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Beauty & Salon · head to head

Kitomba vs Lavu

Kitomba logo

Kitomba

Beauty & Salon

Salon software from New Zealand

From
79/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lavu logo

Lavu

Food & Restaurant

iPad POS for restaurants and bars

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Kitomba no plan price is published; pricing depends on package, features and staff count and is only given after a demo and a discovery call with a Kitomba consultant; Lavu iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • They diverge on capability: Kitomba covers Appointment booking, Lavu covers iPad POS.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kitomba and Lavu actually diverge.

Attributes where Kitomba and Lavu differ
AttributeKitombaLavu
Starting price79/month$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidiPad
CategoryBeauty & SalonFood & Restaurant
Founded20012010

Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Kitomba

  • Appointment booking
  • Point of sale
  • Stock management
  • Client management
  • Marketing tools
  • Business analytics
  • Mobile apps
  • Online booking

Only in Lavu

  • iPad POS
  • Split checks
  • Tab management
  • Happy hour pricing
  • Inventory tracking
  • Kitchen display
  • QuickBooks
  • DoorDash

Both cover

  • Xero
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

Kitomba

  • Salon and spa appointment booking with staff rosteringnot Lavu
  • Salon point of sale and stock managementnot Lavu
  • Client marketing and reporting for hair and beauty businessesnot Lavu

Lavu

  • Point of Salenot Kitomba
  • Order Managementnot Kitomba
  • Inventory Controlnot Kitomba
  • Staff Schedulingnot Kitomba

Where each one falls short

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

Kitomba

  • No plan price is published; pricing depends on package, features and staff count and is only given after a demo and a discovery call with a Kitomba consultant
  • Advertised per user pricing is based on 3 staff, so the quoted figure does not apply at other headcounts
  • Xero, Mailchimp, REACH.ai, Salon Pay and Vish integrations all carry separate charges outside the software fee
  • Data migration and live education carry additional charges
  • Kitomba Pay EFTPOS terminal rental is available in Australia only

Lavu

  • iPad-only solution with no Android or Windows alternative
  • Hardware costs are significant with devices starting at $700
  • Limited offline functionality compared to some competitors

Pricing, plan by plan

Kitomba

79/month
  • Starter$79/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • Basic reporting
  • Business$149/month
    • All Starter features
    • POS system
    • Stock management

Lavu

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Lavu review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Kitomba if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want point of sale.
Kitomba review

Choose Lavu if

  • You need ipad pos.
  • You work on iPad.
  • You also want split checks.
Lavu review

Questions people ask

Is Kitomba or Lavu better?
Neither clearly leads. Kitomba starts at 79/month and Lavu at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kitomba or Lavu?
Kitomba starts at 79/month and Lavu at $99/month.
Does Kitomba or Lavu run on more platforms?
Kitomba runs on Web, Ios, Android. Lavu runs on iPad.
What is Kitomba best used for?
Kitomba is most often used for salon and spa appointment booking with staff rostering, salon point of sale and stock management, client marketing and reporting for hair and beauty businesses. Of those, salon and spa appointment booking with staff rostering and salon point of sale and stock management are not what Lavu is typically brought in for.
What can Kitomba do that Lavu cannot?
Kitomba covers Appointment booking, Point of sale, Stock management, Client management. Lavu covers iPad POS, Split checks, Tab management, Happy hour pricing. Both handle Xero, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Lavu: What devices does Lavu support?

Lavu is iPad-based and works with iPad Pro, Air, and Mini models. It is compatible with peripherals from Ingenico, Magtek, and supports various receipt printers, cash drawers, and barcode scanners.

Source
Lavu: Does Lavu offer financing for hardware?

Yes. Lavu offers 0% no-interest financing on hardware for 3-year contracts, and supports both 1-year and 3-year contract terms.

Source
Lavu: What is Lavu's pricing range?

Lavu monthly POS software costs range from $99 to $279 per month, with hardware starting at $700 and up to $1,500 for full systems.

Source
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