Softwr

Software · head to head

Shortcuts vs Salonist

S

Shortcuts

Software

Multi-vendor salon and spa booking platform

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Salonist logo

Salonist

Software

Complete salon software from India

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

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

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Shortcuts and Salonist actually diverge.

Attributes where Shortcuts and Salonist differ
AttributeShortcutsSalonist
Pricing modeltransactionUnknown
Founded20102017

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Shortcuts

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

Only in Salonist

  • Appointment booking
  • Billing & invoicing
  • Inventory management
  • Loyalty programs
  • Staff management
  • GST compliance
  • Marketing automation
  • Business analytics

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.

Shortcuts

  • Client acquisitionnot Salonist
  • Multi-vendor bookingnot Salonist

Salonist

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

Where each one falls short

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

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)

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

Pricing, plan by plan

Shortcuts

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

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

Is Shortcuts or Salonist better?
Neither clearly leads. Shortcuts starts at Free and Salonist at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Shortcuts or Salonist?
Shortcuts starts at Free and Salonist at Free.
Does Shortcuts or Salonist run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Shortcuts for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Shortcuts best used for?
Shortcuts is most often used for client acquisition, multi-vendor booking. Of those, client acquisition and multi-vendor booking are not what Salonist is typically brought in for.
What can Shortcuts do that Salonist cannot?
Shortcuts covers Online booking platform, Business profile, Appointment management, Payment processing. Salonist covers Appointment booking, Billing & invoicing, Inventory management, Loyalty programs. 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
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on Shortcuts

More on Salonist

Keep looking

Other head to heads