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Beauty · head to head

Phorest vs SalonRunner

Phorest logo

Phorest

Beauty

Salon software that grows your business

From
$99/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
S

SalonRunner

Beauty

Run your salon like a pro

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Phorest no price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request; 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: Phorest covers Appointment booking, SalonRunner covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Phorest and SalonRunner actually diverge.

Attributes where Phorest and SalonRunner differ
AttributePhorestSalonRunner
Starting price$99/month$19/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20032012

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), 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 Phorest

  • Appointment booking
  • Point of sale
  • Marketing automation
  • Reputation management
  • Staff management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Business reports
  • Mailchimp

Only in SalonRunner

  • Online booking
  • Staff scheduling
  • POS system
  • Commission tracking
  • Mobile apps
  • SMS reminders
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Square

Both cover

  • Client management
  • Facebook
  • Stripe
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Phorest

  • Salon and clinic management softwarenot SalonRunner
  • Medical spa operations and schedulingnot SalonRunner
  • Beauty and wellness business softwarenot SalonRunner

SalonRunner

  • Mobile salon managementnot Phorest
  • Client bookingnot Phorest
  • Staff coordinationnot Phorest
  • Payment processingnot Phorest

Where each one falls short

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

Phorest

  • No price is published for any of the seven plans, and every route ends at a quote request
  • There is no free trial at all, which the company states plainly
  • The product is described as suited to 3 or more staff, so a solo operator is outside the intended range
  • The branded booking app requires the Ultimate plan, and two way SMS, memberships, lead management and the ads manager are all Elite only

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

Phorest

$99/month
  • Grow$99/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • POS
  • Elevate$179/month
    • Everything in Grow
    • Advanced marketing
    • Online booking
  • Innovate$299/month
    • Everything in Elevate
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced analytics

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 Phorest if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want point of sale.
Phorest review

Choose SalonRunner if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want staff scheduling.
SalonRunner review

Questions people ask

Is Phorest or SalonRunner better?
Neither clearly leads. Phorest starts at $99/month and SalonRunner at $19/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Phorest or SalonRunner?
Phorest starts at $99/month and SalonRunner at $19/month.
Does Phorest or SalonRunner run on more platforms?
Phorest runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. SalonRunner runs on Web, Ios, Android.
What is Phorest best used for?
Phorest is most often used for salon and clinic management software, medical spa operations and scheduling, beauty and wellness business software. Of those, salon and clinic management software and medical spa operations and scheduling are not what SalonRunner is typically brought in for.
What can Phorest do that SalonRunner cannot?
Phorest covers Appointment booking, Point of sale, Marketing automation, Reputation management. SalonRunner covers Online booking, Staff scheduling, POS system, Commission tracking. Both handle Client management, Facebook, Stripe, SSL encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Phorest: How do I find out Phorest pricing for my salon?

All plans require a custom quote. Click 'Request a quote' or 'Book a demo' on the Phorest pricing page to receive pricing tailored to your business needs.

Source
Phorest: What SMS charges apply to each plan?

Core Aesthetics: 8.2 cents/SMS; Elevate/Elite Aesthetics: 7 cents/SMS; Starter/Grow/Ultimate: 500 free SMS/month.

Source
Phorest: Is there a minimum staff requirement?

Yes, Phorest recommends 3+ staff members to use the software.

Source
Phorest: What is included in Phorest plans?

All plans include: unlimited devices, unlimited staff, software for life with future upgrades, migration services, and unlimited training.

Source
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