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Beauty · head to head

DaySmart Salon vs Phorest

DaySmart Salon logo

DaySmart Salon

Beauty

Intelligent salon and spa business platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Phorest logo

Phorest

Beauty

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DaySmart Salon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DaySmart Salon the $29 per month Basic plan includes only 1 user and excludes resource management, packages, memberships, payroll and digital forms; Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • They diverge on capability: DaySmart Salon covers Online booking, Phorest covers Appointment booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DaySmart Salon and Phorest actually diverge.

Attributes where DaySmart Salon and Phorest differ
AttributeDaySmart SalonPhorest
Starting priceFree$99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20102003

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 DaySmart Salon

  • Online booking
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Business analytics
  • QuickBooks
  • Google
  • Zapier

Only in Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports
  • Instagram
  • Google My Business
  • SumUp

Both cover

  • Point of sale
  • Client management
  • Marketing automation
  • Mailchimp
  • Facebook
  • Stripe
  • SSL encryption
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

DaySmart Salon

  • Appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salonsnot Phorest
  • Salon point of sale with packages and membershipsnot Phorest
  • Commission based stylist payroll and expense trackingnot Phorest
  • Client reminders and marketing by text and emailnot Phorest

Phorest

  • Salon and clinic management softwarenot DaySmart Salon
  • Medical spa operations and schedulingnot DaySmart Salon
  • Beauty and wellness business softwarenot DaySmart Salon

Where each one falls short

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

DaySmart Salon

  • The $29 per month Basic plan includes only 1 user and excludes resource management, packages, memberships, payroll and digital forms
  • Extra users cost $9 per month each on Deluxe, Deluxe Growth and Premium
  • Messaging is metered per plan: 500 texts and 1,000 emails per month on Basic, 1,000 texts and 5,000 emails on Deluxe, 5,000 texts and 20,000 emails at the top tier
  • Text marketing, two way texting, reputation management and the website builder are paid add ons whose prices are not published
  • Expense tracking, advanced payroll, commission tracking, sliding scale commissions and overtime rules are limited to Premium Growth
  • Premium Growth is custom priced with no published rate

Phorest

  • No price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • There is no free trial at all, which the company states plainly
  • The product is described as suited to 3 or more staff, so a solo operator is outside the intended range
  • The branded booking app requires the Ultimate plan, and two way SMS, memberships, lead management and the ads manager are all Elite only

Pricing, plan by plan

DaySmart Salon

Free
  • Basic$29/month
    • 1 user
    • Online booking
    • Appointment confirmations
  • Deluxe$69/month
    • 3 users
    • Basic features plus: gift cards
    • Digital forms
  • Deluxe Growth$149/month
    • Deluxe features plus: text marketing
    • Two-way texting
    • Reputation management
  • Premium$199/month
    • 6 users
    • QuickBooks integration
    • 2500 text messages/month

Phorest

$99/month
  • Grow$99/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Elevate$179/month
    • Everything in Grow
    • Advanced marketing
    • Online booking
  • Innovate$299/month
    • Everything in Elevate
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose DaySmart Salon if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want appointment scheduling.
DaySmart Salon review

Choose Phorest if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want reputation management.
Phorest review

Questions people ask

Is DaySmart Salon or Phorest better?
Neither clearly leads. DaySmart Salon starts at Free and Phorest at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DaySmart Salon or Phorest?
DaySmart Salon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DaySmart Salon and $99/month for Phorest.
Does DaySmart Salon or Phorest run on more platforms?
DaySmart Salon runs on Web, Ios, Android. Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use DaySmart Salon for free?
Yes. DaySmart Salon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Phorest starts at $99/month.
What is DaySmart Salon best used for?
DaySmart Salon is most often used for appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salons, salon point of sale with packages and memberships, commission based stylist payroll and expense tracking, client reminders and marketing by text and email. Of those, appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salons and salon point of sale with packages and memberships are not what Phorest is typically brought in for.
What can DaySmart Salon do that Phorest cannot?
DaySmart Salon covers Online booking, Appointment scheduling, Inventory management, Staff scheduling. Phorest covers Appointment booking, Reputation management, Staff management, Inventory tracking. Both handle Point of sale, Client management, Marketing automation, Mailchimp.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DaySmart Salon: How much does DaySmart Salon cost?

DaySmart Salon pricing starts at $29/month for the Basic tier, $69/month for Deluxe, $149/month for Deluxe Growth, $199/month for Premium, and custom pricing for Premium Growth with unlimited users.

Source
Phorest: How do I find out Phorest pricing for my salon?

All plans require a custom quote. Click 'Request a quote' or 'Book a demo' on the Phorest pricing page to receive pricing tailored to your business needs.

Source
DaySmart Salon: How many users does each DaySmart plan support?

Basic tier supports 1 user. Deluxe and Deluxe Growth support 3 users. Premium supports 6 users. Premium Growth offers unlimited users but requires contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Phorest: What SMS charges apply to each plan?

Core Aesthetics: 8.2 cents/SMS; Elevate/Elite Aesthetics: 7 cents/SMS; Starter/Grow/Ultimate: 500 free SMS/month.

Source
DaySmart Salon: What are the messaging limits on DaySmart plans?

Basic tier includes 500 text messages and 1000 email messages per month. Premium tier increases to 2500 text messages and 10000 email messages. Premium Growth tier provides 5000 text messages and 20000 email messages with unlimited users.

Source
Phorest: Is there a minimum staff requirement?

Yes, Phorest recommends 3+ staff members to use the software.

Source
Phorest: What is included in Phorest plans?

All plans include: unlimited devices, unlimited staff, software for life with future upgrades, migration services, and unlimited training.

Source
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