8 Best Salon Scheduling Software 2023 (Online Booking)

Are you trying to figure out which salon scheduling software is best for your salon or spa business?

Then you’ve landed in the right place.

This is where I list the best salon booking software for online scheduling right now.

I will focus on the online salon appointment software features in this article. However, many systems offer more than this (like salon management software, point of sales systems, and marketing tools).

To explore the best all-in-one salon software, I recommend you read my review of the best salon software.

Now, let’s go through the best salon booking systems.

Overview of the Best Online Scheduling Software for Salons & Spas

Following the table below, I will dive into each salon appointment software in more detail.

Note: You may need to scroll the table to the right to see all details.

This table is a simplistic overview of the leading salon & spa appointment schedulers. Let’s now take a closer look at each booking software so you can judge what’s best for your salon or spa.

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1. Mangomint: The Smartest, Most Well-Designed Salon Software with the Best Customer Support (US & Canada)

If you run a salon or spa and are looking for a sophisticated appointment scheduler that helps save you time in your day-to-day, look no further.

Mangomint is not only the most well-designed platform on this list but it also offers smart automations that cut down on time spent on managing appointments and business operations.

An example of one such automation is their popular Express Booking™ feature, which combines the convenience of online booking with the flexibility of booking over the phone. It solves the pain of collecting email addresses, credit card information, deposits, and cancellation policy consent over the phone.

You’ll also find other powerful features to streamline the booking experience in Mangomint. Examples are the intelligent waitlist, customized forms to collect information ahead of the appointment, and two-way texting that streamlines all your client communication.

Mangomint allows you to customize an online booking page that you can link to from your website or social media. You can also integrate the booking widget directly on your website and customize it with your logo and brand colors.

The website booking widget is super intuitive and clean and fits on every website as it nicely slides in from the side whenever someone clicks your “book now” button or link.

On top of this, it’s possible to integrate Mangomint with pretty much any other system that you want to leverage in your business. This is a big advantage to many other solutions if you’re looking for that flexibility.

Pros

• Modern, easy-to-use, interface
• Smart automations that help cut down on time spent managing business operations
• Open data ownership and contracts (you’re not locked into anything)
• Can integrate with any other platform that allows for integrations
• Integrated payments
• Memberships, packages, gift cards
• Forms, two-way client texting, intelligent waitlist, waiting room management
• Sophisticated reports
• Strong customer services & help documentation

Cons

• Higher entry-level price than most other salon software
• Only available in the United States & Canada

Mangomint Pricing

• Free 30 day trial (60 day free if you sign up using this link).
• Entry-level plan: $165 per month
• Standard plan: $245 per month
• Unlimited plan: $375 per month
• Credit card processing:
  • In-person transactions: 2.4% + 15¢
  • Virtual transactions: 2.8% + 20¢
  • Businesses with over $50k/mo qualify for custom transaction rates

Special offer: Get a 60-day free trial when you sign up using the link above.

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2. GlossGenius: The Beautiful & Easy-to-Use Alternative for Independent Professionals in the USA

Let’s take a closer look at the appointment management support the tool offers.

GlossGenius allows you to create a beautiful booking website in just a few clicks. The below image is from the example website I created using only the out-of-the-box material available inside GlossGenius.

If you already have a website, they currently do not offer support for integrating a booking widget but you’ll need to link out to your separate GlossGenus website to accept bookings.

The appointment calendar is easy and intuitive to navigate. Switch between month view, week view, and day view. View individual staff or multiple staff in the same view. Just tap an appointment to edit.

I also like how the calendar can be synchronized with your phone calendar so that you get a simple view of both private and work appointments.

Cons

• No support for integrating a booking widget on your website (you need to link to your GlossGenius website)
• Limited customization available for appointment notifications
• Only available in the USA

GlossGenius Pricing

• Free 14-day trial
• $24/month standard plan (unlimited employees)
• 2.6% per credit card transaction fee
• The “Chief Money Maker” credit card reader at $49.
• Standard plan includes 100 sms. Additional messages costs:
  • +100: $4.99
  • +250: $7.99
  • +500: $11.99

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3. Vagaro: The Feature Rich and Affordable Salon Software in US, Canada, UK and Australia

Let’s zoom in on the appointment management support the tool offers.

Vagaro integrates with Facebook, Instagram, Yelp, and Google to make online booking smooth for clients. And being a Vagaro user also means you’ll be featured on the Vagaro client marketplace where new clients discover their salon.

