Theybook vs Checkfront

The commission-free alternative to Checkfront

Checkfront is a flexible reservation and inventory system used across rentals, tours and accommodations. It's configurable and has been around a long time. Theybook does the same core jobs for a flat monthly fee — with 0% commission and payouts straight to your own Stripe.

At a glance

The difference is the meter

Checkfront runs on tiered subscription + booking limits. Theybook charges one flat monthly fee, so your most successful months don't become your most expensive.

Checkfront · on $300k

Varies by tier

Skimmed from a year of bookings

Theybook · on $300k

$0

Commission — just one flat fee

Illustrative, based on a commission of roughly 6% on $300,000 of annual bookings. Your exact savings depend on your volume and the fee you pay today.

Why operators switch

What you gain moving from Checkfront

Keep 100% of every booking

Theybook charges one flat monthly fee. No commission, no per-ticket cut — ever.

Paid direct to your Stripe

Money lands in your own account on your own payout schedule. We never hold your funds.

A booking page that looks like you

A full design studio with 110+ controls — not a locked template with someone else's branding.

Runs the whole operation

Checkout, automated emails, manifest, CRM, reviews, waivers and analytics in one place.

Line by line

Theybook vs Checkfront

TheybookCheckfront
Pricing modelFlat monthly feeTiered subscription + booking limits
Commission per booking0% — alwaysA cut of every order
Who holds your moneyYou — direct to your StripeRouted through the platform
Cost as you growStays flatRises with every sale
Booking page designFull studio + custom CSS + your domainLimited templates
Customer data ownership100% yours, CSV export anytimeLimited / platform-held
Add-ons & tiered pricingIncludedVaries
Gift cards & promo codesIncludedVaries
Automated emails & waitlistBuilt inVaries / add-on
SetupSelf-serve in minutesOften a sales call

Where we differ

Three reasons to choose Theybook

No booking caps

Theybook's flat fee doesn't meter your bookings. Sell as many seats as you can fill without watching a counter.

A modern, designed storefront

Checkfront's booking pages can feel utilitarian. Theybook ships a design studio focused on conversion and brand.

Guest lifecycle built in

Automated reminders, post-trip review requests and an auto-filling waitlist come standard rather than as add-ons or integrations.

In fairness

What Checkfront is good at

Checkfront is strong on inventory/rental logic and has broad payment-gateway support and a long track record.

The honest answer: if a per-booking fee is quietly costing you thousands and you'd rather own your booking page, your data and your guest relationships, Theybook is the better economic and strategic fit for most operators.

Switching is easy

Move off Checkfront in an afternoon

  1. 1

    Recreate your experiences

    Add each tour, charter or activity with pricing, capacity and duration. Tiered pricing and add-ons take seconds to set up.

  2. 2

    Set your availability

    Create repeating schedules and one-off departures. We generate dated, seat-limited slots for the next 90 days automatically.

  3. 3

    Design your booking page

    Pick a preset, drop in your logo and photos, tune colors and sections, and connect your own domain.

  4. 4

    Connect Stripe & go live

    Link your Stripe account, paste the embed widget on your existing site, and take your first commission-free booking.

Questions, answered

Checkfront vs Theybook FAQ

Is Theybook simpler than Checkfront?+

For tour, charter and activity operators, yes — Theybook is opinionated around selling seats on scheduled departures, with a guided setup and a polished booking page out of the box.

Do I get inventory and capacity controls?+

Yes — per-experience capacity, per-departure seat limits, closures, and a shared-resource lock that prevents double-booking the same boat or guide.

Keep what Checkfront would take.

Set up your booking page in minutes. No card, no contract, no commission.