Vendors can pay for more visibility on this website, for example a higher place in a ranking or more room on a page. Commercial relationships can also affect which products we feature and how prominently. Every vendor link is marked the same, whatever the arrangement behind it. The largest vendors in salon management software
cannot hold places 1 to 3. Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands in a category,
wherever the category has them; the established names follow from place 4 in their ranked order. How it works: placement disclosure ·
editorial process.
The 12 tools, reviewed
#1 Fresha
Booking, checkout and client records priced per bookable person · United Kingdom · fresha.com
Published price Marketplace London
Fresha is a salon and spa booking system from London that publishes what it costs. One person pays 14.95 euros a month on the Independent plan, and each bookable member of a team pays 9.95 euros.
- Pricing: Per bookable team member / month. The pricing page shows 14.95 euros per month for one person and 9.95 euros per bookable team member per month, with a 7-day trial. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Solo stylists and small teams
- Strengths: Calendar and appointment scheduling; Waitlists; Point of sale.
Where it falls short
The pricing page names a one-time fee on marketplace clients without stating the amount in the text we read.
Wrong for
A venue with more than twenty bookable staff, or a med spa that wants a published enterprise price, should compare Zenoti or Meevo, which sell by quote with larger-group tooling.
Visit Fresha →
#2 Phorest
Salon and clinic software with loyalty, rostering and marketing · Ireland · phorest.com
Salon-specific Loyalty Dublin
Phorest is a Dublin company that sells to hair salons, beauty salons and aesthetic clinics and says its plans suit businesses with three or more staff. The Starter plan lists deposits, reminders, client cards, video consultations, a loyalty programme, memberships and stock control.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices are published. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Salons with three or more staff
- Strengths: Online booking with deposits; Automated email and SMS reminders; Client cards.
Where it falls short
Phorest shows no price, so a buyer learns the cost only after a quote request. Its pitch is aimed at teams of three or more, which leaves a solo stylist with little guidance.
Wrong for
A one-chair stylist who wants a figure on the website and a monthly cap should look at Fresha or Booksy, which print their prices.
Visit Phorest →
#3 Salonized
Dutch salon calendar and checkout, owned by Treatwell · Netherlands · salonized.com
Treatwell-owned Monthly cancel Amsterdam
Salonized is an Amsterdam-based salon system whose legal entity carries the Treatwell name. Its pricing page promises no contracts, no setup cost, cancellation at the end of the paid month and an import of customer and product lists from the previous program.
- Pricing: Subscription plus add-ons. The pricing page offers 14 days of the Pro plan, no setup cost and monthly cancellation. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Independent salons in the Netherlands and Belgium
- Strengths: Online calendar; Online scheduling; Sales and inventory.
Where it falls short
The Treatwell connection costs 35% commission on new Treatwell bookings plus a 2% fee on prepaid online bookings. Support contacts are listed for the Netherlands and Belgium, and the site was built around Dutch-speaking salons.
Wrong for
A venue in the United States or Australia, or a multi-site group needing franchise controls and API access, should look at Meevo, Zenoti or Shortcuts.
Visit Salonized →
#4 Booksy
Booking app with one flat monthly price and a marketplace · United States · biz.booksy.com
Flat price Marketplace Chicago
Booksy states one price and says all features are included: $29.99 a month, plus $20 for each added team member, with a 14-day trial and no commitment. Confirmations and reminders are free, and the plan includes 2,000 free marketing texts a month.
- Pricing: Base + per extra team member. The US page states $29.99 per month plus $20 per additional team member, a 14-day trial, 2,000 free marketing texts monthly, and card rates from 2.49% plus $0.10. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Barbers and stylists wanting one price
- Strengths: 24/7 online booking; Client and calendar management; Built-in marketing tools.
Where it falls short
Each added team member costs $20 a month, so a ten-chair salon pays far more than the headline. Boost takes up to $100 on a new client's first visit.
Wrong for
A salon with a large team that wants a flat per-location fee should compare Square Appointments, which prices by location, or a quote-based suite such as Phorest.
Visit Booksy →
#5 Vagaro
Beauty, wellness and fitness booking with payments and reporting · United States · vagaro.com
All-in-one Fitness too Pleasanton
Vagaro describes itself as software for beauty, wellness and fitness, and one page covers salons, barbers, nails, tanning, spas and pilates. Every plan lists a calendar with resource management, waitlists, memberships, packages, gift certificates, loyalty, inventory, invoices, SOAP notes and a marketplace listing.
- Pricing: Per bookable calendar / month. The UK pricing page shows a monthly price per bookable calendar (£20 for one, listed beside £30) with a free trial. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Mixed salon, spa and wellness venues
- Strengths: Calendar and resource management; Memberships and packages; Customer loyalty programs.
Where it falls short
Price rises with each bookable calendar, and the UK page shows two figures, £30 and £20, beside the one-calendar option.
Wrong for
A pure hair salon that wants a calendar focused on color processing times and retail shelves, or a business using its own merchant account, should look at Phorest or Shortcuts.
