10 Best Salon Booking Software 2023

Best overall
Acuity Scheduling
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starting from$14.00/mo.*
  • pro
    Unlimited appointments on all plans
  • pro
    Essential software integrations
Best salon management
Daysmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris)
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from$29.00/mo.
  • pro
    Payroll and other HR tools
  • pro
    Plans for power users
Best for custom plans
Schedulicity
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from$34.99/mo.
  • pro
    Modular plan creation
  • pro
    Low-cost payment processing
Best for integrations
SimplyBook.me Logo
SimplyBook.me
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Loads of app integrations
  • pro
    Custom integration creation
Best budget option
set more logo
Setmore
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting from$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    Robust free plan
  • pro
    Low per-user pricing

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually

We are committed to sharing unbiased reviews. Some of the links on our site are from our partners who compensate us. Read our editorial guidelines and advertising disclosure.

Bottom line: Acuity Scheduling is our top pick thanks to its overall value and power. Daysmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris) is great for general management of a salon. Schedulicity offers superb customizations, while SimplyBook.me delivers superior third-party integrations. Finally, Setmore is best if you need an affordable option for a small budget.

Compare the best salon scheduling software

Brand
Starting cost (paid plans)
Free trial
Free plan
Learn more
$14.00/mo.*7 days Icon No  Dark
$29.00/mo.14 days Icon No  Dark
$34.99/mo.N/A Icon Yes  Dark
$0.00/mo.14 days Icon Yes  Dark
$0.00/mo.N/A Icon Yes  Dark

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.
*When billed annually

Acuity Scheduling: Best overall booking app for salons

Best overall
Acuity Scheduling
4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5
Starting at$14.00/mo. (annual plans)
  • pro
    Best value for the money
  • pro
    Scalable for large workforces
  • pro
    Plenty of features

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

We’ve previously said that Acuity Scheduling offers the best scheduling software for small businesses―and that’s just as true for hair salons and nail salons as it is for other types of businesses.

But why Acuity Scheduling? It all comes down to its excellent balance of pricing and features.

Acuity Scheduling doesn’t have the cheapest plans out there (see Setmore if you need a budget pick), but its mid- and high-tier plans give you lots of users at a pretty low price. So for a salon with more than a handful of employees, Acuity Scheduling could end up being one of the most cost-effective options out there.

Acuity Scheduling software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Max. staff/locations
Learn more
Emerging$14.00/mo.1
Growing$23.00/mo.6
Powerhouse$45.00/mo.36

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Of course, a good price doesn’t mean much if you’re not getting great features in return. Fortunately, Acuity Scheduling gives you a lot. All plans come with unlimited customer appointments and appointment reminders (through email). They also get you a basic online booking widget for your website, payment processing features, software integrations, and more.

You even get the ability to offer classes (like a training class for stylists, perhaps), coupons, and other advanced offerings that most software charges extra for. And if you get an upgraded plan, Acuity Scheduling gives you more branding tools, text reminders, customer memberships, and all sorts of other features.

Now, Acuity Scheduling wasn’t designed specifically for salons (unlike some other scheduling software on this list). So if you want salon management tools, for example, Acuity Scheduling might not have all the specific features you want.

But when it comes to top-notch appointment scheduling at a fair price, then Acuity Scheduling offers the best software solution for most salons.

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Daysmart Salon (formerly Salon Iris): Best for salon management

Ideal for salon management
Daysmart Salon
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting at$29.00/mo.
  • pro
    Unlimited-user plans
  • pro
    Includes abundant text/email reminders
  • pro
    Beautiful user interface

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Daysmart Salon, formerly known as Salon Iris, offers appointment scheduling and salon management software in one convenient app.

All plans come with essential appointment booking tools. That includes online booking for clients (social media booking too) and easy manual booking for you. And of course, Daysmart Salon also gives you client appointment reminders. It offers both text and email reminders. (The number of texts and emails you get is determined by your plan.)

Daysmart Salon software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Max. users
Texts/emails
Learn more
Basic$29.00/mo.1500/5,000
Deluxe$69.00/mo.31,000/5,000
Premier$129.00/mo.Unlimited1,500/10,000
Platinum$249.00/moUnlimited5,000/10,000

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

But Daysmart Salon goes beyond booking. Way beyond. The Deluxe plan and above also include everything a salon owner needs to keep things running smoothly―including marketing, payroll, an employee timeclock, and inventory management. Higher-tier plans get you even more salon management tools, like advanced pay rules, budgeting, and more marketing.

All that makes it easy for Daysmart Salon to pull double-duty as both a booking system and a salon management software―the kind of multipurpose software we love.

Schedulicity: Best for custom plans

Most customizable
Schedulicity
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting at$34.99/mo.
  • pro
    Simple pricing structure
  • pro
    Highly customizable features
  • pro
    Beautiful user interface

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Want to build a salon software plan that meets your specific needs? Schedulicity is the app for you.

