Beauty & Salon · head to head
Salonist vs SalonRunner
The short version
- Only Salonist has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month; SalonRunner salonRunner is the underlying platform behind the flagship Rosy Salon Software brand, offered white-label through a VAR program (Internet Archive capture, 29 December 2021); no pricing figures were published
- They diverge on capability: Salonist covers Appointment booking, SalonRunner covers Online booking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Salonist and SalonRunner actually diverge.
| Attribute | Salonist | SalonRunner |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $19/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Founded | 2017 | 2012 |
Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Beauty & Salon).
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 Salonist
- Appointment booking
- Billing & invoicing
- Inventory management
- Loyalty programs
- Staff management
- GST compliance
- Marketing automation
- Business analytics
Only in SalonRunner
- Online booking
- Client management
- Staff scheduling
- POS system
- Commission tracking
- Mobile apps
- SMS reminders
- Marketing campaigns
Both cover
- SSL encryption
- Data backup
- 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.
Salonist
- Indian salon managementnot SalonRunner
- GST billingnot SalonRunner
- Customer loyaltynot SalonRunner
- Inventory controlnot SalonRunner
SalonRunner
- Mobile salon managementnot Salonist
- Client bookingnot Salonist
- Staff coordinationnot Salonist
- Payment processingnot Salonist
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
SalonRunner
- SalonRunner is the underlying platform behind the flagship Rosy Salon Software brand, offered white-label through a VAR program (Internet Archive capture, 29 December 2021); no pricing figures were published
Pricing, plan by plan
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
SalonRunner
$19/month- Solo$19/month
- 1 user
- Online booking
- Client management
- Team$49/month
- Up to 5 users
- All Solo features
- Staff scheduling
Which should you pick?
Choose Salonist if
- You need appointment booking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want billing & invoicing.
Choose SalonRunner if
- You need online booking.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want client management.
Questions people ask
- Is Salonist or SalonRunner better?
- Neither clearly leads. Salonist starts at Free and SalonRunner at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Salonist or SalonRunner?
- Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Salonist and $19/month for SalonRunner.
- Does Salonist or SalonRunner run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Salonist for free?
- Yes. Salonist has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SalonRunner starts at $19/month.
- What is Salonist best used for?
- Salonist is most often used for indian salon management, gst billing, customer loyalty, inventory control. Of those, indian salon management and gst billing are not what SalonRunner is typically brought in for.
- What can Salonist do that SalonRunner cannot?
- Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. SalonRunner covers Online booking, Client management, Staff scheduling, POS system. Both handle SSL encryption, Data backup, Cloud deployment, Web support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
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.
SourceSalonist: 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.
SourceSalonist: 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.
SourceSalonist: 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.
SourceSalonist: 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.
SourceSalonist: 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.
SourceRelated pages
More on SalonRunner
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- SalonRunner vs StyleSeat
- SalonRunner vs Treatwell
- SalonRunner vs Belliata
- SalonRunner vs Bookeo
- SalonRunner vs DaySmart Salon
- SalonRunner vs Envision
- SalonRunner vs Goldie
- SalonRunner vs Insight Salon Software
- SalonRunner vs Kitomba
- SalonRunner vs Mangomint
- SalonRunner vs Meevo
- SalonRunner vs Milano
- SalonRunner vs MyTime
- SalonRunner vs Phorest
- SalonRunner vs Resurva
- SalonRunner vs Rosy

