GlossGenius vs. Boulevard: Compare Features and Pricing 2024

GlossGenius vs. Boulevard: Two premium salon and spa software suites offering great features but best suited for very different business types.

If you run a modern salon or spa, you likely have GlossGenius or Boulevard on your radar for managing clients and appointments.

These two platforms have become top contenders for the best salon software this year.

But they are pretty different and intend to serve different types of businesses.

GlossGenius, founded in 2016, made a splash with its sleek, beauty-focused design and mobile-first approach for solopreneurs.

Boulevard, also launched in 2016, matches GlossGenius’s polished aesthetics but takes a more robust approach to features as it serves more established businesses with a team.

Both options stand out for their elegant interfaces compared to clunky legacy players. However, beyond appearances, these salon solutions differ significantly in their respective strengths.

Read on as we break down how GlossGenius and Boulevard compare on pricing, ease of use, features, integrations, and real customer reviews.

By the end, you’ll clearly understand which platform aligns best with your business needs and budget.

Here’s what you’ll find in this GlossGenius vs. Boulevard comparison:

• An overview of each system
• A comparison of the differences that separate them
• A feature-by-feature comparison
• Pricing differences
• Ratings & reviews from their users.

GlossGenius vs Boulevard

Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.

GlossGenius

Boulevard

Overall score

Note

The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.

4.4

4.3

Average price

Note

Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.

$48 per month

$425 per month

Who is it for

For independent professionals who want to start accepting payments and get appointment scheduling, a website and marketing up fast without compromising on the experience of their brand

Established beauty and wellness businesses with several service providers who want flexible reporting options and need an all-in-one marketing suite baked right into the software

Ease of use

5

4.5

Customer Service

3

5.0

Countries

U.S.

U.S.

Key features

• Premium beauty-inspired interface design
• Professional-looking website in just a few clicks
• Integrated payment and card reader with customizable design
• Affordable, transparent, flat fee pricing

• Easy-to-use interface
• Excellent online booking
• Integrated email marketing suite
• Highly detailed custom reports [on Premiere and above]

A Double-Click on Each System

Let’s cover what these systems are and the pros and cons of each.

How Do They Compare? Strengths and Weaknesses

GlossGenius shines with its simplicity and visual appeal. The interface is clean and intuitive, making it easy for less tech-savvy users to navigate. Customers love the booking experience and sleek client-facing apps.

However, GlossGenius lacks some of the more advanced features salon owners need as their business scales. There are limited options for managing a team and you may outgrow the basic reporting. Integrations are also light compared to Boulevard.

Boulevard impresses with its wide range of features, flexibility for customization, and tools optimized for higher-end salons. Precise scheduling helps maximize revenue and robust reporting provides data-driven insights.

The downsides of Boulevard are its steeper learning curve and more corporate aesthetic. The interface can feel overwhelming, and while feature-packed, Boulevard lacks some convenience perks that make GlossGenius so easy to use.

GlossGenius simplifies salon operations with an elegant, user-friendly platform, while Boulevard offers more advanced capabilities for growth-focused owners. Consider your business’ maturity and needs to determine if user experience or breadth of features is more important.

Let’s Talk Features

When it comes to features, GlossGenius sticks to just the essentials salon needs with some convenient extras. Core features like appointment scheduling, client profiles, online booking, and POS are beautifully designed for ease of use.

Boulevard takes a kitchen-sink approach with an array of features for customizing your software experience. Robust tools for client retention, revenue growth, and workflow optimization enable serious business expansion.

Both systems cover the basics, but Boulevard has more advanced options, while GlossGenius prioritizes simplicity.

GlossGenius vs Boulevard

GlossGenius or Boulevard. Let's go through what these features are and where they differ.

