The Best Free Salon Software for a More Streamlined Calendar

To manage your salon business effectively, you need good tools. At some point, you’ll have many clients and appointment bookings to manage. This is challenging to do while keeping your clients happy. To be productive and successful, reducing your clients’ wait time is vital.

Good salon software will help you maneuver online booking more easily, keep track of all processes, and obtain better results.

So, you need to find free salon software that comes with useful features. If you run a Google search, you’ll probably feel lost among so many choices. There are hundreds of scheduling software options for a salon business.

The key is to find the one that best suits your needs as every business is unique.

Here is a list of some free salon software alternatives. They are featured here based on two categories, user-friendliness and niche-related features. Find the right salon scheduling software right here.

The Best Free Salon Software For Your Business

Amelia Lite

Amelia Lite makes high-end scheduling readily available to small businesses. Its capabilities are very helpful. Entrepreneurs can access an affordable online booking solution. They can use it intuitively, thus getting the desired results. Most importantly, users don’t have to be tech-savvy to take advantage of this software.

If you’re looking for a free appointment scheduling plugin, Amelia Lite has a free version. With this, you have the basic features with the option to upgrade to three other plans for a fee.

The Lite version is nice and all, but wait until you check the premium version.

This is what Amelia’s premium version can do

Amelia is a powerful WordPress booking plugin that works flawlessly with WordPress sites of all kinds. It has a minimal, yet powerful appointment booking interface designed to ease your workflow, automate repetitive tasks, avoid double booking, and make appointment booking a breeze for your customers.

You can even have email notifications and SMS notifications so that nobody forgets about their appointment bookings.

In order to book an appointment, the complete user interaction takes a few clicks with this WordPress plugin. Moreover, with it you can accept payments via PayPal and Stripe, perfect for those who want to pay in advance to book appointments.

As a business owner, you can monitor KPIs in the WordPress dashboard and analyze other important data to keep a pulse on your business. Amelia is a straightforward, no-nonsense booking calendar plugin and an amazing option for those who want an around-the-clock solution for their WordPress site.

Amelia also has an Events Calendar module integrated within its features.

You can now automate your event bookings as well. To be more precise, it means that you will be able to schedule a single day, a multi-day, and also recurring events with Amelia.

Did we mention that you can manage multiple locations and that you have Google Calendar integration?

All of these and much more are under only one license, no add-ons are needed.

To test things for yourself, I’d suggest checking out the demos and seeing how things look on the front end as well as in the back end.

Medical/Health online booking page demo

A website of a demo private clinic, where a visitor can read about provided medical procedures and services, and schedule an appointment.

Barbershop booking page demo

A dummy WordPress website for Barbershops with online booking – a nice and easy implementation with the Bridge theme and the Amelia WordPress booking plugin.

Fitness Gym / Yoga booking page demo

A pseudo Yoga/Gym online booking page where you can browse through possible Yoga classes, schedule individual or group training, and book a package of appointments.

Spa/salon booking page demo

A dummy cosmetology website – look through different cosmetic procedures and treatments, pick an employee and schedule appointments.

Consultant booking page demo

A pseudo Business Consultant / Coach / Lawyer website, where a customer can browse through provided consultancy and lawyer services and book an appointment.

Hands down, this is the one you should pick from this list.

Square Appointments

Square Appointments is another option with a free plan. Individual stylists and renters can organize their salon business bookings with Square Appointments. As its name indicates, this salon software integrates with the Square ecosystem seamlessly.

There are plenty of beauty salons that use the Square payment processing system. For them, Square Appointments is the perfect option to streamline processes. Also, those who love simplicity will find this to be great software for salons.

Its free plan is excellent for those who are just starting. However, you’ll end up paying more for payment processing in the long run.

The free plan comes with these features:

• Integration with Instagram and Google
• Multiple calendars and employees
• No-show protection (Avoid no-shows by charging cancellation fees or a deposit)
• Establish working hours and block personal time
• Send automated email reminders
• Built-in payment processing with a POS system or Square card

Fresha

Fresha is a free salon software with everything you need to run your business successfully. It comes with key features for the beauty and wellness industry. Fresha supports unlimited locations and bookings. Also, you can register unlimited clients and team members. Use the unlimited inventory feature to organize your tools and merchandise.

