Best Salon Booking Systems 2026: UK Comparison with Real Pricing

If you are searching for a salon booking system, you have probably already noticed that the market is more crowded than ever. From free platforms with hidden fees to enterprise software that requires a demo call before they will tell you the price, choosing the wrong one can cost you thousands of pounds per year.

This guide compares nine salon booking systems available to UK salon owners in 2026: Treatwell, Fresha, Booksy, Square Appointments, Salonized, Vagaro, Da Vinci, Phorest, and DoTheBeauty. For each one we cover what it costs, what it includes, who it works best for — and what the catch is.

Whether you run a hair salon, beauty salon, nail studio, or barbershop, this guide will help you make the right call before you sign up for anything.

At a glance: salon booking systems compared (May 2026)

System	Own website	Commission	Starting price	Card payments	Best for
DoTheBeauty	Yes — AI-built in 10 min	0% always	€19.95/mo (~£17)	Stripe Connect — direct to you	Salons needing website + booking in one
Treatwell	No — marketplace listing	35% on new clients	Monthly fee + commission	Via Treatwell	New salons needing discovery
Fresha	No — marketplace listing	20% on new-client bookings	from €12.95/mo (EU) + 20% on new clients	Via Fresha (2.79% + $0.20)	Solo stylists on a budget
Booksy	Profile page only	No commission	See booksy.com	Via Booksy	Hair and beauty, subscription model
Square Appointments	No — booking page only	No commission	Free; Plus from £29/mo	Via Square (integrated)	Salons already using Square
Salonized	No	No commission	From $55/mo	Via integration	NL/BE salons, established markets
Vagaro	No — listing + widget	No commission	From $30/mo (1 person)	Via Vagaro Merchant Services	US-based salons, comprehensive tools
Da Vinci	No	No commission	Not published — requires demo	Via integration	Established Dutch/Belgian salons
Phorest	No — booking widget	No commission	~£100–150/mo (estimated)	Via Phorest	Multi-staff UK/IE salons

Pricing verified May 2026. All competitor prices may have changed — check each provider's website before committing.

What to look for in a salon booking system

Before comparing platforms, it helps to know what a good salon booking system actually needs to do. Most salon owners want the same things:

• Online booking clients can actually use — 24/7, no login required, works on mobile without an app download
• Your own booking page or website — not just a listing on someone else's marketplace
• Client records — history, notes, and contact details in one place
• Automated reminders — the day before, to reduce no-shows without manual work
• Card payment processing — ideally direct to your own account, not routed through a marketplace
• Predictable costs — a flat monthly fee you can budget for, not a percentage cut every time someone books

The platforms below differ significantly on these points — particularly around commission and whether you get your own website or just a marketplace listing. If you are setting up a salon website abroad, there are additional considerations worth reading.

Marketplace vs standalone: the key difference

This distinction matters more than most salon owners realise before signing up.

A marketplace platform (Treatwell, Fresha) lists your salon alongside competitors on their app and website. Clients find you through the platform. The benefit is discovery — real, measurable new-client traffic. The cost is commission on every new booking, no website of your own, and limited control over how your salon appears.

A standalone booking system (DoTheBeauty, Booksy, Salonized, Square Appointments) is software you use with your own clients. You are responsible for driving traffic, but you pay no commission on what clients book. Most standalone systems include a booking page — but a booking page on their platform is not the same as a professional website on your own domain.

DoTheBeauty is the only platform in this comparison that combines standalone software with a complete AI-built website — no marketplace, no commission, your own domain.

Treatwell

Treatwell is the UK's largest beauty and salon marketplace, with over 150,000 partner salons across Europe. Clients find salons through the Treatwell app and website, which is useful for new salons building a client base or established salons looking to fill quiet days.

Treatwell pricing

Treatwell does not publish a fixed monthly fee on their pricing page. The commission structure: 35% on new-client bookings sourced through the Treatwell marketplace (rate sourced from treatwell.co.uk/partners, verified May 2026). Repeat clients attract 0% commission. A 2.5% processing fee applies to online prepayments.

In practice: a £80 colour-and-cut from a new Treatwell client means £28 goes back to the platform before you count payment processing. For regulars who originally came through Treatwell, you keep everything minus the processing fee.