	GlossGenius	Boulevard
Online Booking	GlossGenius	Boulevard
Website booking widget Note Can you integrate the entire online booking experience directly into your website?
Branding control Note Can you customize the look and feel of the booking experience to fit your brand?
No-show protection Note Can you store credit card details and charge deposits to reinforce your cancellation policy?
Service customization Note Can clients adapt their service when they book, and can this change the price and duration of the booked appointment?
Free from account creation Note Can clients book without having first to create an account with the software?
Integrated gift cards Note Can you sell digital gift cards as part of the booking process?
Calendar and Appointment Management
Customize notification messages Note Can you change the text sent to your clients as part of appointment reminders and other messages?	Note You can enable/disable parts of the notification and add an additional message.
Customize notification timings Note Can you change when reminders and other messages go out to your clients?		Note Full customization not available. Options are limited to: 2 Days Before, 1 Day Before, and Same Day.
Client waitlist management
Rooms and resource scheduling Note Can you manage equipment, rooms, and other resources required to complete a service?
Repeat appointments Note Can you schedule clients for recurring appointments?
Time block Note Can you block out time on your calendar?
Processing time Note Can you allow for double booking of service providers by accepting appointments during service processing time?
Duration and price by staff Note Can you adapt the price and time needed for a service based on who is performing the service?
Automated check-in Note Can clients check in to their appointments themselves?
Point of Sale/ Check out
Tablet compatible Note Can you run the POS on any tablet or do you need special hardware?
Dedicated POS hardware Note Does the system provider offer hardware to improve the check out expereince?
Self check out Note Can clients check out from their appointment themselves?
Route payments to renters Note If you have booth renters in your business, can you route payments directly to them?
Cards on file Note Can you store credit card details and charge the customer later?
Integrated payments Note Does the software offer a first-party payment processing solution?
Client Data & Communication
SMS Notification
Email Notificition
Dedicated business SMS number Note Do you get a business phone number that your messages and notifications are send from?
Two way SMS communication
Forms Note Can you create intake forms, store SOAP notes, and have clients sign your forms?
Client notes Note Can you store notes about clients on their profile?
Client files and images Note Can you store files and image on in the client’s profile?
Inventory and Product Types
Inventory tracking Note Will the system keep track of stock levels, notify you when it’s time to re-order?
Purchase orders Note Can the system create automatic purchase orders for you?		Note Not available on Essentials plan.
Retail
Memberships
Packages
Gift cards
Team Support & Payroll
Fully integrated payroll Note Can you run payroll and cut paychecks directly through the software?
3rd party payroll integration Note Does the software allow you integrate and share data with a 3rd party payroll solution (e.g. Gusto, ADP, Paychex, etc)?
Payroll reports
Commission support Note Can you track and report on commission for service, retail, and other product types?
Multi-location support Note Does the system have specific support for businesses with multiple locations
Booth renter support Note Can the system help with rent collection, payments, and other booth renter management tasks.
Marketing Support
Email marketing
SMS marketing
Website builder
Client marketplace Note Does it offer a platform where potential clients can browse businesses using the software?
Add-on offers Note Can you promote service add-ons/upsells as part of the online booking flow?
Cloud & Mobile App Access
Full-featured mobile app Note Can you access all software features in the mobile app?
Web browser
iPad
iPhone
Android

Integrating with Other Platforms for Additional Features

GlossGenius takes a simplified approach when it comes to integrations. With its focus on solo entrepreneurs, native support for other platforms is light. However, GlossGenius does allow you to sync appointment calendars and contacts from your phone. This is handy if you’re a solo business owner where personal and work communications often overlap.

Boulevard shines when it comes to expanding capabilities through integrations. There are native integrations available for many popular platforms like Shopify, Instagram, Facebook, and more. This allows Boulevard users to unlock more advanced features as their business grows.

So, if you want to scale up capabilities through integrations as your business expands, Boulevard has a clear edge. But GlossGenius still offers a seamless experience for one-person operations without needing many extras bolted on.

GlossGenius vs Boulevard

GlossGenius does not offer integration support.

	GlossGenius	Boulevard
Custom integrations Note Does the platform allow you to create new integrations to support your business-specific needs?		Note On Enterprise plan only.
Native integrations Note Built-in integrations that you can activate as needed	Google Calendar Phone contacts	Green Circle Okta SSO Shopify Facebook & Instagram Book Now Zapier Quickbooks Online Reserve with Google

Pricing: GlossGenius vs. Boulevard

GlossGenius stands out for its simple, transparent pricing. There are only two monthly plan options to choose from. Transaction fees for credit card payments are also clearly stated upfront. This clarity makes it easy for small business owners to budget properly.

Boulevard offers more pricing tiers to align costs with business needs. However, key features like commission tracking and advanced reporting require higher-tier plans. Entry-level pricing is affordable but lacks tools that leverage Boulevard’s potential.

When it comes to cost predictability, GlossGenius is the most upfront. Boulevard’s pricing is also easy to find, but plan limitations aren’t as clearly communicated on their website. Make sure to closely review included features at each tier when budgeting for Boulevard.