However, Fresha doesn’t come with accounting or messaging integrations.

Fresha is superb scheduling software for salons because it provides them with all the necessary features. Thanks to this, it’s the ideal alternative for any new salon business.

Its best features are

• Automated marketing that allows you to target specific niches: Through its filters, you can reach the clients who spend more and are the most loyal. Also, the ability to reach lapsed clients is a big plus.
• An appointment scheduling system that allows you to manage online booking from different devices.
• Process payments through a secure system: Clients can pay online with a card, a link, or Fresha’s terminal.
• Possibility to book on social media: Fresha lets you add as many “book now” buttons as you want. Add them to your Instagram and Facebook pages.

Picktime

Although it doesn’t have as many customization options as one would wish, it compensates with optimization. Setup is super fast and easy with Picktime. As a result, you’ll have a professional booking page for your beauty salon.

It comes with prebuilt widgets for Google Maps and Facebook. Thanks to its website builders, you can add booking forms virtually everywhere.

The first option on the sidebar menu is the overview dashboard. This feature allows you to see all important data at a glance, including total and projected revenue and confirmed and upcoming appointments.

Picktime is great as a free scheduling software, but this version only integrates PayPal payments, and the only conferencing app available is Jitsi.

If you’re willing to live with this, the free account delivers interesting perks:

• Native integrations
• Unlimited appointments
• Two locations
• Three team members

Mangomint

Mangomint comes with the main features for a business in the beauty and wellness industry. It includes online booking, inventory management, POS, calendar scheduling system, and reporting. For further options, you can use integrations with the most popular marketing tools.

The company’s mission is to make your free salon software invisible (i.e. so easy to use that you won’t notice that it’s there).

Here are some key features:

• POS hardware
• User-friendly and modern
• Possibility to integrate with any other platform
• Smart automation that helps you optimize time
• No contract
• Information protection

The free version is available only for 30 days.

You’reOnTime

This cloud-based solution is available for all businesses in the service industry. If you have a hair salon or any other similar business, you’ll love You’reOnTime. The brand is popular across 20 countries helping clients cover their marketing, sales, and appointment scheduling needs.

It includes important features: time slots, opening and closing hours, blocked hours, and order of staff. You’reOnTime is highly flexible. It allows you to choose exactly what information to show. Decide which staff member can see what and in which color it will appear. With these features, this free salon software is a state-of-the-art online booking tool.

With wide reporting options, you can set up the forms in detail. For example, choose which fields are required. Thus, your staff scheduling features will improve. Also, you can customize the fields according to your specific salon system.

The free account includes

• 5 business reports
• Appointment scheduling
• Email and SMS reminders
• Client management software

Timely

With plenty of features, Timely is excellent salon management software for the beauty industry. Online booking is accessible for the management staff and the clients. Booking is available both on Facebook and your website.It is a great option if you want to provide a fully customized experience, sell your products, manage your stock, send automated reminders, and track your performance. With its iOS booking app, you can run your business from anywhere.

It includes features that will make your life easier: employee management software, reports and analytics, inventory management, and plenty of admin options. All in all, this is a comprehensive solution for every salon owner.

With the package called “Schedule & Sell”, all the booking features plus a lot of elements to manage retail processes will be available to you.

Timely’s best features are

• Analytics and Reporting
• Online bookings
• Inventory and stock management
• Deposits and payments
• Staff management
• Intuitive marketing features
• Shopify

This salon management software includes a 14-day free trial period.

Setmore

Setmore is a great option for those who are starting in the business and are looking for useful features. Its basic plan is totally free while providing top-notch solutions. You’ll enjoy unlimited appointment scheduling, over 100 email reminders, and Square payment processes. Although these are not the most advanced features, they surely provide the basics to run beauty salons easily. Thus, this free salon software is ideal if you are on a budget.

It works best for businesses with less than four employees. Choose Setmore if you want reliable salon booking software without unnecessary features.

