The Salonist Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Salonist 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.
Salonist
The Insider’s Guide
Salon and spa management with unlimited staff on every plan
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among salon, spa and studio booking apps, read from Salonist’s own pages.
Made by Salonist · checked Nov 13, 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 Salonist’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Salonist’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Nov 13, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 58 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade
Salonist is salon, spa and barbershop software covering the calendar, online booking, point of sale, memberships, inventory, staff commissions and campaigns. Plans are priced by feature tier rather than headcount, so every plan includes unlimited staff. It also runs a marketplace listing and a client booking app.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Salonist, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No store rating on record, and a salon system with point of sale and inventory means setup.
- 1
Best for salons that want unlimited staff on every plan
Salonist lets you add as many staff as you like on every plan, with a free listing and paid plans from $59 a month.
- 2
Paid plans start at $59 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $59 per month, billed monthly (Essential).
- 3
There is a free plan
Marketplace Listing: online booking, calendar, shift management and staff reports for up to 50 appointments a month.
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Calendar and online booking
Drag-and-drop calendar and room calendars, with booking from the salon's own link, website widget, Instagram and Google.
- 6
Point of sale
Desk and mobile checkout with tips and split payments, plus SalonistPay for card processing.
- 7
Memberships, packages and gift cards
Subscriptions, e-wallet balances, packages and gift cards; gift cards and membership subscriptions start at Advance.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 58 of 85
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 Salonist 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.
Salonist at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $59 per month, billed monthly (Essential)
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial, no credit card required
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Salonist
- Category
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for salons that want unlimited staff on every plan
Salonist lets you add as many staff as you like on every plan, with a free listing and paid plans from $59 a month. The catch is the money: the free listing stops at 50 appointments and leaves out point of sale, and new clients who arrive through its marketplace cost 15% of the first visit.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | C | Essential is $59 a month and unlimited staff, so the price doesn't climb with headcount. That sits between the category's middle of $49 and its dearer quarter at $99. |
| Free plan and trial | C | A free listing with online booking and a calendar, capped at 50 appointments a month, plus a 7-day trial with no card. You'll hit the cap fast. |
| Features | B | Booking, point of sale, memberships, commissions, gift cards, campaigns and inventory all appear across the tiers. Some pieces sit on dearer plans, but the core salon job is covered. |
| Ease of use | C | No store rating on record, and a salon system with point of sale and inventory means setup. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iPhone and Android, with QuickBooks, Stripe, Mailchimp, WhatsApp and Shopify links. No computer app. |
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 Salonist is for
- Fits if you have a big or changing team and don't want to pay per stylist
- Works for salons that want to test the marketplace listing before paying
Who it is not for
- Tight if you stay free, as the listing caps at 50 appointments a month and has no point of sale or reminders
- Watch out: a new client from the marketplace costs 15% of that first visit
- Pricey if you need loyalty, SMS or inventory, which start on Advance at $109 a month
- Watch out: Digital Wallet Cards from $39 a month and the AI Receptionist are separate add-ons
- Skip it if you run several branches, as multi-branch reporting is on Expert at $179 a month
Good to know
Good for
- Salons and spas with many staff that want one price regardless of headcount
- Businesses outside the US that use WhatsApp for client messages
- Beauty businesses wanting a free listing before paying
Worth knowing
- A brand-new client who finds you through the Salonist marketplace costs 15% of that first visit, once; card fees are separate.
- The free listing stops at 50 appointments a month and omits point of sale and reminders.
- Optional add-ons cost extra: Digital Wallet Cards from $39 a month, and the AI Receptionist is quoted by conversation volume.
- Annual billing is shown as 10 times the monthly price ($590, $1,090, $1,790); groups of several locations get custom pricing.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$59
A month to start. There is a free plan too
Salonist has a free plan. Paid plans start at $59 per month, billed monthly (Essential).
Marketplace Listing
$0
Up to 50 appointments a month, online booking, calendar, staff shifts and a free listing on the Salonist marketplace.
Essential
$59
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds point of sale, memberships and e-wallet, commissions, tips, retail products, service reminders and phone support.
Advance
$109
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds loyalty points, gift cards, SMS, email and WhatsApp campaigns, inventory, timesheets and one-on-one onboarding.
Expert
$179
per month, billed monthly, with unlimited staff
Adds QuickBooks, multi-branch reporting, a dedicated account manager, forms, waitlists and AI marketing automation.
The free plan
Marketplace Listing: online booking, calendar, shift management and staff reports for up to 50 appointments a month.
Trying it first
7-day free trial, no credit card required
Read from salonist.io on Nov 13, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Pay yearly: $590, $1,090 or $1,790
The pricing page's Annual toggle lists Essential at $590, Advance at $1,090 and Expert at $1,790 a year, against $59, $109 and $179 monthly.
Stated on salonist.io
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
Salon and spa management with unlimited staff on every plan. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: email campaigns, shift scheduling, time clock, inventory, appointment booking, sMS marketing, whatsApp messaging.
Booking, point of sale, memberships, commissions, gift cards, campaigns and inventory all appear across the tiers.
