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KORONA POS vs Phorest

KORONA POS logo

KORONA POS

Software

Cloud-based retail POS system

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phorest logo

Phorest

Software

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only KORONA POS has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: KORONA POS inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control; Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • They diverge on capability: KORONA POS covers Inventory management, Phorest covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which KORONA POS and Phorest actually diverge.

Attributes where KORONA POS and Phorest differ
AttributeKORONA POSPhorest
Starting priceFree$99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20042003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 KORONA POS

  • Inventory management
  • Employee management
  • Customer database
  • Sales analytics
  • Loyalty programs
  • Multi-location support
  • Mobile POS

Only in Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Marketing automation
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports
  • Mailchimp

Both cover

  • Point of sale

What people use each for

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

KORONA POS

  • Point of sale and inventory management for retail storesnot Phorest
  • Multi location retail with stock control and reportingnot Phorest

Phorest

  • Salon and spa appointment booking with client recordsnot KORONA POS
  • Marketing, memberships and staff management for beauty businessesnot KORONA POS

Where each one falls short

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

KORONA POS

  • Inventory counts and stock management require the $79 Retail plan, so the $59 Core plan is checkout without stock control
  • Five separate modules are charged on top of the plan, at $10 per terminal for food service, $10 per terminal for invoicing, $50 per gate for ticketing, $30 per franchise and $45 per token for custom API integrations
  • Integration pricing is per token rather than per account, so several integrations multiply the cost
  • Advanced stock management and movement reporting require the $99 Plus plan

Phorest

  • No price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • There is no free trial at all, which the company states plainly
  • The product is described as suited to 3 or more staff, so a solo operator is outside the intended range
  • The branded booking app requires the Ultimate plan, and two way SMS, memberships, lead management and the ads manager are all Elite only

Pricing, plan by plan

KORONA POS

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 register
    • Inventory management
    • Basic analytics
  • Professional$79/month
    • Unlimited registers
    • Advanced inventory
    • Employee management

Phorest

$99/month
  • Grow$99/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Elevate$179/month
    • Everything in Grow
    • Advanced marketing
    • Online booking
  • Innovate$299/month
    • Everything in Elevate
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose KORONA POS if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want employee management.
KORONA POS review

Choose Phorest if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client management.
Phorest review

Questions people ask

Is KORONA POS or Phorest better?
Neither clearly leads. KORONA POS starts at Free and Phorest at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, KORONA POS or Phorest?
KORONA POS has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for KORONA POS and $99/month for Phorest.
Does KORONA POS or Phorest run on more platforms?
KORONA POS runs on Web. Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use KORONA POS for free?
Yes. KORONA POS has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Phorest starts at $99/month.
What is KORONA POS best used for?
KORONA POS is most often used for point of sale and inventory management for retail stores, multi location retail with stock control and reporting. Of those, point of sale and inventory management for retail stores and multi location retail with stock control and reporting are not what Phorest is typically brought in for.
What can KORONA POS do that Phorest cannot?
KORONA POS covers Inventory management, Employee management, Customer database, Sales analytics. Phorest covers Appointment booking, Client management, Marketing automation, Reputation management. Both handle Point of sale.
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