salonMonster

salonMonster is salon management software for salons and independent stylists who want booking, client records, payments, marketing, and stock tools in one system. Its per-staff pricing makes it a stronger fit for small teams that need that breadth than for businesses seeking only an appointment calendar.

Overview

Founded in 2010 and based in British Columbia, salonMonster serves hair salons, barbershops, nail salons, spas, and independent stylists. The product combines appointment scheduling with client history, sales, reminders, bulk email marketing, inventory, and point of sale. That range can reduce the need to coordinate separate tools; it may be more software than a solo operator needs if booking is the only priority.

Clients can book online around the clock, with salon controls for eligible services and clients, booking lead time, cancellations, and approvals. These settings help businesses manage access around their own policies. Client files can hold colour and service history, no-shows, communication history, and photos of work, which is useful for businesses where repeat services and client preferences matter.

Key features

Booking, records, and client communications

Email and SMS appointment reminders and confirmations are included in plans, alongside bulk email marketing. Together with the client history, these tools support follow-up and routine appointment communication without limiting the product to calendar management.

Payments and inventory

The point-of-sale system tracks sales, while inventory tools cover counts, backbar stock, and automatic reordering. Integrated payments work with salonMonster accounts and have no monthly processing fee; the company identifies Stripe-powered processing. salonMonster says its payment system is PCI compliant and designed to protect clients’ card information.

Migration, exports, and support

salonMonster offers free client migration and says it can import colour formulas and appointment history. Its homepage names Acuity, MindBody, Vagaro, Shedul, Milano, SalonIris, GetTimely, Bookly, and SalonWare as systems it has imported data from. Clients, bookings, sales, services, products, and staff records can be exported to CSV at no charge, a useful safeguard for businesses that want to retain access to their operational data.

Phone and email support are included; the pricing page gives the number 1-800-901-1001. The service also includes web and mobile apps, hosted booking pages, and APIs. Beauty students and schools can contact the company for a free education account.

Pricing

The salonMonster subscription starts at $30 a month, billed monthly, for one staff member. Each additional staff member costs $15/mo: two staff are $45/mo, three $60/mo, four $75/mo, five $90/mo, and six $105/mo. Seven or more staff cost $120/mo. Annual plans are available by contacting salonMonster at a lower monthly rate. A 14-day trial is offered, and a free plan is also available.

The monthly subscription includes the service’s core booking, calendar, POS and payment, reminders, and inventory capabilities. Because the price rises with staff count, solo operators get the lowest entry price while larger salons should account for the $120 monthly tier at seven or more staff. Businesses wanting an annual rate must contact the company; no annual price is given.

Platforms

salonMonster supports Android, iOS, and web, and provides APIs. Its terms also describe hosted online booking pages and mobile apps.

Who it's for

salonMonster is aimed at salons and independent stylists that need online booking alongside client records, payments, stock tracking, and customer communications. It is particularly relevant to repeat-service businesses that benefit from keeping colour and service history with appointment and communication records. A business that needs a low-cost calendar alone may prefer a narrower option, while teams should weigh the per-staff price as they grow.

Pros and cons

• Broad salon operations in one service: booking, records, POS, reminders, marketing, and inventory are all covered.
• Booking policies are configurable: salons can control who books, service eligibility, lead time, cancellations, and approvals.
• Migration and exports help with continuity: free client migration and no-charge CSV exports cover important salon records.
• Pricing scales by staff count: the monthly cost rises from 30.00 USD for one staff member to $120/mo for seven or more.

Alternatives

Consider Salon Software if you want to compare more salon products. Salonist may suit a business that can work within a free tier capped at 50 appointments per month, with online booking, calendar, and scheduling. ReSpark uses custom pricing based on business size, outlet count, and required features, so it may fit businesses seeking a quote tailored to those factors.

Meevo is another paid option, with listed Lite and Essentials salon and spa plans, but their prices are not provided. Salonized starts at €21 a month for its Appointments plan, with annual billing available at a 10% discount; it is worth comparing for readers budgeting in euros. DaySmart Salon starts at $29 a month for Basic, which includes one user, online booking, appointment confirmations, and Instagram and Facebook booking.

Insight Salon Software starts at $25 a month for a single employee on Solo Edition, a lower starting price for a one-person business to compare. Kitomba offers Lite with online booking, stock management, integrated EFTPOS point of sale, and marketing tools, though its plan price is not provided. Orbis Salon has a £4.99 a month Lite plan for one staff member and one location, capped at 30 bookings and five services, with a 50p booking service fee per booking and a seven-day trial.

Verdict

salonMonster is a strong fit for salons and independent stylists that want booking, detailed client histories, payments, marketing, and stock control under one roof. Its migration offer and broad operational scope are persuasive reasons to choose it. Look elsewhere if you need only scheduling or if per-staff monthly costs and the unspecified free-plan limits make budgeting difficult.