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Aloha POS vs Insight Salon Software

Aloha POS logo

Aloha POS

Software

Industry-leading restaurant POS solution

From
$150/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Insight Salon Software logo

Insight Salon Software

Software

Intelligent salon management with deep analytics

From
$40/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Aloha POS high upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations; Insight Salon Software cloud plans are login limited even at the top tier: Enterprise Premium Cloud is $250 a month for up to 8,000 SMS messages and only 5 logins
  • They diverge on capability: Aloha POS covers Table management, Insight Salon Software covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Aloha POS and Insight Salon Software actually diverge.

Attributes where Aloha POS and Insight Salon Software differ
AttributeAloha POSInsight Salon Software
Starting price$150/month$40/month
PlatformsWindows, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded19882012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Aloha POS

  • Table management
  • Order management
  • Labor scheduling
  • Inventory control
  • Enterprise reporting
  • Loyalty programs
  • NCR Back Office
  • Third-party delivery

Only in Insight Salon Software

  • Appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Advanced analytics
  • Revenue tracking
  • Performance metrics
  • Marketing automation
  • Point of sale

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Aloha POS

  • Point of Salenot Insight Salon Software
  • Order Managementnot Insight Salon Software
  • Inventory Controlnot Insight Salon Software
  • Staff Schedulingnot Insight Salon Software

Insight Salon Software

  • Running point of sale and scheduling for a salon or spanot Aloha POS
  • Sending automated two way SMS appointment reminders to clientsnot Aloha POS

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Aloha POS

  • High upfront hardware costs ($1,000+ per terminal) make it expensive to deploy across multiple locations
  • User interface is dated with functionality from 2005-era design, requiring training for staff familiar with modern applications
  • Network connectivity issues cause terminals to lose access to central database when Wi-Fi drops, leading to transaction failures
  • Requires proprietary terminals unlike competitors that run on standard iPads or Android tablets
  • Complex customization requires expensive professional services and cannot be configured by restaurant staff

Insight Salon Software

  • Cloud plans are login limited even at the top tier: Enterprise Premium Cloud is $250 a month for up to 8,000 SMS messages and only 5 logins
  • Premium Cloud's two way SMS is capped per tier, from 500 messages a month on Solo up to 8,000 on Enterprise
  • The installed one time purchase version only includes free software upgrades for 1 year, after which upgrades are not covered
  • Multi-year pre-purchase discounts of 10, 15 and 20 percent require paying 1, 2 or 3 years upfront

Pricing, plan by plan

Aloha POS

$150/month
  • Essentials$150/month
    • POS
    • Basic reporting
  • Professional$250/month
    • Advanced features
    • Labor management
  • EnterpriseFree
    • Custom pricing
    • Full suite

Insight Salon Software

$40/month
  • Starter$40/month
    • Appointment scheduling
    • Client management
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$70/month
    • Everything in Starter
    • Advanced analytics
    • Staff performance tracking
  • Enterprise$120/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Multi-location analytics
    • Custom reports

Which should you pick?

Choose Aloha POS if

  • You need table management.
  • You work on Windows, Android.
  • You also want order management.
Aloha POS review

Choose Insight Salon Software if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client management.
Insight Salon Software review

Questions people ask

Is Aloha POS or Insight Salon Software better?
Neither clearly leads. Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Insight Salon Software at $40/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Aloha POS or Insight Salon Software?
Aloha POS starts at $150/month and Insight Salon Software at $40/month.
Does Aloha POS or Insight Salon Software run on more platforms?
Aloha POS runs on Windows, Android. Insight Salon Software runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is Aloha POS best used for?
Aloha POS is most often used for point of sale, order management, inventory control, staff scheduling. Of those, point of sale and order management are not what Insight Salon Software is typically brought in for.
What can Aloha POS do that Insight Salon Software cannot?
Aloha POS covers Table management, Order management, Labor scheduling, Inventory control. Insight Salon Software covers Appointment booking, Client management, Staff scheduling, Advanced analytics.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Aloha POS: What are the hardware options for Aloha POS?

Aloha offers two main products: Aloha Essentials POS which runs on Windows servers at your location, and Aloha Cloud POS which operates on Android-based mobile terminals connected to cloud systems. Hardware costs approximately $1,000 per terminal or available through subscription.

Source
Aloha POS: What features does Aloha include for restaurant operations?

Aloha includes kitchen automation, table management, staff rosters, payment processing, inventory tracking, reporting, customer loyalty programs, and employee time tracking.

Source
Aloha POS: Is Aloha POS available as a subscription?

Yes. NCR Aloha offers an all-in-one monthly subscription model that includes software, hardware, payment processing, and 24/7 customer support. Upfront implementation costs vary based on specific needs.

Source
Aloha POS: What are the network requirements for Aloha POS?

Aloha Essentials requires a stable network connection between terminals and the Windows server. Network disruptions cause terminals to lose access to the central database, resulting in transaction failures and payment errors.

Source
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