Other salon software tends to assign features to set plan tiers, which can lead to you overpaying (if, say, you’re a solo stylist who wants an advanced feature found on a plan priced for a dozen users). Schedulicity tries to fix this problem by using a much more à la carte pricing model―meaning you pay for just the features that matter to you.

Schedulicity software pricing

Plan name
Starting cost
Credit card fees (per transaction)
Number of bookings
Learn more
Free$0.00/mo.2.5% + $0.1510 per month
Unlimited$34.99/mo.2.5% + $0.15Unlimited

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

You’ll start with a free Schedulicity account, which gives you a max of 10 appointments per month (including email appointment reminders). From there, you can add whatever tools you want―whether that’s unlimited appointments, text appointment reminders, the ability to create service packages, marketing services, or other add-on features. But remember, if you don’t want a feature, you don’t have to pay for it. 

If you want a software plan that’s as customized as the haircuts you give, you’ll find a great software solution in Schedulicity.

SimplyBook.me: Best for integrations

Best integrations
SimplyBook.me Logo
SimplyBook.me
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting at$0.00/mo.
  • pro
    100% free option
  • pro
    Superb third-party integrations
  • pro
    Lots of users & bookings included

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

If you’re looking for a scheduling software that works with the other software you have, you should look at SimplyBook.me.

After all, while scheduling software is important, it’s probably not the only software your salon uses. You may use payroll software, a payment processing software, a website builder, a communication system, or one of the many other kinds of business software out there. The good news? SimplyBook.me integrates neatly with all kinds of software. (And yes, it offers great booking tools too.)

SimplyBook.me software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Users/bookings
Learn more
Free$0.00/mo.1/600
Basic$8.25/mo.3/1,200
Standard$24.90/mo.8/6,000
Premium$49.90/mo.Unlimited/24,000

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

SimplyBook.me has quite a few built-in integrations, like WordPress, social media, and most popular payment processors. But thanks to its compatibility with Zapier, SimplyBook.me can integrate with tons of other software too, like Slack, Mailchimp―and about 2,000 more business apps. Pretty much any app you can think of, in other words.

So for an appointment management software that integrates with the software you already know and love, go with SimplyBook.me.

Setmore: Best budget option

Best for small budgets
set more logo
Setmore
4 out of 5 stars
4.0
Starting at$0.00/user/mo.
  • pro
    100% free option
  • pro
    Easy to use
  • pro
    Scalable for large workforces

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Looking for the most affordable salon booking system? Let us introduce you to Setmore.

Setmore can handle your beauty salon bookings on a budget. For starters, it offers one of the best free plans we’ve found. You get unlimited appointments for up to four users, complete with (100) email appointment reminders and even payment processing through Square. Sure, that doesn’t give you the most advanced features. But for a salon owner or stylist on a budget, Setmore’s free plan might be enough.

Setmore software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Max. users
Learn more
Free$0.00/user/mo.4
Premium$5.00/user/mo.2
Pro$5.00/user/mo.3+

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

Of course, you can always upgrade to one of Setmore’s budget-friendly paid plans. They get you more features, like unlimited customer reminders through email and text, payment processing through Stripe, and more. And since Setmore uses per-user pricing, its paid plans end up being very, very cheap for smaller teams. (Larger teams might get more value from other software.)

Between the excellent free plan and the low-cost paid plans, Setmore is our favorite scheduling software for budget-conscious salons.

Honorable mentions

Booker: Best for branded apps

Booker offers everything you’d expect from a salon management app (and then some), like online booking, inventory management, staff scheduling, and more. The most impressive feature, though? Your own branded app.

Compare Booker software pricing

Plan
Cost
Staff profiles
Text reminders
Learn more
Starter$129.00/mo.Up to 15Up to 3,000
Accelerate$269.00/mo.UnlimitedUnlimited
Ultimate$429.00/mo.UnlimitedUnlimited

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

That’s right, Booker will create an app just for your salon, using your logo, colors, and other branding. Customers can then make appointments through the app. And to be clear, you get a legitimate app that appears in the Apple app store and Google Play store.

Now, the custom app service costs you an extra ($199) fee on top of Booker’s already-pricey plans. But if you’re looking for some next-level salon booking software, it’s hard to top Booker and its custom mobile apps.

Fresha: Best for client referrals

Fresha lets you get more clients through your booking software. When you sign up for Fresha Plus, your salon gets listed on the Fresha marketplace. That allows potential customers to find your listing by simply searching for the services you offer in their area.

Fresha software pricing

Plan
Cost
Fresha marketplace listing
Payment processing
Learn more
Free$0.00 Icon No  Dark Icon No  Dark
Fresha Plus2.19% + $0.20 per transaction; 20% new client fee Icon Yes  Dark Icon Yes  Dark

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

As an added bonus, you only get charged when Fresha Plus actually works for you―that is, when a client finds and books you through the Fresha marketplace. Fresha takes a one-time commission from new customer bookings. But if you don’t get a new customer, you don’t pay.

