Beauty · head to head
SimpleSalon vs Treatwell
The short version
- Only Treatwell has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: SimpleSalon the $20 Starter plan includes no SMS credits and charges 14 cents per SMS; Treatwell treatwell charges 35 percent commission on the first booking from a client introduced through its marketplace, and the rate is subject to location
- They diverge on capability: SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling, Treatwell covers Online booking platform.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which SimpleSalon and Treatwell actually diverge.
| Attribute | SimpleSalon | Treatwell |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $20/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | transaction |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2010 | 2008 |
Identical on both: 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 SimpleSalon
- Appointment scheduling
- Client database
- Point of sale
- Online booking
- Stock management
- Marketing automation
- Reporting
- Mobile apps
Only in Treatwell
- Online booking platform
- Business profile
- Customer reviews
- Appointment management
- Payment processing
- Mobile app
- 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.
SimpleSalon
- Appointment booking and rostering for hair and beauty salonsnot Treatwell
- Salon point of sale, stock and client historynot Treatwell
- SMS appointment reminders and marketing to salon clientsnot Treatwell
Treatwell
- Listing a salon on the Treatwell consumer booking marketplacenot SimpleSalon
- Free salon calendar, POS and client records for freelancers and small teamsnot SimpleSalon
- Taking online prepaid bookings with daily payoutsnot SimpleSalon
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
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
Treatwell
- Treatwell charges 35 percent commission on the first booking from a client introduced through its marketplace, and the rate is subject to location
- Online prepayments carry an additional 2.5 percent processing fee plus VAT
- All commissions and fees are subject to VAT on top of the quoted percentages
- The commercial model depends on marketplace introductions: there is no commission on direct or social media bookings, so the software is free only where the salon brings its own clients
Pricing, plan by plan
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
Treatwell
Free- FreeFree
- Online booking
- Business profile
- 25% commission
- Premium$49/month
- Everything in Free
- 15% commission
- Advanced analytics
Which should you pick?
Choose SimpleSalon if
- You need appointment scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want client database.
Choose Treatwell if
- You need online booking platform.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want business profile.
Questions people ask
- Is SimpleSalon or Treatwell better?
- Neither clearly leads. SimpleSalon starts at $20/month and Treatwell at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, SimpleSalon or Treatwell?
- Treatwell has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $20/month for SimpleSalon and Free for Treatwell.
- Does SimpleSalon or Treatwell run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- Can I use Treatwell for free?
- Yes. Treatwell has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. SimpleSalon starts at $20/month.
- What is SimpleSalon best used for?
- SimpleSalon is most often used for appointment booking and rostering for hair and beauty salons, salon point of sale, stock and client history, sms appointment reminders and marketing to salon clients. Of those, appointment booking and rostering for hair and beauty salons and salon point of sale, stock and client history are not what Treatwell is typically brought in for.
- What can SimpleSalon do that Treatwell cannot?
- SimpleSalon covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Online booking. Treatwell covers Online booking platform, Business profile, Customer reviews, Appointment management. Both handle SSL encryption, Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support.
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.
SourceSimpleSalon: Is there a Simple Salon free trial?
Yes. Simple Salon offers a 14-day free trial with no credit card required.
SourceSimpleSalon: 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.
SourceSimpleSalon: Are there contracts or setup fees for Simple Salon?
No. Simple Salon has no contracts, no fixed-term requirements, and no sign-up fees.
SourceRelated pages
More on SimpleSalon
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