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Beauty & Salon · head to head

Kitomba vs Salonist

Kitomba logo

Kitomba

Beauty & Salon

Salon software from New Zealand

From
79/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Beauty & Salon

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: 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; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: Kitomba covers Point of sale, Salonist covers Billing & invoicing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Kitomba and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Kitomba and Salonist differ
AttributeKitombaSalonist
Starting price79/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
Founded20012017

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

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

  • Point of sale
  • Stock management
  • Client management
  • Marketing tools
  • Mobile apps
  • Online booking
  • Xero
  • MYOB

Only in Salonist

  • Billing & invoicing
  • Inventory management
  • Loyalty programs
  • Staff management
  • GST compliance
  • Marketing automation
  • Razorpay
  • Paytm

Both cover

  • Appointment booking
  • Business analytics
  • SSL encryption
  • Data backup
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • English language 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 Salonist
  • Salon point of sale and stock managementnot Salonist
  • Client marketing and reporting for hair and beauty businessesnot Salonist

Salonist

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

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

Kitomba

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

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 Kitomba if

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

Choose Salonist if

  • You need billing & invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want inventory management.
Salonist review

Questions people ask

Is Kitomba or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Kitomba starts at 79/month and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Kitomba or Salonist?
Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at 79/month for Kitomba and Free for Salonist.
Does Kitomba or Salonist run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Salonist for free?
Yes. Salonist has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Kitomba starts at 79/month.
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 Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Kitomba do that Salonist cannot?
Kitomba covers Point of sale, Stock management, Client management, Marketing tools. Salonist covers Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs, Staff management. Both handle Appointment booking, Business analytics, SSL encryption, Data backup.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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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