Zenoti vs. GlossGenius – which salon and spa software is right for you? That depends on the size of your business and your budget.
This is an intriguing comparison between two popular salon management platforms that are VERY different from each other.
Zenoti, founded in 2010, is now one of the biggest names in salon and spa software. Over 25,000 businesses worldwide use Zenoti for its incredibly detailed reporting tools, fantastic reputation management capabilities, and high level of customizability.
GlossGenius was founded in 2015 and is rapidly making a name for itself with an inspiring, beauty-centric design and a modern, convenient mobile app.
In many ways, this face-off embodies the classic battle of utility versus user experience. Zenoti offers more complex features for data-loving business owners with larger teams and, often, multiple locations, while GlossGenius focuses on delivering beauty business tools through a visually stunning and intuitive interface for busy solopreneurs and small teams.
Some will say that aesthetics are only skin-deep, but keep in mind that clients in the beauty industry have high expectations for aesthetic sophistication. The interface plays a crucial role and can greatly influence how you get your work done and how your clients see you.
So, which solution is the right fit for your salon or spa? In this comparison, we’ll analyze the strengths and weaknesses of both platforms so you can make a fully informed decision.
Here’s what you’ll find in this post:
Zenoti vs GlossGenius
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Zenoti
GlossGenius
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.
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.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
Countries
Available in nearly 50 countries worldwide
U.S.
Key features
- Integrated email marketing suite
- Two-way client messaging (via paid add-on feature: ezConnect)
- Reputation management suite (via paid add-on feature: ezRepute)
- Employee performance tracking (via paid add-on feature: ezPulse)
- 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
A Double-Click on Each System
Let’s cover what these systems are and the pros and cons of each.
Zenoti At a Glance
Overall score
Zenoti has existed in some form since 2010, when it was initially founded as ManageMySpa, officially becoming Zenoti in 2015.
Zenoti’s features build on the blueprint established by businesses like Booker and Mindbody, and expand the customizability and capability of those features with control over even the most minute details. The level of detail in data and reporting is a step ahead of some of the other big-name competitors in the industry, and its reputation management features are rather impressive.
That said, Zenoti also falls prey to some of the same mistakes that veteran salon software companies like Mindbody and Booker are still making.
Booker, Mindbody, and Zenoti all suffer from the uglies of bad, outdated user interface design, sporting plain, drab menu systems that tuck away important features in layers of nested menus and strip out crucial information (such as icon labels) you need to find the tools you need at a moment’s notice.
Likewise, Zenoti doesn’t list their fees online, hiding their monthly pricing behind a demo/sales call just as Mindbody does.
Pros and Cons
- Can integrate with a large number of third-party applications via an open API
- Integrated payments through Zenoti Payments
- Custom reports
- Help center and Zenoti University (training) available
- No free trial
- Pricing is not transparent + high starting cost (minimum $300)
- Mobile app has low-to-mixed ratings
- Requires a 12-month contract
GlossGenius At a Glance
Overall score
GlossGenius is an all-in-one appointment, payment, and marketing app for salon and spa professionals in the USA.
It offers rich support for independent professionals. Teams can also use the app but it’s primarily designed for solopreneurs.
Here you manage your total business out of an easy-to-use, beautifully designed, mobile app.
In my opinion, it’s the design and premium beauty experience that GlossGenius delivers that makes this tool truly unique. You can even adapt the design of their credit card reader to fit your brand.
Pros and Cons
- Interface design that signals beauty (and not tech)
- Intuitive features that are easy-to-use
- Professional looking website in just a few clicks
- Integrated payments with beautiful hardware
- Affordable and transparent flat fee pricing
- Limited flexibility (you need to follow pre-defined standards)
- Can only be managed via app (only calendar can be accessed in web browser)
- No booking widget to integrate on existing website (need to link to your GlossGenius website)
How Do They Compare? Strengths and Weaknesses
Zenoti shines with its robust reputation management capabilities. The platform allows you to monitor and manage reviews across over 200 sites, giving you tight control over your brand’s online presence. This extensive toolset is invaluable for salons focused on brand-building (and also a paid add-on).
GlossGenius‘s biggest strength lies in its intuitiveness and ease of use. The software prioritizes simplicity in its interface and features, making it easy for salons to start using it quickly without a steep learning curve.
