Health & wellness · Ranked by price to features
10 Best Salon Booking Software of 2026
By the Rankozo research desk · Updated November 9, 2026 · Next review December 24, 2026
GlossGenius is the best salon booking software for solo stylists and small salons in 2026, with Standard at $24 a month billed annually and Gold covering up to 9 staff for $48; Booksy suits barbers and stylists who want every feature for $29.99 a month plus $20 per extra team member; Square Appointments Free costs $0 a month, with in-person card fees of 2.6% + 15¢.
- Tools ranked
- 10
- With free plan
- 1
- Cheapest paid plan
- GlossGenius, $24
- per month
By the numbers
- $198.25 billionUS merchants paid $198.25 billion in card processing fees in 2025, a new record according to the Nilson Report.Nilson Report
- 1.59%The weighted average card processing fee paid by US merchants reached 1.59% of purchase volume in 2025.Nilson Report
- 79.34%Credit cards accounted for 79.34% of all card processing fees US merchants paid in 2024.Nilson Report
- $0.52Debit transactions exempt from Regulation II, mostly cards from issuers under $10 billion in assets, carried an average interchange fee of $0.52 in 2023.Federal Reserve Board
- 1.15%After Brexit, Visa and Mastercard raised interchange on UK-EEA online card payments fivefold, from 0.2% to 1.15% for debit and from 0.3% to 1.5% for credit.Payment Systems Regulator
- £170 millionUK businesses pay at least £170 million more a year in Visa and Mastercard scheme and processing fees than seven years earlier, the PSR estimates.Payment Systems Regulator
Comparison table
| Tool | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GlossGenius | 01 | 8.9 | 9.0 | $24per month | No |
| Booksy | 02 | 8.7 | 9.0 | $29.99per month plus $20 per extra team member | No |
| Square Appointments | 03 | 8.7 | 9.2 | $49per location per month | Yes |
| Mangomint | 04 | 8.6 | 8.2 | $120per location per month plus $10 per user | No |
| Fresha | 05 | 8.4 | 8.4 | Check price | No |
| DaySmart Salon | 06 | 8.3 | 8.5 | $29per month | No |
| Vagaro | 07 | 8.2 | 8.0 | Check price | No |
| Boulevard | 08 | 8.1 | 7.2 | $143per location per month | No |
| Timely | 09 | 7.9 | 7.6 | Check price | No |
| Zenoti | 10 | 7.7 | 6.8 | Check price | No |
Click a column to sort. Prices are the cheapest paid plan quoted from each vendor's US pricing page; "Check price" means the US price check is pending.
How this ranking works
One method for every tool. We compared documented features and published prices; we did not run hands-on tests. Value carries the most weight.
Full methodThis list is for owners of hair salons, nail studios, barbershops, spas and beauty studios who want clients to book online, pay deposits and check out at the front desk. Salon software charges in three main ways: a flat fee per location, a base fee plus a charge for each staff member, or a set number of bookable calendars per plan, and most vendors also earn on card processing. We compared documented features and published prices on each vendor's own pages and scored value at 40%, features at 35% and ease of use at 25%. Prices are the cheapest paid plan in USD as shown on the vendor page in November 2026. Four vendors showed another currency, a regional price list or no public price from our location, so those are marked as pending.
The verdict
GlossGenius gives small salons the most for a low monthly fee: Standard is $24 a month on annual billing, and Gold adds forms, Google booking, an automated waitlist and room management for teams of up to 9 staff at $48. Booksy is the simplest price to budget, with one plan at $29.99 a month, $20 for each extra team member and every feature included, plus a marketplace that can bring in new clients. Square Appointments is the pick for owners who want to start free and pay only card fees, then move to Plus at $49 per location for no-show fees and waitlists. Mangomint suits busy multi-staff salons that want Express Booking and a virtual waiting room at $120 per location and $10 per user. Fresha, DaySmart Salon, Vagaro and Boulevard cover the rest of the market, from free-style subscriptions to premium multi-location suites, and Zenoti is a quote-based platform for large chains.
