Salon software cost calculator

How the totals are worked out

Monthly cost = subscription + (card volume × percentage fee) + (number of payments × fixed fee). The number of payments is your card volume divided by your average ticket. The share you set as paid online uses each vendor's online rate; the rest uses the in-person rate.

• GlossGenius: Standard $24 a month for one person, Gold $48 for teams up to 9, Platinum $148 for 10 or more, all billed annually. Flat 2.6% on card payments. Source, checked September 26, 2026.
• Square Appointments: Free ($0) at 2.6% + 15¢ in person and 3.3% + 30¢ online; Plus ($49) at 2.5% + 15¢ and 2.9% + 30¢; Premium ($149) at 2.4% + 15¢ and 2.9% + 30¢. The calculator works out all three and shows the cheapest. Source, checked September 27, 2026.
• Fresha: $19.95 a month solo or $14.95 per bookable team member, 2.29% + $0.20 in person and 2.79% + $0.20 online. New clients who book through the Fresha marketplace cost 20% of that booking, minimum $6; we use your average ticket as the booking value. Source, checked September 26, 2026.
• Vagaro: $23.99 a month (an intro rate for the first six months) plus $10 per extra bookable calendar, up to seven; staff beyond that add nothing. Source, checked September 27, 2026.
• Boulevard: Essentials $143 a month for up to 5 providers, Premier $234 per location with unlimited providers. Source, checked September 26, 2026.

Vagaro and Boulevard don't publish their card processing rates, so the calculator shows their subscription and lists them after the options it can fully price.

What the totals leave out

• Card-on-file charges. Square charges 3.5% + 15¢ when you charge a saved card, on every plan.
• Add-ons, such as GlossGenius payroll ($40 a month + $6 per employee), Boulevard Forms ($65+ a month) or Boulevard's QuickBooks sync ($45 a month).
• Billing period. GlossGenius prices are for annual billing; monthly billing costs 12–14% more. Boulevard's annual billing saves 10%.
• Hardware such as card readers and terminals.
• What happens after an intro rate ends, as with Vagaro's first six months.

Reading the results

At small volumes the options often land within a few dollars of each other, so features and the booking flow your clients see matter more than the fee table. As card volume grows, the percentage fee outweighs the subscription, and a lower rate on a paid plan can beat a free plan. Try raising the card volume to see where that happens for you.

For two worked examples and what they mean, read the true cost of salon software. For features and our scores, see the best salon software for small salons, our Square Appointments review or Boulevard vs Vagaro.