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Beauty · head to head

DaySmart Salon vs Shortcuts Software

DaySmart Salon logo

DaySmart Salon

Beauty

Intelligent salon and spa business platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shortcuts Software logo

Shortcuts Software

Beauty

Salon & spa business success

From
$89/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only DaySmart Salon has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: DaySmart Salon the $29 per month Basic plan includes only 1 user and excludes resource management, packages, memberships, payroll and digital forms; Shortcuts Software pricing not published online
  • They diverge on capability: DaySmart Salon covers Online booking, Shortcuts Software covers Appointment booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which DaySmart Salon and Shortcuts Software actually diverge.

Attributes where DaySmart Salon and Shortcuts Software differ
AttributeDaySmart SalonShortcuts Software
Starting priceFree$89/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Windows, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20101990

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 DaySmart Salon

  • Online booking
  • Appointment scheduling
  • Staff scheduling
  • QuickBooks
  • Google
  • Stripe
  • Zapier
  • Data encryption

Only in Shortcuts Software

  • Appointment booking
  • Staff rostering
  • Loyalty programs
  • Xero
  • MYOB
  • Instagram
  • Google Analytics
  • Tyro

Both cover

  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Client management
  • Marketing automation
  • Business analytics
  • Mailchimp
  • Facebook
  • SSL encryption
  • GDPR compliant
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

DaySmart Salon

  • Appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salonsnot Shortcuts Software
  • Salon point of sale with packages and membershipsnot Shortcuts Software
  • Commission based stylist payroll and expense trackingnot Shortcuts Software
  • Client reminders and marketing by text and emailnot Shortcuts Software

Shortcuts Software

  • Salon operationsnot DaySmart Salon
  • Inventory controlnot DaySmart Salon
  • Client loyaltynot DaySmart Salon
  • Marketing campaignsnot DaySmart Salon
  • Business intelligencenot DaySmart Salon

Where each one falls short

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

DaySmart Salon

  • The $29 per month Basic plan includes only 1 user and excludes resource management, packages, memberships, payroll and digital forms
  • Extra users cost $9 per month each on Deluxe, Deluxe Growth and Premium
  • Messaging is metered per plan: 500 texts and 1,000 emails per month on Basic, 1,000 texts and 5,000 emails on Deluxe, 5,000 texts and 20,000 emails at the top tier
  • Text marketing, two way texting, reputation management and the website builder are paid add ons whose prices are not published
  • Expense tracking, advanced payroll, commission tracking, sliding scale commissions and overtime rules are limited to Premium Growth
  • Premium Growth is custom priced with no published rate

Shortcuts Software

  • Pricing not published online
  • Regional variation in pricing and features
  • Requires demo or sales contact to obtain pricing

Pricing, plan by plan

DaySmart Salon

Free
  • Basic$29/month
    • 1 user
    • Online booking
    • Appointment confirmations
  • Deluxe$69/month
    • 3 users
    • Basic features plus: gift cards
    • Digital forms
  • Deluxe Growth$149/month
    • Deluxe features plus: text marketing
    • Two-way texting
    • Reputation management
  • Premium$199/month
    • 6 users
    • QuickBooks integration
    • 2500 text messages/month

Shortcuts Software

$89/month
  • Essential$89/month
    • Appointment booking
    • Client management
    • Basic POS
  • Professional$159/month
    • Everything in Essential
    • Online booking
    • Marketing tools
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Everything in Professional
    • Multi-location
    • Advanced analytics

Which should you pick?

Choose DaySmart Salon if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want appointment scheduling.
DaySmart Salon review

Choose Shortcuts Software if

  • You need appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want staff rostering.
Shortcuts Software review

Questions people ask

Is DaySmart Salon or Shortcuts Software better?
Neither clearly leads. DaySmart Salon starts at Free and Shortcuts Software at $89/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, DaySmart Salon or Shortcuts Software?
DaySmart Salon has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for DaySmart Salon and $89/month for Shortcuts Software.
Does DaySmart Salon or Shortcuts Software run on more platforms?
DaySmart Salon runs on Web, Ios, Android. Shortcuts Software runs on Web, Windows, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use DaySmart Salon for free?
Yes. DaySmart Salon has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shortcuts Software starts at $89/month.
What is DaySmart Salon best used for?
DaySmart Salon is most often used for appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salons, salon point of sale with packages and memberships, commission based stylist payroll and expense tracking, client reminders and marketing by text and email. Of those, appointment booking and staff scheduling for hair and beauty salons and salon point of sale with packages and memberships are not what Shortcuts Software is typically brought in for.
What can DaySmart Salon do that Shortcuts Software cannot?
DaySmart Salon covers Online booking, Appointment scheduling, Staff scheduling, QuickBooks. Shortcuts Software covers Appointment booking, Staff rostering, Loyalty programs, Xero. Both handle Point of sale, Inventory management, Client management, Marketing automation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

DaySmart Salon: How much does DaySmart Salon cost?

DaySmart Salon pricing starts at $29/month for the Basic tier, $69/month for Deluxe, $149/month for Deluxe Growth, $199/month for Premium, and custom pricing for Premium Growth with unlimited users.

Source
Shortcuts Software: How much does Shortcuts software cost?

Shortcuts does not publish pricing online. To obtain pricing information, you must contact their regional sales teams: Australia & New Zealand (1300 667 374), USA & Canada (888 246 8408), or UK (0161 972 4900), or book a demo.

Source
DaySmart Salon: How many users does each DaySmart plan support?

Basic tier supports 1 user. Deluxe and Deluxe Growth support 3 users. Premium supports 6 users. Premium Growth offers unlimited users but requires contacting sales for custom pricing.

Source
Shortcuts Software: Does Shortcuts offer different pricing for Fusion vs Aire products?

Shortcuts offers two product tiers: Shortcuts Fusion for full-featured salon management and Shortcuts Aire for solo operators and small businesses. Pricing varies by region and product tier but is only available by contacting sales.

Source
DaySmart Salon: What are the messaging limits on DaySmart plans?

Basic tier includes 500 text messages and 1000 email messages per month. Premium tier increases to 2500 text messages and 10000 email messages. Premium Growth tier provides 5000 text messages and 20000 email messages with unlimited users.

Source
Shortcuts Software: Is there a trial or demo available for Shortcuts?

Yes, Shortcuts offers demos that can be booked through their website. The demo is the primary way to discuss pricing, features, and which product tier fits your business needs.

Source
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