Softwr

Software · head to head

SalonBiz vs Shortcuts

SalonBiz logo

SalonBiz

Software

Complete salon and spa management suite

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Shortcuts

Software

Multi-vendor salon and spa booking platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Shortcuts has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: SalonBiz pricing is per location: $160 per month for Basic, $265 for Essential and $370 for Premium; Shortcuts shortcuts (salon and spa management software) is sold via phone inquiry rather than published pricing, and its own marketing frames it as the only solution built for chain or franchise businesses specifically rather than for independent single-location salons (archived homepage, 14 September 2012)
  • They diverge on capability: SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling, Shortcuts covers Online booking platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SalonBiz and Shortcuts actually diverge.

Attributes where SalonBiz and Shortcuts differ
AttributeSalonBizShortcuts
Starting price$89/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptiontransaction
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, WindowsWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20052010

Identical on both: 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 SalonBiz

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Client database
  • Staff management
  • Marketing automation
  • Business reporting
  • QuickBooks

Only in Shortcuts

  • Online booking platform
  • Business profile
  • Appointment management
  • Payment processing
  • Mobile app
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Reviews management
  • Instagram

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • Facebook
  • Google
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • English language support

What people use each for

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

SalonBiz

  • Salon appointment booking and point of sale priced per locationnot Shortcuts
  • Integrated card payments through SalonBiz Paymentsnot Shortcuts
  • Beauty school and institute management with student recordsnot Shortcuts

Shortcuts

  • Client acquisitionnot SalonBiz
  • Multi-vendor bookingnot SalonBiz

Where each one falls short

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

SalonBiz

  • Pricing is per location: $160 per month for Basic, $265 for Essential and $370 for Premium
  • Each tier caps service professionals at 5, 12 and 20 respectively, with extra staff sold in blocks of 10 at $55 per month
  • Not using SalonBiz Payments raises the monthly fee by $25 to $45 depending on tier
  • School and institute plans are capped at 100 students on Essential and 200 on Premium, with extra students at $15 per month per 25
  • Enterprise and multi location pricing is quote only with no published rate

Shortcuts

  • Shortcuts (salon and spa management software) is sold via phone inquiry rather than published pricing, and its own marketing frames it as the only solution built for chain or franchise businesses specifically rather than for independent single-location salons (archived homepage, 14 September 2012)

Pricing, plan by plan

SalonBiz

$89/month
  • Standard$89/month
    • Scheduling
    • POS
    • Client database
  • Premium$179/month
    • Everything in Standard
    • Inventory
    • Staff management

Shortcuts

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Online booking
    • Business profile
    • 20% commission
  • Premium$99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • 10% commission
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose SalonBiz if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Windows.
  • You also want point of sale.
SalonBiz review

Choose Shortcuts if

  • You need online booking platform.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want business profile.
Shortcuts review

Questions people ask

Is SalonBiz or Shortcuts better?
Neither clearly leads. SalonBiz starts at $89/month and Shortcuts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SalonBiz or Shortcuts?
Shortcuts has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $89/month for SalonBiz and Free for Shortcuts.
Does SalonBiz or Shortcuts run on more platforms?
SalonBiz runs on Web, Windows. Shortcuts runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Shortcuts for free?
Yes. Shortcuts has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SalonBiz starts at $89/month.
What is SalonBiz best used for?
SalonBiz is most often used for salon appointment booking and point of sale priced per location, integrated card payments through salonbiz payments, beauty school and institute management with student records. Of those, salon appointment booking and point of sale priced per location and integrated card payments through salonbiz payments are not what Shortcuts is typically brought in for.
What can SalonBiz do that Shortcuts cannot?
SalonBiz covers Appointment scheduling, Point of sale, Inventory management, Client database. Shortcuts covers Online booking platform, Business profile, Appointment management, Payment processing. Both handle Stripe, Facebook, Google, SSL encryption.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on SalonBiz

More on Shortcuts

Keep looking

Other head to heads