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Beauty & Salon · head to head

Salonist vs Shortcuts

Salonist logo

Salonist

Beauty & Salon

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

Shortcuts

Beauty & Salon

Multi-vendor salon and spa booking platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Salonist free plan limited to 50 appointments per month; 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: Salonist covers Appointment booking, Shortcuts covers Online booking platform.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salonist and Shortcuts actually diverge.

Attributes where Salonist and Shortcuts differ
AttributeSalonistShortcuts
Pricing modelUnknowntransaction
Founded20172010

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Shortcuts

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

Both cover

  • 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.

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot Shortcuts
  • GST billingnot Shortcuts
  • Customer loyaltynot Shortcuts
  • Inventory controlnot Shortcuts

Shortcuts

  • Client acquisitionnot Salonist
  • Multi-vendor bookingnot 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

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

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

Shortcuts

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

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.
Salonist 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 Salonist or Shortcuts better?
Neither clearly leads. Salonist starts at Free and Shortcuts at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salonist or Shortcuts?
Salonist starts at Free and Shortcuts at Free.
Does Salonist or Shortcuts 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?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
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 Shortcuts is typically brought in for.
What can Salonist do that Shortcuts cannot?
Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Shortcuts covers Online booking platform, Business profile, Appointment management, Payment processing. Both handle SSL encryption, Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios 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.

Source
Salonist: 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.

Source
Salonist: 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.

Source
Salonist: 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.

Source
Salonist: 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.

Source
Salonist: 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.

Source
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