Pronto

Pronto is salon-management software for operators who want bookings, checkout, client records, inventory and reminders in one system. Its forever-free plan is a practical starting point for a solo business, but the monthly booking and client caps quickly matter as appointments grow.

The central trade-off is clear: broad day-to-day coverage and cloud or self-hosted options, against paid tiers for larger teams and several advanced features still to come.

Overview

Pronto is aimed at beauty and hair salons, nail salons, barbershops, spas, lash studios and tattoo studios. Clients can book online with only a name and phone number, without creating an account or installing an app. Owners can link the booking page from Instagram or Google, and import client lists from Fresha, Vagaro, Booksy, Mindbody, Square or another platform that exports CSV.

Checkout supports cash, card and transfer, discounts, printed or digital receipts, and offline transactions. Automated booking confirmations and reminders can go by Email, Telegram, WhatsApp or Viber. Together, those options suit businesses that want a single tool across appointment and front-desk work; the available facts do not establish payment-processing fees.

Key features

Bookings and client management

Online self-booking, staff calendars, cancellation controls, appointment payments and client CRM cover the main appointment flow. No account or app requirement keeps booking simple for customers, while client-list imports can ease a move from another system. The Free plan's 50 bookings per month and 100-client limit make it a better fit for a low-volume solo practice than a busy salon.

Checkout and inventory

The POS's payment methods, discounts and receipt choices accommodate different checkout preferences, and offline checkout is useful when connectivity is interrupted. Inventory tracking is part of the product, though the facts do not describe its specific controls. Product allowances vary sharply by plan: Free includes 100 products, Starter 2,000, and Pro and Agency have no stated product cap.

Reminders, portability and privacy

Reminders across four messaging channels give salons options for reaching clients. Cloud users can export client data and history at any time; self-hosted data remains on the user's server. The privacy policy describes encryption in transit and at rest, access controls and regular security reviews, and says personal data is not sold. Passwords are hashed, card data is not stored by Pronto, and deleted-account data is removed or anonymized within 30 days unless retained for legal reasons.

Self-hosting and roadmap

Self-hosting uses Docker Compose, needs at least 1 GB of RAM, and supports Linux, macOS or Windows with WSL2. That gives technically equipped operators a way to keep data on their own server, but it adds setup and maintenance responsibility. White-label mode, API access, staff permissions and dedicated support with SLA are coming soon, so businesses that depend on those capabilities should not choose Pronto on the assumption they are already available.

Pricing

Pronto has a forever-free plan and three monthly paid tiers. Free costs nothing, billed Forever, and includes 1 staff member, 100 clients, 50 bookings per month and 100 products. It is a credible way for a solo operator to start, but the caps leave little room for sustained growth.

Starter costs $19 a month, billed Monthly, and raises capacity to 5 staff, unlimited clients and bookings, and 2,000 products. It is the natural step up for a small team that has outgrown Free; its product cap may still constrain businesses with larger inventories. Pro costs $39 a month, billed Monthly, and allows 15 staff with unlimited clients, bookings and products, suiting a larger single operation that needs more staff capacity.

Agency costs $79 a month, billed Monthly, and includes an unlimited team, unlimited clients and bookings, multiple locations, and priority support. It is the tier for multi-location operators or larger organizations; the facts do not give a location count. Email support is listed, while documentation directs users to GitHub issues for help.

Platforms

Pronto supports web use and self-hosting, with Linux, macOS and Windows among its platforms. Windows self-hosting requires WSL2, and self-hosting requires Docker Compose and at least 1 GB RAM.

Who it's for

Pronto is strongest for solo salons and small teams that want a no-cost entry point, online booking without client account friction, and checkout plus reminders alongside client records. Starter and Pro provide a straightforward capacity ladder for teams that exceed the free caps. Businesses that need white-label branding, API access, staff permissions or an SLA-backed dedicated support option today should look elsewhere; those features are still coming soon.

Pros and cons

Pros

• Free plan avoids a subscription for a solo operator, with 1 staff member and up to 50 bookings per month.
• Clients can book with only a name and phone number, and the booking page can be linked from Instagram or Google.
• Checkout supports cash, card, transfer and offline transactions, with discounts and two receipt formats.
• Cloud data export and the self-hosted option give operators different routes to retaining access to client records.

Cons

• Free is capped at 100 clients, 50 monthly bookings and 100 products, which limits its use for a growing appointment book.
• Self-hosting requires Docker Compose, at least 1 GB RAM and, on Windows, WSL2, so it is not a low-maintenance alternative to cloud use.
• White-label mode, API access, staff permissions and dedicated SLA support are not ready yet.
• Agency includes multiple locations, but no location allowance is stated, making fit harder to judge for operators planning a specific rollout.

Alternatives

Salonist is worth considering for a mobile-oriented setup: it has Android, iOS and web apps, a free plan with 50 appointments per month, online booking, calendar and scheduling, and staff shift management. Its listed free appointment cap matches Pronto's, while Pronto adds client, product and staff caps explicitly.

DaySmart Salon is a paid option with a free trial and Android, iOS, web and Windows support; its Basic plan is $29 a month for one user and includes online booking, appointment confirmations, and Instagram and Facebook booking.

Meevo is a paid alternative for businesses considering a web, desktop and mobile platform mix; its listed Lite plan includes five users, 2,500 email contacts and 100 SMS marketing credits, with custom pricing.

Orbis Salon may suit a very small operation willing to work within a tightly capped paid plan: Lite costs £4.99 a month and includes one staff member, one location and 30 bookings per month, plus a 50p booking service fee per booking.

DaySmart Med Spa is a paid alternative with a free trial and mobile, web and Windows support; its Basic plan is $29 a month for one user and includes scheduling, online booking, reminders, payments, online deposits and reports.

GlossGenius is a paid option with Android, iOS and web support; its Standard plan costs $28 a month and includes a custom booking website, unlimited client notifications, email and text marketing, and inventory and retail.

Kitomba is a paid alternative with web, desktop and mobile support; its Lite plan includes online booking, stock management, POS with integrated EFTPOS and marketing tools, at custom pricing.

Timely is a paid option with web, desktop and mobile support; its Starter plan costs $11 a month for 20 projects and five users.

For category-specific comparisons, see Esthetician Software, Salon Inventory Management Software, Salon POS Software, Massage Therapy Software, Salon Appointment Scheduling Software and Salon CRM Software.

Verdict

Choose Pronto if you run a solo salon or small team and want booking, checkout, reminders and client records with a genuine free starting tier. Its low-friction booking and self-hosting choice add useful flexibility. Look elsewhere if your free-tier caps are too small or you need advanced permissions, API access, white-labeling or SLA-backed support now.