Transparent, once-off pricing for direct-booking guesthouse websites in South Africa. No lock-in contracts, no surprises. Less than one month of Booking.com commission for most guesthouses.
Pick the package that matches your property size. Every build is mobile-first, SEO-optimised, and live in one weekend.
Regardless of which package you choose, every Klipwerks site ships with these essentials. No upsells, no hidden line items.
80%+ of SA tourism searches happen on a phone. Your site is built mobile-first, then scales up to tablet and desktop.
Meta tags, clean code, fast loading and local search optimisation so guests searching your name find your site first.
Structured data for your business, rooms and pricing so Google understands exactly what you offer and can show rich results.
Booking enquiries land straight on your phone via WhatsApp. No complex systems, no missed emails.
Embedded map with your exact location so guests can navigate to your door without leaving your site.
Lightbox gallery showcasing your rooms, views and facilities. Optimised images that load fast on mobile data.
Lean, modern code. No bloated themes or plugin stacks. Your site loads in seconds even on a slow connection.
HTTPS on every page. Google requires it, guests trust it, and your booking form is encrypted end to end.
Optional but recommended. Let Klipwerks keep your site secure, backed up and up to date so you can focus on your guests.
Hosting is optional — you're free to host the site yourself. No lock-in, cancel anytime.
A direct-booking site costs less than a single month of Booking.com commission for most guesthouses. Here's the side-by-side.
| Monthly revenue | Booking.com commission (15%) | Annual commission paid | Klipwerks once-off build | Klipwerks annual hosting | Estimated annual saving* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| R10,000 | −R1,500/mo | −R18,000 | R2,500–R5,000 | R1,800–R4,200 | R8,800–R13,700 |
| R20,000 | −R3,000/mo | −R36,000 | R2,500–R5,000 | R1,800–R4,200 | R26,800–R31,700 |
| R40,000 | −R6,000/mo | −R72,000 | R2,500–R5,000 | R1,800–R4,200 | R62,800–R67,700 |
| R60,000 | −R9,000/mo | −R108,000 | R2,500–R5,000 | R1,800–R4,200 | R98,800–R103,700 |
| R100,000 | −R15,000/mo | −R180,000 | R2,500–R5,000 | R1,800–R4,200 | R170,800–R175,700 |
*Estimated saving assumes 30% of bookings shift to direct (commission-free). Individual results vary. Keep Booking.com for discovery — recover what was already yours. Hosting shown at Basic–Managed range. First-year saving includes the once-off build; ongoing years save even more.
A once-off build starts at R2,500 for the Starter package (up to 4 rooms), R4,000 for the Professional package (5-10 rooms), and R5,000 for the Full Service package (10+ rooms). Optional monthly hosting and maintenance ranges from R150 to R350 per month.
No. The build fee is once-off and there are no lock-in contracts. Monthly hosting is optional and you can cancel anytime. The only ongoing cost is hosting if you want Klipwerks to keep your site secure, backed up and updated.
Booking.com charges 15% commission per booking. A guesthouse doing R40,000 a month pays about R6,000 monthly or R72,000 a year in commission. A Klipwerks direct-booking site costs R2,500 to R5,000 once-off, plus R150 to R350 monthly hosting. Even if a direct site recovers only 20-30% of bookings, the annual saving typically pays for the site many times over.
Starter suits small guesthouses and B&Bs with up to 4 rooms. Professional is the most popular option for established guesthouses with 5-10 rooms that want seasonal pricing, testimonials and a blog. Full Service is for lodges and self-catering properties with 10+ units that need an availability calendar, multi-unit pricing and direct payment integration.
Basic Hosting (R150/month) includes SSL, automated backups and security updates. Plus Hosting (R250/month) adds content updates and a monthly SEO check. Managed Hosting (R350/month) adds priority support, monthly performance reports and blog management. Hosting is optional — you can host the site yourself — but most guesthouses prefer Klipwerks to handle the technical side.
10-minute chat. No obligation. We'll look at what you're paying in commission and whether a direct site makes sense for your guesthouse.
Book a Free Consultation →