Aura'd

Aura'd is salon booking software for hairdressers, lash technicians, and beauty professionals. It suits solo stylists and salons that want clients to book through a branded app or website, with team scheduling available as they grow. Its strongest case is the progression from a capped free plan to staff and branding tools; API access requires the top tier.

Overview

Aura'd brings online appointments together with client lists, promotions, preference tracking, and appointment notes. Real-time availability lets clients book beyond salon opening hours, while those client records give stylists useful context to carry into appointments. The free plan is a practical starting point for a small schedule, but its monthly booking and service caps make it a poor fit once demand grows.

Key features

Clients can book through a branded app or website, and Aura'd says branded salon appointment apps are available on iOS and Android. Automated SMS and email reminders are described as reducing no-shows by up to 90%. Free includes email confirmations but no email reminders; Solo adds both email and SMS reminders, making it the first suitable tier for a stylist who wants automated follow-up.

Stripe integration supports cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Clearpay, and Klarna. Aura'd charges no booking commission on any plan, but card processing costs 1.9% + 20p. Deposits and payments are included from Business, so salons that need those tools should account for the higher monthly price as well as processing costs.

The REST API covers services, availability, bookings, and client management. Aura'd says it uses API key authentication and HTTPS encryption and claims 99.9% uptime. API access is reserved for Premium, which makes the product a poor fit for businesses that need to connect booking data to other systems on a lower budget.

Aura'd says setup takes under 15 minutes and offers free setup assistance. Business adds priority support, a useful provision for a larger operation, though it sits above the Solo and Team prices.

Pricing

The Free plan costs nothing and allows 50 bookings per month across five services. It includes a basic booking page and email confirmations, but excludes email reminders, analytics, and custom branding. That cap suits a small or newly established schedule; it leaves little room for a busier salon.

Solo costs £19 a month and removes the booking and service limits. It adds a custom booking page, email and SMS reminders, analytics, and custom branding. For one stylist, this is the clearest step up from Free: it adds the tools most likely to matter before staff management does.

Team costs £39 a month and includes everything in Solo, plus up to five staff members, a staff portal, and staff scheduling. It fits a small salon coordinating several calendars. Business costs £69 a month, adds unlimited staff, deposits and payments, advanced analytics, and priority support. That tier is better suited to a larger salon that needs those specific operational tools.

Premium costs £149 a month and includes everything in Business, plus white label, a custom domain, a custom email sender, a branded PWA, and API access. It is aimed at businesses that need deeper branding or API connections; for a salon that only needs booking and team scheduling, the price jump is difficult to justify. Aura'd also offers a free trial, and all plans have zero booking commission; card processing costs 1.9% + 20p.

Platforms

Aura'd is available on web, iOS, and Android, and its platform listing also includes API access. The branded salon appointment apps extend its booking presence to both major mobile platforms.

Who it's for

Aura'd is aimed at solo stylists and teams, including hair stylists, lash technicians, and beauty therapists. Solo is the natural fit for an individual who needs uncapped bookings and reminders; Team and Business suit salons adding staff and scheduling. A business that needs API access should budget for Premium.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Real-time booking through a branded app or website gives clients an always-open appointment route.
• Pros: The plans scale from a 50-booking free tier to unlimited staff, with scheduling and staff portal tools in Team.
• Pros: Multiple payment methods are supported, and booking commission is zero across all plans.
• Cons: Free is limited to 50 bookings and five services monthly, and omits reminders, analytics, and custom branding.
• Cons: Card processing still costs 1.9% + 20p, even though booking commission is zero.
• Cons: API access requires Premium at £149 a month, a steep tier for a salon seeking only integrations.

Alternatives

SalonSynq is worth considering if a free plan with unlimited bookings and one user is a closer fit; its Start Plan includes manual payment logging and email reminders. salOWN is another free option for a single stylist, with a 50-booking monthly cap and Google and Apple Calendar sync.

ScheduleAnyone may suit a business that needs up to 200 appointments and three staff on its free Starter plan, which is free for up to six months. WellnessLiving offers a paid Starter plan at $62 a month, billed annually, with one staff member and classes and appointments booking.

Next offers free booking, scheduling, and app features, with unlimited SMS texts as an optional $5 a month plan. Salonist has a free Market Place Listing with 50 appointments per month, online booking, calendar and scheduling, and staff shift management. Tonso has a free option when a business chooses to pass booking fees to clients. For app building, compare options in Salon App Builder Software; Appy Pie Salon App Builder has a publishing plan at $18 a month with hosting, SSL, push notifications, Stripe payments, loyalty, and app-store submission.

Verdict

Aura'd is a strong fit for beauty professionals who want branded, real-time booking and a clear path from solo work to staff scheduling. Its free plan is useful for a small booking volume, and Solo is the sensible upgrade for uncapped appointments and reminders. Look elsewhere if API access is essential but Premium's £149 a month is beyond budget, or if the Free plan's 50-booking ceiling is too low.