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Scheduling & Booking · head to head

Cal.com vs Salonist

Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Scheduling & Booking

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Beauty & Salon

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cal.com free plan limited to single user only; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Salonist covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cal.com and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Cal.com and Salonist differ
AttributeCal.comSalonist
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Browser extensionWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryScheduling & BookingBeauty & Salon
Founded20212017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Cal.com

  • Custom booking pages
  • Team scheduling
  • Collective scheduling
  • Routing forms
  • Webhooks
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

Only in Salonist

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cal.com

  • Schedule meetings and manage availabilitynot Salonist
  • Accept payments via Stripe and PayPalnot Salonist
  • Integrate with Salesforce and HubSpotnot Salonist

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot Cal.com
  • GST billingnot Cal.com
  • Customer loyaltynot Cal.com
  • Inventory controlnot Cal.com

Where each one falls short

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

Cal.com

  • Free plan limited to single user only
  • Free plan restricted to 1 user account
  • Teams plan requires yearly billing at $12/user/month
  • Organizations plan requires yearly billing at $28/user/month
  • Free plan lacks team collaboration features

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

Cal.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cal.com review.

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 Cal.com if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
  • You also want team scheduling.
Cal.com 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 Cal.com or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Cal.com starts at Free and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cal.com or Salonist?
Cal.com starts at Free and Salonist at Free.
Does Cal.com or Salonist run on more platforms?
Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Cal.com for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cal.com best used for?
Cal.com is most often used for schedule meetings and manage availability, accept payments via stripe and paypal, integrate with salesforce and hubspot. Of those, schedule meetings and manage availability and accept payments via stripe and paypal are not what Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Cal.com do that Salonist cannot?
Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Both handle Web 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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