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Beauty · head to head

SalonRunner vs SimpleSalon

S

SalonRunner

Beauty

Run your salon like a pro

From
$19/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimpleSalon logo

SimpleSalon

Beauty

Powerful yet simple salon software

From
$20/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: 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; SimpleSalon the $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • They diverge on capability: SalonRunner covers Client management, SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which SalonRunner and SimpleSalon actually diverge.

Attributes where SalonRunner and SimpleSalon differ
AttributeSalonRunnerSimpleSalon
Starting price$19/month$20/month
Founded20122010

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 SalonRunner

  • Client management
  • Staff scheduling
  • POS system
  • Commission tracking
  • SMS reminders
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Square
  • Google Calendar

Only in SimpleSalon

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Stock management
  • Marketing automation
  • Reporting
  • Xero
  • MYOB

Both cover

  • Online booking
  • Mobile apps
  • Stripe
  • 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.

SalonRunner

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

SimpleSalon

  • Appointment booking and rostering for hair and beauty salonsnot SalonRunner
  • Salon point of sale, stock and client historynot SalonRunner
  • SMS appointment reminders and marketing to salon clientsnot SalonRunner

Where each one falls short

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

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

SimpleSalon

  • The $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS
  • Pricing is charged per operator, capped at 7 operators, so a two person salon pays twice the listed rate
  • SMS remains chargeable on every plan once the included 200 credits per operator on Pro or 300 on Max are used, at 10 and 9 cents each
  • The free trial runs 14 days

Pricing, plan by plan

SalonRunner

$19/month
  • Solo$19/month
    • 1 user
    • Online booking
    • Client management
  • Team$49/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • All Solo features
    • Staff scheduling

SimpleSalon

$20/month
  • Starter$20/month
    • 0 SMS included
    • Additional SMS: $0.14 each
    • No new client fees
  • Pro$34/month
    • Most Popular option
    • 200 SMS per operator included
    • Additional SMS: $0.10 each
  • Max$41/month
    • 300 SMS per operator included
    • Additional SMS: $0.09 each
    • WhatsApp access included

Which should you pick?

Choose SalonRunner if

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

Choose SimpleSalon if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client database.
SimpleSalon review

Questions people ask

Is SalonRunner or SimpleSalon better?
Neither clearly leads. SalonRunner starts at $19/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SalonRunner or SimpleSalon?
SalonRunner starts at $19/month and SimpleSalon at $20/month.
Does SalonRunner or SimpleSalon run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
What is SalonRunner best used for?
SalonRunner is most often used for mobile salon management, client booking, staff coordination, payment processing. Of those, mobile salon management and client booking are not what SimpleSalon is typically brought in for.
What can SalonRunner do that SimpleSalon cannot?
SalonRunner covers Client management, Staff scheduling, POS system, Commission tracking. SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Stock management. Both handle Online booking, Mobile apps, Stripe, SSL encryption.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

SimpleSalon: How much does Simple Salon cost?

Simple Salon offers three plans starting at $20/month for Starter, $34/month for Pro (most popular), and $41/month for Max. Yearly billing saves 2 months' cost. Pricing scales with operator count but caps at 7+ operator rates.

Source
SimpleSalon: Is there a Simple Salon free trial?

Yes. Simple Salon offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.

Source
SimpleSalon: What is included in SMS credits?

SMS allowances are pooled account-wide, not locked to individual operators, and can be used for appointment reminders and marketing messages. The Starter plan includes 0 SMS, Pro includes 200 per operator, and Max includes 300 per operator.

Source
SimpleSalon: Are there contracts or setup fees for Simple Salon?

No. Simple Salon has no contracts, no fixed-term requirements, and no sign-up fees.

Source
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