Softwr

Software · head to head

Mindbody vs Salonist

Mindbody logo

Mindbody

Software

Wellness business software & marketplace

From
$75/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Software

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Salonist has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Mindbody pricing is expensive with frequent price increases over time; Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month
  • They diverge on capability: Mindbody covers Appointment scheduling, Salonist covers Appointment booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Mindbody and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Mindbody and Salonist differ
AttributeMindbodySalonist
Starting price$75/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
Founded20012017

Identical on both: pricing model (Unknown), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Mindbody

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Class booking
  • Membership management
  • Point of sale
  • Client management
  • Staff scheduling
  • ClassPass
  • Mailchimp

Only in Salonist

  • Appointment booking
  • Billing & invoicing
  • Inventory management
  • Loyalty programs
  • Staff management
  • GST compliance
  • Razorpay
  • Paytm

Both cover

  • Marketing automation
  • Business analytics
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Mindbody

  • Spa managementnot Salonist
  • Class schedulingnot Salonist
  • Membership salesnot Salonist
  • Client retentionnot Salonist
  • Business growthnot Salonist

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot Mindbody
  • GST billingnot Mindbody
  • Customer loyaltynot Mindbody
  • Inventory controlnot Mindbody

Where each one falls short

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

Mindbody

  • Pricing is expensive with frequent price increases over time
  • Essential features require paid add-ons increasing total cost significantly
  • Complex pricing model with multiple tiers makes cost comparison difficult

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

Mindbody

$75/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Mindbody review.

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 Mindbody if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want class booking.
Mindbody 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 Mindbody or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Mindbody starts at $75/month and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Mindbody or Salonist?
Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $75/month for Mindbody and Free for Salonist.
Does Mindbody or Salonist run on more platforms?
Mindbody runs on Web, iOS, Android. Salonist runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Salonist for free?
Yes. Salonist has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mindbody starts at $75/month.
What is Mindbody best used for?
Mindbody is most often used for spa management, class scheduling, membership sales, client retention. Of those, spa management and class scheduling are not what Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Mindbody do that Salonist cannot?
Mindbody covers Appointment scheduling, Class booking, Membership management, Point of sale. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Both handle Marketing automation, Business analytics, SSL encryption, Cloud deployment.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Mindbody: What are Mindbody's pricing tiers?

Mindbody plans start at $159/month and include class scheduling and client data storage. The popular Ultimate Plus plan starts at $599/month. Entry-level pricing ranges from $75-$99/month depending on the plan selected.

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
Mindbody: Does Mindbody have an API for third-party integrations?

Yes. Mindbody provides an open API with webhooks and multiple API types for integration. The platform integrates with 700+ partner solutions.

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
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
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
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
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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Mindbody

More on Salonist

Keep looking

Other head to heads