- Calendar and online booking
- Drag-and-drop calendar and room calendars, with booking from the salon's own link, website widget, Instagram and Google.
- Point of sale
- Desk and mobile checkout with tips and split payments, plus SalonistPay for card processing.
- Memberships, packages and gift cards
- Subscriptions, e-wallet balances, packages and gift cards; gift cards and membership subscriptions start at Advance.
- Campaigns and reminders
- WhatsApp, SMS and email reminders and campaigns; the pricing page lists unlimited notifications from the Advance plan.
- Retail, inventory and staff data
- Stock, purchase orders and service-usage tracking, with commissions, timesheets and login permissions.
- Client booking app
- A client-facing booking app for iOS and Android, and a marketplace where new clients can find the salon.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks
- Stripe
- PayPal
- Mailchimp
- Twilio
- Google Calendar
- Shopify
Salonist is made by Salonist.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
58/85
Other salon, spa and studio booking apps it is graded above
Salonist's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 58 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 16.
It stands best on features (B, above 42 of 85) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $59 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 35 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 4 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 86 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Salonist’s own letter is outlined.
- CValue for moneyAbove 12 of 85
- CFree plan and trialAbove 47 of 85
- BFeaturesAbove 42 of 85
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 85
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 22 of 85
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 58 salon, spa and studio booking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Salonist 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 Salonist 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 is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.4 is higher than 58 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade. It costs $708 a year.
What you could make
- Appointment booking and inventory: 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.
- The WhatsApp Business API, which Meta opens only through approved partners.
- A rota the whole staff sees on their phones, with swaps and alerts.
- Clocking in from a phone, checked against where and when.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, QuickBooks, Stripe and PayPal among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: roles and permissions.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Salonist’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
Fresha, Vagaro, Zenoti, Phorest and Booksy
The 5 tools Salonist is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 3.0GPA
Fresha
Free trial · from $19.95/mo
Salon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients.
- Salonist has a free plan. Fresha does not, though it has a free trial.
- Salonist also covers time clock, sMS marketing and whatsApp messaging.
- Fresha also covers review collection.
- 2.6GPA
Vagaro
Free trial · from $30/mo
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and studios.
- Salonist has a free plan. Vagaro does not, though it has a free trial.
- Salonist also covers shift scheduling, time clock, sMS marketing and whatsApp messaging.
- Vagaro also covers forms, payroll and class booking.
- 1.8GPA
Zenoti
Paid
Booking, POS and operations software for salons, spas and gyms.
- Salonist has a free plan. Zenoti does not.
- Salonist also covers email campaigns, shift scheduling, time clock, inventory, sMS marketing and whatsApp messaging.
- Zenoti also covers reports and class booking.
- 1.8GPA
Phorest
Paid
Salon and medspa software for booking, POS and marketing.
- Salonist has a free plan. Phorest does not.
- Only Phorest lists Windows and macOS apps.
- Salonist also covers email campaigns, shift scheduling, time clock, inventory and whatsApp messaging.
- 2.6GPA
Booksy
Free trial · from $29.99/mo
Booking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros.
- Salonist has a free plan. Booksy does not, though it has a free trial.
- Salonist also covers shift scheduling, time clock, inventory and whatsApp messaging.
- Booksy also covers forms.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
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 Salonist free?
Salonist has a free plan. Marketplace Listing: online booking, calendar, shift management and staff reports for up to 50 appointments a month.
How much does Salonist cost?
Salonist lists 4 plans. Marketplace Listing: $0.
What platforms does Salonist work on?
Salonist is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Salonist offer any discounts?
Salonist publicly lists the following: Pay yearly: $590, $1,090 or $1,790.
Does Salonist have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Salonist is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Salonist have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Nov 13, 2026. Salonist is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Salonist open source?
Salonist is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Nov 13, 2026.
What does Salonist integrate with?
Salonist's listing names QuickBooks, Stripe, PayPal, Mailchimp, Twilio, WhatsApp, Google Calendar and Shopify.
Does Salonist have a free trial?
Yes. 7-day free trial, no credit card required.
Who makes Salonist?
Salonist is made by a company of the same name.
What are the alternatives to Salonist?
The closest alternatives to Salonist in our directory are Fresha, Vagaro, Zenoti, Phorest and Booksy.
How does Salonist compare with other salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Salonist's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 58 of the 85 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 16.
Is Salonist good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Salonist C for value for money. Its paid plans start at $59 a month, against a middle price of $49 for the category: 35 of the 57 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Salonist?
To replace Salonist 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 Salonist’s own pages on Nov 13, 2026, and the grades were given on Nov 13, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Salonist's own pages on 13 November 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 Salonist. Prices change, so check salonist.io before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
7,721
Tools graded, in 95 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.
7,721
tools graded
95
categories
739
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Salonist, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/salonist
- 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, "Salonist: The Insider's Guide", checked Nov 13, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/salonist
Know someone choosing between salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/salonist/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded salon, spa and studio booking apps after Salonist, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 86 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
- Barberly Insider's GuideBarbershop booking software with a branded mobile app2.8 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 Salonist’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. Salonist is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Salonist. Prices and plans change: check salonist.io before you buy.