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Software · head to head

Medusa vs SalonBiz

Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SalonBiz logo

SalonBiz

Software

Complete salon and spa management suite

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medusa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medusa the managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage; SalonBiz pricing is per location: $160 per month for Basic, $265 for Essential and $370 for Premium
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and SalonBiz actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and SalonBiz differ
AttributeMedusaSalonBiz
Starting priceFree$89/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Windows
Founded20202005

Identical on both: 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 Medusa

  • Open source
  • Modular architecture
  • Multi-region support
  • Plugin system
  • Admin dashboard
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Payment integrations

Only in SalonBiz

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Client database
  • Staff management
  • Marketing automation
  • Business reporting
  • QuickBooks

What people use each for

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

Medusa

  • Building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platformnot SalonBiz
  • Running a self hosted or managed commerce API with a custom storefrontnot SalonBiz

SalonBiz

  • Salon appointment booking and point of sale priced per locationnot Medusa
  • Integrated card payments through SalonBiz Paymentsnot Medusa
  • Beauty school and institute management with student recordsnot Medusa

Where each one falls short

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

Medusa

  • The managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage
  • The Develop plan at $29 a month applies a hard limit of 1,000 emails, so it stops rather than bills
  • Compute hours are capped at 600 on Develop and 800 on Launch
  • Edge request overage is $0.3 per million and storage $0.5 per GB month above the plan allowance
  • Background workers and priority support require the Scale plan at $299 a month

SalonBiz

  • Pricing is per location: $160 per month for Basic, $265 for Essential and $370 for Premium
  • Each tier caps service professionals at 5, 12 and 20 respectively, with extra staff sold in blocks of 10 at $55 per month
  • Not using SalonBiz Payments raises the monthly fee by $25 to $45 depending on tier
  • School and institute plans are capped at 100 students on Essential and 200 on Premium, with extra students at $15 per month per 25
  • Enterprise and multi location pricing is quote only with no published rate

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full source code
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • Cloud$50/month
    • Managed hosting
    • Automatic updates
    • Priority support

SalonBiz

$89/month
  • Standard$89/month
    • Scheduling
    • POS
    • Client database
  • Premium$179/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Inventory
    • Staff management

Which should you pick?

Choose Medusa if

  • You need open source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want modular architecture.
Medusa review

Choose SalonBiz if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want point of sale.
SalonBiz review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or SalonBiz better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and SalonBiz at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or SalonBiz?
Medusa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medusa and $89/month for SalonBiz.
Does Medusa or SalonBiz run on more platforms?
Medusa runs on Web. SalonBiz runs on Web, Windows.
Can I use Medusa for free?
Yes. Medusa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SalonBiz starts at $89/month.
What is Medusa best used for?
Medusa is most often used for building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform, running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront. Of those, building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform and running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront are not what SalonBiz is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that SalonBiz cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling, Point of sale, Inventory management, Client database.
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