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Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs SalonRunner

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SalonRunner

Beauty

Run your salon like a pro

From
$19/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.; SalonRunner salonRunner is the underlying platform behind the flagship Rosy Salon Software brand, offered white-label through a VAR program (Internet Archive capture, 29 December 2021); no pricing figures were published
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, SalonRunner covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and SalonRunner actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and SalonRunner differ
AttributeMerluaSalonRunner
Starting priceFree$19/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2012

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 SalonRunner

  • Online booking
  • Client management
  • Staff scheduling
  • POS system
  • Commission tracking
  • Mobile apps
  • SMS reminders
  • Marketing campaigns

What people use each for

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

Merlua

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

SalonRunner

  • Mobile salon managementnot Merlua
  • Client bookingnot Merlua
  • Staff coordinationnot Merlua
  • Payment processingnot 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.

SalonRunner

  • SalonRunner is the underlying platform behind the flagship Rosy Salon Software brand, offered white-label through a VAR program (Internet Archive capture, 29 December 2021); no pricing figures were published

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

SalonRunner

$19/month
  • Solo$19/month
    • 1 user
    • Online booking
    • Client management
  • Team$49/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • All Solo features
    • Staff scheduling

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 SalonRunner if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client management.
SalonRunner review

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or SalonRunner better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua starts at Free and SalonRunner at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Merlua or SalonRunner?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and $19/month for SalonRunner.
Does Merlua or SalonRunner run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. SalonRunner runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SalonRunner starts at $19/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 SalonRunner is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that SalonRunner cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. SalonRunner covers Online booking, Client management, Staff scheduling, POS system.

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
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
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
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

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

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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