Both options provide helpful reporting features to turn data into actionable business insights. However, Zenoti’s custom reports are more detailed and granular for number-crunching owners.
GlossGenius’ reporting capabilities are more pared-down and focus on visual appeal and clarity over the kitchen-sink-full-of-Lego approach that Zenoti takes.
In terms of weaknesses, Zenoti suffers from high startup costs and no free trial – a significant barrier for salon owners and managers who would prefer to try before they buy. Its mobile app also earns low ratings, providing a less-than-desirable user experience.
Zenoti also requires a 12-month contract, so make sure you’re fully committed before pulling the trigger on this purchase decision!
For GlossGenius, its pared-down features cater more to solo entrepreneurs rather than multi-location enterprises. Team management options are limited, and it lacks the breadth of customization available in Zenoti for large or more complex operations.
If team management is essential to you, check out other great options for teams on our list of top salon and spa software for 2024.
Zenoti vs GlossGenius
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Ease of use
Design
Customer service
Pricing
Calendar and appointment management
Online booking
Point of sale and check out
Client data
Client communication
Inventory management
Team Management
Payroll
Marketing support
3rd party integrations
Mobile and tablet apps
Let’s Talk Features
Both platforms offer robust features covering the basics like appointment booking, online scheduling, and integrated payments. These standard salon management tools are fairly even between the two.
Where Zenoti pulls ahead is in its marketing and reputation management capabilities. The software packs an incredibly thorough suite of tools to track and manage reviews, publish email newsletters, automate email campaigns, and more. For salons invested in brand-building, Zenoti has a very robust feature set.
However, GlossGenius shines when it comes to user-friendliness and simplicity. It also features email and SMS marketing tools, but GlossGenius has a leg-up over Zenoti in terms of visual appeal, clarity, and ease of use, making it so that even non-technical business owners and managers can utilize its features easily.
So, while Zenoti offers greater depth and customization in its features, GlossGenius makes the software experience far smoother and more accessible overall for the majority of business owners with small teams.
At the end of the day, it comes down to what you value more as a salon owner – maximum capabilities or minimum headaches.
Feature Comparison
Zenoti or GlossGenius? Let's go through what these features are and where they differ.
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Zenoti
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GlossGenius
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| Online Booking | Zenoti | GlossGenius |
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Website booking widget Note Can you integrate the entire online booking experience directly into your website? |
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Branding control Note Can you customize the look and feel of the booking experience to fit your brand? |
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No-show protection Note Can you store credit card details and charge deposits to reinforce your cancellation policy? |
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Service customization Note Can clients adapt their service when they book, and can this change the price and duration of the booked appointment? |
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Free from account creation Note Can clients book without having first to create an account with the software? |
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Integrated gift cards Note Can you sell digital gift cards as part of the booking process? |
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| Calendar and Appointment Management | ||
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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. |
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Customize notification timings Note Can you change when reminders and other messages go out to your clients? |
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| Client waitlist management | ||
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Rooms and resource scheduling Note Can you manage equipment, rooms, and other resources required to complete a service? |
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Repeat appointments Note Can you schedule clients for recurring appointments? |
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Time block Note Can you block out time on your calendar? |
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Processing time Note Can you allow for double booking of service providers by accepting appointments during service processing time? |
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Duration and price by staff Note Can you adapt the price and time needed for a service based on who is performing the service? |
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Automated check-in Note Can clients check in to their appointments themselves? |
Note Not by default. Available through Zenoti Go add-on. |
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| Point of Sale/ Check out | ||
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Tablet compatible Note Can you run the POS on any tablet or do you need special hardware? |
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Dedicated POS hardware Note Does the system provider offer hardware to improve the check out expereince? |
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Self check out Note Can clients check out from their appointment themselves? |
Note Not by default. Available through Zenoti Go add-on. |
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Route payments to renters Note If you have booth renters in your business, can you route payments directly to them? |
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Cards on file Note Can you store credit card details and charge the customer later? |
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Integrated payments Note Does the software offer a first-party payment processing solution? |
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| Client Data & Communication | ||
| SMS Notification | ||
| Email Notificition | ||
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Dedicated business SMS number Note Do you get a business phone number that your messages and notifications are send from? |
Note Available through ezConnect premium add-on for an additional fee |
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| Two way SMS communication |
Note Available through ezConnect premium add-on for an additional fee |
