Booksy vs Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Booksy grades higher than Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon): 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, the free plan and features. They get the same grade on 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
Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)
Salon scheduling and checkout, now sold as DaySmart Salon
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 Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) if
- Fits if you cut hair alone and want booking and card payments in one place
- Works for salons of up to 6 on Premium
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you grow, as users are capped at 1 on Basic, 3 on Deluxe and 6 on Premium
- Pricey if you want text marketing or two-way texting, which need Deluxe Growth at $149 a month
- Watch out: reputation management and the website builder are add-ons on Basic
- Watch out: Premium Growth has no published price
- Skip it if you want a free plan, as only a two-week trial is listed
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABooksyGood | 2.0GPASalon Iris (DaySmart Salon)Fair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CBasic is $29 a month for 1 user, between the cheaper quarter ($25) and the middle ($49) of the category. Deluxe is $69 for 3 users. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and you can take bookings during it. | DTwo-week free trial on every plan. No free plan, and card terms are not stated. |
| 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. | CBooking, reminders, payments, team tools and a mobile app. Text marketing, two-way texting and reputation management need Deluxe Growth, and a website builder is an add-on on Basic. |
| 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. You set up services, staff and payments first. |
| 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, iOS and Android apps with Instagram, Facebook and QuickBooks. |
| Best for | barbers and beauty pros booking from a phone | salon booking and checkout for solo stylists and small teams |
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 Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon). How we grade
Price against what you get
Booksy starts at $29.99 a month and scores 2.7 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) starts at $29 a month and scores 2.3.
Booksy scores higher, and starts $0.99 a month higher: the question is whether the extra is worth that to you. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 3 score higher than Booksy for less, and 10 score higher than Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- Booksy also covers forms.
- Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) also covers reports, time clock and review collection.
At a glance
| Booksy | Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member | $29 per month for 1 user (Basic) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Two-week free trial on every plan |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Booksy International Sp. z o.o. | DaySmart Software |
| Price read from | biz.booksy.com | daysmart.com |
| 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.
Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)
- The salon-iris address now redirects to DaySmart Salon, so this listing reads the DaySmart Salon pages.
- User counts are capped per plan: 1 on Basic, 3 on Deluxe and Deluxe Growth, 6 on Premium.
- Text marketing, two-way texting and reputation management need Deluxe Growth or above; on Basic, reputation management and the website builder are add-ons.
- Premium Growth has no published price.
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.
Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)
- Scheduling and online booking
- Appointment book for online bookings, walk-ins and multi-service visits, with Instagram and Facebook booking from the first plan.
- Reminders and texting
- Automated appointment reminders on every plan; two-way texting and text marketing start at Deluxe Growth.
- Integrated payments
- Card payments and online deposits are built in; the page says funds reach the account the next business day.
- Team management
- Basic payroll starts at Deluxe; sliding-scale commission, overtime rules and commission exceptions appear on the higher plans.
- Marketing and reviews
- Email marketing from Deluxe, text marketing and reputation management from Deluxe Growth, and a website builder as an add-on.
- Mobile app
- iOS and Android apps are linked from the DaySmart Salon page, and the feature list shows a mobile app on every plan.
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.
Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)
Basic$29
per month for 1 user
Online booking, confirmations, Instagram and Facebook booking, payment processing and online deposits; 500 texts and 1,000 emails a month.
Deluxe$69
per month for up to 3 users
Adds online gift cards, digital forms, a client loyalty system, basic payroll and email marketing.
Deluxe Growth$149
per month for up to 3 users
Adds text marketing, two-way texting and reputation management to Deluxe.
Premium$199
per month for up to 6 users
Adds QuickBooks Connect and a larger text and email allowance.
Premium GrowthCustom
Unlimited users, expense tracking, advanced payroll and commission tracking; priced by contacting DaySmart.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Booksy or Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) is cheaper to start with: $29 a month, against $29.99 a month for Booksy. Booksy starts at $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member, and Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) starts at $29 per month for 1 user (Basic).
Which has a free plan, Booksy or Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon)?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Booksy nor Salon Iris (DaySmart Salon) has a free plan. Both have a free trial.
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.