes no booking commission, runs payments through your own Stripe account with PayNow and PayLah, and gives you a booking link you own.
See comparison
Square Appointments
Square's card payments are not available to Singapore businesses, and Square Appointments runs only on Square's own closed payment stack. Idle is built in Singapore and settles to your own Stripe account with PayNow and PayLah.
See comparison
Zenoti
Zenoti is feature-rich software built and priced for enterprise chains, with quote-based pricing and a managed multi-week implementation. Idle is right-sized for independents, with transparent per-store pricing and a setup measured in days.
See comparison
Setmore
Setmore is a horizontal appointment scheduler with appointment payments, but no retail POS, inventory or native packages. Idle is a full beauty operations platform with a retail and service POS, packages, memberships and inventory.
See comparison
Trybe
Trybe is UK-built spa software designed to slot in alongside hotel property-management systems. Idle is Singapore-built for independent spas and salons, with PayNow and PayLah via your own Stripe account and GST-ready invoicing.
See comparison
WESS
WESS is an established Singapore salon and spa suite running since 2012. Idle is the modern Singapore alternative, adding your own Stripe account with PayNow, PayLah and GrabPay, transparent per-store pricing, and AI built into the platform.
See comparison
Studio Manager
Studio Manager by Archer Logic is an established Singapore beauty and clinic platform. Idle is the modern alternative, adding your own Stripe account with PayNow, PayLah and GrabPay, transparent per-store pricing, and self-serve onboarding.
See comparisonBuilt for your kind of business
From a solo studio to a multi-staff clinic, Idle adapts to how you run. Explore the setup for your trade.
Frequently asked questions
Have a question we haven't answered? Email us at [email protected], we usually reply same-day.
Want a guided walkthrough? Book a free demo →
Can I take payments through Timely in Singapore?
Can I take payments through Timely in Singapore?
How is Idle's pricing different from Timely's?
How is Idle's pricing different from Timely's?
Does Timely charge commission on bookings?
Does Timely charge commission on bookings?
What does Idle have that Timely does not?
What does Idle have that Timely does not?
Can I switch from Timely to Idle?
Can I switch from Timely to Idle?
Independent comparison. This page compares Idle with other software using publicly available information, including each vendor’s own website and documentation, believed accurate as of June 2026. It is provided for general information only, may not reflect the latest features, plans, or pricing, and is not professional advice. Features and prices set by other providers are controlled by them and may change at any time, so please verify current details on the relevant vendor’s own website before making a decision. Idle is not affiliated with, endorsed by, sponsored by, or otherwise associated with Timely. Timely is a trademark of its respective owner, and all product names, logos, and trademarks belong to their respective owners and are used here for identification and comparison purposes only. No disparagement is intended. If you believe anything here is inaccurate or out of date, email us at [email protected] and we will review it promptly.
See Idle, priced and built for Singapore
Book a free demo and we will walk through the comparison on your own setup: your own Stripe account with PayNow and PayLah, per-store pricing, and what migration looks like.
Last reviewed: June 2026.