- 01Top value

GlossGenius
8.9/10Booking, payments and marketing software for beauty and wellness businesses, with separate plans for medspas.
Price
$24per month
Standard from $24 per month billed annually ($28 monthly); Gold $48 per month billed annually for up to 9 staff
“Standard $ 28 $ 24 / monthly Billed annually, you save 14%.” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 9.0
Best forSolo stylists and salons of up to 9 staff that want a low flat fee with deposits and no-show policies built in.
GlossGenius prices by business size rather than by chair, which keeps costs flat as a small team grows. Standard costs $24 a month on annual billing or $28 monthly and includes a custom booking website, unlimited client notifications, email and text marketing, inventory and packages and memberships. Gold at $48 a month billed annually covers up to 9 staff and adds forms and waivers, Google booking and reviews, an automated waitlist, time tracking and room and resource management. Platinum at $148 is aimed at teams of 10 or more and adds commissions and goal tracking. The plan comparison lists built-in deposits, card-on-file and cancellation and no-show policies, and payouts are free on the same day from Monday to Thursday. The limits are a missing free plan, a 1.8% fee for instant payouts and paid add-ons for payroll and the Reception call answering service. For a salon of three to nine stylists, Gold is one of the cheapest full-featured plans we found.
- ✓Gold covers up to 9 staff for $48 a month on annual billing, with no per-seat charge
- ✓Free same-day payouts Monday to Thursday
- ✓Free data transfer from another booking system
- ✕No permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial
- ✕Instant payouts carry a 1.8% fee
- ✕Payroll is an add-on at $40 a month plus $6 per seat
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Standard, $24 per month billed annually
- Staff limit:
- Gold up to 9 staff; Platinum for teams of 10 or more
- Online invoicing rate:
- 2.9% + $0.30
- Add-ons:
- Payroll $40 per month plus $6 per seat; Reception $50 per month
Bottom line: GlossGenius is the best value for small and mid-size salons that want one flat fee. Teams above 9 staff should compare Platinum with per-location plans.
- 02

Booksy
8.7/10A booking app and consumer marketplace for barbers, stylists and beauty pros with one plan that includes every feature.
Price
$29.99per month plus $20 per extra team member
$29.99 per month plus $20 per month for each additional team member, billed monthly
“Booksy costs $29.99 per month , plus $20 per month for each additional team member (+ tax).” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.4
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.7
Best forBarbers and stylists who want a single simple price and new clients from a booking marketplace.
Booksy is the easiest salon software to budget because it sells one plan. The account costs $29.99 a month and each additional team member adds $20, with every feature included: online booking, Reserve with Google, waitlists, gift cards, memberships and packages, custom forms and liability waivers, reporting and no-show protection. Plans include 2,000 free SMS marketing messages a month, and appointment confirmations and reminders are always free. Payments run through Booksy's own card readers at 2.49% + $0.10, Tap to Pay at 2.49% + $0.20, and mobile or keyed-in payments at 2.69% + $0.30, with free next business day payouts. The Booksy marketplace is the other draw: turning on Boost costs nothing monthly, but each new Boost client carries a one-time fee of 30% of the first visit, capped at $100. A five-person salon pays $109.99 a month, which is more than flat-fee rivals, so Booksy fits best for solo pros and small teams.
- ✓No feature tiers, so every provider gets the full toolset
- ✓No commission on clients who find you through your own marketing
- ✓Monthly billing with no commitment
- ✕The $20 charge per extra team member adds up for larger salons
- ✕Boost marketplace clients cost a one-time 30% of the first visit, up to $100
- ✕Fast payouts in 30 minutes cost 1.5%
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial
- Price:
- $29.99 per month plus $20 per extra team member
- Card reader rate:
- 2.49% + $0.10 per transaction
- Mobile and keyed-in rate:
- 2.69% + $0.30 per transaction
- SMS marketing:
- 2,000 free messages per month
Bottom line: Booksy is the simplest choice for barbers and solo stylists who also want marketplace exposure. Salons with many staff will pay less on a flat team plan.
