Mangomint vs Phorest (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mangomint grades higher than Phorest: 2.4 against 1.8 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 12, 2026 by ToolGPA
Mangomint grades higher on the free plan and features. They get the same grade on value for money, ease of use and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Mangomint
Salon, spa and medspa software priced per location and user
Free trial · from $120/mo
Which one is for you
Pick Mangomint if
- Fits if you run a salon or spa with several providers and a front desk and want month-to-month billing
- Works for medspas that need forms and charting beside the booking calendar
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you have a big team, as every person with a profile, front desk and booth renters too, adds $10 a month
- Pricey if you send campaigns or run payroll: marketing credits are $30 to $300 a month, payroll $50 plus $8 a worker
- Watch out: Express Booking, self checkout, cards on file and deposits need Mangomint's own processing, at 2.45% + 15¢ in person
- Tight if you want a business phone line for calls and texts, at $70 a month per line
- Watch out: the trial's length isn't stated, and there's no free plan to fall back on
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
| 2.4GPAMangomintFair | 1.8GPAPhorestWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C$120 a location a month plus $10 a user, so one person pays $130 and a team of five $170. That's above this category's dearer quarter ($119) but below its dearest tenth, before marketing credits ($30 and up), payroll or a phone line. | 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 | CNo free plan, but a free trial account loaded with demo data. The listing doesn't say how long it lasts or whether a card is needed. | FNo free plan and no trial on record, so you pay before you use it. |
| Features | BCalendar, online and Express Booking with no fee per appointment, payments and point of sale, forms and charting, memberships, packages, gift cards, a virtual waiting room, retail stock and staff tools. That's the whole booking job, with payroll and phone as add-ons. | 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 app store rating on record. Onboarding and data transfer are free, but you set up services, staff profiles and Mangomint's own card processing before Express Booking and deposits work. | CNo store rating on record. A salon has to set up its calendar, services and card reader first. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with Shopify, Mailchimp, QuickBooks, Doxy.me and Docovia. No API on record and no desktop app. | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, with four integrations listed. No open API is named. |
| Best for | salons and spas with a front desk | 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: Mangomint and Phorest. How we grade
Where they differ
- Mangomint also covers marketing automation, forms, payroll, business phone line, business texting and inventory.
- Phorest also covers reports, sMS marketing and review collection.
In commonWebiOSAndroidAppointment booking
At a glance
| Mangomint | Phorest | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $120 per location / month, plus $10 per user | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | Free trial account with demo data; its length is not stated | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Mangomint, Inc. | Phorest |
| Price read from | mangomint.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Mangomint
- Every person with a profile counts as a $10 user, including front desk staff and booth renters.
- Marketing campaigns need credits: $30 a month for 3,500, rising to $300 for 60,000. Payroll is $50 a month plus $8 per worker.
- Card fees are 2.45% + 15¢ in person and 2.90% + 30¢ for virtual payments; large businesses may qualify for custom rates.
- An outside card processor can be used, but Express Booking, self checkout, cards on file and deposits need Mangomint's own processing.
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
Mangomint
- Calendar and online booking
- Online booking sits on your own website with no fee per appointment, and Express Booking lets clients book and save a card in a few steps.
- Payments and point of sale
- Take cards in person or online, with cards on file, deposits and self checkout; these need Mangomint's own processing rather than an outside processor.
- Forms, charting and memberships
- Client forms and charting for spas and medspas, plus memberships, packages, gift cards and a virtual waiting room.
- Automated flows and campaigns
- Marketing credits pay for targeted campaigns and automated flows; appointment confirmations and reminders by text and email are free and unlimited.
- Phone add-on
- Call and text clients from one business number on any device for $70 a month per line.
- Payroll and multi-location
- Payroll pays staff, syncs with QuickBooks and files taxes per location, and multi-location tools share clients and reports across sites.
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
Mangomint
Mangomint$120
per location / month, plus $10 per user
Every core feature, free onboarding and data transfer, and no contract. Every staff member, front desk worker or booth renter counts as a user.
Phorest
Pricing could not be confirmed. See phorest.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Mangomint or Phorest?
As of Nov 12, 2026, Mangomint starts at $120 per location / month, plus $10 per user, and Phorest has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Mangomint or Phorest?
As of Nov 12, 2026, neither Mangomint nor Phorest has a free plan. Mangomint has a free trial.
Which platforms do Mangomint and Phorest run on?
As of Nov 12, 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.