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Forms Note Can you create intake forms, store SOAP notes, and have clients sign your forms? |
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Client notes Note Can you store notes about clients on their profile? |
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Client files and images Note Can you store files and image on in the client’s profile? |
Note Can upload files to forms, but not client profiles |
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| Inventory and Product Types | ||
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Inventory tracking Note Will the system keep track of stock levels, notify you when it’s time to re-order? |
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Purchase orders Note Can the system create automatic purchase orders for you? |
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| Retail | ||
| Memberships | ||
| Packages | ||
| Gift cards | ||
| Team Support & Payroll | ||
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Fully integrated payroll Note Can you run payroll and cut paychecks directly through the software? |
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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)? |
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| Payroll reports | ||
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Commission support Note Can you track and report on commission for service, retail, and other product types? |
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Multi-location support Note Does the system have specific support for businesses with multiple locations |
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Booth renter support Note Can the system help with rent collection, payments, and other booth renter management tasks. |
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| Marketing Support | ||
| Email marketing | ||
| SMS marketing | ||
| Website builder | ||
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Client marketplace Note Does it offer a platform where potential clients can browse businesses using the software? |
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Add-on offers Note Can you promote service add-ons/upsells as part of the online booking flow? |
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| Cloud & Mobile App Access | ||
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Full-featured mobile app Note Can you access all software features in the mobile app? |
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| Web browser | ||
| iPad | ||
| iPhone | ||
| Android | ||
Integrating with Other Platforms for Additional Features
The ability to integrate with other software platforms becomes important as your salon grows in size and complexity.
Zenoti offers the most robust integration options through its open API, allowing for deep customizability at an enterprise level. You can connect an extensive variety of platforms directly to meet specific business needs.
GlossGenius, catering more to solo entrepreneurs, currently does not offer integrations. However, it does allow synchronizing contacts and calendars from your phone. This can be handy for independent owners whose work and personal life blend.
Integrations
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Zenoti
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GlossGenius
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Custom integrations Note Does the platform allow you to create new integrations to support your business-specific needs? |
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Native integrations Note Built-in integrations that you can activate as needed |
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Pricing
When it comes to transparent, upfront pricing, GlossGenius is the clear winner. With only two straightforward software plans and a single card transaction fee, salons know exactly what they’ll pay each month. There’s no mystery or hidden costs.
Zenoti, on the other hand, does not reveal plan pricing publicly. You must schedule a demo call with their sales team to get pricing information.
I have been very open about my disappointment in businesses like Zenoti concealing basic pricing information, and I would very much like to see Zenoti abandon this practice.
Both platforms offer capabilities that demand increased investment at higher tiers. However, salons that want pricing clarity without having to enter the sales pipeline will appreciate GlossGenius’s simple and honest fee structure.
Zenoti vs GlossGenius Pricing
GlossGenius has the most straightforward pricing model. Zenoti makes it harder to understand what you really will pay.
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Zenoti
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GlossGenius
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| Average Price | ||
| Trial Options | ||
| Minimum contract length | ||
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Plans
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| Plans | ||
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Add-ons
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| Add-ons | ||
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Credit card fees
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| Credit card fees | ||
What Do Users Think of These Platforms?
To read more about our experience testing these software suites, we invite you to explore our comprehensive reviews of Zenoti and GlossGenius.
However, if you’re interested in hearing firsthand accounts from everyday business customers, take a look at the user review scores below.
User Reviews Compared
Let's compare scores for these systems on the major user review sites.
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Zenoti
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GlossGenius
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What Alternatives Should You Consider?
Zenoti and GlossGenius are both good choices for very different business types. If you’re still not sure if either is the right choice for your business, take a look at these alternatives that may be a better fit for you:
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, I highly recommend you give them a try.
Square Appointments is a popular alternative to Zenoti and GlossGenius, serving independent professionals on a budget.
Mangomint vs Square Appointments
A quick comparison of the two Zenoti 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.
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.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
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 was helpful in your search for the right salon and spa software for your business!
For more great software alternatives, please read my list of the best salon and spa software of 2024.
