Softwr

Beauty · head to head

DaySmart Spa vs Phorest

DaySmart Spa logo

DaySmart Spa

Beauty

Spa and medi-spa booking and management with published tiers from 29 USD a month

From
$29/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phorest logo

Phorest

Beauty

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: DaySmart Spa only one user is included on the entry plan and three on the middle plans, so a spa with eight therapists pays the tier price plus 9 USD per extra head and the headline price bears no relation to the real bill.; Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • They diverge on capability: DaySmart Spa covers Online booking, Phorest covers Appointment booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DaySmart Spa and Phorest actually diverge.

Attributes where DaySmart Spa and Phorest differ
AttributeDaySmart SpaPhorest
Starting price$29/month$99/month
Pricing modelPer user per monthsubscription
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android, Api
FoundedUnknown2003

Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Beauty).

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 DaySmart Spa

  • Online booking
  • Automated reminders
  • Staff scheduling and payroll data
  • Memberships and packages
  • Inventory
  • Marketing

Only in Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Marketing automation
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Point of sale

What people use each for

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

DaySmart Spa

  • A single therapist spa that wants online booking and card payment for under 30 USD a month with no setup projectnot Phorest
  • A spa with three to six staff that needs rotas, commission and retail stock in the same system as the diarynot Phorest
  • A spa selling prepaid packages and memberships that needs balances tracked against future bookings rather than in a spreadsheetnot Phorest
  • An owner moving off paper diaries who wants automated text reminders to cut no shows and can size the message allowance against booking volumenot Phorest

Phorest

  • Salon and clinic management softwarenot DaySmart Spa
  • Medical spa operations and schedulingnot DaySmart Spa
  • Beauty and wellness business softwarenot DaySmart Spa

Where each one falls short

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

DaySmart Spa

  • Only one user is included on the entry plan and three on the middle plans, so a spa with eight therapists pays the tier price plus 9 USD per extra head and the headline price bears no relation to the real bill.
  • Text and email allowances are tiered, so a spa that leans on reminders can be forced onto a much more expensive plan by message volume rather than by needing any additional feature.
  • The unlimited user tier has no published price at all, which breaks the transparency the rest of the range offers exactly at the point where a multi site chain needs to plan a budget.
  • There is no clinical charting, consent capture or medical record handling, so a medi-spa performing injectables or laser treatments needs a second system for patient records and the two will not share data.
  • It is a long established small business product built around a desktop lineage, and reporting and the interface show that age next to newer spa platforms, which matters if you want modern analytics rather than a working till.

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

DaySmart Spa

$29/month
  • Basic$29/month
    • 1 user
    • Appointment scheduling and online booking
    • Payment processing
  • Deluxe$69/month
    • 3 users included
    • Additional users at 9 USD each
    • Larger text and email allowance
  • Deluxe Growth$149/month
    • 3 users included
    • Additional users at 9 USD each
    • Higher message allowance
  • Premium$199/month
    • 6 users included
    • Additional users at 9 USD each
    • Advanced payroll and reporting

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 DaySmart Spa if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want automated reminders.
DaySmart Spa 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 DaySmart Spa or Phorest better?
Neither clearly leads. DaySmart Spa starts at $29/month and Phorest at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DaySmart Spa or Phorest?
DaySmart Spa starts at $29/month and Phorest at $99/month.
Does DaySmart Spa or Phorest run on more platforms?
DaySmart Spa runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is DaySmart Spa best used for?
DaySmart Spa is most often used for a single therapist spa that wants online booking and card payment for under 30 usd a month with no setup project, a spa with three to six staff that needs rotas, commission and retail stock in the same system as the diary, a spa selling prepaid packages and memberships that needs balances tracked against future bookings rather than in a spreadsheet, an owner moving off paper diaries who wants automated text reminders to cut no shows and can size the message allowance against booking volume. Of those, a single therapist spa that wants online booking and card payment for under 30 usd a month with no setup project and a spa with three to six staff that needs rotas, commission and retail stock in the same system as the diary are not what Phorest is typically brought in for.
What can DaySmart Spa do that Phorest cannot?
DaySmart Spa covers Online booking, Automated reminders, Staff scheduling and payroll data, Memberships and packages. Phorest covers Appointment booking, Client management, Marketing automation, Reputation management. Both handle Point of sale.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DaySmart Spa: How much does DaySmart Spa actually cost for a team of eight?

The 199 USD Premium plan includes six users, so eight users is 199 USD plus 9 USD each for the two extra, before payment processing fees.

Phorest: How do I find out Phorest pricing for my salon?

All plans require a custom quote. Click 'Request a quote' or 'Book a demo' on the Phorest pricing page to receive pricing tailored to your business needs.

Source
DaySmart Spa: Does it handle medi-spa clinical notes?

No. There is no clinical charting or consent record, so medical treatments need a separate patient record system.

Phorest: What SMS charges apply to each plan?

Core Aesthetics: 8.2 cents/SMS; Elevate/Elite Aesthetics: 7 cents/SMS; Starter/Grow/Ultimate: 500 free SMS/month.

Source
DaySmart Spa: Is there a free plan?

No, but there is a free trial. The cheapest paid tier is 29 USD a month for one user.

Phorest: Is there a minimum staff requirement?

Yes, Phorest recommends 3+ staff members to use the software.

Source
DaySmart Spa: How is it different from DaySmart Salon?

Same underlying platform, configured for spa services, packages and treatment rooms rather than chair based salon workflows.

Phorest: What is included in Phorest plans?

All plans include: unlimited devices, unlimited staff, software for life with future upgrades, migration services, and unlimited training.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on DaySmart Spa

More on Phorest

Keep looking

Other head to heads