The free account includes

• App integration with your favorite platforms
• Add three employees besides yourself
• Custom notifications
• Unlimited appointments
• Booking app available which runs on Android and iOS
• 100 email reminders each month
• Custom booking page with its own URL

Vagaro

Vagaro is a great salon booking system for a large business. It’s particularly useful for those who use Yelp or have many employees.

This option was built for businesses that want to grow. Thus, it offers excellent scalability opportunities. Vagaro can handle multiple locations and a team of 20 to 50 people.

One of its most unique features is payroll management and a clock-in/clock-out system. Both are key features for a beauty salon that has many employees.

Some other practical features are

• Customer support available via phone, SMS, or email
• Integration with Facebook, Instagram, and Yelp
• Clock-in/Clock-out and payroll management
• Free trial period for one month
• Reporting
• Builder to set up your own website (to create booking pages)

With the free trial, you can access most of its features. The features that are unavailable are: credit card payments, text and email marketing, and daily deals. All in all, for 30 days you can try all the other features and see if this is the right option for you.

Simple Salon

If you want several capabilities, Simple Salon is right for you. It comes packed with both marketing and booking elements. Scheduling is super easy, and it provides a general view so that you can see all your activity at a glance. You’ll enjoy a booking page, SMS reminders, and plenty of other options. To sum up, Simple Salon helps you manage your business easily.

This alternative works great as salon appointment software thanks to its marketing elements and add-ons. It comes with gift cards, packages, loyalty point management, automated campaigns, and other options.

More features are

• Manage your stock
• Online bookings
• Loyalty point system
• Memberships
• Packages
• Social media integration
• Gift cards
• Slick
• Reporting
• One-touch marketing

You can enjoy all this for free with a 30-day trial.

SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me offers integrations with several payment services. In other words, it provides customers with plenty of options.

An important benefit is the automated identification of your business’s needs. After you enter the basic information about your beauty salon, the system recommends the most suitable options.

Social media is a big part of today’s marketing strategies and SimplyBook.me helps you with this. With Instagram and Facebook integrations, it becomes a great tool for beauty salons that mostly advertise on social media.

Another important aspect is reporting. By accessing reports through your dashboard, you can monitor your activities, check online reviews, supervise the workload, and be aware of canceled bookings.

Also, connect SimplyBook.me with other apps thanks to its Zapier integration possibilities.

The free version includes

• Booking widget
• 50 bookings each month
• Website
• One provider
• Admin scheduling app
• One custom feature

baxus

Specifically geared for one-person businesses in the beauty industry, baxus is a great option. Feel free to promote and sell your services, provide online booking, and generate comprehensive reports. Its user community helps you solve any problem that may arise. There are webinars and knowledge databases so that you can tackle any issue.

With excellent appointment scheduling views, you can create and edit appointments easily. Also, add new clients, access client data, book rooms, and reserve equipment. If you want to rebook you can do it with one click.

When it comes to payment management, baxus has plenty of features You can add discounts and track all transactions.

Some of its best characteristics are

• Excellent reporting: They will give you meaningful insights so that you can make the best business decisions.
• Keep client profiles, manage your staff, launch a loyalty program, manage your inventory, and offer a point of sale.
• Linked to Mailchimp so that you can send marketing emails.

The free trial is available for 30 days.

Acuity

Acuity is a great tool for any salon owner that needs advanced features. The elements are customizable and include integration with financial and marketing tools.

Squarespace is the owner of Acuity, and they recently released a scheduling integration. You’ll be able to use tools such as Mailchimp, PayPal, QuickBooks, GoToMeeting, and Zapier.

You can let clients book and manage their bookings. For example, they can reschedule or cancel their appointments on their own. The starting times for the appointments are set to 15 minutes, but you can customize them.

Other features are

• Integration with Stripe, PayPal, and Square
• Multiple locations and calendars available
• Schedule classes and workshops
• Gift certificates and packages
• Clients can save their credit cards for faster booking
• Customize your scheduling app with your logo and brand colors

Acuity is free for 7 days.

GlossGenius

Independent salons in the United States will find GlossGenius useful. This is an all-in-one solution that includes payment and marketing features.

The system is designed to provide a supreme user experience. From the card reader to the website, everything is geared with usability and simplicity in mind.

