Buyer's guide

The best salon software, by who it is for.

There is no single best salon software, only the best one for your kind of shop. Here are the real platforms independent salons and spas actually run, ranked by fit, each drilling down to a full profile. Use the comparison to plan your connected salon AI operation across growth, clients, team workflows, administration, and owner insights.

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The ranking

Ten platforms, matched to the shop they fit.

1

Best overall value

Vagaro

From about $24/mo for one bookable calendar, scaling per staff

A genuinely deep all-in-one (booking, POS, payroll, marketing, a client marketplace) at a price an independent can afford, which is why it fits the widest range of salons and spas.

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2

Best with no monthly fee

Fresha

Free software, pay via card processing and new-client marketplace fees

The core software is free, monetized through card processing and a new-client marketplace, so it is the lowest-risk way to get 24/7 booking and payments running.

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3

Best for premium salons and spas

Boulevard

Custom pricing, typically from around $195/mo (Essentials)

Built around a polished front-desk and client experience, with strong self-booking, memberships, and a genuinely modern operations feel, aimed at higher-end shops.

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4

Best for solos and small teams

GlossGenius (Genius AI)

From about $24/mo (Standard), higher tiers add more

Beautiful, fast, and simple, with booking, payments, and AI features baked in, so a solo stylist or a small team can look polished without an admin.

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5

Best for growing salons and spas

Mangomint

$120/mo per location plus $10/mo per user (one plan since August 2026), with paid add-ons

A clean, modern platform with strong automation (waitlists, no-show protection, two-way texting) that scales as you add chairs and staff.

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6

Best for retention and marketing

Phorest

Custom pricing, typically from around $99 to $139/mo

Purpose-built around keeping clients coming back: rebooking, reactivation, reviews, and campaigns, with client-retention reporting front and center.

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7

Best free and simple option

Square Appointments

Free for a single location, paid plans from about $29/mo per location, plus processing

Free booking that plugs straight into Square payments and hardware, ideal for a small shop that wants the basics without a learning curve.

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8

Best for barbershops and walk-ins

Booksy

From about $29.99/mo for one staff member, plus optional Boost fees

Marketplace-led with strong momentum among barbers, good for shops that live on discovery, recurring cuts, and a fast booking flow.

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9

Best for multi-location and med spas

Zenoti

Custom enterprise pricing (quote-based)

Enterprise-grade depth for larger spas, med spas, and chains that need memberships, inventory, and reporting across many locations.

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10

Best for wellness, classes, and memberships

Mindbody

Starter from $79/mo per location (US); Accelerate and Ultimate are quote-based

The default where a spa or studio runs classes, memberships, and a wellness marketplace alongside appointments.

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How we chose

No vendor money, no single winner.

  • Vendor-neutral. We take no vendor money and rank by fit, not by who pays. SalonAI does not sell any of these platforms; the connection options depend on the platform you choose.
  • Best-for, not best-overall. There is no single best salon software. A solo lash artist and a five-location med spa need different tools, so each pick names the shop it actually fits.
  • Real capabilities. We weigh booking, payments, no-show protection, retention and marketing, reporting, and honest pricing signals, drawn from each tool's own profile in our directory.
  • AI, checked separately. Which AI each platform actually ships (phone receptionist, text replies, marketing, reviews, insights, scheduling) is read from the vendors' own pages in which salon software has the best AI features.

Where SalonAI fits

Many salon platforms already combine booking, payments, clients, marketing, and operations. Your salon AI plan should identify what your software already handles, what remains manual, and which supported connections can join the work across the business. Compare the tools here, then explore the categories or head straight to building.

Questions

Choosing salon software, answered.

What is the best software for a small salon?
There is no single winner. For a solo or small team, glossgenius and fresha are common picks (simple, low or no monthly fee); for the best all-round value, vagaro; for a premium client experience, boulevard. Match the tool to your size and how you charge. Map existing features and gaps before planning a connection in Founden.
Do I need all-in-one salon software or separate tools?
An all-in-one reduces the number of logins you babysit, which matters when a salon's digital work is otherwise scattered across a booking app, a texting app, a review tool, and a spreadsheet. But even the best all-in-one leaves you to run it. Your salon AI plan maps the work across growth, clients, operations, administration, and insights, then identifies what can be configured in your current software and what needs a supported connection.
How much does salon software cost?
It ranges from free (Fresha's core software, or Square Appointments' free tier, both monetized on payments) to roughly $30 to $200+ a month for all-in-ones like Vagaro, GlossGenius, Boulevard, and Mangomint, scaling with staff and features. Check each tool's profile in our directory for its current pricing signal, and confirm live pricing with the vendor.
Does SalonAI replace my salon software?
Use the free planning tools here to outline your salon's digital work and prepare an editable brief for Founden. Creating a brief does not connect accounts or activate services. Keep what already works. Connections and automations depend on supported provider access, your account permissions, and the workflow. Check those dependencies and running costs in Founden, then test before activating a connection.

Ready when you are

Choose the tools. Connect the operation.

Build the digital and administrative side of your salon around the way you work. Take your plan into Founden to connect growth, client care, daily operations, money, and owner insights.

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Built with Founden. Review your setup and running costs before activation.

Best salon software | SalonAI