- 03

Square Appointments
8.7/10Square's booking and point of sale software for appointment businesses, with a free plan and per-location paid plans.
Price
$49per location per month
Free plan; Plus $49 per location per month; Premium $149 per location per month
“$0/mo. per location $49/mo. per location $149/mo. per location” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Value (40%)
- 9.2
- Features (35%)
- 8.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forSalons and solo pros who want to start free and pay mostly card fees, with hardware for the front desk.
Square Appointments has the lowest entry cost on this list: the free plan has no monthly fee and includes an online booking site, appointment reminders, integrations and unlimited staff calendars, so a salon pays only processing. In-person card payments cost 2.6% + 15¢ on Free and online payments 3.3% + 30¢. Plus at $49 per location per month adds cancellation policies and no-show fees charged to a card on file, multi-staff appointment booking and a waitlist, and lowers rates to 2.5% + 15¢ in person and 2.9% + 30¢ online. Premium at $149 per location targets large salons with resource management, service cost tracking and 2.4% + 15¢ in-person rates. Because Plus is billed per location rather than per stylist, a ten-chair salon pays the same $49 as a two-chair one. Square also sells hardware, gift cards, loyalty and payroll from $35 a month. The trade-off is that resource management and the lowest in-person rate need Premium at $149.
- ✓The free plan has no monthly fee and includes unlimited staff calendars
- ✓Plus is priced per location, not per stylist
- ✓30-day free trial on Plus and Premium
- ✕Online card payments cost 3.3% + 30¢ on the free plan
- ✕No-show fees and waitlists need Plus
- ✕Phone support on Free and Plus is weekday hours only
- Free plan:
- Yes, $0 per location
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Plus, $49 per location per month
- In-person card rate:
- 2.6% + 15¢ on Free, 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus, 2.4% + 15¢ on Premium
- Online card rate:
- 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium
- Free trial:
- 30 days on Plus and Premium
Bottom line: Square Appointments is the best free start and a strong per-location deal for larger teams. Salons that need resource management should budget for Premium.
- 04

Mangomint
8.6/10Salon and spa software with automation such as Express Booking and a virtual waiting room, priced per location and per user.
Price
$120per location per month plus $10 per user
$120 per location per month plus $10 per user
“Monthly price is $ 120 per location and $ 10 per user .” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 8.2
- Features (35%)
- 8.9
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.8
Best forBusy salons and spas that want front desk automation and U.S.-based support.
Mangomint keeps pricing to two numbers: $120 per location and $10 per user each month, with anyone who has a profile counting as a user. That buys the full platform, including calendar and scheduling, payments and point of sale, online booking, Express Booking, a virtual waiting room, memberships and packages, forms and charting, gift cards, retail and inventory, staff management, reporting and multi-location tools. Onboarding and data transfer are free and there are no contracts. Card rates are 2.45% + 15¢ in person and 2.90% + 30¢ online, among the lower published rates here. The extras are where costs climb: Phone is $70 a month per line, Marketing with campaigns and automated flows starts at $30 a month, and Payroll is $50 a month plus $8 per worker. A salon with five stylists and a receptionist pays $180 a month before add-ons, more than GlossGenius or Square, but gets more front desk automation in return.
- ✓One core plan with full platform access and no contracts
- ✓Free onboarding and free data transfer
- ✓In-person card rate of 2.45% + 15¢
- ✕Every profile counts as a user, including front desk staff
- ✕Marketing campaigns and automated flows are a paid add-on from $30 a month
- ✕Phone is $70 a month per line
- Free plan:
- No, free trial account with demo data
- Price:
- $120 per location plus $10 per user per month
- In-person card rate:
- 2.45% + 15¢
- Online card rate:
- 2.90% + 30¢
- Payroll add-on:
- $50 per month plus $8 per worker
Bottom line: Mangomint is the best fit for busy salons and spas that want automation at the front desk. Small teams on a tight budget will pay less elsewhere.