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Treatwell: pros and cons

Pros:

• Large existing marketplace — real discovery for new salons
• 0% commission on repeat clients
• Solid appointment management, reviews, and POS tools
• Google My Business and social media integrations

Cons:

• 35% commission on every new-client booking — expensive at scale
• No salon website of your own — clients see a Treatwell listing
• Monthly software fee on top of new-client commission
• If you leave the platform, you keep your clients but lose their Treatwell booking history

Best for: New salons that need marketplace discovery and can treat commission as a marketing cost. For established salons with a full client base, the ongoing commission becomes difficult to justify. See our Treatwell alternative comparison for a full cost breakdown.

Fresha

Fresha started as a fully free platform and built one of the largest salon user bases in the UK and US on that premise. They have since introduced subscription fees and retained a marketplace commission on new-client bookings.

Fresha pricing

Fresha has moved to a paid subscription model (from €12.95/mo in the EU) plus 20% commission on new clients booked through the Fresha marketplace. Returning clients: no commission. Online payment processing: 2.79% + $0.20 per transaction. Specific tier prices vary by region — check fresha.com/pricing for current rates.

Fresha: pros and cons

Pros:

• Large marketplace with good discovery potential
• 0% commission on returning clients
• Comprehensive tools: booking, POS, consultation forms, inventory
• Team pricing scales reasonably for growing salons

Cons:

• 20% new-client commission on top of monthly subscription
• No website builder — your salon lives on Fresha's platform, not your own domain
• Pricing model has changed multiple times — was fully free, now subscription + commission
• US-dollar pricing adds exchange rate uncertainty for UK salons

Best for: Solo stylists or small teams who want marketplace visibility and can manage the new-client commission. See our Fresha alternative comparison for a detailed breakdown.

Booksy

Booksy is a global salon booking system with strong presence in the US, UK, Poland, and Brazil. It runs on a subscription model — no commission on bookings. Salons get a Booksy profile page with online booking, not a standalone website.

Booksy pricing

Booksy does not publicly list UK pricing — plans vary by region and are best confirmed directly at booksy.com. The model is subscription-based with no per-booking commission. Payment processing is handled through Booksy's integrated payments.

Booksy: pros and cons

Pros:

• No commission on bookings — flat monthly subscription
• Polished mobile app for both salon owners and clients
• Has a marketplace component for new-client discovery
• Solid client management and appointment tracking

Cons:

• UK pricing not published — requires checking directly with Booksy
• No website builder — you get a profile page, not your own domain
• US-rooted product; UK support less established than in the US market

Best for: Hair and beauty salons wanting a no-commission platform with a marketplace component. See our Booksy alternative guide for a side-by-side breakdown.

Square Appointments

Square Appointments is the salon scheduling layer built on top of Square's payment infrastructure. It is one of the few genuinely free options in this comparison — the base plan has no monthly fee and no booking commission.

Square Appointments pricing

• Free plan: £0/month — appointment management, online booking, automated email reminders, unlimited staff calendars
• Plus plan: From £29/month per location — multi-staff scheduling, waitlists, advanced reporting, team management

No commission on bookings at any level. Square makes money on payment processing — check squareup.com/gb for current UK card processing rates.

Square Appointments: pros and cons

Pros:

• Genuinely free plan — no monthly fee, no commission
• Solid integrated card payment processing
• Instagram and Google booking integration included
• Waitlists and cancellation/no-show fee tools

Cons:

• No standalone website — clients book at squareup.com, not your own domain
• Card processing fees are higher on the free plan
• Fewer salon-specific features than dedicated platforms (no AI website builder, no mixed-stylist bookings)

Best for: Solo stylists or small salons that want free booking management and already use Square for payments. Not ideal for salons that need their own professional website.

Salonized

Salonized is a Dutch-built salon management software that has been running for over a decade. It covers appointment management, client records, and online booking — with no marketplace component and no commission on bookings.

Salonized pricing

• Pro plan: From $55/month — pricing scales with team members

Confirmed at salonized.com/en/pricing, May 2026. Pricing is in USD. No commission on bookings.

Salonized: pros and cons

Pros:

• No commission — flat monthly fee
• Solid appointment management, client records, and inventory tools
• Optional integration with the Treatwell marketplace if you want discovery
• Established platform — over 10 years in market

Cons:

• No website builder — you need a separate website and link a Salonized booking widget
• Dutch-rooted platform — designed for NL/BE market; UK support less established
• Per-team-member pricing scales steeply for larger teams

Best for: Salons in the Netherlands and Belgium, or English-speaking salons that already have a website and want clean back-office management without commission. See our Salonized alternative comparison.

