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Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs Salon Ultimate

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salon Ultimate logo

Salon Ultimate

Beauty

Complete salon management made simple

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Merlua has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Merlua plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.; Salon Ultimate no per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, Salon Ultimate covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and Salon Ultimate actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and Salon Ultimate differ
AttributeMerluaSalon Ultimate
Starting priceFree$69/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2008

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Beauty).

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 Merlua

  • Guest online booking
  • Services and staff
  • Calendar and availability
  • Deposits and payments
  • Email and SMS reminders
  • Branded booking page
  • Staff and client apps

Only in Salon Ultimate

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Online booking
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Email marketing

What people use each for

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

Merlua

  • Taking salon bookings without forcing client accountsnot Salon Ultimate
  • Cutting no-shows with deposits and remindersnot Salon Ultimate
  • Coordinating several staff members' availabilitynot Salon Ultimate
  • Running a branded booking page from an existing websitenot Salon Ultimate
  • Giving staff their schedule and earnings on their phonenot Salon Ultimate

Salon Ultimate

  • Appointment managementnot Merlua
  • Client retentionnot Merlua
  • Inventory controlnot Merlua
  • Business reportingnot Merlua

Where each one falls short

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

Merlua

  • Plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.
  • Stripe is the only payment processor named, so a salon banking elsewhere has no alternative route.
  • Built for beauty specifically. A clinic, a gym or a barber chain wanting inventory, POS or memberships will find those absent.
  • The integration list is short next to established salon platforms: Stripe, WordPress and SMS, with no accounting, marketing or POS connections listed.
  • A new vendor with no independent review coverage, so the reliability claims rest on the vendor's own material.

Salon Ultimate

  • No per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing
  • Pricing applies per salon location, not per user

Pricing, plan by plan

Merlua

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core scheduling with no time limit
    • Basic booking management
  • Standard and Premium$undefined/month
    • 14-day full-feature trial, no card required
    • No Merlua booking transaction fees
    • Monthly or annual billing, switchable at any time

Salon Ultimate

$69/month
  • BookedBy on Clover$69/month
    • Software and hardware included
  • Single Store$159/month
    • Advanced features for single location
  • Multi-Store$199/month
    • Multi-location management

Which should you pick?

Choose Merlua if

  • You need guest online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress.
  • You also want services and staff.
Merlua review

Choose Salon Ultimate if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client database.
Salon Ultimate review

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or Salon Ultimate better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua starts at Free and Salon Ultimate at $69/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Merlua or Salon Ultimate?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and $69/month for Salon Ultimate.
Does Merlua or Salon Ultimate run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. Salon Ultimate runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Salon Ultimate starts at $69/month.
What is Merlua best used for?
Merlua is most often used for taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts, cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders, coordinating several staff members' availability, running a branded booking page from an existing website. Of those, taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts and cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders are not what Salon Ultimate is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that Salon Ultimate cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. Salon Ultimate covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Inventory management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Merlua: Is there a free plan?

Yes. Merlua states it offers "a robust free tier with core scheduling capabilities so you can manage basic bookings without a time limit", separate from the paid trial.

Source
Salon Ultimate: How much does SalonUltimate cost?

SalonUltimate offers three subscription tiers billed monthly per location: BookedBy on Clover at $69/month, Single Store at $159/month for individual salons, and Multi-Store at $199/month for businesses managing multiple locations.

Source
Merlua: How does the free trial work?

Fourteen days of full access to all premium features with no credit card required upfront. At the end you either pick a plan or continue on the free tier.

Source
Salon Ultimate: What features are included in all SalonUltimate plans?

All SalonUltimate plans include online booking, check-in and check-out capabilities, employee scheduling, customer management, service and pricing administration, inventory tracking, standard reporting, email and SMS marketing, unlimited support and training.

Source
Merlua: Does Merlua charge booking transaction fees?

No hidden booking transaction fees on the Standard or premium tiers. Standard payment processing fees from your gateway, such as Stripe, still apply.

Source
Salon Ultimate: Is there a free trial for SalonUltimate?

No free trial period is mentioned on SalonUltimate's pricing page. Demos are available by contacting sales at [email protected] or calling +1 (855) 466-9332.

Source
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

No. Clients complete bookings as guests without creating a password or a permanent account.

Source
Salon Ultimate: What is the difference between BookedBy on Clover and SalonUltimate Single Store plans?

BookedBy on Clover at $69/month includes software and hardware shipped to your business. SalonUltimate Single Store at $159/month is designed for individual salon locations seeking advanced features with no hardware included.

Source
Merlua: What happens if I cancel?

Premium features stay active until the end of the current billing period, and plans can be upgraded, downgraded or switched between monthly and annual at any time from billing settings.

Source
Merlua: What can I install it on?

A web dashboard, mobile apps for staff and clients, a WordPress plugin, and an embeddable booking widget for any site.

Source
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