AlternativesBooking Software for Salons, Spas & Wellness
Beauty and wellness booking is its own software category, and for good reason: a salon needs point-of-sale, staff commissions, product inventory, client records, and — uniquely — marketplace exposure that brings in new clients, not just a calendar for existing ones. Several platforms here double as consumer marketplaces where potential clients discover and book you, which no general-purpose scheduler can offer.
Pricing models differ sharply and are worth understanding before you commit: some charge a flat subscription, others are free until they take a commission on new-client bookings or payment processing. The right choice depends on whether you value predictable costs or pay-for-performance client acquisition.
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FreshaFree trialSubscription-free salon platform — you pay through processing and new-client fees — with a large consumer marketplace attached.
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VagaroFree trialAll-in-one salon, spa, and fitness platform with booking, POS, marketing, and its own client marketplace.
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BooksyFree trialMarketplace-first booking that barbershops and solo beauty pros use as a client-acquisition channel as much as a calendar.
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GlossGeniusFree trialDesign-forward salon software with flat pricing, fast payments, and a polished client experience.
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MindbodyPaidThe heavyweight for fitness and wellness studios at scale, with classes, memberships, and enterprise reporting.
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TimelyFree trialSalon-focused booking and client management, popular with hair and beauty businesses in the UK, Australia, and New Zealand.
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StyleSeatPaidClient-discovery platform for independent beauty pros, trading a commission model for marketing reach.
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TreatwellPaidEurope's largest salon marketplace — list your calendar where millions of clients already book treatments.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between salon software and a marketplace?
Salon software (GlossGenius, Timely) manages your calendar, clients, and payments for a subscription. Marketplaces (Booksy, Treatwell, StyleSeat) also list you where consumers browse and book, usually in exchange for commission on new clients. Fresha and Vagaro blend both models.
Which salon booking software is really free?
Fresha has no subscription — it earns from payment processing and fees on new clients from its marketplace. That is genuinely free for managing existing clients, but factor in the per-transaction costs if your volume is high.
Can I use a general scheduler like Calendly for my salon?
You can, but you give up deposits tied to services, staff commissions, product sales, client history, and marketplace discovery. Salons that switch to vertical software usually do it for the no-show protection and new-client flow alone.