SalonApp

Overview

SalonApp brings appointment booking, client records, payments, and staff operations together for independent stylists and salons that want more than a calendar. Its standout advantage is breadth, including an AI receptionist and payroll tools; the trade-off is a free tier capped too tightly for most ongoing salon use.

It runs on Android, iOS, and the web. Med spas can use it for front-of-house work, but clinical records should remain in an EMR.

Key features

Booking and client records

A drag-and-drop calendar sits alongside online booking, automated reminders, and no-show protection. Client profiles can hold color formulas, allergies, photos, preferences, and visit history, which makes the platform more relevant to service-based salons than a booking tool that only tracks appointments. The free plan’s 20-appointment monthly ceiling makes it better for trying the workflow than running a busy schedule.

AI receptionist and payments

The AI receptionist answers calls 24/7 in 16 languages and can book, cancel, or reschedule against the live calendar. Higher tiers add message-taking and smart transfers, then priority phone routing; the minute allowances make the choice concrete: 500 per month on Solo, 1,500 on Starter, and 5,000 on Pro. Shops with substantial call volume should compare their expected usage with those quotas.

The point-of-sale supports tap, chip, swipe, and online payments, with Square and Stripe integrations. QuickBooks and Xero synchronization connects bookkeeping to the platform’s operations. That range can reduce the need to stitch together separate booking, checkout, and accounting tools, though the broad feature set means buyers should choose a plan around the functions they actually need.

Staff, marketing, and security

Marketing includes email and SMS campaigns, audience segments, A/B tests, referrals, automated flows, and review requests. Staff tools cover commissions, time clock, booth rental, and US and Canadian payroll. Intake forms, signatures, and photos are encrypted at rest; the maker says a BAA is available for HIPAA-applicable accounts. It also describes SSL encryption, row-level security, and daily backups on Supabase infrastructure. For med spas, those safeguards do not change the stated boundary: clinical records belong in an EMR.

Pricing

The free plan costs 0.00 USD per free and allows up to 15 clients, 20 appointments per month, and one staff member. Those caps are restrictive for an established salon, but they give a solo operator a way to start without a subscription.

Starter costs 39.00 USD per month, billed monthly, for up to five staff members, unlimited clients and appointments, POS and payments, basic reports, and email support. It is the clearest step up for a small team that needs core salon operations, but it omits the marketing, loyalty, commission tracking, payroll management, and advanced reporting included in Professional.

AI Receptionist Solo is 39.00 USD per month for 500 AI-handled minutes, 16 languages, booking changes, and email support. AI Receptionist Starter costs 79.00 USD per month and raises the allowance to 1,500 minutes, adding message-taking, smart transfers, and priority email support. AI Receptionist Pro costs 149.00 USD per month, includes Starter features, and raises the allowance to 5,000 minutes with priority phone routing and a dedicated success manager. These are focused choices for salons prioritizing call handling rather than a substitute for the salon-management tiers.

Professional costs 79.00 USD per month, billed monthly, and supports up to 15 staff members with marketing and loyalty, commission tracking, payroll management, advanced reports and AI, and phone and chat support. It fits a growing salon that needs those operational extras; a smaller team can avoid paying for them on Starter. Enterprise costs 149.00 USD per month, billed monthly, and adds unlimited staff, multiple locations, online booking, data export and backup, a dedicated account manager, and custom integrations. It is aimed at multi-location operators, not a one-chair business.

Every paid plan includes a 14-day free trial, and no credit card is required to start. Tax filing, direct deposit, contractor payments, payroll reports, commission tracking, and tip calculation are also identified as supported payroll capabilities.

Platforms

Android, iOS, and web access give owners and staff mobile and browser options. That cross-platform coverage suits teams that need to manage appointments and operations across devices.

Who it's for

SalonApp is a strong fit for independent stylists and boutique salons that want client histories, booking, and payments in one system, and for larger operators that need staff, payroll, or multi-location functions. Spas and wellness businesses are also within its stated audience. It is less suitable for a salon expecting the free plan to support a full client base, or for a med spa seeking a home for clinical records.

Pros and cons

• Pros: Client profiles can preserve service-relevant details such as formulas and allergies alongside visit history.
• Pros: The AI receptionist handles appointment changes in 16 languages and has distinct minute-based tiers for different call volumes.
• Pros: Payments, bookkeeping connections, marketing, payroll, and staff tools cover more than the appointment workflow alone.
• Cons: The free tier stops at 15 clients, 20 monthly appointments, and one staff member, limiting its usefulness beyond a small trial.
• Cons: AI receptionist allowances are capped by monthly minutes, so high-volume callers may need a more expensive tier.
• Cons: Clinical records are outside its med-spa scope, requiring an EMR for that work.

Alternatives

Gratsio may suit a business focused on listings and product or service booking: its free plan includes three listings per month, 10 product listings, 25 store products, two blog posts per month, one staff seat, and a 10% service-booking commission. Its free plan is also available on Android, iOS, and web.

Salonist is worth comparing if 50 appointments per month on a free Market Place Listing plan is a better starting point than SalonApp’s 20-appointment cap; its paid Essential plan is 79.00 USD per month.

Fresha offers a free plan with an Independent option for one team member and a Team option for unlimited team members, making it a comparison for businesses weighing team size.

Tersavia is an option for a web-only business seeking free booking and client management, with its plan described as free forever, every location, no per-seat charge, and no contract.

SalonWings is a paid alternative for buyers comparing salon software across Android, iOS, Linux, macOS, web, and Windows.

Spa/Salon Manager is a paid alternative with a free trial and cloud plans organized by employee count, including a one-employee tier at 74.00 USD per month.

Insight Salon Software is a paid alternative with a single-employee Solo Edition at 25.00 USD per month and a Partner Edition at 50.00 USD per month.

Meevo is a paid salon-and-spa alternative with a Lite tier that includes five users, 2,500 email contacts, and 100 SMS marketing credits.

For narrower needs, compare salon payroll software, salon commission management software, salon membership software, and salon marketing software.

Verdict

Choose SalonApp if you want salon booking, detailed client records, payments, and staff operations under one roof, especially when its AI receptionist or payroll tools address a real need. Its main limitation is the low free-plan ceiling, while med spas must keep clinical records elsewhere. A solo operator can start free, but most growing salons will need a paid tier to use the platform beyond a small client base.