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Beauty · head to head

DaySmart Spa vs Salonist

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
Salonist logo

Salonist

Beauty

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: 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.; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: DaySmart Spa covers Online booking, Salonist 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 Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where DaySmart Spa and Salonist differ
AttributeDaySmart SpaSalonist
Starting price$29/monthFree
Pricing modelPer user per monthUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2017

Identical on both: 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
  • Point of sale
  • Automated reminders
  • Staff scheduling and payroll data
  • Memberships and packages
  • Inventory
  • Marketing

Only in Salonist

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

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 Salonist
  • A spa with three to six staff that needs rotas, commission and retail stock in the same system as the diarynot Salonist
  • A spa selling prepaid packages and memberships that needs balances tracked against future bookings rather than in a spreadsheetnot Salonist
  • An owner moving off paper diaries who wants automated text reminders to cut no shows and can size the message allowance against booking volumenot Salonist

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot DaySmart Spa
  • GST billingnot DaySmart Spa
  • Customer loyaltynot DaySmart Spa
  • Inventory controlnot 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.

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

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

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 DaySmart Spa if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Windows.
  • You also want point of sale.
DaySmart Spa 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 DaySmart Spa or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. DaySmart Spa starts at $29/month and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DaySmart Spa or Salonist?
Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $29/month for DaySmart Spa and Free for Salonist.
Does DaySmart Spa or Salonist run on more platforms?
DaySmart Spa runs on Web, iOS, Android, Windows. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Salonist for free?
Yes. Salonist has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. DaySmart Spa starts at $29/month.
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 Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can DaySmart Spa do that Salonist cannot?
DaySmart Spa covers Online booking, Point of sale, Automated reminders, Staff scheduling and payroll data. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs.

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.

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
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.

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
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.

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
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.

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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