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Software · head to head

Big Cartel vs Phorest

Big Cartel logo

Big Cartel

Software

Straightforward pricing, no surprises

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phorest logo

Phorest

Software

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Big Cartel custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature; Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Big Cartel and Phorest actually diverge.

Attributes where Big Cartel and Phorest differ
AttributeBig CartelPhorest
Starting priceOn request$99/month
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown2003

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 Big Cartel

Nothing recorded that Phorest does not also cover.

Only in Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Point of sale
  • Marketing automation
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports

What people use each for

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

Big Cartel

No use cases recorded yet. See the Big Cartel review.

Phorest

  • Salon and spa appointment booking with client recordsnot Big Cartel
  • Marketing, memberships and staff management for beauty businessesnot Big Cartel

Where each one falls short

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

Big Cartel

  • Custom domain support is not included on the free Gold plan; it is listed as a Platinum-tier feature
  • Abandoned cart recovery, product drop scheduling and Zapier integration are restricted to the top Diamond tier at $30/month
  • Platinum's paid billing starts automatically after a 7-day free trial rather than requiring an active opt-in to convert

Phorest

  • No price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • There is no free trial at all, which the company states plainly
  • The product is described as suited to 3 or more staff, so a solo operator is outside the intended range
  • The branded booking app requires the Ultimate plan, and two way SMS, memberships, lead management and the ads manager are all Elite only

Pricing, plan by plan

Big Cartel

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Big Cartel review.

Phorest

$99/month
  • Grow$99/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Elevate$179/month
    • Everything in Grow
    • Advanced marketing
    • Online booking
  • Innovate$299/month
    • Everything in Elevate
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose Big Cartel if

Nothing in the data separates Big Cartel from Phorest on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Big Cartel review

Choose Phorest if

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

Questions people ask

Is Big Cartel or Phorest better?
Neither clearly leads. Big Cartel starts at On request and Phorest at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Big Cartel or Phorest?
Big Cartel starts at On request and Phorest at $99/month.
Does Big Cartel or Phorest run on more platforms?
Big Cartel runs on Web. Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What can Big Cartel do that Phorest cannot?
Phorest covers Appointment booking, Client management, Point of sale, Marketing automation.
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