- 05

Fresha
8.4/10Salon and spa booking software with a large consumer marketplace, priced per bookable team member.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.4
- Features (35%)
- 8.3
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.5
Best forSalons that want marketplace bookings and low subscription costs, and are happy with processing through Fresha.
Fresha pairs salon software with a consumer marketplace that it says has 25+ million customers looking to book, and its pricing reflects that. The Independent plan covers one-person businesses with a single calendar column, while the Team plan charges per bookable team member and adds multiple calendar columns and phone support. Enterprise rates are available for businesses with more than 20 team members. Both plans include calendar and appointment scheduling, waitlists, point of sale, client management, consultation forms, retail and inventory, an online product store, marketing tools, gift cards, packages, memberships, group bookings, resources and patch tests. Bookings through Facebook, Instagram and direct links are free, and the marketplace charges a one-time fee only on brand new clients it finds for you. Payments support upfront payments, no-show and cancellation fees and Klarna. From our location the pricing page showed PLN rather than USD, so we could not verify the U.S. price. Check the per-member rate and new client fee on Fresha's U.S. page before you compare.
- ✓No fee on returning clients from the marketplace
- ✓Unlimited automated email and app notifications
- ✓Enterprise rates for businesses with more than 20 team members
- ✕A one-time fee applies to brand new marketplace clients
- ✕Only 50 free text messages per team member a month
- ✕Prices were shown in PLN from our location, so the USD price is unverified
- Free plan:
- No, 7-day free trial
- Plans:
- Independent, Team (per bookable team member) and Enterprise
- Enterprise threshold:
- Over 20 team members
- Marketplace fee:
- One-time fee on new marketplace clients; none on returning clients
- Free texts:
- 50 per team member per month
Bottom line: Fresha is a strong option for salons that want marketplace demand with modest software costs. Confirm the U.S. per-member price and the new client fee first.
- 06

DaySmart Salon
8.3/10Salon booking and management software, now including Slick, with five plans set by number of users.
Price
$29per month
Basic from $29 per month for 1 user; Deluxe $69 per month for 3 users
“Basic $ 29 / Month Basic Plan: 1 User Online Booking” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.5
- Features (35%)
- 8.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.2
Best forSmall salons that want a low entry price with online deposits and add staff a few at a time.
DaySmart Salon sets its plans by user count, which suits small salons that grow a chair at a time. Basic costs $29 a month for one user and already includes online booking, appointment reminders, Instagram and Facebook booking, integrated payments, online deposits, a walk-in manager, a kiosk and 500 texts a month. Deluxe at $69 covers 3 users and adds online gift cards, digital forms, a client loyalty system, basic payroll, email marketing, memberships and packages, with extra users at $9 a month each. Deluxe Growth at $149 adds text marketing, two-way texting and reputation management, and Premium at $199 covers 6 users with QuickBooks Connect. Unlimited users, expense tracking, advanced payroll and commission tracking sit on Premium Growth, which is priced by quote. Every plan includes free data migration. The catch is that marketing texts and two-way messaging cost more here than on Booksy or GlossGenius, where they come in lower tiers.
- ✓Basic at $29 a month includes online deposits
- ✓Free data migration on every plan
- ✓Extra users cost $9 a month each on Deluxe and Premium
- ✕Basic covers only 1 user
- ✕Text marketing and two-way texting need Deluxe Growth at $149
- ✕Unlimited users needs Premium Growth, priced by quote
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial of Deluxe
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Basic, $29 per month for 1 user
- Extra users:
- $9 per month each on Deluxe, Deluxe Growth and Premium
- Plans:
- Basic $29, Deluxe $69, Deluxe Growth $149, Premium $199, Premium Growth by quote
- Texts on Basic:
- 500 per month
Bottom line: DaySmart Salon is a sensible low-cost start for a small salon that wants deposits and walk-ins handled. Growing teams should price Deluxe with extra users against flat-fee rivals.