Of course, Fresha is far from the only way to find new clients. Still, it offers a convenient way to get both scheduling and client referrals in one easy software package.

GoReminders: Best booking customization

When it comes to the booking process, GoReminders offers more customization than most software. If you’re the kind of person who likes to control the little details, GoReminders a great option for your salon.

GoReminders software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Max. users
Learn more
Starter$25.00/mo.1
Business$50.00/mo.Unlimited
Premium$200.00/mo.Unlimited

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

GoReminders gives you several ways to set up your scheduling tool (such as by appointment slot, staff member, or some other category). You can also customize what happens after customers book, with options for tweaking reminders (the content and the timing). And you can fine-tune labels, fields, and other details.

Note that you’ll need the Silver plan or better to get all the best customization features. But for a little more each month, you’ll get a perfectly customizable scheduling solution.

Booksy: Best reporting tools

Booksy has everything you need to schedule appointments. Even better, it has some great reporting tools that can help you get a clear picture of how things are going for your salon.

Booksy software pricing

Plan
Cost (annual billing)
Included users
Additional users
Learn more
Standard$29.99/mo.1$10.00/user/mo.

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

You can see different kinds of info through Booksy. There’s stats on booking and revenue, for starters. You can also look at individual data for both staff (if you’re the salon owner) or clients. And since Booksy offers marketing help too (like email and social media templates), you can use that data to improve your salon’s performance.

Unlike other software on this list, Booksy offers just one plan. It’s not the most flexible tool out there. Even so, Booksy’s one plan gives you enough data that we’re happy to recommend it.

Square Appointments: Best for Square users

Square offers lots of business tools (like Square Capital and Square Payroll, among others) that you may already use. And if you’re already in the Square ecosystem, there’s a good chance you’ll like Square Appointments for your scheduling software.

Square Appointments software pricing

Plan name
Subscription cost
Payment processing fee
Learn more
Free$0.00/mo.2.6% + $0.10
Plus$29.00/location/mo.2.5% + $0.10
Premium$69.002.5% + $0.10

Data as of 12/22/22. Offers and availability may vary by location and are subject to change.

As with most Square products, the big advantages are that Square Appointments is super easy to use, and it integrates perfectly with Square payment processing. (You can even run Square Appointments on the Square Register hardware.)

Sure, Square Appointments doesn’t have the most advanced scheduling or salon management features. But it offers all the essentials in a familiar package. So if you’re a happy Square customer so far, Square Appointments might be the right software for you.

The takeaway

If you’re looking for an easier way to book appointments at your nail salon or hair salon, scheduling apps can help. The appointment software above gives you plenty of tools that let clients book time slots, help you manage your schedule, and even give you extra features for salon management and marketing campaigns.

So whether you want an all-around solid scheduling software like Acuity Scheduling or you want a more niche solution like Schedulicity, our rankings above can keep you booked and busy―with less effort on your part. 

Now that you’ve taken care of salon scheduling, get your product inventory in order with the best inventory management software.

Related reading

Salon scheduling software FAQ

We think Setmore is the best free appointment-booking software for most businesses (including salons). Its free plan comes with as many appointments as you need for up to four users, plus up to 100 email reminders each month. 

If you want advanced scheduling tools, you’ll need to invest in paid scheduling software. But for basic booking and appointment reminders, Setmore has what you need.

The cost of salon scheduling software varies widely depending on the features, number of users, and other factors.

You can find free appointment-booking software (like Setmore) or beauty salon software that costs hundreds of dollars per month (like Booker). Of course, Booker gets you way more features (including a custom app for your salon) than a free software does.

Most salon business software falls somewhere in the middle―between $10 and $100 per month, depending on how many users you have.

What is the best free online appointment scheduling software?

We think Setmore is the best free appointment-booking software for most businesses (including salons). Its free plan comes with as many appointments as you need for up to four users, plus up to 100 email reminders each month. 

If you want advanced scheduling tools, you’ll need to invest in paid scheduling software. But for basic booking and appointment reminders, Setmore has what you need.

Is online booking software good for salons?

Yes, online booking software is a good idea for most salons. 

Salon scheduling software makes it easier for customers to book (since they don’t have to worry about business hours or waiting on hold to schedule), which means it can help you get more business. 

And booking software frees up the time your staff would otherwise spend manually creating appointments, meaning they have more time to offer services and make money.

Methodology

We carefully analyzed each platform's overall value for the money, ease-of-use, scalability, quantity of included email and text reminders, ability to handle multiple users and calendars, suitability for salon environments, and other factors.

Disclaimer

At Business.org, our research is meant to offer general product and service recommendations. We don't guarantee that our suggestions will work best for each individual or business, so consider your unique needs when choosing products and services.

Chloe Goodshore
Written by
Chloe covers business financing and loans for Business.org. She has worked with many small businesses over the past 10 years, from video game stores to law firms. Those years watching frustrated business owners try to sift through their many options gave her a passion for breaking down complex business topics. She wants to help business owners spend less time agonizing over their businesses so they can spend more time running them.
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