A key strength with Vagaro booking is the online widget which integrates with your website. You can have multiple widgets on your website that pull different information from your Vagaro profile. This allows you to have you appointment scheduler, products you sell online, and client reviews seamlessly integrated on your site.

Below is an overview of the widget settings you have access to inside Vagaro.

Cons

• Limited design changes possible with website widget (only color changes)
• Users need to create a Vagaro profile when booking
• A slight learning curve to get started as there are so many features inside

Vagaro Pricing

• Free 30 day trial
• Monthly subscription fee: $25 for individuals, $35 for 2 employees, and $10 extra per additional employee up to 7+ employees at $85.
• Add ons: You can add additional features (like website builder, forms, and SMS marketing) for additional fee. Most add-ons cost $10-$20 per month. See my full Vagaro review for more exact pricing details.

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4. Square Appointments: The Complete POS & Appointment Software with a Subscription-Free Plan for Individuals in the US, Canada, and Australia

When joining Square, you get access to so much more than “just” Square Appointments. Even if that might be the only feature you need right now, you can easily integrate their credit card payment tools, POS system, marketing features, online store, payroll & team management, and more when you need it.

Square is set up to grow with you as your business grows and is a complete business partner for small and bigger businesses. 

What I found most impressive is how well it supports client/staff notifications and online bookings. While you work in the simple calendar view and arrange appointments, your clients and employees are kept up-to-date with simple, customizable notifications.

You also have several options when integrating the booking feature on your website. You can embed it or link out to your booking page. This makes it very powerful vs. some of the competitors.

On top of that, Square Appointments is very strong in the business fundamentals (like inventory management and client data management).

It is relevant for all-size businesses. Given you can start using it for free, I recommend you give it a try by signing up for a free plan here.

Cons

• Limited design flexibility
• You can change colors but not completely make it fit your brand
• Only available in the U.S., Canada, and Australia at the moment

Square Appointments Pricing

• FREE for individuals
• $50/month for a team of 5 staff
• $90/month for a team of 10 staff
• Credit card process fee of 2.6% + $0.1 when you allow clients to pay for appointments using the app. Note that you will always pay a credit card fee no matter which scheduler you use.

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5. Fresha: The Subscription-Free Salon Software (Worldwide)

Fresha, previously called Shedul, is a complete system for salons with an easy-to-use appointment calendar. It’s the only 100% subscription-free salon booking system, so for individual stylists or new salons that need to keep fixed costs low, this is a good option.

Apart from the robust salon appointment scheduling, Fresha features a point-of-sale system, staff scheduling, product, and stock management, payment processing, financial reporting and analytics, and a range of marketing tools.

Fresha makes it easy for you to attract clients online through your own website, the Fresha marketplace, or by connecting to their Instagram and Facebook business pages.

You’ll be surprised how much you get with your free Fresha subscription. It’s no wonder it’s the fastest-growing salon appointment system with 250’000 stylists and therapists in more than 120 countries.

It gives you a lot of the advanced features you’d normally need to pay for – like free SMS, built-in no-show protection, and marketing automation (e.g. like client birthday emails).

An important difference with Fresha is that they offer a salon client marketplace. This allows you to promote your business and get discovered by new clients. Note that this is also where they earn their money back. When you market your salon or spa on the platform and you get a new client, they’ll charge you 20% of the appointment. Also, as you’ll be using their credit card payment gateway, you’ll also be charged transaction fees when clients pay online (2.19% + $0.2).

This means you only pay when the platform is generating business for you which I think makes a lot of sense.

The main reason I like Fresha is that it’s so easy to use and despite being subscription-free, you get many of the features that other companies charge for.

One thing to keep in mind with Fresha is that it works best as a complete system on their platform. If you already have an established website and other marketing solutions, other options might give you more control and flexibility.

Pros

• Free subscription for unlimited staff
• Integrates with Facebook, Instagram, and Google
• User friendly and easy to learn
• Available in many languages

Cons

• Limited options to customize the appearance (default designs looks very good though)
• Limited support for integration with other platforms. You’re kind of locked into using the Fresha tools.