Visit Vagaro →
#6 Treatwell
European salon marketplace with Connect and Expert software tiers · United Kingdom · treatwell.co.uk
Marketplace Two tiers London
Treatwell sells two products to salons. Connect is a diary and marketplace listing that starts at £9.99 a month for a freelancer and £24.99 for a team. Expert, at £59 a month with a 14-day trial, adds reporting, deposits, card machines with daily payouts, tipping and a customizable website.
- Pricing: Subscription + commission. The UK pricing page lists Connect from £9.99 a month for a freelancer and £24.99 for unlimited team members, Expert at £59 a month with a 14-day trial, and 35% plus VAT on a new client's first marketplace booking. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Salons that want new clients first
- Strengths: Treatwell Connect app; Treatwell Expert; Treatwell Pay.
Where it falls short
The 35% plus VAT on a first booking is a large share of a haircut, and online pre-payments carry 2.5% plus VAT. The marketplace brings the demand, so a salon that leans on it gives Treatwell leverage.
Wrong for
A salon that already fills its book from regulars and wants software without a marketplace relationship should compare Phorest or Fresha, where direct bookings are the main route.
Visit Treatwell →
#7 Zenoti
Enterprise platform for salons, spas, medspas and fitness · United States · zenoti.com
Enterprise Franchise Bellevue
Zenoti is a Bellevue company that says it serves more than 30,000 salon, spa and medspa businesses in over 50 countries. Its menu runs from the appointment book, memberships and loyalty to forms and charting, payroll and tipping, inventory and franchise controls, plus an AI receptionist for phone bookings.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices are published. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Multi-site spas and franchises
- Strengths: Appointment book; Online booking and kiosk; Memberships and packages.
Where it falls short
Everything starts with a demo and a quote, so a small salon cannot test the product in an evening.
Wrong for
An independent salon with a handful of chairs and no franchise plans should look at Fresha, Booksy or Salonized, which publish simple terms and allow self-service start.
Visit Zenoti →
#8 Square Appointments
Free appointment scheduling attached to Square payments · United States · squareup.com
Free plan Per location Oakland
Square Appointments is the scheduling product from Block, which is why it sits at place eight and not higher. On the UK page the Free plan costs £0 a month for one location and includes unlimited staff accounts, a booking website, integrated payments and automatic reminders. Plus costs £29 per location and adds a waitlist and cancellation fees.
- Pricing: Per location / month. The UK page lists Free at £0 a month for one location with 1.75% in person, Plus at £29 and Premium at £69 per location with 1.6% in person, and custom rates above £200K of annual card sales. Free plan: free plan.
- Best for: Solo providers already on Square
- Strengths: Unlimited staff accounts; Custom booking website; Automatic text and email reminders.
Where it falls short
Square describes itself for many service trades, from home repair to tutoring, so the salon-specific tools such as color formulas, processing times and consultation forms are thinner than at dedicated vendors.
Wrong for
A color-heavy salon with stylists, assistants and a retail wall should check Phorest, Meevo or Shortcuts, which were written for those workflows.
Visit Square Appointments →
#9 Shortcuts
Salon software from Brisbane with an integrated payments product · Australia · shortcutssoftware.com
Hair and barber Payments Brisbane
Shortcuts offers Fusion, a booking and business management tool for hair salons, barbers, beauty businesses and spas, and ShortcutsPay, which handles deposits, service payments and tips and pays out the next business day. The company says more than 14,000 businesses use it and lists separate regional pages for Australia and New Zealand, North America and the United Kingdom.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices are published; the homepage says one month free is available and sends buyers to a demo request. Free plan: free trial.
- Best for: Hair and beauty salons in Australia and the UK
- Strengths: Shortcuts Fusion booking; ShortcutsPay; Online booking deposits.
Where it falls short
The homepage gives no price, no plan table and no security statement, so a buyer depends on a demo. The marketing leans on claims such as award-winning and 4.9 without naming a source.
Wrong for
A buyer who wants to compare plans and security details before talking to sales should start with Fresha, Booksy or Square Appointments, which publish them.
Visit Shortcuts →
#10 Kitomba
Salon software with targets, loyalty and a payments option · Australia · kitomba.com
Staff targets Kitomba Pay Brisbane
Kitomba says it has served salons across Australia for more than 20 years. Lite covers online booking, stock and checkout with integrated eftpos. Grow adds staff targets, a waitlist, repeat appointments and loyalty. Pro adds time management, a Xero integration, Google analytics and AI marketing, and Enterprise covers multiple locations with one financial view.
- Pricing: Quote by plan. Pricing is by questionnaire: the page offers instant pricing after a few questions across Lite, Grow, Pro and Enterprise, and says the Plus range with Kitomba Pay takes 20% off software fees. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Salons in Australia and New Zealand
- Strengths: Online booking; Stock management; POS with integrated eftpos.
Where it falls short
Price shows only after answering a questionnaire, and the Plus discount ties the salon to Kitomba Pay.
Wrong for
A salon outside Australia and New Zealand, or one that must use its own card processor at full discount, should compare Phorest, Salonized or Vagaro.
