Setmore vs theCut (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Setmore grades higher than theCut: 2.8 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 5, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Setmore grades higher on ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, the free plan and features.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Setmore
Appointment booking app with a free plan for up to four staff
theCut
Barber booking app with a free plan and a $25 Pro plan
Which one is for you
Pick Setmore if
- Fits if you run a salon, clinic or studio with up to 4 staff and email reminders are enough
- Works for taking payment at booking through Square, Stripe or PayPal, which is on both plans
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if your diary is in Google Calendar and you won't pay, as two-way sync is Pro only
- Tight if you stay on Free: 4 users, one email reminder, and no texts, recurring or video appointments, deposits or API
- Pricey if you pay monthly: $12 for every staff calendar, even ones with no login, against $5 on yearly billing
- Watch out: there's no Pro trial, only a 30-day refund, and Live Receptionist is $99 a month extra, US only
- Not for you if you need a waitlist, intake forms or cards on file, which aren't on its features page
Pick theCut if
- Fits if you are a barber who wants a booking link and card payments
- Works for a shop owner managing a few chairs
Look elsewhere if
- Not for you if you are not in barbering, as it is built around barbers and shops
- Watch out: payments carry a 2.75% processing fee on Free and Pro
- Tight if you stay free, as each new client found through the app costs $10
- Pricey if you want SMS reminders, recurring appointments and revenue reports, which are Pro at $25
How we grade them
| 2.8GPASetmoreGood | 2.4GPAtheCutFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | CPro is $5 a person a month on yearly billing, just under the $6 middle for calendar tools, and $12 if you pay monthly. It's per staff calendar, so a six-chair salon is $30 a month on yearly billing. | CPro is $25 a month, above the $16 where the dearer quarter of calendar tools starts. |
| Free plan and trial | BFour staff, unlimited appointments, a booking page, card payments, group classes and one email reminder, with no time limit. The caps you'd meet: 4 users, no text reminders and no two-way sync. | BThe free plan gives a booking link, no-show policies and mobile payments, though new clients found in the app cost $10 each. |
| Features | CA booking page, payments, classes, team calendars, reminders and Book Now buttons for Instagram, Facebook and Google. The listing's own gaps show: no waitlist or intake forms, and recurring and video appointments, deposits and the API all need Pro. | CBooking link, policies, payments, client discovery and reporting. It does that job for barbers and is narrower than a general booking app. |
| Ease of use | B4.67 from about 9,200 App Store ratings, a shade under our bar for an A. Setmore says help runs around the clock by chat, email and phone. One reviewer says the app shows less than the website. | CNo store rating on record. You set up your services and payments. |
| Platforms and integrations | AWeb, Mac, Windows, iPhone and Android, which few others in this category cover. More than 40 integrations plus Zapier, and an API on Pro only. Two-way sync with Google or Office 365 is Pro only too. | BiPhone, Android and web. No integrations are listed. |
| Best for | small teams that want free online booking | barbers taking bookings and payments |
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: Setmore and theCut. How we grade
Price against what you get
Setmore starts at $5 a month for each person and scores 3.0 out of 4 on features, ease of use and platforms. theCut starts at $25 a month and scores 2.3.
Setmore scores higher and starts $20 a month lower. Of the other calendar and scheduling apps on the chart, 3 score higher than Setmore for less, and 40 score higher than theCut for less.
Features, ease of use and platforms, averaged
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
- The best score at each price
- Has a free plan
- No free plan
Where they differ
- theCut also covers appointment booking.
At a glance
| Setmore | theCut | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free plan | Free plan |
| Starts at | $5 per user / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly) | $25 per month for Pro |
| Free plan | Up to 4 users, unlimited appointments, a Booking Page, online and in-person payments, email confirmations and one email reminder, plus the mobile and desktop apps. | Personal booking link, cancellation and no-show policies, and mobile payments with 2.75% processing. |
| Free trial | None listed | 30-day Pro trial, no credit card required |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Setmore | theCut |
| Price read from | setmore.com | thecut.co |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Setmore
- The Free plan stops at 4 users and leaves out two-way calendar sync, SMS reminders, recurring appointments, video appointments, deposits and API access.
