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Software · head to head

Booksy vs Salonist

Booksy logo

Booksy

Software

Book local beauty services

From
$29.99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Software

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Salonist has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Booksy the Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: Booksy covers Online booking, Salonist covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Booksy and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Booksy and Salonist differ
AttributeBooksySalonist
Starting price$29.99/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded20142017

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Booksy

  • Online booking
  • Calendar management
  • Client database
  • Automated reminders
  • Marketing tools
  • Reviews management
  • Mobile apps
  • Analytics dashboard

Only in Salonist

  • Appointment booking
  • Billing & invoicing
  • Inventory management
  • Loyalty programs
  • Staff management
  • GST compliance
  • Marketing automation
  • Business analytics

Both cover

  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Booksy

  • Appointment booking and client management for salons and barbersnot Salonist
  • Taking payments and deposits against bookingsnot Salonist

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot Booksy
  • GST billingnot Booksy
  • Customer loyaltynot Booksy
  • Inventory controlnot Booksy

Where each one falls short

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

Booksy

  • The Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in
  • Additional team members are $20 a month each on top of the $29.99 base
  • Card processing runs from 2.49% plus $0.10 to 2.69% plus $0.30 depending on how the payment is taken
  • Getting paid out within 30 minutes costs a further 1.5%
  • Card readers are bought separately at $53.10 or $219.85 plus shipping

Salonist

  • Free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • Pricing listed in AED (UAE currency) with regional variations
  • Offline capabilities not clearly documented for mobile app
  • Advanced AI features (AI Automation Marketing) only on Expert plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Booksy

$29.99/month
  • Solo$29.99/month
    • Unlimited bookings
    • Client management
    • Mobile app
  • Team$49.99/month
    • Everything in Solo
    • Multiple staff
    • Staff scheduling
  • Business$79.99/month
    • Everything in Team
    • Multi-location
    • Priority support

Salonist

Free
  • Marketplace ListingFree
    • 50 appointments/month
    • Online booking
    • Staff scheduling
  • Essential$2900/year
    • Point of Sale
    • Sales reports
    • Customer history
  • Advance$4180/year
    • All Essential features
    • Customer surveys and loyalty
    • Gift cards and campaigns
  • Expert$6580/year
    • All Advance features
    • Multi-branch management
    • Dedicated account manager

Which should you pick?

Choose Booksy if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want calendar management.
Booksy review

Choose Salonist if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want billing & invoicing.
Salonist review

Questions people ask

Is Booksy or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Booksy starts at $29.99/month and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Booksy or Salonist?
Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29.99/month for Booksy and Free for Salonist.
Does Booksy or Salonist run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Salonist for free?
Yes. Salonist has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Booksy starts at $29.99/month.
What is Booksy best used for?
Booksy is most often used for appointment booking and client management for salons and barbers, taking payments and deposits against bookings. Of those, appointment booking and client management for salons and barbers and taking payments and deposits against bookings are not what Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Booksy do that Salonist cannot?
Booksy covers Online booking, Calendar management, Client database, Automated reminders. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Both handle SSL encryption, Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salonist: Does Salonist offer a free plan?

Salonist offers a free Marketplace Listing plan with 50 appointments/month, online booking, staff scheduling, and marketplace access. Unlimited staff are included on every plan.

Source
Salonist: What features are included in the Essential plan?

Essential ($2,900 AED/year or approximately $59/month) includes Point of Sale, sales reports, customer history, coupon management, retail product and expense tracking, automated reminders, memberships, e-wallet, and staff commission tracking.

Source
Salonist: Does Salonist support multiple locations?

Multi-branch management is available on the Expert plan ($6,580 AED/year) with centralized reporting and a dedicated account manager.

Source
Salonist: What payment gateways does Salonist support?

Salonist integrates with multiple payment gateways including Stripe, PayPal, Razorpay, and other regional providers. The Advance plan and above include multiple payment integration options.

Source
Salonist: Does Salonist have a mobile app?

Yes, Salonist offers mobile apps for iOS and Android allowing clients to browse services, check prices, view customer reviews, and book appointments.

Source
Salonist: What is included in the Advance plan?

Advance ($4,180 AED/year or approximately $109/month) adds customer survey management, loyalty rewards, gift cards, SMS/email campaigns, inventory management, lead management system, and advanced onboarding to Essential features.

Source
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