- 07

Vagaro
8.2/10Salon, spa and fitness software with a consumer marketplace, priced by bookable calendar.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30 days
- Value (40%)
- 8.0
- Features (35%)
- 8.6
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.9
Best forSalons that want a large feature set, marketplace listing and a price that stops rising after seven calendars.
Vagaro prices by bookable calendar: the plan starts with one calendar and each calendar license you add costs $10 in the U.S., up to seven, after which more employees cost nothing extra. That cap makes it predictable for salons of eight or more providers. Every plan includes AI business and marketing tools, payments with a free card reader for merchant services customers, calendar and resource management, waitlists, memberships, packages and gift certificates, loyalty programs, SOAP notes, inventory, invoices, Daily Deals and a listing on the Vagaro Marketplace. Clients can book on Vagaro, Instagram, Facebook and Apple Maps, and the plan includes 1,000 free emails a month and unlimited reminders. Multi-location businesses get flagship syncing of services and client data and custom access levels. From our location the pricing page showed GBP, so we could not verify the U.S. base price. The breadth is the draw, but it also means more setup than Booksy or GlossGenius.
- ✓Calendar licenses stop adding cost after seven
- ✓Listing on the Vagaro Marketplace is included
- ✓30-day free trial and no cancellation fees
- ✕Prices were shown in GBP from our location, so the USD base price is unverified
- ✕Each added calendar license costs $10 until you reach seven
- ✕The large feature set takes longer to set up than simpler apps
- Free plan:
- No, 30-day free trial
- Extra calendars:
- $10 (US) per bookable calendar license, up to seven
- Emails:
- 1,000 free per month
- Booking channels:
- Vagaro Marketplace, Instagram, Facebook and Apple Maps
- Contract:
- Cancel anytime, no cancellation fees
Bottom line: Vagaro suits larger salons that want marketplace exposure and a cost cap on calendars. Confirm the U.S. base price before comparing it with flat-fee plans.
- 08

Boulevard
8.1/10Premium booking and client experience software for salons, spas and medspas, sold through a demo.
Price
$143per location per month
Essentials from $143 per month for 1 location billed annually, up to 5 providers
“Essentials For small teams with simple operations and 1 single location $ 143 /mo for 1 location” Quoted from the pricing page, November 9, 2026.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 7.2
- Features (35%)
- 9.1
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.2
Best forUpscale salons and spas that want a polished client experience and plan to run several locations.
Boulevard is the premium choice here and its pricing says so. Essentials costs $143 a month for one location on annual billing and covers up to 5 providers, with 250 free texts, 1,000 free email blasts and 50 GB of storage. Premier, listed at $234 per location as a limited-time fall offer against a normal $293, removes the provider cap for growing teams with complex booking and staff needs. Prestige at $328 per location adds the Forms add-on, 2,500 texts and 10,000 email blasts. Text marketing and two-way texting are billed by volume, automated campaigns are free to send, and extra email blasts cost $0.01 each. Forms starts at $65 per location and QuickBooks sync costs $45 per location. Onboarding comes with a specialist and an on-demand training site. Boulevard does not publish its card rates on the pricing page, so ask for them in the demo. For a small salon it costs several times more than GlossGenius or Square Plus.
