Booksy vs StyleSeat (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Booksy and StyleSeat share a 2.6 GPA, neither has a free plan, and StyleSeat starts cheaper, at $19 a month against $29.99 a month.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Booksy grades higher on features. StyleSeat grades higher on ease of use. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan 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
StyleSeat
Booking, payments and a client marketplace for beauty pros
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 StyleSeat if
- Fits if you work alone or in a small team as a stylist, barber or similar and want clients to book and pay a deposit
- Works for a pro who wants to be found through a marketplace profile
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if the marketplace sends you a new client, as it keeps 30% of that first appointment, up to $50
- Watch out: the join page says $19 a month and the help centre says $35
- Watch out: card payments cost 2.5% + $0.30 in person or 2.6% + $0.30 for a card on file
- Tight if you turn on its pricing add-on, which takes 5.5% of the extra booking total, up to $16.50
How we grade them
| 2.6GPABooksyGood | 2.6GPAStyleSeatGood | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | B$19 a month after the trial, which is inside the cheapest quarter of the category and just above 60% of it. The help centre lists $35 for the same plan, so we cannot be sure. Card fees and marketplace cuts come on top. |
| 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 trial with no card needed, then a paid plan. There is no free plan. |
| 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, deposits, payments, marketing and team calendars. The marketplace takes 30% of a first visit from a client it brings you, which is a cost the listing shows 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. | BThe page quotes 4.9 from over 350,000 ratings across both app stores. We did not check that against the stores themselves, so it sits at B. |
| 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 iOS and Android apps. No integrations are listed. |
| Best for | barbers and beauty pros booking from a phone | booking and marketplace for solo beauty pros |
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 StyleSeat. 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. StyleSeat starts at $19 a month and scores 2.7.
They score the same, and StyleSeat starts $10.99 a month lower. Of the other salon, spa and studio booking apps on the chart, 1 scores higher than Booksy for less, and none scores higher than StyleSeat 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 and email campaigns.
- StyleSeat also covers review collection.
At a glance
| Booksy | StyleSeat | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free trial |
| Starts at | $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member | $19 per month after a free trial (help center says $35) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 14-day free trial, no credit card required | Free trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Booksy International Sp. z o.o. | StyleSeat, Inc. |
| Price read from | biz.booksy.com | styleseat.com |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 12, 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.
StyleSeat
- The join page shows $19 a month after the trial, while the help center lists a $35 monthly subscription; confirm at sign-up.
- Payments cost 2.5% + $0.30 card present, or 2.6% + $0.30 on card on file, per the help center.
- New Client Connection keeps 30% of a first appointment with a client the marketplace brings you, capped at $50.
- Smart Pricing, when used, takes 5.5% of the increased booking total, capped at $16.50.
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.
StyleSeat
- Online booking and deposits
- Clients book open slots online, with deposits, kept late-cancellation fees and automatic reminders.
- Payments
- StyleSeat Payments handles checkout, tips and card on file, with payouts to a linked bank account. Cash and outside methods are also allowed.
- Marketplace profile
- A profile and portfolio that clients can find through StyleSeat search. A New Client Connection fee applies to clients the marketplace sends you.
- Marketing tools
- Email and text marketing, rebooking reminders, loyalty, promotions, packages, AI social posts and review management.
- Smart Pricing and waitlist
- Optional higher rates for busy slots, and a waitlist that offers a cancelled slot to clients waiting for that time.
- Team calendars
- Staff calendars, roles and permissions, with no extra charge per team member according to the join page.
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.
StyleSeat
Premium$19
per month, after a free trial
One flat plan with staff calendars, marketing tools and marketplace profile. Help center, dated Oct 2, 2026, still lists $35 a month.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Booksy or StyleSeat?
As of Nov 12, 2026, StyleSeat is cheaper to start with: $19 a month, against $29.99 a month for Booksy. Booksy starts at $29.99 per month, plus $20 per extra team member, and StyleSeat starts at $19 per month after a free trial (help center says $35).
Which has a free plan, Booksy or StyleSeat?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Booksy nor StyleSeat 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.