Is Merlua or Salonist better?

Neither clearly leads. Merlua 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, Merlua or Salonist?

Merlua starts at Free and Salonist at Free.

Does Merlua or Salonist run on more platforms?

Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.

Can I use Merlua for free?

Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.

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 Salonist is typically brought in for.

What can Merlua do that Salonist cannot?

Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs.

Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs Salonist

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

Salonist

Beauty

Complete salon software from India

From: Free
Rated: -

Full review Website

The short version

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.; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, Salonist covers Appointment booking.
Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and Salonist differ
Attribute	Merlua	Salonist
Pricing model	freemium	Unknown
Platforms	Web, iOS, Android, WordPress	Web, Ios, Android
Founded	Unknown	2017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Salonist

Appointment booking
Billing & invoicing
Inventory management
Loyalty programs
Staff management
GST compliance
Marketing automation
Business analytics

What people use each for

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

Merlua

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

Salonist

Indian salon managementnot Merlua
GST billingnot Merlua
Customer loyaltynot Merlua
Inventory controlnot 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.

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

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

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 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 Salonist if

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

Salonist review

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or Salonist better?: Neither clearly leads. Merlua 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, Merlua or Salonist?: Merlua starts at Free and Salonist at Free.
Does Merlua or Salonist run on more platforms?: Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?: Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that Salonist cannot?: Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

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

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

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

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

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

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

Merlua vs Salonist

Merlua

Salonist

The short version

Where they differ

What each one covers

Only in Merlua

Only in Salonist

What people use each for

Merlua

Salonist

Where each one falls short

Merlua

Salonist

Pricing, plan by plan

Merlua

Salonist

Which should you pick?

Choose Merlua if

Choose Salonist if

Questions people ask

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Related pages

More on Merlua

More on Salonist

Keep looking

Other head to heads