The GlossGenius Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about GlossGenius in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
GlossGenius
The Insider’s Guide
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and medspas
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among salon, spa and studio booking apps, read from GlossGenius’s own pages.
Made by GlossGenius, Inc. · checked Oct 24, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from GlossGenius’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on GlossGenius’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 6 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade
GlossGenius is booking and point-of-sale software for beauty, wellness and health businesses, from solo stylists to multi-location salons and medspas. It combines a booking website, a staff calendar with waitlist and deposits, card payments, client records, and email and text marketing. Medspa plans add charting, photo markup and medical director sign-off, and payroll and an AI phone receptionist are sold as add-ons.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about GlossGenius, taken from its own pages and our grades.
- 1
Best for booking and payments for salons and spas
GlossGenius puts a salon's booking website, staff calendar, card payments and email and text marketing in one app, from $24 a month billed yearly, with charting for medspas on dearer plans.
- 2
Paid plans start at $24 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $24 per month, billed annually ($28 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
14-day free trial of any plan, no credit card required
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Booking website and calendar
A booking site with templates and team profiles, 24/7 online booking without a client login, gap and processing times, and two-way calendar sync.
- 6
No-show protection and waitlist
Deposits, card-on-file and cancellation policies on every plan; the automated waitlist and room and resource booking start on Gold.
- 7
Payments and point of sale
Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, card readers, split payments, tips, invoices, gift cards, memberships, packages and Buy Now, Pay Later.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 6 of 15
That is against the other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace GlossGenius you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
GlossGenius at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $24 per month, billed annually ($28 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of any plan, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- GlossGenius, Inc.
- Category
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for booking and payments for salons and spas
GlossGenius puts a salon's booking website, staff calendar, card payments and email and text marketing in one app, from $24 a month billed yearly, with charting for medspas on dearer plans. What holds it back is how the extras stack up: forms, the automated waitlist and text credits start on Gold at $48, payroll is $40 a month plus $6 a seat, and there's no free plan, only a 14-day trial.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Standard is $24 a month billed yearly ($28 monthly), and Gold covers up to 9 staff for $48, so a team of five pays about $9.60 a head. GlossGenius is the only booking tool on our site so far, so this category is too thin to compare yet, and it sits at the ordinary grade until there's something to set it against. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, but a 14-day trial of any plan with no credit card. After that it's $24 a month at least, and card payments carry fees on top: 2.4% + $0.15 in person and 3.4% + $0.15 online. |
| Features | B | A booking site, a staff calendar with deposits, payments and point of sale, email and text marketing, forms, SOAP notes, commissions and reports, with charting on the medspa plans. Nothing in the booking job is missing, but forms, the automated waitlist and text credits need Gold, and payroll costs extra. |
| Ease of use | C | No app store rating on record. Before clients can book and pay, you set up a booking site from templates, your services, staff and deposit and cancellation rules, and card readers or Tap to Pay. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with Tap to Pay on both phones, plus Reserve with Google, Google Reviews and two-way calendar sync. No desktop app and no API on record, which keeps it from an A. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who GlossGenius is for
- Fits if you're a solo stylist or small salon that wants booking, deposits and card payments in one app
- Works for medspas that want charting and client photos kept beside the booking calendar
Who it is not for
- Tight if you want to stay free: there's no free plan, only a 14-day trial, and every card payment carries a fee of 2.4% + $0.15 in person or 3.4% + $0.15 online
- Pricey if you need forms and waivers, the automated waitlist or included text credits, which start on Gold at $48 a month billed yearly ($56 monthly)
- Pricey if you want payroll or the AI phone receptionist: payroll is $40 a month plus $6 a seat and Reception is $50 a month, on top of the plan
- Not for you if you run a medspa on a small budget, as charting starts on Practice Essentials at $148 a month billed yearly ($168 monthly)
- Watch out: teams of 10 or more need Platinum at $148 a month billed yearly, and each extra location pays its own plan price, less 15%
Good to know
Good for
- Solo stylists and small salons that want booking and payments in one app
- Medspas that need charting and photo records beside their booking
- Salons that want a booking site without building their own website
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan. In-person card payments cost 2.4% + $0.15 and online payments 3.4% + $0.15, with invoices at 2.9% + $0.30.
- Payroll is an add-on at $40 a month plus $6 per seat, and Reception, the AI phone and text answering service, is $50 a month.
- Forms and waivers, the automated waitlist, chargeback protection and included text credits start on the Gold plan.
- Each additional location is charged its own plan price, at a 15% discount.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$24
A month to start
GlossGenius is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $24 per month, billed annually ($28 billed monthly).
Standard
$24
per month, billed annually ($28 billed monthly)
Booking website, unlimited client notifications, email and text marketing, inventory and retail, packages and memberships.
Gold
$48
per month, billed annually ($56 billed monthly)
For teams of up to 9 staff: adds forms and waivers, Google booking and reviews, automated waitlist, time tracking and 500 text credits.
Platinum
$148
per month, billed annually ($168 billed monthly)
For teams of 10 or more: unlimited team members, goal setting, custom commissions, Google marketing analytics and 2,500 text credits.
Practice Essentials
$148
per month, billed annually ($168 billed monthly)
Medspa and aesthetics plan with EMR charting, photo markup, medical director sign-off and 50 GB of client photos.
