Booksy vs Salonist (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Booksy grades higher than Salonist: 2.6 against 2.4 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. They get the same grade on the free plan, 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
Salonist
Salon and spa management with unlimited staff on every plan
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 Salonist if
- Fits if you have a big or changing team and don't want to pay per stylist
- Works for salons that want to test the marketplace listing before paying
Look elsewhere if
- Tight if you stay free, as the listing caps at 50 appointments a month and has no point of sale or reminders
- Watch out: a new client from the marketplace costs 15% of that first visit
- Pricey if you need loyalty, SMS or inventory, which start on Advance at $109 a month
- Watch out: Digital Wallet Cards from $39 a month and the AI Receptionist are separate add-ons
- Skip it if you run several branches, as multi-branch reporting is on Expert at $179 a month
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABooksyGood | 2.4GPASalonistFair | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | CEssential is $59 a month and unlimited staff, so the price doesn't climb with headcount. That sits between the category's middle of $49 and its dearer quarter at $99. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, but a 14-day free trial with no credit card, and you can take bookings during it. | CA free listing with online booking and a calendar, capped at 50 appointments a month, plus a 7-day trial with no card. You'll hit the cap fast. |
| 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. | BBooking, point of sale, memberships, commissions, gift cards, campaigns and inventory all appear across the tiers. Some pieces sit on dearer plans, but the core salon job is covered. |
| 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 a salon system with point of sale and inventory means setup. |
| 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 plus iPhone and Android, with QuickBooks, Stripe, Mailchimp, WhatsApp and Shopify links. No computer app. |
| Best for | barbers and beauty pros booking from a phone | salons that want unlimited staff on every plan |
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 Salonist. 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. Salonist starts at $59 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and Booksy starts $29.01 a month lower. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 3 score higher than Booksy for less, and 4 score higher than Salonist 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.
- Salonist also covers shift scheduling, time clock, inventory and whatsApp messaging.
At a glance
| Booksy | Salonist | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member | $59 per month, billed monthly (Essential) |
| Free plan | None | Marketplace Listing: online booking, calendar, shift management and staff reports for up to 50 appointments a month. |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | 7-day free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Booksy International Sp. z o.o. | Salonist |
| Price read from | biz.booksy.com | salonist.io |
| 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.
Salonist
- A brand-new client who finds you through the Salonist marketplace costs 15% of that first visit, once; card fees are separate.
- The free listing stops at 50 appointments a month and omits point of sale and reminders.
- Optional add-ons cost extra: Digital Wallet Cards from $39 a month, and the AI Receptionist is quoted by conversation volume.
- Annual billing is shown as 10 times the monthly price ($590, $1,090, $1,790); groups of several locations get custom pricing.
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.
Salonist
- Calendar and online booking
- Drag-and-drop calendar and room calendars, with booking from the salon's own link, website widget, Instagram and Google.
- Point of sale
- Desk and mobile checkout with tips and split payments, plus SalonistPay for card processing.
- Memberships, packages and gift cards
- Subscriptions, e-wallet balances, packages and gift cards; gift cards and membership subscriptions start at Advance.
- Campaigns and reminders
- WhatsApp, SMS and email reminders and campaigns; the pricing page lists unlimited notifications from the Advance plan.
- Retail, inventory and staff data
- Stock, purchase orders and service-usage tracking, with commissions, timesheets and login permissions.
- Client booking app
- A client-facing booking app for iOS and Android, and a marketplace where new clients can find the salon.
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.
Salonist
Marketplace Listing$0
Up to 50 appointments a month, online booking, calendar, staff shifts and a free listing on the Salonist marketplace.
Essential$59
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds point of sale, memberships and e-wallet, commissions, tips, retail products, service reminders and phone support.
Advance$109
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds loyalty points, gift cards, SMS, email and WhatsApp campaigns, inventory, timesheets and one-on-one onboarding.
Expert$179
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds QuickBooks, multi-branch reporting, a dedicated account manager, forms, waitlists and AI marketing automation.
Ways to pay less
Booksy
No public discounts listed.
Salonist
- Annual discount
Pay yearly: $590, $1,090 or $1,790
The pricing page's Annual toggle lists Essential at $590, Advance at $1,090 and Expert at $1,790 a year, against $59, $109 and $179 monthly.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Booksy or Salonist?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Booksy is cheaper to start with: $29.99 a month, against $59 a month for Salonist. Booksy starts at $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member, and Salonist starts at $59 per month, billed monthly (Essential).
Which has a free plan, Booksy or Salonist?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Salonist has a free plan. Booksy does not, though it has 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.