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Software · head to head

Doodle vs Salonist

Doodle logo

Doodle

Software

Find the best time for anything

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Software

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Doodle free plan restricted to one active poll and one booking page with 10-slot limit; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: Doodle covers Group polls, Salonist covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Doodle and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Doodle and Salonist differ
AttributeDoodleSalonist
PlatformsWeb, Mobile (iOS, Android)Web, Ios, Android
Founded20072017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Doodle

  • Group polls
  • 1:1 scheduling
  • Booking pages
  • Calendar sync
  • Time zone support
  • 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
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Doodle

  • Schedulingnot Salonist
  • Appointment bookingnot Salonist
  • Time trackingnot Salonist
  • Resource managementnot Salonist
  • Team coordinationnot Salonist

Salonist

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

Where each one falls short

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

Doodle

  • Free plan restricted to one active poll and one booking page with 10-slot limit
  • Free users see excessive advertisements on booking pages
  • Limited customization options for poll types and response formats
  • Mobile app experiences bugs and has less polished interface than desktop version

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

Doodle

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Doodle 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 Doodle if

  • You need group polls.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android).
  • You also want 1:1 scheduling.
Doodle 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 Doodle or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Doodle 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, Doodle or Salonist?
Doodle starts at Free and Salonist at Free.
Does Doodle or Salonist run on more platforms?
Doodle runs on Web, Mobile (iOS, Android). Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Doodle for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Doodle best used for?
Doodle is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Doodle do that Salonist cannot?
Doodle covers Group polls, 1:1 scheduling, Booking pages, Calendar sync. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Doodle: Does Doodle offer a free plan?

Yes. Doodle's free plan includes one active group poll, one booking page, and one 1:1 meeting, limited to 10 slots per poll with ads displayed. Premium plans start at $15/month.

Source
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
Doodle: What are Doodle's pricing plans?

Professional plan costs $15/month (or $132/year). Team plan costs $19.95/user/month (or $8.95/user/month billed annually) with a two-seat minimum.

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
Doodle: Does Doodle integrate with calendar apps?

Yes. Doodle integrates with Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar to prevent double-bookings. Slack integration allows poll creation and sharing directly in Slack channels.

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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