Practice Advanced
$248
per month, billed annually ($298 billed monthly)
Medspa plan for unlimited providers with the full AI clinical suite, 100 GB of client photos and premium support.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of any plan, no credit card required
Read from glossgenius.com on Oct 24, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save up to 14% with annual billing
The pricing page lists a 14% saving on Standard, Gold and Practice Essentials and 12% on Platinum and Practice Advanced when billed annually.
Stated on glossgenius.comOther savings
15% off each additional location
GlossGenius charges each additional location the plan price at a 15% discount.
Stated on glossgenius.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and medspas. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: forms, email campaigns, payroll, clinical notes, appointment booking, sMS marketing, review collection.
Nothing in the booking job is missing, but forms, the automated waitlist and text credits need Gold, and payroll costs extra.
- Booking website and calendar
- A booking site with templates and team profiles, 24/7 online booking without a client login, gap and processing times, and two-way calendar sync.
- No-show protection and waitlist
- Deposits, card-on-file and cancellation policies on every plan; the automated waitlist and room and resource booking start on Gold.
- Payments and point of sale
- Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android, card readers, split payments, tips, invoices, gift cards, memberships, packages and Buy Now, Pay Later.
- Email and text marketing
- Unlimited marketing emails on every plan, with text credits included on Gold (500) and Platinum (2,500) and an AI marketing assistant.
- Forms, notes and EMR
- Intake forms and waivers the vendor describes as HIPAA-compliant, SOAP notes, and charting with photo markup on the medspa plans.
- Staff, payroll and reports
- Roles and permissions, commissions, time tracking, sales and staff reports, and add-on payroll that files payroll taxes in all 50 states.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Reserve with Google
- Google Reviews
- Tap to Pay on iPhone
GlossGenius is made by GlossGenius, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
6/15
Other salon, spa and studio booking apps it is graded above
GlossGenius's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 5.
It stands best on features (B, above 3 of 15) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $24 a month, against a middle price of $49.45 for the category: 3 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. GlossGenius’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 2 of 15
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 15
- BFeaturesAbove 3 of 15
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 15
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 salon, spa and studio booking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. GlossGenius is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace GlossGenius you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It costs $288 a year.
What you could make
- Appointment booking, forms, clinical notes and review collection: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: HIPAA and roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. GlossGenius’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Vagaro, Fresha, Mangomint, Boulevard and Booksy
The 5 tools GlossGenius is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.6GPA
Vagaro
Free trial · from $30/mo
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and studios.
- GlossGenius also covers clinical notes, sMS marketing and review collection.
- Vagaro also covers inventory and class booking.
- 3.0GPA
Fresha
Free trial · from $19.95/mo
Salon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients.
- GlossGenius also covers forms, payroll, clinical notes and sMS marketing.
- Fresha also covers shift scheduling and inventory.
- 2.4GPA
Mangomint
Free trial · from $120/mo
Salon, spa and medspa software priced per location and user.
- GlossGenius also covers email campaigns, clinical notes, sMS marketing and review collection.
- Mangomint also covers marketing automation, business phone line, business texting and inventory.
- 2.0GPA
Boulevard
From $143/mo
Booking, checkout and marketing for salons, spas and medspas.
- GlossGenius also covers payroll, clinical notes, sMS marketing and review collection.
- Boulevard also covers marketing automation and business texting.
- 2.6GPA
Booksy
Free trial · from $29.99/mo
Booking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros.
- GlossGenius also covers payroll, clinical notes and review collection.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is GlossGenius free?
No, GlossGenius is a paid product, but you can try it first. 14-day free trial of any plan, no credit card required.
How much does GlossGenius cost?
GlossGenius lists 5 plans. Standard: $24 per month, billed annually ($28 billed monthly).
What platforms does GlossGenius work on?
GlossGenius is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does GlossGenius offer any discounts?
GlossGenius publicly lists the following: Save up to 14% with annual billing; 15% off each additional location.
Does GlossGenius have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 24, 2026. GlossGenius is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does GlossGenius have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 24, 2026. GlossGenius is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is GlossGenius open source?
GlossGenius is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 24, 2026.
What does GlossGenius integrate with?
GlossGenius's listing names Reserve with Google, Google Reviews and Tap to Pay on iPhone.
Who makes GlossGenius?
GlossGenius is made by GlossGenius, Inc.
What are the alternatives to GlossGenius?
The closest alternatives to GlossGenius in our directory are Vagaro, Fresha, Mangomint, Boulevard and Booksy.
How does GlossGenius compare with other salon, spa and studio booking apps?
GlossGenius's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 6 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 5.
Is GlossGenius good value for money?
ToolGPA grades GlossGenius C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $24 a month, against a middle price of $49.45 for the category: 3 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of GlossGenius?
To replace GlossGenius you would be making texts to thousands of numbers, registered with the carriers.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from GlossGenius’s own pages on Oct 24, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 24, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from GlossGenius's own pages on 24 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by GlossGenius, Inc. Prices change, so check glossgenius.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- GlossGenius, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/glossgenius
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "GlossGenius: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 24, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/glossgenius
Know someone choosing between salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/glossgenius/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded salon, spa and studio booking apps after GlossGenius, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 16 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, compared
- Square Appointments Insider's GuideBooking, point of sale and payments for appointment businesses3.2 GPA
- Fresha Insider's GuideSalon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients3.0 GPA
- Booksy Insider's GuideBooking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what GlossGenius’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. GlossGenius is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by GlossGenius, Inc. Prices and plans change: check glossgenius.com before you buy.