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Software · head to head

KORONA POS vs Salonist

KORONA POS logo

KORONA POS

Software

Cloud-based retail POS system

From
Free
Rated
-
Salonist logo

Salonist

Software

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • 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; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: KORONA POS covers Point of sale, Salonist covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where KORONA POS and Salonist differ
AttributeKORONA POSSalonist
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20042017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 KORONA POS

  • Point of sale
  • Employee management
  • Customer database
  • Sales analytics
  • Multi-location support
  • Mobile POS

Only in Salonist

  • Appointment booking
  • Billing & invoicing
  • Staff management
  • GST compliance
  • Marketing automation
  • Business analytics
  • Razorpay
  • Paytm

Both cover

  • Inventory management
  • Loyalty programs

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 Salonist
  • Multi location retail with stock control and reportingnot Salonist

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot KORONA POS
  • GST billingnot KORONA POS
  • Customer loyaltynot KORONA POS
  • Inventory controlnot 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

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

KORONA POS

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

  • You need point of sale.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want employee management.

Choose Salonist if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want billing & invoicing.

Questions people ask

Is KORONA POS or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. KORONA POS 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, KORONA POS or Salonist?
KORONA POS starts at Free and Salonist at Free.
Does KORONA POS or Salonist run on more platforms?
KORONA POS runs on Web. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use KORONA POS for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can KORONA POS do that Salonist cannot?
KORONA POS covers Point of sale, Employee management, Customer database, Sales analytics. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Staff management, GST compliance. Both handle Inventory management, Loyalty programs.

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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