Softwr

Beauty & Salon · head to head

Salonist vs Toast POS

Salonist logo

Salonist

Beauty & Salon

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Toast POS logo

Toast POS

Food & Restaurant

All-in-one restaurant management platform

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Toast POS free tier limited to one or two terminals
  • They diverge on capability: Salonist covers Appointment booking, Toast POS covers Cloud POS.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salonist and Toast POS actually diverge.

Attributes where Salonist and Toast POS differ
AttributeSalonistToast POS
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Free tierYesNo
CategoryBeauty & SalonFood & Restaurant
Founded20172011

Identical on both: platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Toast POS

  • Cloud POS
  • Menu management
  • Real-time reporting
  • Inventory tracking
  • Employee management
  • Online ordering
  • DoorDash
  • Grubhub

Both cover

  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support

What people use each for

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

Salonist

  • Indian salon managementnot Toast POS
  • GST billingnot Toast POS
  • Customer loyaltynot Toast POS
  • Inventory controlnot Toast POS

Toast POS

  • Point of Salenot Salonist
  • Order Managementnot Salonist
  • Inventory Controlnot Salonist
  • Staff Schedulingnot 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

Toast POS

  • Free tier limited to one or two terminals
  • Setup fees and hardware requirements for paid plans
  • Mobile ordering requires additional configuration
  • Reporting and analytics features limited on entry-level plans

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

Toast POS

On request
  • Starter KitFree
    • Cloud-based POS
    • Order management
    • Reporting
  • Point of Sale$69/month
    • Menu management
    • Reporting & analytics
    • 24/7 support
  • Build Your Own$165/month
    • Online ordering
    • Delivery
    • Marketing

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 Toast POS if

  • You need cloud pos.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want menu management.
Toast POS review

Questions people ask

Is Salonist or Toast POS better?
Neither clearly leads. Salonist starts at Free and Toast POS at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salonist or Toast POS?
Salonist has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Salonist and On request for Toast POS.
Does Salonist or Toast POS 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. Toast POS starts at On request.
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 Toast POS is typically brought in for.
What can Salonist do that Toast POS cannot?
Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. Toast POS covers Cloud POS, Menu management, Real-time reporting, Inventory tracking. Both handle Web support, Ios support, Android 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
Toast POS: Does Toast POS have a free tier?

Yes. Toast's Starter Kit is free and designed for small restaurants with one or two terminals. It includes cloud-based POS, payment processing, order and table management, real-time reporting, and 24/7 customer support.

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
Toast POS: What integrations does Toast POS support?

Toast integrates with payment processors, online ordering platforms, delivery services, accounting software, and customer data platforms for comprehensive restaurant operations management.

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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