For solopreneurs and small salons focused on the basics, GlossGenius provides exceptional value transparency. Larger operations that want to take advantage of Boulevard’s expansive feature set will get more for their money at higher tiers.

GlossGenius vs Boulevard Pricing

GlossGenius has the most straight forward pricing model on the market. Boulevard makes it a bit harder to understand what you really will pay.

	GlossGenius	Boulevard
Average Price	$48 per month	$425 per month
Trial Options	Free 14 Day Trial	Must request trial via a demo call
Minimum contract length	Cancel any time	12 months
Plans Standard: $24/month (core features, one user) Gold: $48/ month (includes more sophisticated features such as intake forms, waitlist, commission reporting, premium website designs, and multiple users). Essentials: entry-level plan – $175 per month Premier: most popular plan – $325 per month Prestige: upper-tier plan – $455 per month Enterprise: custom plan for chains and franchises – pricing is custom
Plans	Standard: $24/month (core features, one user) Gold: $48/ month (includes more sophisticated features such as intake forms, waitlist, commission reporting, premium website designs, and multiple users).	Essentials: entry-level plan – $175 per month Premier: most popular plan – $325 per month Prestige: upper-tier plan – $455 per month Enterprise: custom plan for chains and franchises – pricing is custom
Add-ons No add-ons. All features are included in the Gold plan. Forms and Charts – $55 per month per location Contact Center – Starting at $25 per month per location QuickBooks Integration – $45 per month per location Automated Email Campaigns – $2 per completed appointment One-Time Blast Emails – specific # included with each plan, $0.01 per email thereafter
Add-ons	No add-ons. All features are included in the Gold plan.	Forms and Charts – $55 per month per location Contact Center – Starting at $25 per month per location QuickBooks Integration – $45 per month per location Automated Email Campaigns – $2 per completed appointment One-Time Blast Emails – specific # included with each plan, $0.01 per email thereafter
Credit card fees 2.6% on all transactions With “Offset” Feature 3% charged to client, business charged 1%. Without “Offset” Feature In-person transactions: 2.6% + 10¢ Virtual transactions: 3.5% + 10¢
Credit card fees	2.6% on all transactions	With “Offset” Feature 3% charged to client, business charged 1%. Without “Offset” Feature In-person transactions: 2.6% + 10¢ Virtual transactions: 3.5% + 10¢

What Do Users Think of These Platforms?

While I have shared my thoughts on these two systems, it’s important not to rely solely on my opinion. To provide a more holistic view, here is a summary of how users have rated these platforms.

GlossGenius vs Boulevard

Let's compare scores for these systems on the major user review sites.

	GlossGenius	Boulevard
	4.6	4.6
	5.0	4.1
	4.7	3.5
	4.1	2.1

What GlossGenius & Boulevard Alternatives Should You Consider?

GlossGenius and Boulevard are good alternatives for many use cases. However, if you find yourself uncertain, I highly recommend exploring the platforms listed below.

Mangomint is the highest-rated software for salons and spas. If you have a team and you want the best customer service in the industry, this is the alternative you should try.

Square Appointments is a popular alternative to Fresha and GlossGenius, serving independent professionals on a budget.

Mangomint vs Square Appointments

A quick comparison of the two Boulevard and GlossGenius alternatives.

Mangomint

Square Appointments

Overall score

Note

The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.

4.9

4.0

Average price

Note

Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.

$245 per month

$45 per month

Who is it for

The highest-rated software for salons & spas. Designed for businesses with a team who want the best design experience, smart automations, and the flexibility to integrate with other systems.

For solopreneurs or small teams in any type of local service business (salon, spa, fitness, repair, cleaning, and professional services) who want access to Square's broad range of products.

Ease of use

5

4

Customer Service

5

3

Countries

U.S. and Canada

U.S., Canada, Australia, Japan, the UK.

Key features

• Modern, intuitive, and easy to use
• Smart automations that help cut down on time spent managing business operations
• Open data ownership and no contracts (you’re not locked into anything)
• Can integrate with any other platform who allows for integrations
• Highest-rated customer service on the market

• Large amount of native integrations with other apps
• Comprehensive, easy-to-use, marketing tools
• Best looking POS hardware on the market
• Free, sophisticated, website builder and online store

Conclusion

I hope this comparison of Boulevard and GlossGenius was helpful in your quest for the right salon software.

For more alternatives, I highly recommend you read my list of the best salon and spa software available right now.

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