Is Your Data Safe on Free Booking Apps?

When it comes to booking appointments, many business owners turn to free apps and software at the start. While this may seem like a cost-effective solution, it can put your data at risk. Many free booking apps and software are not considered reputable, and they do not take data security seriously. This means that your data is vulnerable to exploitation.

If you’re using a totally free app for sensitive health data, you could be in breach of GDPR and HIPAA compliance regulations. Make sure you choose a reputable provider who takes data security seriously!

Cyber Risks from Free Apps

There are a range of booking app providers that offer free trials, so if you’re serious about your business, make sure the provider you’re considering has a clear source of funds such as monthly revenue from subscription sales. If a provider doesn’t have a clear business model and revenue source, you can guarantee that your data is how they keep their operations funded.

At Welloca, we’re committed to supporting small healthcare providers so we offer a free plan alongside our paid subscriptions. Our business model is clearly aligned with delivering value to our customers and is clearly funded by subscription revenue.

When you’re looking to choose a software provider and cost is a limiting factor, you also need to weight up the cost of using a free booking app against the associated cyber security risks. We see a lot of smaller healthcare providers being targeted by cyber attackers, so do your due diligence on the software company and make sure everyone understands the legal obligations potential reputational damage associated with a 1-sided contract. If you’re not engaging in a services-for-money contract, you need to be asking what the provider perceives as the value exchange (is it their service in exchange for free use of your data?).

Free Booking Apps and Data Breaches

Free apps are a leading source of data breaches, so it’s important to be aware of the risks before you download any app. Questions you need to ask yourself include:

• Where is your data going to be stored?
• What laws will govern the contract between you and the provider?
• How does the provider fund their operations and do they invest in cyber security?
• Has the provider had any history of data breaches?
• Is the provider a registered company in their country of operation?
• Does the provider have robust insurance covering cyber incidents?
• What is the process to notify you if the provider suspects an incident may have occurred?
• Will your data be shared with any 3rd parties (and if so, who are they and where are they domiciled)?

By understanding the dangers, you can make sure your business is protected against data loss. Choose wisely and stay safe!

Looking for a reputable and secure booking app? Check out Welloca today! With our military-grade encryption and 24/seven customer support, you can rest assured that your data is safe with us. Try Welloca free for 14 days and see for yourself! No credit card is required.