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Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs SimpleSalon

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimpleSalon logo

SimpleSalon

Beauty

Powerful yet simple salon software

From
$20/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.; SimpleSalon the $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and SimpleSalon actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and SimpleSalon differ
AttributeMerluaSimpleSalon
Starting priceFree$20/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, Ios, Android
FoundedUnknown2010

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 SimpleSalon

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Online booking
  • Stock management
  • Marketing automation
  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps

What people use each for

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

Merlua

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

SimpleSalon

  • Appointment booking and rostering for hair and beauty salonsnot Merlua
  • Salon point of sale, stock and client historynot Merlua
  • SMS appointment reminders and marketing to salon clientsnot 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.

SimpleSalon

  • The $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • Pricing is charged per operator, capped at 7 operators, so a two person salon pays twice the listed rate
  • SMS remains chargeable on every plan once the included 200 credits per operator on Pro or 300 on Max are used, at 10 and 9 cents each
  • The free trial runs 14 days

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

SimpleSalon

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 0 SMS included
    • Additional SMS: $0.14 each
    • No new client fees
  • Pro$34/month
    • Most Popular option
    • 200 SMS per operator included
    • Additional SMS: $0.10 each
  • Max$41/month
    • 300 SMS per operator included
    • Additional SMS: $0.09 each
    • WhatsApp access 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 SimpleSalon if

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

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or SimpleSalon better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua starts at Free and SimpleSalon at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Merlua or SimpleSalon?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and $20/month for SimpleSalon.
Does Merlua or SimpleSalon run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. SimpleSalon runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SimpleSalon starts at $20/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 SimpleSalon is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that SimpleSalon cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Online booking.

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
SimpleSalon: How much does Simple Salon cost?

Simple Salon offers three plans starting at $20/month for Starter, $34/month for Pro (most popular), and $41/month for Max. Yearly billing saves 2 months' cost. Pricing scales with operator count but caps at 7+ operator rates.

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
SimpleSalon: Is there a Simple Salon free trial?

Yes. Simple Salon offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

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
SimpleSalon: What is included in SMS credits?

SMS allowances are pooled account-wide, not locked to individual operators, and can be used for appointment reminders and marketing messages. The Starter plan includes 0 SMS, Pro includes 200 per operator, and Max includes 300 per operator.

Source
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

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

Source
SimpleSalon: Are there contracts or setup fees for Simple Salon?

No. Simple Salon has no contracts, no fixed-term requirements, and no sign-up 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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