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Beauty · head to head

Phorest vs SimpleSalon

Phorest logo

Phorest

Beauty

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimpleSalon logo

SimpleSalon

Beauty

Powerful yet simple salon software

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request; SimpleSalon the $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • They diverge on capability: Phorest covers Appointment booking, SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Phorest and SimpleSalon actually diverge.

Attributes where Phorest and SimpleSalon differ
AttributePhorestSimpleSalon
Starting price$99/month$20/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20032010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports
  • Facebook
  • Instagram

Only in SimpleSalon

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Online booking
  • Stock management
  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps
  • Xero
  • MYOB

Both cover

  • Point of sale
  • Marketing automation
  • Mailchimp
  • Stripe
  • PCI DSS
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Phorest

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

SimpleSalon

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

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

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 Phorest if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client management.
Phorest 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 Phorest or SimpleSalon better?
Neither clearly leads. Phorest starts at $99/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Phorest or SimpleSalon?
Phorest starts at $99/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month.
Does Phorest or SimpleSalon run on more platforms?
Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SimpleSalon runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Phorest best used for?
Phorest is most often used for salon and clinic management software, medical spa operations and scheduling, beauty and wellness business software. Of those, salon and clinic management software and medical spa operations and scheduling are not what SimpleSalon is typically brought in for.
What can Phorest do that SimpleSalon cannot?
Phorest covers Appointment booking, Client management, Reputation management, Staff management. SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Online booking, Stock management. Both handle Point of sale, Marketing automation, Mailchimp, Stripe.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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
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
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
SimpleSalon: Is there a Simple Salon free trial?

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

Source
Phorest: Is there a minimum staff requirement?

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

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
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
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
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