Experts recommend GlossGenius for independent hair stylists and similar professionals. This online appointment booking software allows you to use smart marketing without having to worry about technical aspects.

You’ll enjoy the following:

• A powerful salon booking app where you can manage everything
• Create a website easily
• User-friendly SMS marketing and email advertising tools
• Multiple designs to fit the layout with your brand
• Possibility to synchronize calendars and clients from your smartphone
• Easy-to-use features
• Integrated payments

GlossGenius’s free trial is available for 14 days.

Todoist

If you love to plan and set up a schedule for your beauty salon, Todoist is the best salon software for you. When it comes to free solutions, Todoist is one of the best options.

Barbers, salon owners, and stylists can manage not only appointment bookings but also to-do lists. Imagine a paper list and take it to the next level; this is Todoist. You can track everything from meetings and errands to grocery lists.

Customization is easy and allows you to create categories for better organization. For example, you can have three categories: personal life, projects, and beauty salon.

With the free version, you’ll access

• History of your activity during the past week
• Five projects
• three filters
• Five collaborators on each project
• five MB of space to upload files

Appointy

Make your appointment scheduling process seamless with Appointy. Its automation options will help both clients and managers. Manage schedules, payments, and appointments. For better usability, integrate Appointy with Instagram, Facebook, and other social profiles.

Boost productivity to the next level with Appointy’s features. You’ll find that managing is much simpler with this online booking system. It includes a free version for individual stylists.

Free features include

• 100 appointments monthly
• Book through Google
• Mobile salon app
• Integration with your website
• Automatic reminders
• POS and secure payments
• Zapier integration to connect with more than 1,000 applications

TimeTap

TimeTap is one of the most customizable free salon software options. It includes a professional layout giving you control over all the settings.

Its calendar view is flexible. Choose between availability, calendar, appointment, and class lists. Set up your locations, your rules, and your booking forms. For a better workflow, establish recurring appointments.

The waiting list is advantageous because it helps you reduce no-shows. So, when you’re all booked up and someone cancels, you won’t lose any money.

TimeTap is packed with useful features. However, it may not be the best option for users who don’t have technical skills.

The free features are

• Send standard emails
• One staff member
• One location
• Unlimited clients
• Unlimited appointments

Schedulista

Shcedulista comes with a public scheduling page. You can customize it to fit your brand and add a link to your own website.

You can schedule online bookings, program Facebook posts, and capture credit cards. Thanks to Schedulista, you can book appointments and manage your salon hassle-free.

If you’re not sure yet, you have 15 days to try Schedulista for free.

Included features are

• Calendar synchronization
• User-friendly online appointment scheduling software 24/7
• Manage events, groups, and classes
• Add to your website or Facebook page
• Work with multiple staff
• Custom branding
• Text reminders and free SMS
• Payments with credit cards are available

Schedulicity

Schedulicity is a great option for salons that need a cost-effective solution.

Schedulicity comes with a simple salon booking app that allows you to manage all processes. Choose among different plans, including free and paid salon software. Both new and developed businesses can enjoy Schedulicity. Besides staff management and appointment scheduling, you can use various tools. They will work for all types of fitness and wellness businesses. Some of the tools include: safety warnings, class listings, and a waiting list.

Besides beauty salons, Schedulicity also helps you manage different classes and their appointments.

The free version comes with the following:

• Email support
• 10 bookings every month
• Marketing features like a booking widget
• Notifications from providers
• Free online booking apps for Android and iOS
• Email reminders for your clients

Final Thoughts on the Best Free Salon Software Options

With this list, you have a clear idea of the best free salon software alternatives. You’ll have plenty of free options, the question is whether they will cover your needs. Thanks to these reviews you can make an informed decision.

Keep in mind the key features that you need to run your business seamlessly. This includes team management, scheduling, locations, and tracking. Marketing is another good aspect to consider. Integrated marketing features may help you boost your salon business.

If you enjoyed reading this article about free salon software, you should read these as well:

• The Best Free Personal Trainer Software You Could Use
• The Best Free Coaching Software You Can Get Right Now
• The Free Cleaning Business Software That’s Worth Using

Author Ljubica Buha

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