- Pro is charged per user, and every staff calendar counts as a user even if that person has no login.
- Paying monthly costs $12 per user, more than twice the $5 annual rate. There is no free trial of Pro, only a 30-day refund window.
- Live Receptionist call answering is a separate $99 per month add-on and is offered in the US only.
theCut
- Payments carry a 2.75% processing fee on both Free and Pro, per the plan comparison.
- The free plan charges $10 for each new client found through the app; Pro includes client discovery.
- SMS reminders, recurring appointments and revenue reporting are Pro features.
- It is built around barbers and shops, not general appointment businesses.
Key features
Setmore
- Booking Page
- A public page with a custom URL that lists services, staff and live availability so customers can book at any hour. Removing Setmore's branding from it needs Pro.
- Payments
- Take card payments at booking or in person through Square, Stripe, PayPal or LawPay, including Tap to Pay, on both plans. Deposits are a Pro feature.
- Confirmations and reminders
- Email confirmations and one email reminder are free. Pro adds a second reminder and SMS reminders, with 500 SMS credits per Pro team member each month.
- Team calendars
- Each staff member gets a login, working hours, time off and a calendar, with a combined team view, permission levels and built-in team messaging on both plans.
- Classes and recurring appointments
- Group classes with seat reservations are on both plans. Recurring appointments and video appointments by Zoom or Google Meet are listed under Pro.
- Booking from social and search
- Add Book Now buttons to Facebook, Instagram and websites built on WordPress, Wix or Weebly, take bookings through Reserve with Google, and share a QR code.
theCut
- Personal booking link
- Barbers share a link where clients book their services, with availability preferences and blocked time.
- No-show and cancellation policies
- Set cancellation and no-show rules for all clients. Pro lets the policy be customized by client.
- Mobile payments
- Accept Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, cards and tap-to-pay, with deposits in 1 to 2 business days.
- Client discovery
- New clients find barbers in the app. The free plan pays $10 per new client; Pro includes it.
- Shop owner tools
- Owner accounts are free and include a shop profile, staff onboarding, booth rent tracking and centralized scheduling.
- Reporting
- Pro adds appointment analysis, revenue reporting, chair utilization and monthly recaps.
Plans
Setmore
Free$0
Up to 4 users, unlimited appointments, a custom Booking Page, group classes, payments through Square, Stripe or PayPal, and email reminders.
Pro$5
per user / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly)
Unlimited users, two-way calendar sync, SMS reminders, recurring and video appointments, deposits, API access and no Setmore branding.
EnterpriseCustom
A tailored setup for larger organizations, arranged by contacting Setmore's sales team.
theCut
Free$0
Booking link, no-show policies and mobile payments at 2.75%. Client discovery costs $10 per new client.
Pro$25
per month
Adds included client discovery, client blasts, SMS notifications, recurring appointments, revenue reporting and promotions.
Ways to pay less
Setmore
- Annual discount
Pro at $5 instead of $12 with annual billing
Setmore's pricing page shows Pro at $12 per user / month on monthly billing and $5 per user / month on annual billing, about 58% less.
- Nonprofit
Nonprofit discounts on request
Setmore's mission page invites nonprofit organizations to contact the team about discounts. No rate is published.
theCut
No public discounts listed.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Setmore or theCut?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Setmore starts at $5 per user / month, billed annually ($12 billed monthly), and theCut starts at $25 per month for Pro. One is priced for each person and the other is not, so which costs less depends on how many of you use it.
Which has a free plan, Setmore or theCut?
As of Nov 13, 2026, both Setmore and theCut have a free plan.
Which platforms do Setmore and theCut run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Setmore 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.