Kitomba vs Phorest (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kitomba 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
Kitomba 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.
Kitomba
Salon and spa software from Australia and New Zealand, quote-based
Paid
Which one is for you
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
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
| 2.0GPAKitombaFair | 1.8GPAPhorestWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published, so it sits in the middle: the page asks a few questions and returns a quote. | 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 | 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. | 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 it's a full salon system to set up. | CNo store rating on record. A salon has to set up its calendar, services and card reader first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Xero, Mailchimp, REACH.ai and Vish links. No phone or computer apps are named. | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, with four integrations listed. No open API is named. |
| Best for | salons in Australia and New Zealand | 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: Kitomba and Phorest. How we grade
Where they differ
- Kitomba also covers email campaigns and inventory.
In commonWebReportsAppointment bookingSMS marketingReview collection
At a glance
| Kitomba | 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 | Kitomba | Phorest |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
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
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.
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
Kitomba
Pricing could not be confirmed. See kitomba.com.
Phorest
Pricing could not be confirmed. See phorest.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Kitomba or Phorest?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Kitomba has no price we could confirm, and Phorest has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Kitomba or Phorest?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Kitomba nor Phorest has a free plan.
Which platforms do Kitomba and Phorest run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Phorest lists macOS, Windows, 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.