- ✓Premier removes the provider cap for one price per location
- ✓Assigned onboarding specialist and an on-demand training site
- ✓Automated campaigns are free to send
- ✕Highest starting price among the plans with public USD prices here
- ✕Forms is an add-on from $65 per location per month
- ✕Sales are demo-led with no self-serve trial listed
- Free plan:
- No
- Cheapest paid plan:
- Essentials, $143 per month for 1 location billed annually
- Provider limit:
- Up to 5 on Essentials; unlimited on Premier
- Premier:
- $234 per location per month, a limited-time offer (normally $293)
- Add-ons:
- Forms from $65 and QuickBooks $45 per location per month
Bottom line: Boulevard fits upscale salons and spas that value client experience over price. Small teams get most of the same basics for far less elsewhere.
- 09

Timely
7.9/10Salon and beauty booking software priced per staff member, with no new client fees.
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14 days
- Value (40%)
- 7.6
- Features (35%)
- 8.0
- Ease of use (25%)
- 8.4
Best forHair and beauty teams that want per-staff pricing and no marketplace commission.
Timely charges per bookable staff member across three plans and promises no new client fees, which appeals to salons that dislike marketplace commissions. Build includes social media booking and a mini website, team management, automated SMS and email reminders, stock management, online payments and 100 SMS a month. The middle plan adds digital consultation forms, client photo and document storage, add-on services, a waitlist and pricing tiers by staff skill and seniority, with 200 SMS. Innovate adds automatic consultation forms, automated rebooking reminders, staff sales targets, VIP services and a personalized booking confirmation page, with 350 SMS. Online payments cover deposits, cardless checkout and cancellation fees. From our location the pricing page loaded its Europe region list, so we could not confirm the U.S. price. Because every plan is per staff, a ten-person salon pays ten times the single-seat rate, which makes flat plans from GlossGenius or Square cheaper for larger teams.
- ✓No new client fees on any plan
- ✓Pricing tiers by staff skill and seniority
- ✓14-day free trial with no credit card
- ✕Per-staff pricing gets expensive for large teams
- ✕The pricing page showed a Europe region price list from our location, so the U.S. price is unverified
- ✕Consultation forms and waitlists need the middle plan or higher
- Free plan:
- No, 14-day free trial
- Plans:
- Build, a middle plan and Innovate, priced per staff
- SMS included:
- 100, 200 or 350 per month by plan
- New client fees:
- None
- Markets:
- Includes the United States
Bottom line: Timely is a fair pick for small teams that want no new client fees and staff-level pricing. Larger salons should compare it with flat per-location plans.
- 10

Zenoti
7.7/10An enterprise platform for salon, spa, medspa and fitness chains with AI agents for the front desk and back office.
- Free plan
- No
- Value (40%)
- 6.8
- Features (35%)
- 9.2
- Ease of use (25%)
- 7.0
Best forMulti-location salon and spa chains that need payroll, commissions and central reporting.
Zenoti is built for salon and spa chains rather than single shops. Its platform covers the appointment book, employee management, payroll and commissions, staff performance and goals, inventory, resource and room management, point of sale, payment processing, Text2Pay, memberships, packages, gift cards and loyalty, plus online booking through a webstore, social booking and Reserve with Google. A set of AI agents handles marketing, lead follow-up, phone answering, rebooking, chargeback disputes and KPI monitoring across locations. Zenoti says it is used by more than 30,000 businesses in over 50 countries. Pricing is quote only for every business type, so we could not compare its cost with the published plans on this list, which pulls its value score down. The depth that makes Zenoti useful for a 20-location group also means more setup and training than a solo stylist needs. Chains with central payroll and reporting needs should request a quote alongside Boulevard Enterprise.
- ✓Covers booking, point of sale, payroll and marketing in one system
- ✓Built for chains, with KPI monitoring across locations
- ✓Used by 30,000+ businesses in 50+ countries, per Zenoti
- ✕No public prices; every plan needs a quote
- ✕More setup and training than small-salon apps
- ✕Overkill for a single small salon
- Free plan:
- No
- Pricing:
- Quote only
- Business types:
- Salon and spa, medspa, fitness and barbershop
- Customers:
- 30,000+ businesses in 50+ countries, per Zenoti
- AI tools:
- AI receptionist, lead manager, concierge, dispute manager and business advisor
Bottom line: Zenoti is the most complete option for multi-location chains. Independent salons will get faster setup and clear prices from the tools above.
