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Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs SalonBiz

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SalonBiz logo

SalonBiz

Beauty

Complete salon and spa management suite

From
$160/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.; SalonBiz pricing is per location: $160 per month for Basic, $265 for Essential and $370 for Premium
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and SalonBiz actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and SalonBiz differ
AttributeMerluaSalonBiz
Starting priceFree$160/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, Windows
FoundedUnknown2005

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 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.

Merlua

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

SalonBiz

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

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

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

SalonBiz

$160/month
  • Basic (Salon)$160/month
    • Full platform included
  • Essential (Salon)$265/month
    • Full platform included
  • Premium (Salon)$370/month
    • Full platform included
  • Essential (School/Institute)$315/month
    • Full platform included

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 SalonBiz if

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

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or SalonBiz better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua starts at Free and SalonBiz at $160/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Merlua or SalonBiz?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and $160/month for SalonBiz.
Does Merlua or SalonBiz run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. SalonBiz runs on Web, Windows.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SalonBiz starts at $160/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 SalonBiz is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that SalonBiz cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling, Point of sale, Inventory management, Client database.

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
SalonBiz: How much does SalonBiz cost?

SalonBiz salon pricing ranges from $160/month (Basic with 5 professionals) to $370/month (Premium with 20 professionals). School and institute pricing ranges from $315/month (Essential with 100 students) to $420/month (Premium with 200 students). Pricing is billed per location.

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
SalonBiz: Does SalonBiz charge per location?

Yes, SalonBiz pricing is per location. If managing multiple locations, the selected plan price applies to each location individually.

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
SalonBiz: What is the difference between SalonBiz plans?

SalonBiz salon plans differentiate by number of service professionals: Basic (5), Essential (12), and Premium (20). All plans include the full platform. Overage charges apply at $55/month per 10-person addition beyond the plan capacity.

Source
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

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

Source
SalonBiz: Is there a long-term contract requirement for SalonBiz?

No, SalonBiz requires no long-term contract. Customers can cancel before their next billing date with no penalties or fees.

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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