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Scheduling · head to head

GlossGenius vs SimplyBook.me

GlossGenius logo

GlossGenius

Scheduling

Beautiful booking for beauty pros

From
$28/month
Rated
-
SimplyBook.me logo

SimplyBook.me

Scheduling

Online booking system for service businesses

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only SimplyBook.me has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: GlossGenius card payments are charged at a flat 2.6 percent, and instant payouts cost a further 1.8 percent; SimplyBook.me pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • They diverge on capability: GlossGenius covers Custom booking pages, SimplyBook.me covers Booking website.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which GlossGenius and SimplyBook.me actually diverge.

Attributes where GlossGenius and SimplyBook.me differ
AttributeGlossGeniusSimplyBook.me
Starting price$28/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
Founded20162009

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).

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 GlossGenius

  • Custom booking pages
  • Automated reminders
  • Website builder
  • Reports & insights
  • Gift cards
  • Instagram
  • Apple Pay
  • Google Pay

Only in SimplyBook.me

  • Booking website
  • Custom branding
  • Outlook
  • Zoom
  • PayPal

Both cover

  • Payment processing
  • Client management
  • Marketing tools
  • Stripe
  • Google Calendar
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

GlossGenius

  • Appointment booking and calendar management for salonsnot SimplyBook.me
  • Card payments and tipping at the chairnot SimplyBook.me
  • Client records, forms and waiversnot SimplyBook.me
  • Memberships and prepaid packagesnot SimplyBook.me
  • Medspa charting and photo markup on the clinical plansnot SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me

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

Where each one falls short

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

GlossGenius

  • Card payments are charged at a flat 2.6 percent, and instant payouts cost a further 1.8 percent
  • Forms and waivers, waitlists and Google booking need the Gold plan at $56 a month
  • Team analytics, custom commissions and unlimited team members require Platinum at $168 a month
  • The medspa plans start where the beauty Platinum plan does, at $168 a month, rising to $298 for the full clinical suite
  • Payroll is a separate add-on at $40 a month plus $6 per staff member

SimplyBook.me

  • Pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • No built-in video conferencing, requiring third-party integration
  • Limited CRM capabilities compared to dedicated sales platforms
  • Free plan capped at 5 bookings per month, limiting small business use

Pricing, plan by plan

GlossGenius

$28/month
  • Standard$28/month
    • Custom booking website
    • Unlimited client notifications
    • Email and text marketing
  • Gold$56/month
    • All Standard features
    • Supports up to 9 staff members
    • Forms and waivers
  • Platinum$168/month
    • All Gold features
    • Supports teams of 10 or more
    • Team goal setting
  • Practice Essentials$168/month
    • EMR compliance tools for aesthetics practices
    • Most popular for medspa and aesthetics tier

SimplyBook.me

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 bookings/month
    • Booking website
    • Basic features
  • Basic$8.25/month
    • 100 bookings
    • Custom features
    • Payments
  • Standard$24.9/month
    • 500 bookings
    • All features
    • Multiple locations

Which should you pick?

Choose GlossGenius if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want automated reminders.

Choose SimplyBook.me if

  • You need booking website.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want custom branding.

Questions people ask

Is GlossGenius or SimplyBook.me better?
Neither clearly leads. GlossGenius starts at $28/month and SimplyBook.me at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, GlossGenius or SimplyBook.me?
SimplyBook.me has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $28/month for GlossGenius and Free for SimplyBook.me.
Does GlossGenius or SimplyBook.me run on more platforms?
GlossGenius runs on Web, Ios, Android. SimplyBook.me runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use SimplyBook.me for free?
Yes. SimplyBook.me has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. GlossGenius starts at $28/month.
What is GlossGenius best used for?
GlossGenius is most often used for appointment booking and calendar management for salons, card payments and tipping at the chair, client records, forms and waivers, memberships and prepaid packages. Of those, appointment booking and calendar management for salons and card payments and tipping at the chair are not what SimplyBook.me is typically brought in for.
What can GlossGenius do that SimplyBook.me cannot?
GlossGenius covers Custom booking pages, Automated reminders, Website builder, Reports & insights. SimplyBook.me covers Booking website, Custom branding, Outlook, Zoom. Both handle Payment processing, Client management, Marketing tools, Stripe.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

GlossGenius: How much does GlossGenius cost?

GlossGenius Standard plan is $28 per month, Gold is $56 per month, and Platinum is $168 per month for beauty and wellness businesses. For medspa and aesthetics, Practice Essentials is $168 per month and Practice Advanced is $298 per month.

Source
SimplyBook.me: Does SimplyBook.me offer a free plan?

Yes, SimplyBook.me offers a free plan for small businesses, though advanced features and custom add-ons require paid plans.

Source
GlossGenius: What are the annual billing savings?

Switching from monthly to annual billing saves 12-14% on your subscription cost. For example, Gold drops from $56 per month to $48 per month when billed annually.

Source
GlossGenius: Is there a free trial for GlossGenius?

GlossGenius offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
GlossGenius: What are GlossGenius payment processing fees?

GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6% payment processing rate. Free same-day payouts are available Monday through Thursday, and instant payouts can be requested at a 1.8% fee.

Source
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