Booksy vs Kitomba (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Booksy grades higher than Kitomba: 2.6 against 2.0 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Booksy grades higher on value for money and the free plan. They get the same grade on features, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Booksy
Booking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros
Free trial · from $29.99/mo
Kitomba
Salon and spa software from Australia and New Zealand, quote-based
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick Booksy if
- Fits if you're a barber or independent beauty pro who runs your book from your phone
- Works for small salons that want every feature at one price instead of picking a tier
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have a team, as each member beyond the first adds $20 a month to the $29.99 base, plus tax
- Watch out: card fees run from 2.49% + $0.10 on the reader to 2.69% + $0.30 keyed in, and 30-minute payouts cost 1.5%
- Watch out: card readers aren't included, at $53.10 for the M2 and $299 for the S710, plus shipping
- Pricey if you lean on Boost for new clients: it takes 30% of each one's first visit, up to $100
- Not for you if you need accounting software links or an API, as neither is on record
Pick Kitomba if
- Fits if you run a salon in Australia or New Zealand and use Xero
- Works for owners who want marketing and payments from the same vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price first, as none is published
- Not for you if you're outside Australia and New Zealand, where only those phone lines are given
- Watch out: REACH.ai and Reputation AI cost extra
- Watch out: the 20% off on software fees applies only to the Plus range with Kitomba Pay
- Tight if you want a free trial, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABooksyGood | 2.0GPAKitombaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B$29.99 a month plus tax for one person with every feature, which is right at this category's cheaper quarter. Each extra team member adds $20, so five people pay $109.99. | CNo price is published, so it sits in the middle: the page asks a few questions and returns a quote. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and you can take bookings during it. | FNo free plan and no trial shown on the listing, so nothing here is free. |
| Features | BA marketplace profile, booking from Instagram, Facebook, Google and your site, a calendar with waitlists, 2,000 marketing texts a month, email campaigns, forms and waivers, deposits, gift cards and memberships. That's the whole booking job for a chair or a small salon. | BAppointment book, online booking, point of sale, client cards and forms, reminders and reporting. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | CNo rating for the business app is on record, since the App Store listing found is the client-facing app. You set up services, staff and payments before taking bookings. | CNo store rating on record, and it's a full salon system to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Instagram, Facebook, Reserve with Google and Stripe. No API or accounting links on record, and no desktop app. | BWeb only, with Xero, Mailchimp, REACH.ai and Vish links. No phone or computer apps are named. |
| Best for | barbers and beauty pros booking from a phone | salons in Australia and New Zealand |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Booksy and Kitomba. How we grade
Where they differ
- Booksy also covers forms.
- Kitomba also covers reports, inventory and review collection.
In commonWebEmail campaignsAppointment bookingSMS marketing
At a glance
| Booksy | Kitomba | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Booksy International Sp. z o.o. | Kitomba |
| Price read from | biz.booksy.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Booksy
- Each team member beyond the first adds $20 a month to the $29.99 base, plus tax.
- Card fees: 2.69% + $0.30 for mobile and keyed-in payments, 2.49% + $0.10 on the card reader, and 2.49% + $0.20 with Tap to Pay. Payouts in 30 minutes cost 1.5%.
- Card readers are bought separately: the Stripe Reader M2 for $53.10 and the S710 for $299, plus shipping.
- Boost charges 30% of a new client's first visit, up to $100; clients from your own link or marketing carry no commission.
Kitomba
- No prices are published: the page asks a few questions and returns a quote, so this listing carries no plan prices.
- The Plus range with Kitomba Pay is advertised with 20% off software fees; the discount applies only to those plans.
- REACH.ai marketing and Reputation AI features carry separate charges and are offered in New Zealand and Australia.
- The pages mention only Australian and New Zealand phone lines, so availability elsewhere is unclear.
Key features
Booksy
- Booksy profile and marketplace
- Each business gets a profile on the Booksy marketplace and the free Booksy app for customers, plus booking from Instagram, Facebook, Reserve with Google and a website widget.
- Calendar and client records
- Manage the calendar, waitlists and client profiles from the Booksy Biz phone app, a tablet or the web.
- Text and email marketing
- Message blasts and automated campaigns by text and email, with 2,000 marketing texts a month included; confirmations and reminders are always free.
- Payments and no-show protection
- Take deposits and cancellation fees, sell gift cards, memberships and packages, and check out on a Booksy card reader or with Tap to Pay.
- Boost
- Turn on Boost for more visibility on the marketplace. It has no monthly fee but takes a one-time 30% of a new Boost client's first visit, capped at $100.
- AI Receptionist
- A beta AI receptionist answers calls and books appointments. Booksy says early sign-ups get it free for at least 12 months.
Kitomba
- Appointment book and booking
- Appointment book with rooms and equipment, packages, waitlist and repeat appointments, plus a branded online booking site with deposits.
- Point of sale and Kitomba Pay
- Checkout with integrated EFTPOS, online payments, pay-by-link and card on file; funds are paid into the bank the next business day.
- Client cards and forms
- Client cards hold notes, photos and documents, and digital consultation forms can be sent by text or email before a visit.
- Marketing and reminders
- Text and email campaigns, automated Everyday Marketing, two-way reminders and a messaging inbox; REACH.ai tools carry separate charges.
- Reporting and targets
- A business summary, advanced reports, staff targets and a Benchmark view comparing your business with others in the industry.
- Plan tiers
- Lite, Grow, Pro and Enterprise tiers add targets, waitlists, loyalty, staff time tracking, Xero and multi-location views as you move up.
Plans
Booksy
Booksy Biz$29.99
per month, plus $20 per extra team member
Every feature: unlimited bookings, reminders, 2,000 marketing texts a month, email marketing, forms and waivers, waitlists, gift cards and memberships.
Kitomba
Pricing could not be confirmed. See kitomba.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Booksy or Kitomba?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Booksy starts at $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member, and Kitomba has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Booksy or Kitomba?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Booksy nor Kitomba has a free plan. Booksy has a free trial.
Which platforms do Booksy and Kitomba run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Booksy lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.