Best booking software for salons in 2026

Choosing salon booking software used to mean choosing a calendar. In 2026 it means choosing how clients find you, how you get paid, what happens to the messages you cannot answer mid-appointment, and how much the bill grows as you hire. The tools below all take online bookings well. Where they differ is everything around the booking.

Our bias, and how we compared

We make Ordina, so we are biased; here is how we compared and where others are the better choice. In October 2026 we read each vendor's pricing and feature pages and compared five things: starting price in US dollars, how the price grows with staff, marketplace or new-client fees, built-in AI or messaging, and who the product suits. Two vendors did not show us US prices directly: Fresha shows prices by country, and Vagaro's site would not load for our checks. For those two we used recent third-party figures and say so. We did not run paid trials of every product.

Salon booking software compared

Pricing as of October 2026; check their site for current plans.

1. Ordina: best for salons that want an AI secretary

Most salon software assumes someone will answer the messages. Ordina assumes nobody has a free hand. Its AI Secretary answers clients in seconds on your booking page, your website chat widget, Telegram and email, and it can answer your phone through call forwarding (in beta). WhatsApp on your own number is in early access while Meta approves it, and Instagram and Messenger are in early access while Meta reviews them.

It does more than reply. It books from your live availability, takes payment upfront or in person (your choice per service), and sends reminders the evening before and about an hour before on WhatsApp, each with a reschedule link. It reads your website, so it knows your prices and policies. You can sell hair and beauty products from its Store, check clients in with a QR code, and collect reviews after visits. On the Business plan, team members get their own logins and calendars, and each booking goes to whoever is free.

Price: Pro is $15 a month ($150 a year). Business is $39 a month ($390 a year). Every account starts with a 7-day Pro trial, no card needed. Ordina charges no fee on your sales, though the payment provider's processing fee may apply at checkout. Prices are available in local currencies in several countries.

Choose it if: your clients message more than they call, you are often mid-appointment when they do, and you want one assistant to answer, book, take payment and remind.

Look elsewhere if: you need a consumer marketplace to bring in new clients, a full POS with card hardware, deep inventory, commission tracking or payroll. Fresha, Square, Vagaro and GlossGenius are stronger there.

2. Fresha: best for marketplace demand

Fresha runs one of the largest beauty marketplaces, so new clients can find you there. Its software includes POS, inventory, memberships, forms, and pay runs and timesheets on the Team plan. Fresha sets prices by country. Recent third-party reporting puts US pricing at $19.95 a month for an independent and $14.95 per bookable team member, with a 7-day trial and no free plan since 2025. Marketplace bookings from new clients carry a one-time new-client fee; Fresha's help centre confirms the fee has a minimum and a cap, and lists the rate on each country's pricing page.

Watch out for: the bill moves with marketplace fees and messages beyond the free 20 a month.

3. Booksy: best for barbers who want app discovery

Booksy keeps it simple: one plan at $29.99 a month plus $20 for each extra staff member, no contract, and a 14-day trial with no card. Everything is in that plan, including 2,000 free marketing texts a month and free reminders. Its Boost feature lists you in the consumer app and charges 30% of a new client's first visit, capped at $100. An AI Receptionist is listed in beta.

Watch out for: Boost commissions add up if the app sends you many new clients.

4. Vagaro: best for building your own bundle

Vagaro starts low and lets you add what you need: forms, text marketing, a website, payroll, a branded app. Third-party reporting puts the base at $23.99 a month for one calendar (a limited-time price), plus $10 per extra calendar up to seven, with a 30-day trial. A marketplace listing is included, and Vera, its AI receptionist for chat and text, sends clients booking links.

Watch out for: add-ons pile up, and we could not confirm current prices on Vagaro's own page.

5. GlossGenius: best for US solo pros

GlossGenius is polished and simple. Standard is $24 a month billed yearly ($28 monthly), Gold $48 yearly ($56 monthly) for up to nine staff, and Platinum for teams of ten or more. Card processing is a flat 2.4% + $0.15 in person on every tier, with free same-day payouts Monday to Thursday. Its Reception add-on answers calls and texts and books into your calendar for $50 a month.

Watch out for: there is no marketplace, and the jump to Platinum at ten staff is steep. It is focused on the US.

6. Square Appointments: best if you need a POS

Square Appointments has a genuinely free plan, with Plus at $49 and Premium at $149 per location a month, and unlimited staff calendars. It shines when you also sell products and want Square's card readers, payroll and banking in one place. Clients can reply to text reminders to confirm or change.

Watch out for: no-show fees, waitlists and multi-staff bookings need Plus or above.

7. Timely: best for predictable per-staff pricing

Timely, part of EverCommerce, charges per bookable staff member: Build $26, Elevate $39 and Innovate $47 a month, with no new-client fees and a 14-day trial. Consultation forms, stock management and Xero, QuickBooks and Mailchimp integrations are strengths. Its integrated payments cover Australia, New Zealand, the US, the UK and most of the EU.

Watch out for: costs climb with headcount, part-time staff pay the full rate, and we found no AI receptionist.

8. Phorest: best for established multi-staff salons

Phorest is built for salons with three or more staff that want serious marketing: client reconnect campaigns, loyalty, a branded app, and generous SMS allowances on higher tiers. Every plan includes unlimited staff, with full migration and training. A Front Desk AI add-on is listed.

Watch out for: prices are quote only, and there is no free trial, only a demo.

How to choose

• You want new clients from a marketplace: Fresha or Booksy.
• You need a POS and card hardware: Square Appointments.
• You are a US solo pro who wants low card fees: GlossGenius.
• You want to build your own bundle of add-ons: Vagaro.
• You want flat per-staff pricing: Timely. You run a large team and want marketing depth: Phorest.
• Your clients mostly message you, and you want an AI secretary to answer, book and take payment: Ordina.

Before you commit, add up the real monthly cost for your team size, including staff seats, text messages, marketplace fees and card processing. The cheapest headline price is rarely the cheapest bill.

Where Ordina is not the right fit

Ordina is not built for salons that rely on a marketplace for new clients, or that need inventory, commission and payroll in the same system. If that is you, the tools above will serve you better. Ordina is for salons, barbers, nail studios and spas that lose clients to unanswered messages, in many countries, and want an assistant that books and gets paid while they work.

See how it feels as a client at useordina.com/book/ordina, or start a free 7-day trial.

FAQ

What is the best booking software for a small salon?

It depends on what you need around the calendar. Booksy and Fresha bring marketplace clients, Square adds a full POS, GlossGenius suits US solo pros, and Ordina adds an AI secretary that answers and books in chat.

Which salon booking software has no commission?

Ordina, Timely and GlossGenius do not charge new-client commissions. Booksy's Boost and Fresha's marketplace charge a fee on new clients they bring you. Card processing fees still apply with most tools.

Is there free salon booking software?

Square Appointments has a free plan for one location. Fresha moved to paid plans in 2025. Most others offer a free trial instead: Ordina 7 days, Booksy, GlossGenius and Timely 14 days.

Do any salon booking apps have an AI receptionist?

Yes. GlossGenius sells a Reception add-on, Vagaro has Vera, Booksy lists an AI Receptionist in beta, and Phorest has a Front Desk AI add-on. Ordina's AI Secretary is built into every plan.

Can salon software send WhatsApp reminders?

Some can. Fresha includes a small monthly allowance of text or WhatsApp messages. Ordina sends WhatsApp and SMS reminders on both plans, and is opening WhatsApp chat on your own number in early access.