Bigtoe, Soothe and Zeel all send a licensed massage therapist to your home, hotel or office, and all three let you book the same day. The real differences are how the tip works, whether you need a membership for the best price, which services each offers, and where each one operates.
Bigtoe publishes this guide. We have tried to be fair, and the details about Soothe and Zeel come from their own public pages as of October 2026. Prices and policies change, so check the app before you book.
At a glance
Founded
- Bigtoe
- 2021, Washington, DC
- Soothe
- 2013, Los Angeles
- Zeel
- 2012, New York
Where it operates
- Bigtoe
- 40+ US cities
- Soothe
- Dozens of US metros, plus a few cities abroad
- Zeel
- 120+ US cities and destinations
Tip
- Bigtoe
- A standard 20% tip, shown in the price before you book
- Soothe
- Optional; 20% suggested at checkout. Plus a $4.95 booking fee
- Zeel
- 18% added automatically. Plus a $4.95 booking fee
Membership
- Bigtoe
- None. No subscriptions or membership fees
- Soothe
- Optional membership (SoothePass)
- Zeel
- Optional Member and Member Plus plans with lower rates
Booking hours
- Bigtoe
- Seven days a week, early morning to late evening
- Soothe
- 8am to 10pm, every day
- Zeel
- 8am to 10:30pm, every day
Services
- Bigtoe
- Swedish, deep tissue, sports, reflexology, couples, prenatal, postnatal, routine and post-op lymphatic
- Soothe
- Massage including lymphatic and myofascial, plus facials and other spa services
- Zeel
- Swedish, deep tissue, prenatal, sports and sleep massage
Lymphatic massage
- Bigtoe
- Routine and post-op lymphatic, each as its own service
- Soothe
- Lymphatic massage offered; post-op not listed separately
- Zeel
- Not listed as a service
Events and corporate
- Bigtoe
- Chair or table massage for parties, offices and conferences, quoted per therapist per hour
- Soothe
- Corporate programs
- Zeel
- Corporate chair massage
How pricing really compares
Compare the total at checkout, not the headline rate. In October 2026 we priced a 60-minute Swedish massage booked for the next day, as a new customer with no membership, in three cities. Totals include the tip and any booking fee. Bigtoe charges no booking fee; Zeel and Soothe each add $4.95, plus an automatic 18% tip at Zeel and a suggested 20% tip at Soothe.
Los Angeles
- Bigtoe
- $119.99
- Zeel
- $168.97
- Soothe
- $195.75
Miami
- Bigtoe
- $119.99
- Zeel
- $168.97
- Soothe
- $201.75
Washington, DC
- Bigtoe
- $131.99
- Zeel
- $192.57
- Soothe
- $201.75
- Bigtoe came out $49 to $82 cheaper per session, roughly 30% to 40% less.
- Bigtoe's price is $99.99 plus the standard 20% tip in most cities, and $109.99 plus tip in a few higher-cost markets such as Washington, DC.
- Zeel and Soothe offer memberships with lower rates, but they need an ongoing commitment. Bigtoe has none, so the first session and the tenth cost the same.
- Same-day bookings carry a short-notice premium at Bigtoe, and longer sessions cost less per minute.
Which one to choose
- Choose Zeel if you live in a city Bigtoe and Soothe don't serve, or if you book often enough that a membership pays for itself.
- Choose Soothe if you also want facials or other spa services through the same app.
- Choose Bigtoe if you want one all-in price with no membership, need post-op lymphatic massage after surgery, or are booking massage for a party, office or event.
- If you are near the edge of a city, check availability in each app. Coverage inside a metro area varies for all three.
Safety and vetting
All three say their therapists are licensed. Bigtoe requires every therapist to hold a state license and active liability insurance, checks licenses against state boards, and lets you choose your therapist's gender. Calls and texts run through a masked number, so your phone number is never shared with the therapist.
Whichever app you use, you can ask for the therapist's license number and look it up on your state massage board's website.
Frequently asked questions
Is Bigtoe cheaper than Zeel or Soothe?
In our October 2026 check, yes. A 60-minute massage booked for the next day came to $119.99 all in with Bigtoe in Los Angeles and Miami, against $168.97 with Zeel and $195.75 to $201.75 with Soothe, including tips and booking fees. Bigtoe needs no membership. Same-day bookings carry a short-notice premium.
Do I need to tip with these apps?
With Bigtoe a standard 20% tip is included in the price, so no extra tip is expected. Zeel adds an 18% tip automatically. Soothe makes the tip optional and suggests 20% at checkout. Both Zeel and Soothe also charge a $4.95 booking fee.
Can I book a massage for today?
Yes. Bigtoe, Soothe and Zeel all take same-day bookings, subject to therapist availability in your area.
Which app offers post-op lymphatic massage at home?
Bigtoe offers post-operative lymphatic massage as its own service, with therapists who have opted in to post-op work. Soothe offers lymphatic massage but does not list post-op as a separate service, and Zeel does not list lymphatic massage among its services.