What to check before you pay
Price your salon by headcount, not by plan name
The plan names hide very different staff rules. Booksy adds $20 per month for each team member after the first, Mangomint charges $10 per user including front desk staff, GlossGenius Gold covers up to 9 staff for one price, Square Plus charges per location, and Boulevard Essentials covers up to 5 providers. A five-stylist salon pays about $109.99 a month on Booksy, $48 on GlossGenius Gold billed annually, $49 on Square Plus, $143 on Boulevard Essentials billed annually and at least $170 on Mangomint before add-ons.
Compare card rates as closely as subscriptions
A salon that takes $20,000 a month in card payments pays far more in processing than in software. Square lists 2.6% + 15¢ for in-person payments on Free and 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus, Mangomint lists 2.45% + 15¢ in person and 2.90% + 30¢ online, and Booksy lists 2.49% + $0.10 on its card reader and 2.69% + $0.30 for mobile and keyed-in payments. Ask for custom rates once volume is high: Square and Mangomint both say larger businesses can qualify.
Protect the book with deposits and no-show fees
Empty chairs cost more than software. Square adds cancellation policies and no-show fees from Plus, Booksy includes no-show protection features on its single plan, GlossGenius lists built-in deposits and cancellation and no-show policies, DaySmart Salon includes online deposits from Basic, and Fresha lists upfront payments and no-show and cancellation fees. Check that the policy can charge a card on file automatically, not just send a reminder.
Watch marketplace and add-on fees
Booksy and Fresha run consumer marketplaces. Booksy's Boost takes a one-time 30% of a new client's first visit, up to $100, and Fresha applies a one-time fee to brand new clients found on its marketplace, with no fee on returning clients. Add-ons also add up: Mangomint Phone is $70 a month per line and Payroll is $50 plus $8 per worker, GlossGenius Payroll is $40 a month plus $6 per seat, and Boulevard Forms starts at $65 per location.
Plan for a second location early
If a second site is likely, check how each vendor bills it. Square Plus and Premium charge their monthly fee for each location, Mangomint charges $120 per location, Boulevard prices Premier and Prestige per location, and Zenoti and Vagaro offer multi-location plans through sales. Shared client profiles and reporting across sites are worth more than a lower single-site price.
FAQ
What is the cheapest salon booking software?
Square Appointments Free has no monthly fee and charges 2.6% + 15¢ on in-person card payments. The cheapest paid plan we verified is GlossGenius Standard at $24 a month billed annually, followed by DaySmart Salon Basic at $29 and Booksy at $29.99 a month.
Which salon software is cheapest for a team of five stylists?
GlossGenius Gold at $48 a month billed annually covers up to 9 staff, and Square Plus costs $49 per location. Booksy costs $109.99 a month for five team members, Boulevard Essentials $143 billed annually for up to 5 providers, and Mangomint at least $170.
Which salon booking apps charge no-show fees?
Square Plus adds cancellation policies and no-show fees charged to a card on file. Booksy includes no-show protection on its single plan, GlossGenius lists cancellation and no-show policies, and Fresha lists no-show and cancellation fees.
Do salon booking marketplaces charge commission?
Booksy charges a one-time 30% of a Boost client's first visit, up to $100, and nothing for clients from your own marketing. Fresha applies a one-time fee on brand new marketplace clients and none on returning clients. Timely says it charges no new client fees.
What card processing rates do salon booking tools charge?
Mangomint lists 2.45% + 15¢ in person, Booksy lists 2.49% + $0.10 on its card reader, and Square lists 2.6% + 15¢ on Free and 2.5% + 15¢ on Plus. Online payments run from 2.69% + $0.30 on Booksy to 3.3% + 30¢ on Square Free.
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