Vagaro

Vagaro is a US-based salon, spa, and fitness software with a growing international footprint. It offers a comprehensive suite — booking, POS, AI marketing tools, memberships, packages, gift certificates, and a free listing on the Vagaro marketplace — for a per-calendar monthly fee.

Vagaro pricing

• 1 bookable calendar: $30/month (~£24)
• Price scales with each additional bookable team member
• 7-day free trial available

Confirmed at vagaro.com/pro/pricing, May 2026. No commission on bookings — Vagaro charges subscriptions and payment processing fees.

Vagaro: pros and cons

Pros:

• No commission on bookings
• Comprehensive feature set: memberships, packages, gift certificates, loyalty programmes
• Free listing on the Vagaro marketplace included
• AI-powered business and marketing tools included
• 1,000 free marketing emails per month

Cons:

• US-centric platform — primary market is the US; UK presence is limited
• No website builder — you get a Vagaro listing page, not your own domain
• Per-calendar pricing adds up quickly for multi-staff salons
• Less established UK support infrastructure

Best for: Salons open to a US-developed platform with a comprehensive feature set, particularly those who want memberships and loyalty tools without paying extra.

Da Vinci

Da Vinci is a legacy Dutch salon software that has served the Benelux market for decades. It covers appointment management, client records, stock management, and POS billing. It is not a marketplace — there is no discovery component. You bring your own clients and use the software to manage them.

Da Vinci pricing

Da Vinci does not publish pricing publicly. Plans are discussed via demo or sales contact. Check davincisoftware.nl for current options. No commission on bookings.

Da Vinci: pros and cons

Pros:

• No commission on bookings
• Deep stock management and salon POS features
• Long track record — established in the Dutch salon market

Cons:

• No website builder or modern online booking portal
• No AI tooling — manual setup and configuration
• Dutch-language-first software; limited English support
• Pricing not publicly available
• Legacy architecture — not built for modern mobile-first booking flows

Best for: Established Dutch or Belgian salons already running Da Vinci installs. Not a natural choice for new UK salons or anyone starting from scratch.

Phorest

Phorest is a salon management platform built for established, multi-staff salons and one of the better-known names in the UK and Irish market. It is arguably the most feature-complete platform in this comparison — at a correspondingly higher price.

Phorest pricing

Phorest does not publish pricing. Four plans (Starter, Grow, Ultimate, Elite) all require a demo call before you learn what you will pay. Industry review sites suggest entry-level pricing around £100–£150/month for a typical team. No commission on bookings.

Phorest: pros and cons

Pros:

• Most comprehensive feature set in this comparison — POS, loyalty programmes, SMS/email marketing, consultation forms, stock management
• Strong UK and Ireland support with established market presence
• Built for 3+ staff multi-team salons
• No commission on bookings

Cons:

• No self-serve trial — must go through a sales call before seeing the product
• Pricing not publicly available — requires a demo
• Likely the most expensive option for most salons
• No website builder — booking widget only, not a standalone salon website
• Not designed for solo stylists or micro-salons (3+ staff required)

Best for: Established UK salons with 3–20+ staff who need an all-in-one back-office platform and have budget for premium software. See our Phorest alternative guide for a full breakdown.

DoTheBeauty: salon booking software with an AI website builder

DoTheBeauty is built differently from every other platform in this comparison. It is not a marketplace — there is no commission, ever. And unlike every other platform here, it gives you a complete professional salon website alongside the booking system, built in under 10 minutes.

DoTheBeauty pricing

• Starter: €19.95/month (~£17) — up to 2 staff, online booking, AI website, Stripe Connect payments
• Growth: €49/month — up to 8 staff, custom domain, appointment reminder emails, reception dashboard
• Pro: €79/month — unlimited staff, priority support, dedicated onboarding

7-day free trial on all plans. 0% commission — always. Transaction fee: 2% on card payments (Starter), 1% (Growth), 0.5% (Pro). Standard Stripe processing fees also apply.

