EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) vs Phorest (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) grades higher than Phorest: 2.0 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) grades higher on features. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software)
Salon, spa and barber booking software now sold as EnvisionNow
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) if
- Fits if you run a salon, spa or barbershop and want a waitlist and calendar sync
- Works for owners who want their appointments in Google Calendar or Outlook
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to compare prices, as none are shown
- Watch out: Standard is 1 user, then $20 each added up to 5
- Tight if you send many texts: allowances are 500, 5,000 and 10,000 a month by plan
- Watch out: the vendor is now a PatientNow brand, so check what changed
- Skip it if you want a trial, as none is listed
Pick Phorest if
- Fits if you run a salon or medspa with three or more staff and want booking and client texts in one place
- Works for a salon that wants a desktop app at the front desk and a phone app for staff
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price, as all four tiers are quote only
- Pricey if you send many texts, because Starter charges 5 cents each and the higher tiers cap free texts at 1,000, 5,000 and 27,000
- Watch out: two-way SMS, memberships and the branded app are included only at Elite
- Not for you if you work alone, as the pricing page says Starter is for 3 or more staff
How we grade them
| 2.0GPAEnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software)Fair | 1.8GPAPhorestWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo plan price is shown, only "pricing tailored to your practice". Standard includes 1 user and charges $20 for each extra up to 5. | CNo price is published. All four tiers are quote only, so cost cannot be compared with the $49.90 middle of the category. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial shown on the listing, so nothing here is free. | FNo free plan and no trial on record, so you pay before you use it. |
| Features | BOnline booking, waitlist, calendar sync, client notes, payments, reviews and marketing. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. | CCalendar, point of sale, payments, automated SMS and email and a desktop app. Two-way SMS, memberships and the branded app are paid add-ons below Elite, which is a gap in the lower tiers. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and tiers by size mean choosing and setting up. | CNo store rating on record. A salon has to set up its calendar, services and card reader first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb plus iOS and Android, with QuickBooks, Google Calendar, Outlook, WooCommerce and Canva links. No computer app. | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, with four integrations listed. No open API is named. |
| Best for | salons, spas and barbers on a plan by size | salon software with built-in texting |
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: EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) and Phorest. How we grade
Where they differ
- EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) also covers email campaigns and inventory.
In commonWebiOSAndroidReportsAppointment bookingSMS marketingReview collection
At a glance
| EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) | Phorest | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | PatientNow | Phorest |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software)
- The pricing page cards say "Pricing tailored to your practice" with no figures, so no plan prices are recorded here.
- Standard includes 1 user and charges $20 for each added user up to 5 seats.
- Included allowances: 500, 5,000 and 10,000 SMS notifications a month on Standard, Amplify and Ultimate.
- The envisionsalon.com address now redirects to envisionnow.com, a PatientNow brand.
Phorest
- No prices are published: all four tiers are quote only, so cost cannot be compared up front.
- SMS allowances differ by tier: 1,000, 5,000 and 27,000 free a month on Grow, Complete Advantage and Elite, and 5 cents each on Starter.
- Two-way SMS, memberships and the branded app are included only at Elite; elsewhere they are paid add-ons.
- The pricing page says Starter is for salons and medspas with 3 or more staff.
Key features
EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software)
- Online booking and waitlist
- Branded 24/7 booking with required deposits, tiered pricing by stylist, and a waitlist that fills cancelled slots.
- Calendar sync
- The calendar syncs with Google, Outlook or iPhone calendars and tracks team availability and resources.
- Marketing and reviews
- Automated SMS and email campaigns with templates and AI assistance, review requests and Canva for before-and-after photos.
- Client notes and payments
- Client preferences, formulas and photos are stored with each client, with integrated payments, Tippy tipping and QuickBooks.
- Mobile apps
- A custom client app for Android and iOS handles booking, loyalty and push notifications, and there is an employee app.
- Plans by size
- Standard, Amplify and Ultimate allow 1, 25 and unlimited users, with SMS and campaign email allowances that rise by tier.
Phorest
- Calendar and online booking
- An appointment calendar with a waiting list, 24/7 online booking, booking deposits, no-show charges and rooms or equipment linked to services.
- Point of sale and payments
- Appointment and retail checkout, stock management, cardless checkout and PhorestPay card payments with cashless tipping.
- Automated SMS and email
- Reminders, review requests and marketing messages. Higher tiers include a monthly SMS allowance; Starter pays 5 cents per SMS.
- Desktop and PhorestGo apps
- A Windows and macOS desktop app plus the PhorestGo mobile app for staff, with a manager view on the Grow tier and above.
- Branded client app
- An optional salon-branded iOS and Android app for booking and rebooking, included in the Elite tier and optional on lower tiers.
- AI tools
- An AI client cheat sheet that summarizes client history before a visit, and a Front Desk AI add-on for everyday client conversations.
Plans
EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software)
Pricing could not be confirmed. See envisionnow.com.
Phorest
Pricing could not be confirmed. See phorest.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) or Phorest?
As of Nov 13, 2026, EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) has no price we could confirm, and Phorest has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) or Phorest?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) nor Phorest has a free plan.
Which platforms do EnvisionNow (Envision Salon Software) and Phorest run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Phorest lists macOS and Windows apps. Both list a web app and iOS and Android apps. 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.