Best Salon Software for Small Salons in 2026: 5 Options Compared
GlossGenius, Vagaro, Square Appointments, Fresha and Boulevard compared on price, card fees, marketplace fees and fit for solo stylists and small teams.
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GlossGenius
Flat 2.6% card fees, a polished booking site and free data migration, from $24/mo.
Try GlossGeniusSquare Appointments
Take online bookings for $0 a month, with unlimited staff calendars.
Try Square AppointmentsBoulevard
The most premium booking experience and marketing, from $143/mo.
Try BoulevardAt a glance
| # | Tool | Our score | Starts at | Link |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 01 | GlossGenius | $24/mo billed annually | See pricing | |
| 02 | Vagaro | $23.99/mo intro rate + $10 per extra calendar | See pricing | |
| 03 | Fresha | $19.95/mo (solo) | See pricing | |
| 04 | Boulevard | $143/mo (up to 5 providers) | See pricing | |
| 05 | Square Appointments | $0/mo | See pricing |
For a small salon, booking software is also your payment system, your client list and often your marketing. The subscription is only part of the bill: card processing and marketplace fees usually cost more than the software itself.
The short answer
- Solo stylist or suite renter who wants simple, flat pricing: GlossGenius, from $24 a month billed annually with a flat 2.6% card rate.
- Starting out and want to pay nothing monthly: Square Appointments Free.
- Small team that wants a low base price: Vagaro, from a $23.99 intro rate plus $10 per extra calendar.
- You want new clients from a booking marketplace: Fresha, if you accept its 20% fee on new marketplace clients.
- Upscale salon or spa with several providers: Boulevard.
What matters most for small salons
- Total monthly cost. Add the subscription, card fees on your real volume and any marketplace fees. Our true cost guide does this for a solo stylist and a four-chair salon.
- No-show protection. Deposits and cancellation fees protect your income. Square adds no-show fees on its $49 Plus plan.
- How price grows with staff. Fresha charges $14.95 per bookable team member, Vagaro $10 per calendar up to seven, and Boulevard moves to per-location pricing with unlimited providers from Premier.
- Switching help. GlossGenius offers free data migration, which matters if you already have years of client notes.
Our take
Most solo stylists should compare GlossGenius and Square side by side for a month. Small teams should price Vagaro and Fresha at their real headcount. Consider Boulevard only if you run a high-end salon or spa and the client experience is what you sell.
Each tool in detail
GlossGenius
Best for: Solo stylists and small teams who want simple flat-rate payments
The easiest all-rounder for solo stylists and small teams: simple flat-rate payments, a polished booking site and free migration.
24/7 online booking with its own website, forms, waitlist and Google Reserve
Flat 2.6% card rate; about $232/mo for a solo stylist doing $8,000 in card sales
Cards on file at no extra fee
Commission reports and staff permissions; payroll add-on $40/mo + $6 per employee
Email and text campaigns, review management, memberships and packages
14-day trial without a card, free data transfer, phone, text and email support
Pricing
- Standard: $24/mo annual
- Gold: $48/mo annual, teams up to 9
- Platinum: $148/mo annual, 10+ staff
- Payroll add-on: $40/mo + $6 per employee
How it's priced
Three plans by team size; flat 2.6% card processing
Trial
Free trial, no credit card required
Strengths
- Flat 2.6% processing with no card-on-file fees
- Free same-day payouts Monday to Thursday
- Free data migration
Watch out for
- Monthly billing costs 12–14% more than annual
- Payroll is a paid add-on
Vagaro
Best for: Small salons that want a low base price and a consumer marketplace
The most features for the base price, with a marketplace that can bring new clients, but check card rates and the post-intro price.
24/7 self-booking, a consumer marketplace and a branded client app
$23.99/mo intro rate plus $10 per extra calendar (max 7 charged); card rates not on the pricing page
Deposits, cancellation policies and no-show fees
Payroll and commission tracking built in
Email and text marketing, memberships and packages
30-day trial without a card; intro price ends after 6 months
Pricing
- Single location: $23.99/mo intro rate for 6 months
- $10 per additional bookable calendar, up to 7 charged; more staff at no extra cost
- Multiple locations: $30/mo per location
How it's priced
Base fee per location plus $10 per bookable calendar (max 7 charged)
Trial
30 days, no card
Strengths
- Low starting price
- Staff over 7 calendars add no cost
- 30-day trial without a card
Watch out for
- Intro rate ends after 6 months
- Hardware and premium services priced separately
Fresha
Best for: Salons that want marketplace exposure and pay per team member
Cheap for teams and good at filling chairs through its marketplace, as long as you account for the fee on new marketplace clients.