What DoTheBeauty includes

• AI website builder — answer 9 questions, get a complete professional salon website live in under 10 minutes. Homepage, services, team, gallery, contact, Google Maps. No technical knowledge required.
• Online booking — 24/7, no client account or app download needed. Service selection, stylist choice, real-time slot availability.
• Mixed bookings — multi-stylist appointments in one session. The system automatically calculates when all required stylists are available simultaneously, with no manual coordination needed.
• Client management — full database with history, notes, and contact details. Clients created automatically on first booking.
• Confirmation and reminder emails — automatic booking confirmations and day-before reminders that reduce no-shows without any manual work
• Stripe Connect payments — card payments go to your own Stripe account directly, not through a marketplace wallet
• Inventory management — product catalogue, stock tracking, barcode scanning, automatic deduction on billing
• Multi-language booking — English, Dutch, and Indonesian booking flows that adapt to the client's browser language automatically
• Reception dashboard — PIN-protected tablet view for front-desk staff (Growth and Pro plans)
• Multi-location support — manage multiple salon locations under one account
• Custom domain — connect your own domain (Growth and Pro plans)

DoTheBeauty: pros and cons

Pros:

• Only platform in this comparison that builds a complete salon website — not just a booking page
• 0% commission on every booking, on every plan, always
• Stripe Connect means payments go directly to your bank, not through a third party
• Fast setup — real salons go live in under 10 minutes
• Multi-language booking for international and expat salon markets
• 7-day free trial to get started
• Mixed-bookings for multi-stylist appointments, with automatic scheduling

Cons:

• No marketplace — DoTheBeauty does not send you new clients. You are responsible for driving traffic to your website.
• Younger platform — fewer third-party integrations than legacy software like Phorest
• Pricing in EUR — may fluctuate slightly in GBP terms

Best for: Salon owners who want a complete online presence — website, booking, and payments — with no commission and no marketplace dependency. Particularly strong for new salons, salons moving off Treatwell or Fresha, and multi-language salon environments. See full pricing →

How Bonnie Reid launched her salon website in 10 minutes

Bonnie Reid runs a hair salon in Kuta, Lombok. She had no website. Clients found her through word of mouth and WhatsApp. That worked until the admin volume became unmanageable alongside actually running the salon.

When she tried DoTheBeauty, she expected the "10 minutes" claim to be marketing. She answered questions about her salon — services, pricing, her style — uploaded some photos, and the platform built her a complete website: homepage, services, booking system, contact page, Google Maps embed. She picked a theme and went live.

"I didn't expect it to be that quick. I answered some questions, uploaded a few photos, and it just... built my website. The booking system was included. It looked professional. I didn't have to do anything technical."

Bonnie Reid, Bonnie Reid Hair, Kuta, Lombok

Since going live: clients book online 24/7, automated reminders go out the evening before each appointment, and she pays 0% commission on every booking. Her flat monthly cost is €19.95. She keeps everything else.

Bonnie is in Kuta, Lombok — not a major city with web design agencies on every corner. For small salon owners in locations where hiring a developer is not a realistic option, an AI-built website changes what is possible. Read the full case study →

Which salon booking system is right for your salon?

The right choice depends on where your salon is right now and what problem you are trying to solve:

• You are a new salon with no existing clients — Treatwell or Fresha can drive discovery. Budget the commission as a marketing cost. Expect to pay 20–35% on every new-client booking until they become regulars who come directly.
• You have clients and need better organisation — Any standalone system works (Salonized, Booksy, Square, DoTheBeauty). Compare what is included at your price point.
• You have no website and need one fast — DoTheBeauty is the only option in this comparison that builds a complete website alongside the booking system. Every other platform gives you a booking page on their domain.
• You want to start for free — Square Appointments has a genuinely free plan: no monthly fee, no commission. You do not get your own website, but it is a real no-cost start for booking management.
• You want to move off Treatwell or Fresha — DoTheBeauty or Salonized are the most natural destinations. Both are commission-free. DoTheBeauty includes a website; Salonized assumes you already have one. See our Treatwell alternative guide.
• You want card payments going directly to your account — DoTheBeauty uses Stripe Connect, so card payments go to your own Stripe account. Treatwell and Fresha route payments through their own platforms first.
• You want a predictable monthly cost — Flat-fee platforms (DoTheBeauty, Booksy, Salonized, Square Plus, Vagaro) are predictable. Commission-based platforms (Treatwell, Fresha) scale with revenue in ways that are hard to budget.
• You run an established multi-staff salon that needs enterprise-grade tools — Phorest is built for 3+ staff salons and includes deep marketing automation, loyalty programmes, consultation forms, and POS. Pricing requires a demo. See our Phorest alternative guide.
• You run a salon in the Netherlands or Belgium — Salonized and Da Vinci are the most locally established options. DoTheBeauty also supports Dutch-language booking flows natively.

