SalonUltimate vs Zenoti (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Zenoti 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
Zenoti 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
Which one is for you
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
Pick Zenoti if
- Fits if you run several salons or spas and want payroll, stock and booking in one system
- Works for a med spa chain that can go through a demo and a quote
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want a posted price, as every plan goes through a demo
- Watch out: the AI agents need the AI Plus package, and add-ons are priced separately
- Watch out: voice, SMS and messaging are billed by use
- Too light for a phone-first user, as the mobile app is tuned for tablets over 9.5 inches
How we grade them
| 1.6GPASalonUltimateWeak | 1.8GPAZenotiWeak | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | 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. | CNo price is published. Every plan is a quote, so cost cannot be set against the $49.90 middle of the category. |
| Free plan and trial | FNo free plan and no trial listed on the vendor pages, so nothing here is free. | FNo free plan and no trial on record, so you pay before you use it. |
| Features | CAppointments, time clock, payroll setup, memberships, inventory and reports. But no staff app is listed, and a branded customer app is a custom build. | CBooking, point of sale, payroll and commissions, inventory and a mobile app. The AI agents need the AI Plus package and add-ons are sold apart. |
| Ease of use | CNo store rating on record, and franchise tools mean a heavy setup. | CNo store rating on record. A multi-site business has a long set-up before it works. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb only, with Google Reserve, QuickBooks, Tippy and Clover links. No downloadable apps. | BWeb plus iOS and Android apps, with one integration listed. The mobile app is tuned for tablets over 9.5 inches. |
| Best for | salon chains and franchises | spa and salon chain software |
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: SalonUltimate and Zenoti. How we grade
Where they differ
- SalonUltimate also covers email campaigns, time clock, inventory and sMS marketing.
- Zenoti also covers class booking.
At a glance
| SalonUltimate | Zenoti | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Paid | Paid |
| Starts at | $69 per location per month (BookedBy on Clover) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | SalonUltimate | Zenoti |
| Price read from | salonultimate.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Nov 13, 2026 | Nov 12, 2026 |
Worth knowing
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.
Zenoti
- No prices are published: every plan is a quote through a demo request, so cost cannot be compared up front.
- AI agents need the AI Plus package, and add-ons are priced separately.
- Voice, SMS and messaging use is billed by consumption, with optional base packs.
- Zenoti Mobile is optimized for tablets larger than 9.5 inches, per the vendor.
Key features
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.
Zenoti
- Appointment book and online booking
- A scheduling book for providers and rooms, plus an online booking page, social booking and Reserve with Google.
- Point of sale and payments
- Checkout, payment processing, text-to-pay links, gift cards, loyalty rewards, memberships and packages.
- Payroll, commissions and staff
- Employee management, payroll and commission calculation, and staff performance goals sit in the same system.
- Inventory and multi-location tools
- Stock management, resource and room management, and franchise and multi-location controls with cross-location reporting.
- AI agents (Zenoti OS)
- Agents for phone answering, lead handling, marketing, scheduling and inventory. The vendor says they require its AI Plus package.
- Zenoti Mobile app
- A staff-facing app for schedules, check-ins, guest records, digital forms and payments, on iOS and Android.
Plans
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.
Zenoti
Pricing could not be confirmed. See zenoti.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, SalonUltimate or Zenoti?
As of Nov 13, 2026, SalonUltimate starts at $69 per location per month (BookedBy on Clover), and Zenoti has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, SalonUltimate or Zenoti?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither SalonUltimate nor Zenoti has a free plan.
Which platforms do SalonUltimate and Zenoti run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Zenoti lists 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.