Online booking plus a large consumer marketplace; 20% fee (min $6) on new marketplace clients
Lowest total for a four-chair salon in our cost guide ($813/mo) before marketplace fees
Deposits and prepayments to reduce no-shows
Staff schedules, performance tracking and commissions
Campaigns, referrals and offers; client loyalty is a $59.95/mo add-on
7-day trial without a card
Pricing
- Independent: $19.95/mo
- Team: $14.95/mo per bookable team member
- Marketplace new client fee: 20%, minimum $6
- Card: 2.29% + $0.20 in person, 2.79% + $0.20 online
How it's priced
$19.95/mo solo or $14.95 per bookable team member
Trial
7 days, no card
Strengths
- POS, inventory and client records included
- No fee on returning or direct bookings
- Low solo price
Watch out for
- 20% fee on new marketplace clients
- Per-member price grows with the team
- Paid add-ons for AI concierge and loyalty
Boulevard
Best for: Upscale salons and spas that sell on client experience
The most premium client experience and marketing, priced for upscale salons and spas rather than small teams.
Self-booking, client profiles and an AI receptionist for calls
From $143/mo (up to 5 providers); Premier $234/mo per location; card rates not published
Deposit and cancellation management
Staff scheduling and commission tracking; unlimited providers from Premier
Marketing automation, memberships, loyalty and texting; texts and email blasts included
Sales demo before trying; Forms and QuickBooks are paid add-ons
Pricing
- Essentials: $143/mo, up to 5 providers
- Premier: $234/mo per location (regular $293), unlimited providers
- Prestige: $328/mo per location (regular $410)
- Annual billing saves 10%
How it's priced
Essentials capped at 5 providers; Premier and Prestige per location
Trial
Demo required
Strengths
- Unlimited professionals from Premier
- Texts, email blasts and storage included
- Strong fit for multi-provider spas
Watch out for
- Most expensive option here
- Forms ($65+/mo) and QuickBooks ($45/mo) are add-ons
- Sales demo before you can try it
Square Appointments
Best for: New salons that want to start free and add features later
The cheapest way to start taking online bookings, but no-show fees, marketing and payroll cost extra as you grow.
Booking site with Instagram, Facebook and Google booking and unlimited staff calendars, even on the free plan
$0/mo on the free plan; about $223/mo for a solo stylist doing $8,000 in card sales
Cancellation policy and no-show fees need Plus ($49/mo per location)
Commissions and payroll are separate Square products, not part of Appointments plans
Email and text marketing are separate Square products
Free plan with no time limit; 30-day trial of Plus and Premium
Pricing
- Free: $0, 2.6% + 15¢ in person, 3.3% + 30¢ online
- Plus: $49/mo per location, 2.5% + 15¢ in person, 2.9% + 30¢ online
- Premium: $149/mo per location, 2.4% + 15¢ in person, 2.9% + 30¢ online
- Card on file: 3.5% + 15¢ on every plan
How it's priced
Per location; processing rate falls on paid plans
Trial
Free plan; 30-day trial of Plus and Premium
Strengths
- Free plan with unlimited staff calendars
- Same ecosystem as Square POS and payroll
- Cancellation policy and no-show fees on Plus ($49/mo)
Watch out for
- Online processing is expensive on the free plan
- No-show fees need Plus; marketing and payroll are separate Square products
- Salon-specific features are thinner than Boulevard's
Which one should you choose?
Frequently asked questions
What is the cheapest salon software?
Square Appointments has a free plan with unlimited staff calendars. You pay only card processing: 2.6% + 15¢ in person and 3.3% + 30¢ online.
Which salon software has the lowest card fees?
Among those that publish rates, Fresha's in-person rate is 2.29% + $0.20, GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6%, and Square's paid plans go down to 2.4% + 15¢ in person. Which is cheapest depends on your average ticket; see our true cost guide.
Is Boulevard worth it for a small salon?
Usually only for upscale salons and spas that sell on client experience. Its Essentials plan is $143 a month for up to five providers, several times the entry price of the other options.