Fresha Pricing

• FREE for unlimited staff 
• 20% New client fee – applies only to the first appointment of new clients via the Fresha marketplace website and apps. Fees never apply to returning clients, or any appointments made via your own website or social media pages
• 2.19% + $0.20 Payment processing fee per transaction across all payment methods

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6. Timely: Easy-to-Use All-in-One Salon Software (Worldwide)

Timely Pricing

• $15/month for a solo owner
• $30/month for 2-7 staff
• 8-20 staff has fixed price packages from $200 (See Timely pricing).

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7. Genbook

Genbook is a salon scheduling program that has developed into an all-in-one business solution.

Online bookings now account for 3 out of 5 of all bookings and Genbook has also been one of the first salon software companies to partner with Google and the Reserve with Google program, enabling customers to book appointments directly from Google Search and Maps pages.

The Genbook Marketplace gives you an SEO-optimized booking page that is integrated with Google.

Smart Marketing is an integrated e-mail marketing feature in Genbook that can increase bookings for your salon. Here you can find useful templates like ‘Time for your next appointment template’ and target your clients with the right message.

Genbook has the feel of a modern and lean solution, with a somewhat less extensive feature set than some of the other salon systems, but well adapted to salons who connect and meet their customers on the web and on social media.

Pros

• Clients can book a service directly from the Google Map website page or app
• Integrates everywhere including your Instagram or Facebook business page
• Excellent Learning Center with business tips and product help 
• Modern design and interface
• Reviews are collected and displayed online

Cons

• Some clients have problems knowing how to cancel their appointments
• Not having a section for photos of business and portfolio

Genbook Pricing

• $25/month for a solo user
• $49/month for a team of 2-5
• $83/month for a team of 6-12
• Free trial available

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8. Schedulicity

Schedulicity is another good salon appointment scheduling platform that has grown into an all-in-one system that now offers payment processing, automated email marketing, and a marketplace where local online customers can discover you.

Users can process payments instantly through Square or Stripe or use the built-in payment processing with Schedulicity Pay.

The add-on pricing model means that you can pick and choose from the features you need and potentially save money. However, the fee for the communication/marketing piece can double your monthly cost.

Schedulicity is good for small salons that later can grow into the system. It´s a good all-in-one solution but doesn´t have many integrations.

Pros

• No contracts, cancel anytime you want
• Pay only for the add-ons you need
• Good customer service
• Option to block repeat no-show customers

Cons

• Cost increases when adding add-ons
• Limited integrations apart from calendars sync with Yahoo, Outlook, iCal, Hotmail, and Office 365
• Limited to the US and Canada

Schedulicity Pricing

• $20/month for a solo user
• $30/month for 2-5 users
• $40/month for 6-10 users
• $50/month for 11+ users

Only choose the additional add-ons that you need. (See Schedulicity pricing).

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Summary

Being a salon or spa owner is not easy.

Running your business, managing staff, and clientele, and trying to get everything done is demanding.

This is why picking the best salon scheduling software for you is important. Not only does it help you manage employees’ schedules, but it also allows your clients to book appointments and get reminders, ultimately making your job easier.

Benefits of using a salon scheduling software

• Save time. Fewer phone calls, text messages, and e-mails that disturb during client treatments
• Automatic e-mail or text reminders helps avoid no-shows
• Clients can book and reschedule 24/7
• Get appointments via Google, Instagram, and Facebook
• Take payments. Receiving payments during booking is convenient and helps reducing customer no-shows
• A client can more easily review appointment details
• Helps staff manage their appointments

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Conclusion and my top picks

You want to make sure you get the most out of your investment.

This means looking for ways to make your business more efficient, which helps you save time, money, and aggravation. Using salon scheduling software is one way you can gain more control over your salon operations and take your business to the next level.

My top choices

Mangomint is the most well-designed tool among the options listed here. It offers a beautiful booking widget that integrates seamlessly with your website.

The team at Mangomint has gone above and beyond to ensure the best booking experience for your clients through its smart automations.

Naturally, as this is designed for bigger businesses, the price tag is also the highest out of the alternatives listed here. But if you look at the time savings this tool can bring to your business you’ll not have a hard time motivating the additional investment.

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It’s really the design that sets this tool apart from the other platforms listed here. You get a lot of power with the little tool without having to worry about any technical issues and every part of your client’s experience with you will be beautiful.

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I hope you found this review of the best salon appointment software helpful.

I also recommend you read my review of the best salon software, best point of sale systems for salons, best mobile credit card reader for salons, as well as the best website builders for salons.

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