Phorest vs SalonUltimate (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Phorest grades higher than SalonUltimate: 1.8 against 1.6 out of 4.0.
Checked Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Nov 12, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Phorest 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.
SalonUltimate
Salon software for single shops, franchises and multi-location chains
From $69/mo
Which one is for you
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
Pick SalonUltimate if
- Fits if you run a franchise or a chain and want central management
- Works for salons already on Clover hardware
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if you run one small salon: $159 a month
- Watch out: the about page says $69 for BookedBy on Clover while the pricing page shows $159 and $199
- Watch out: texts past the allowance cost $0.03 each
- Skip it if you need staff apps, as none are listed
- Tight if you want a trial, as none is listed and multi-store is sold through sales
How we grade them
| 1.8GPAPhorestWeak | 1.6GPASalonUltimateWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CNo price is published. All four tiers are quote only, so cost cannot be compared with the $49.90 middle of the category. | D$159 a month for a single store and $199 per location for multi-store, past the $149 where the category's dearest tenth begins. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial on record, so you pay before you use it. | FNo free plan and no trial listed on the vendor pages, so nothing here is free. |
| Features | 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. | CAppointments, time clock, payroll setup, memberships, inventory and reports. But no staff app is listed, and a branded customer app is a custom build. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record. A salon has to set up its calendar, services and card reader first. | CNo store rating on record, and franchise tools mean a heavy setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, Windows, Mac, iPhone and Android apps, with four integrations listed. No open API is named. | BWeb only, with Google Reserve, QuickBooks, Tippy and Clover links. No downloadable apps. |
| Best for | salon software with built-in texting | salon chains and franchises |
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: Phorest and SalonUltimate. How we grade
Where they differ
- Phorest also covers review collection.
- SalonUltimate also covers email campaigns, time clock and inventory.
In commonWebReportsAppointment bookingSMS marketing
At a glance
| Phorest | SalonUltimate | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | Not published | $69 per location per month (BookedBy on Clover) |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Phorest | SalonUltimate |
| Price read from | Not confirmed | salonultimate.com |
| Checked | Nov 12, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
SalonUltimate
- Text messages beyond the plan allowance cost $0.03 each.
- The $69 BookedBy on Clover figure appears on the about page, while the pricing page itself shows $159 and $199 and sends small businesses to BookedBy.
- Multi-Store and Enterprise are arranged through sales, and the page lists no free trial.
- The site lists no downloadable staff apps; a branded customer app is offered as a custom build.
Key features
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.
SalonUltimate
- Appointments and online booking
- Appointment book with recurring bookings, online queuing with live wait times, a branded booking portal and Google Reserve.
- Check-in and check-out
- Customers check themselves in, and guided or self check-out is built to raise tips and rebookings.
- Employee scheduling and time clock
- Staff schedules from anywhere, timecards and payroll setup with gross pay calculation.
- Franchise and central management
- Set brand standards, manage every location centrally and see consolidated customer history across stores.
- Marketing and memberships
- Email and SMS campaigns, memberships, promotions and referral rewards, with a branded mobile app available.
- Reports and integrations
- Over 100 report types, with Tippy, QuickBooks and Google Reserve listed as integrations.
Plans
Phorest
Pricing could not be confirmed. See phorest.com.
SalonUltimate
BookedBy on Clover$69
per location per month
Software plus Clover hardware shipped to the business, for small independent salons; the page sends buyers to BookedBy.
SalonUltimate Single Store$159
per month for 1 location
Appointments, scheduling, time clock, payroll setup, memberships, packages, inventory and purchase orders; 100+ reports.
SalonUltimate Multi-Store$199
per location per month
Adds cross-store booking, consolidated customer history, formulas and notes for chains; sold through sales.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Phorest or SalonUltimate?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Phorest has no price we could confirm, and SalonUltimate starts at $69 per location per month (BookedBy on Clover).
Which has a free plan, Phorest or SalonUltimate?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Phorest nor SalonUltimate has a free plan.
Which platforms do Phorest and SalonUltimate 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.