Considering switching away from Treatwell? Our full Treatwell alternative comparison covers pricing, features, commission rates, and commitment terms side by side.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best salon booking system in the UK?

The best system depends on your priorities. For a standalone salon booking system with a complete AI-built website and 0% commission, DoTheBeauty covers all of that from €19.95/month (~£17). For new-client discovery through a marketplace, Treatwell (35% new-client commission) or Fresha (20% new-client commission) are options. For established multi-staff salons that need deep back-office tools, Phorest is the most comprehensive option — but pricing requires a demo call. For free booking management with no monthly fee, Square Appointments has a genuinely free plan.

How much does salon booking software cost?

Costs vary significantly. DoTheBeauty starts at €19.95/month (~£17) with no commission. Square Appointments is free at the base level. Fresha has moved to a paid subscription model (from €12.95/mo in the EU) plus 20% on new marketplace clients. Salonized starts at $55/month. Vagaro from $30/month for one calendar. Treatwell charges a monthly fee plus 35% on new-client bookings. Phorest is estimated at £100–150/month for a typical team. Always verify current pricing directly with each provider before signing up.

Can I accept card payments through my salon booking system?

Yes — all platforms handle card payments. The key difference is how: DoTheBeauty uses Stripe Connect, which links your own Stripe account so card payments go directly to your bank account. Treatwell, Fresha, and others route payments through their own platforms first — you receive funds from them, not directly from the client. Standard payment processing fees apply in all cases.

Do I need a website as well as a booking system?

Most salon booking systems give you a booking page on their platform, not a website of your own. DoTheBeauty is the exception: the AI website builder creates a complete salon website — homepage, services, team, gallery, contact — with the booking system built in. Your clients book through your own site at your own domain. If you need both a professional website and a booking system, DoTheBeauty is the only platform in this comparison that provides both from a single subscription.

What is the difference between a salon marketplace and standalone booking software?

A marketplace (Treatwell, Fresha) lists your salon alongside competitors. Clients discover you through the platform, and the platform charges commission on new-client bookings. A standalone system (DoTheBeauty, Salonized, Booksy, Square) is software you use independently — you bring your own clients, there is no commission, and payments typically go directly to you. The trade-off: marketplace platforms can generate new clients; standalone platforms are cheaper and give you full ownership of the client relationship.

What is the best free salon booking system?

Square Appointments offers a genuinely free plan — no monthly fee, no commission. You get appointment management, online booking, client records, and integrated card payments. The trade-off: no standalone website (you get a booking page at squareup.com, not your own domain) and higher payment processing fees on the free plan. If you want free booking management and already use Square for payments, this is the strongest no-cost option for UK salon owners.

Is there a salon booking system with no commission?

Yes — several. DoTheBeauty, Booksy, Salonized, Square Appointments, Vagaro, and Phorest all operate on flat monthly fees with zero commission on bookings. The commission-based platforms are Treatwell (35% on new-client bookings) and Fresha (20% on new clients via their marketplace). If you have an established client base and do not need marketplace discovery, a no-commission system means you keep 100% of every booking fee. The monthly cost of most flat-fee platforms is typically far lower than commission would be at any meaningful booking volume.

What is the best booking system for hair salons specifically?

Any platform in this comparison works for hair salon booking. For marketplace discovery: Treatwell or Booksy. For a complete website and booking system with no commission: DoTheBeauty. For established salons with complex multi-staff scheduling: Phorest. For solo stylists on a budget: Square Appointments (free) or Fresha. For hair salons in NL/BE: Salonized or Da Vinci. For barbershops specifically, see our barbershop booking software guide.

What is a salon reservation system?

The terms salon reservation system and salon booking software are interchangeable. Both describe software that lets clients schedule appointments online, manages your calendar, and sends confirmations. The meaningful distinctions are between marketplace platforms (which generate new-client discovery but charge commission) and standalone systems (which you use with your own clients at a flat monthly fee, with no marketplace listing and no commission taken).