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Beauty · head to head

Salon Ultimate vs SimpleSalon

Salon Ultimate logo

Salon Ultimate

Beauty

Complete salon management made simple

From
$69/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: Salon Ultimate no per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing; SimpleSalon the $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • They diverge on capability: Salon Ultimate covers Inventory management, SimpleSalon covers Stock management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salon Ultimate and SimpleSalon actually diverge.

Attributes where Salon Ultimate and SimpleSalon differ
AttributeSalon UltimateSimpleSalon
Starting price$69/month$20/month
Founded20082010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Salon Ultimate

  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Email marketing
  • QuickBooks
  • Square
  • Spanish language support

Only in SimpleSalon

  • Stock management
  • Marketing automation
  • Reporting
  • Mobile apps
  • Xero
  • MYOB

Both cover

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Online booking
  • Stripe
  • Mailchimp
  • PCI DSS
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • English language support

What people use each for

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

Salon Ultimate

  • Appointment managementnot SimpleSalon
  • Client retentionnot SimpleSalon
  • Inventory controlnot SimpleSalon
  • Business reportingnot SimpleSalon

SimpleSalon

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

Where each one falls short

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

Salon Ultimate

  • No per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing
  • Pricing applies per salon location, not per user

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

Salon Ultimate

$69/month
  • BookedBy on Clover$69/month
    • Software and hardware included
  • Single Store$159/month
    • Advanced features for single location
  • Multi-Store$199/month
    • Multi-location management

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 Salon Ultimate if

  • You need inventory management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staff scheduling.
Salon Ultimate review

Choose SimpleSalon if

  • You need stock management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want marketing automation.
SimpleSalon review

Questions people ask

Is Salon Ultimate or SimpleSalon better?
Neither clearly leads. Salon Ultimate starts at $69/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salon Ultimate or SimpleSalon?
Salon Ultimate starts at $69/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month.
Does Salon Ultimate or SimpleSalon run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is Salon Ultimate best used for?
Salon Ultimate is most often used for appointment management, client retention, inventory control, business reporting. Of those, appointment management and client retention are not what SimpleSalon is typically brought in for.
What can Salon Ultimate do that SimpleSalon cannot?
Salon Ultimate covers Inventory management, Staff scheduling, Reporting & analytics, Email marketing. SimpleSalon covers Stock management, Marketing automation, Reporting, Mobile apps. Both handle Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Online booking.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salon Ultimate: How much does SalonUltimate cost?

SalonUltimate offers three subscription tiers billed monthly per location: BookedBy on Clover at $69/month, Single Store at $159/month for individual salons, and Multi-Store at $199/month for businesses managing multiple locations.

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
Salon Ultimate: What features are included in all SalonUltimate plans?

All SalonUltimate plans include online booking, check-in and check-out capabilities, employee scheduling, customer management, service and pricing administration, inventory tracking, standard reporting, email and SMS marketing, unlimited support and training.

Source
SimpleSalon: Is there a Simple Salon free trial?

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

Source
Salon Ultimate: Is there a free trial for SalonUltimate?

No free trial period is mentioned on SalonUltimate's pricing page. Demos are available by contacting sales at [email protected] or calling +1 (855) 466-9332.

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
Salon Ultimate: What is the difference between BookedBy on Clover and SalonUltimate Single Store plans?

BookedBy on Clover at $69/month includes software and hardware shipped to your business. SalonUltimate Single Store at $159/month is designed for individual salon locations seeking advanced features with no hardware included.

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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