Visit Kitomba →
#11 Meevo
Salon, spa and med spa software for multi-location groups · United States · meevo.com
Franchise Med spa Parsippany
Meevo is made by Millennium Systems International, which says it was founded in 1987 and now has more than 200 employees. The company states its software serves hundreds of thousands of spa and salon users in over 36 countries.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices are published; Essentials, Premier and Enterprise all end in a quote request, and the med spa edition, MeevoMD, has separate plans. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Spa and salon groups, franchises
- Strengths: Appointment book; Online booking; Memberships and payment plans.
Where it falls short
Plans are quote only, so the cost of the unlimited implementation and training that the plan cards list sits inside the quote.
Wrong for
A single-chair stylist or small barbershop that wants to start on a card the same day should use Fresha, Booksy or Square Appointments instead.
Visit Meevo →
#12 Mindbody
Wellness booking platform with a consumer app and three tiers · United States · mindbodyonline.com
Incumbent Consumer app San Luis Obispo
Mindbody offers three tiers and every one includes unlimited users, integrated payments, branded website widgets and a listing on the Mindbody app, which the page describes as reaching 3M-plus monthly shoppers. Accelerate adds analytics, room and resource management and promo codes, and Ultimate adds automated email and text campaigns and a sales pipeline.
- Pricing: Quote only. No prices are published. Free plan: none.
- Best for: Wellness studios mixing classes and appointments
- Strengths: Business management tools; Integrated payments; Branded booking widgets.
Where it falls short
All three plans end in a conversation with sales, so a salon cannot read a monthly cost. Class schedules and wellness listings are central to the pages, and the salon-specific items such as processing times or color records are not what the plan table leads with.
Wrong for
A hair or barber business that wants a transparent price and a salon-first workflow should look at Fresha, Phorest or Booksy before Mindbody.
Visit Mindbody →
What the data says about this market
Of the twelve vendors here, six are headquartered in the United States: Vagaro, Booksy, Zenoti, Square Appointments, Meevo and Mindbody. Two are in the United Kingdom, Fresha and Treatwell, two in Australia, Shortcuts and Kitomba, one in Ireland, Phorest, and one in the Netherlands, Salonized. Five show a subscription price in the pages we read: Fresha, Booksy, Vagaro, Treatwell and Square. Five more, Phorest, Zenoti, Kitomba, Meevo and Mindbody, send a buyer to a quote form, and Shortcuts publishes no figures either. One vendor, Square, offers a free plan, and six others advertise a trial or a free first month.
More in our report The Global Shift to ICT Services, on market data and in all industry reports.
Questions and answers
What is the best salon management software in 2026?
Fresha ranks first of 12, best for solo stylists and small teams. Phorest is second (salons with three or more staff) and Salonized third (independent salons in the Netherlands and Belgium). Places 1 to 3 go to challengers, vendors outside the best-known brands, wherever the category has them.
How much does salon software cost per month?
It depends on staff and card volume. Fresha shows 14.95 euros for one person and 9.95 euros per bookable team member. Booksy states $29.99 plus $20 per extra team member.
Which salon software has a free plan or trial?
Square Appointments has a free plan for one location. Fresha offers a 7-day trial, Booksy and Salonized 14 days, Treatwell Expert 14 days, and Vagaro a free trial. Shortcuts says one month free is available.
What does a marketplace listing cost a salon?
The cost is a commission on first visits. Treatwell states 35% plus VAT on a new client's first booking from the marketplace and 0% on repeat or direct bookings. Booksy's optional Boost lists a one-time 30% fee up to $100.
Is salon software different from a general booking tool?
Yes, in a few specific ways. A salon needs several stylists on one book, services with processing and finishing gaps for color, a client card with notes and patch tests, retail stock and commission.
Which salon software works for a barbershop?
Several listed products name barbers. Fresha, Vagaro and Shortcuts each list barber businesses, Zenoti sells a barbershop plan, and Treatwell lists barbershop software as a business type.
What software suits a med spa or a spa with treatment rooms?
Zenoti and Meevo have the strongest claims. Zenoti separates salon and spa, medspa and fitness plans and lists forms and charting, memberships and resource handling. Meevo offers a separate MeevoMD med spa edition and says its platform is HIPAA-compliant.
Can I move my client list from my old salon software?
Usually yes, with limits on what arrives. Fresha imports client details and product inventory and sells paid packages for complex migrations. Kitomba and Zenoti say their teams migrate data. Meevo offers optional data entry services.
Do I have to use the vendor's card processing?
Not always stated. Booksy names Stripe as payment operator, and Phorest says Stripe handles card data.
Which salon software is available outside the United States?
Fresha is based in London, Treatwell in London, Phorest in Dublin, Salonized in Amsterdam, and Shortcuts and Kitomba in Brisbane. Phorest and Shortcuts show country selectors, and Vagaro serves the United Kingdom with a pounds price page.
Do salons need an AI receptionist feature?
It is optional. Zenoti, Treatwell and Fresha name an AI receptionist, and Vagaro describes an AI assistant called Vera that helps with marketing and filling empty slots.
