What does booking commission really cost your play centre every year?

The calculation is straightforward:

Annual booking commission = online booking revenue × commission rate

Then add any fixed platform charges, payment fees or premium features charged separately.

For a venue processing €100,000 in online bookings each year, a 5% commission represents €5,000 leaving the business. At 1%, the cost is €1,000. As bookings grow, the commission grows with them.

That is why more Irish leisure operators are reviewing 0% commission booking software in Ireland — particularly systems that keep booking revenue, customer data and day-to-day control with the venue.

The cost grows every time your business grows

Commission-based booking software can look affordable when you first start using it. A small percentage on each booking may not seem significant when viewed transaction by transaction.

The annual figure tells a different story.

These figures show commission only. Your platform may also charge a monthly subscription, payment-processing fees, setup costs, add-ons or charges for additional locations.

The relevant question is not simply, “What percentage does the platform charge?” It is:

How much does your booking system cost your play centre over a full year?

What does booking commission cost your play centre?

Start with the last 12 months of online booking revenue. Include all booking types processed through the system:

• Open-play sessions
• Birthday parties
• Camps and school breaks
• Private hire
• Memberships
• Events and special activities
• Gift vouchers, where commission applies

Then identify every charge in your agreement or monthly invoices:

• Booking commission
• Payment-processing fees
• Monthly or annual software fees
• Fees for additional venues
• Marketing or preferred-placement charges
• Refund or cancellation administration fees
• Premium reporting or automation features

Use this calculation:

Total annual cost = (online booking revenue × commission rate) + fixed platform charges + payment-processing fees

For example, if your play centre takes €120,000 in online bookings and pays 5% commission, that is €6,000 a year in commission alone. If the platform also costs €75 per month, that is another €900, taking the total to €6,900 a year — around €575 per month before considering the value of customer data, administration time or missed repeat-booking opportunities.

You can enter your own figures into the booking software savings calculator to estimate what your current system may be costing.

A 1% fee can still mean more than €12,000 a year

Jungle Den provides a useful example of how even a low commission rate can become material at a busy venue.

After moving to a custom booking system with 0% booking commission from Myk Baxter Marketing, Jungle Den saved €1,038.80 during one month compared with its previous 1% booking-platform fee.

€1,038.80 × 12 = €12,465.60 potential annualised saving

This is an annualised illustration, not a guarantee of future savings. It assumes the August volume continues and does not account for changes in trading levels, seasonality or other costs.

The saving is nevertheless clear: a 1% fee that appears modest can represent more than €12,000 per year when booking value is high enough.

The commission saving and booking growth are separate measures. Removing commission helps retain more revenue; the improved website, booking journey and marketing activity supported the wider increase in bookings.

Read the full Jungle Den success story

0% commission booking software in Ireland: what should you compare?

A genuine 0% commission booking system does not mean there are no costs at all. It means the software provider does not take a percentage of your booking value. You should still compare the complete commercial model.

1. Commission on every booking

This is the most visible cost. A percentage is deducted or invoiced based on the value of bookings processed. The rate may vary by product, booking type, payment method or contract. Check whether commission applies to deposits, balances, refunds, vouchers, memberships and cancelled bookings.

2. Fixed software charges

A fixed monthly or annual fee can be easier to budget for than a percentage that increases as you succeed. However, check what the fee includes:

• Number of venues
• Number of users
• Booking volume
• Customer communications
• Reporting
• Gift vouchers
• Memberships
• Support and maintenance

3. Payment-processing charges

Card and payment-processing fees may still apply when using 0% commission booking software. These are charged by the selected payment provider rather than as booking commission.

The distinction matters. With MBM booking software, MBM charges 0% booking commission, while standard payment-processing charges from the selected provider may still apply. Software and support costs may also apply depending on the required scope.

4. Customer data and repeat bookings

The cost of a booking system is not limited to the invoice. If customer information is difficult to access or use, you may be missing opportunities for:

• Birthday reminders
• Seasonal campaigns
• Post-visit follow-ups
• Membership renewals
• Quieter-period promotions
• Repeat family visits
• Targeted upselling

A system that gives you control of customer data can support retention as well as reduce booking costs.

More revenue retained, less administration

The commercial case for a direct booking system is not only about removing commission. A system built around your play centre can also help you:

• Manage sessions, parties and availability in one place
• Take deposits and online payments
• Set custom booking rules
• Manage more than one location
• Send customer confirmations
• Sell gift vouchers
• Handle memberships and private hire
• Review booking and customer data
• Reduce manual administration
• Create a clearer mobile booking journey

These improvements remove unnecessary layers between your venue and your customers. The result is a simpler operating model: attract customers to your website, help them complete a booking, retain their details and encourage them to return.

Do the numbers make sense for your play centre?

A 0% commission system is not automatically the right choice for every operator. You need to compare the total investment with the commission and administration costs you currently carry. Use this checklist:

• What was your online booking revenue over the last 12 months?
• What commission rate does your platform charge?
• Does the rate apply to every booking type?
• What fixed fees did you pay?
• Are payment-processing fees included or separate?
• How much staff time is spent managing the current system?
• Can you access and use your customer data?
• Are repeat bookings and retention campaigns straightforward?
• Do you operate more than one venue?
• What would a custom, direct booking system need to include?

For some venues, the saving may be modest. For others, the annual cost can reach several thousand euro or more. The only reliable way to assess it is to use your own booking value, rate and fixed charges.

Built for Irish play and leisure businesses

Myk Baxter Marketing provides commission-free booking software for Irish leisure venues, including soft play centres, adventure parks, trampoline parks, pet farms, kids’ camps and family entertainment venues. The system is configured around how your venue trades, including:

• Session capacities
• Party packages
• Deposits
• Arrival and changeover times
• Gift vouchers
• Memberships
• Private hire
• Multi-location availability
• Customer confirmations
• Reporting and administration

We work exclusively with PALI members across Ireland and provide preferential member pricing, sector-specific recommendations and direct support.

The practical starting point is not a sales package. It is a review of what you currently use and what it costs.

If you are a PALI member, you can also book a free, no-obligation consultation. We will review your booking setup, identify the main costs and explain the options clearly, so you can proceed only if the numbers make sense for your business.