Tattoo Booking Software — Clients Show Up Prepared and on Time
Run your books on Tymeslot. Keep consultations separate from session bookings, take a deposit at booking, and have clients turn up prepared and on time.
Why do tattoo artists lose entire days to no-shows and booking confusion?
A no-show on a three-hour session is a day of income you can't earn back. Run bookings through Instagram DMs and texts and there's no confirmation, no reminder, and no record of what was agreed. Some clients arrive having skipped the consultation. Others ghost on the morning of. Tymeslot splits the consultation from the session, keeps a paper trail on every booking, and sends the reminders for you, so your attention goes to the work.
Why DM-based booking leaves a tattoo artist's day exposed
Most artists run their books out of Instagram DMs, with deposits taken (or not) via PayPal friends-and-family, a bank transfer, or cash on the day. Calendly and Acuity weren't built for a four- to eight-hour session that needs a non-refundable studio deposit before the slot is held, and Booksy keeps its deposit and staged-payment features on paid tiers most independent artists don't pay for. So every working artist knows the same gap: a confirmed slot with nothing financial behind it.
The maths on a no-show is brutal. A full-day session at €120 an hour walks out the door as €700–€900 of lost income, and the studio rent is due either way. One half-day no-show a month runs into four figures over a year. Add the design hours poured into clients who ghost between consultation and session and a busy artist can lose €3,000–€5,000 a year to gaps a deposit at booking would have closed.
Tymeslot puts a non-refundable studio deposit at the door of every session. Stripe takes it when the client picks a slot, paid consultations sort the serious enquiries from the curious, and a large multi-day piece can be split into staged payments tied to each sitting. The clients in your chair are the ones who have already put real money down.
Everything Tattoo Artists need. Nothing they don't.
Scheduling features shaped around how your practice works.
Separate Consultation and Session Types
Create distinct booking types for design consultations (short, no charge) and tattoo sessions (long, with a deposit note in the booking message) — so the two are never confused.
Long-Session Scheduling
Configure session durations from one hour to a full day. The calendar only shows slots where the full session fits, preventing accidental overbooking.
Reminders with Pre-Appointment Instructions
Send clients an automatic reminder before their session. Include pre-appointment instructions — eat beforehand, wear appropriate clothing, bring consent forms — so they arrive prepared.
Non-Refundable Deposits & Staged Payments
Collect a non-refundable studio deposit at booking via Stripe, charge for design consultations, and split large multi-sitting pieces into staged payments tied to each booking. The chair is only held once the deposit clears.
Privacy-First, No Tracking
Client data stays between you and them. No third-party analytics, no ads, no data sharing. Fully open-source and self-hostable.
See the difference
Same profession. Completely different scheduling experience.
Without Tymeslot
With Tymeslot
Common scheduling scenarios
How other Tattoo Artists use Tymeslot every day.
How do I manage the consultation-to-session pipeline without losing track?
A tattoo is a multi-step job. Keeping consultations and sessions in separate booking types shows at a glance where each client is, and stops a session being booked before the consultation has happened.
- Create a 'Design Consultation' event type: 30 minutes, free, with a note asking clients to describe their idea and bring any reference images.
- Create a 'Tattoo Session' event type: variable duration (1–8 hours depending on piece size), with a deposit instruction in the booking confirmation.
- After each consultation, send the client directly to the session booking link with their preferred dates in mind.
- The client books their session, receives a confirmation with deposit details and pre-appointment instructions, and is reminded the day before.
How do I prevent no-shows on long, high-value sessions?
A no-show on a half-day session wrecks the week's numbers. Automatic reminders and a minimum-notice rule shut off the easy ways out.
- Enable automatic reminders for session bookings — sent 48 and 24 hours before the appointment.
- Add pre-appointment instructions to the reminder: arrive hydrated, eat a meal, bring photo ID.
- Set a minimum advance notice of 48 hours so cancellations give you time to fill the slot.
- Require clients to include a deposit confirmation message when booking their session.
How do I stop myself from accidentally booking too many pieces in one day?
A large back piece plus two sleeve sessions in one day isn't sustainable. Precise working hours and buffer times set your limits for you, instead of leaving it to memory and manual calendar edits.
- Configure your working hours precisely — the calendar only shows slots within those boundaries.
- Add buffer time after each session for cleanup, machine sterilisation, and setup for the next client.
- Long session durations naturally limit how many pieces fit in a day — a four-hour session leaves no room for a second large piece.
- Block additional time in your connected calendar on days you want to close entirely — those times disappear from the booking page automatically.
How much time could you save?
Adjust to match your practice and see your potential savings.
Calculate your time savings
Drag the sliders to match your practice.
100
minutes saved per week
86.7
hours saved per year
€10404
annual value of saved time
Which calendar and video apps do tattoo artists use with Tymeslot?
Connects to the tools you already use. No extra setup.
Start free, upgrade when you're ready
Core scheduling is always free. No credit card required.
Free
€0 / month
- Unlimited bookings
- Calendar sync (Google, Outlook, CalDAV)
- Auto video rooms (Meet, Teams, Zoom, MiroTalk)
- Booking page at tymeslot.app/you
- Email reminders & notifications
- Intake forms & custom questions
Pro
€9 / month
- Everything in Free
- White-label branding
- Custom domain
- Remove Tymeslot branding from booking pages
- Support independent development
See Tymeslot in action
Try both booking themes live — no account needed.
"I used to dread Mondays because I never knew who was actually going to show up. Now every client has a confirmation in their inbox, a reminder the day before, and instructions on how to prepare. I had one no-show in three months after switching — down from several a month."
Jonas W.
Tattoo Artist, Zurich
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I take a non-refundable studio deposit and staged payments for large pieces?
Can I book sessions that last 4, 6, or 8 hours?
How do I handle multi-sitting tattoos?
Is Tymeslot free to use?
Does Tymeslot integrate with Google Calendar and Outlook?
Can I switch from Calendly to Tymeslot?
More scheduling guides
Scheduling for Photographers
Your photo shoot scheduler for every session type — turn enquiries into confirmed bookings with separate pages for consultations, portraits, and headshots, and a video link generated automatically for every planning call.
Scheduling for Hair Stylists
Clients book trims, colour, and blowouts around the clock from your Instagram bio link. No DMs to chase, no back-and-forth.
Scheduling for Barbers
The barber shop booking app that keeps your chair full — give regulars a way to lock in their slot every few weeks without messaging you each time.
Scheduling for Coaches
Let clients book sessions and discovery calls 24/7 — your coaching app for zero-friction scheduling without the email chains.
Ready to reclaim
your time?
Free plan available. No credit card required. Setup in 5 minutes.