GlossGenius Pricing Breakdown: What Salon Owners Actually Pay in 2026

1. What Is GlossGenius?

GlossGenius is a mobile-first booking and business management platform built specifically for beauty and wellness professionals in the United States. It launched in 2016 and has since built a strong reputation among independent stylists, nail techs, estheticians, and small salon teams who want an all-in-one app that handles booking, payments, client management, and marketing.

The platform is designed around a mobile-first philosophy — most of its features are managed through a smartphone app, which suits solo practitioners who aren't sitting behind a desktop all day. GlossGenius includes a booking website, client notifications, payment processing, and basic marketing tools as standard, with more advanced team and analytics features unlocked at higher tiers.

One important caveat before we go further: GlossGenius is currently only available in the United States. If you're running a salon in the UK, Europe, Australia, Canada, or anywhere else, GlossGenius is not an option for you — and you'll want to skip to the alternatives section below.

2. GlossGenius Pricing Plans

GlossGenius offers three subscription tiers: Standard, Gold, and Platinum. Each is available on monthly or annual billing, with annual billing saving roughly 14% compared to paying month to month.

GlossGenius Standard

• Annual billing: $24 per month (billed $288/year)
• Monthly billing: $28 per month

The Standard plan is the entry-level offering. It includes:

• Booking website (hosted on a GlossGenius subdomain)
• Online appointment booking
• Client notifications (email and SMS)
• Basic email and text marketing
• Inventory management
• Packages and memberships
• Payment processing via GlossGenius Payments

GlossGenius Gold

• Annual billing: $48 per month (billed $576/year)
• Monthly billing: $56 per month
• Team size: Up to 9 users

Gold is the most popular tier for small salon teams. It adds:

• Forms and digital waivers
• Google Business booking integration
• Automated waitlist
• Time tracking for staff
• Room and resource management
• Google Reviews management
• Advanced text marketing (500 credits/month included)
• Payroll integration support

GlossGenius Platinum

• Annual billing: $148 per month (billed $1,776/year)
• Monthly billing: $168 per month

Platinum targets established multi-staff salons with advanced analytics needs. It adds everything in Gold, plus:

• Team goal setting and performance tracking
• Advanced analytics dashboard
• Customisable commission structures
• Google marketing analytics integration
• 2,500 text marketing credits per month

Annual vs. Monthly: Which Is Better?

The savings are straightforward:

If you're confident GlossGenius is the right fit, annual billing is worth it. If you're still testing the platform, start monthly — GlossGenius offers a 14-day free trial on all plans with no credit card required, which gives you time to evaluate before committing.

3. Transaction Fees & Payment Processing

This is where things get more expensive than the subscription price suggests. GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6% on every card transaction — tap, chip, swipe, and online payments all cost the same rate. There are no per-transaction cents added on top, which is simpler than some competitors.

What the 2.6% actually costs

To understand the real cost, let's run the numbers for a typical solo stylist:

Monthly billing rates used. Annual billing saves $4–$20/mo depending on plan.

Instant payout fees

GlossGenius offers same-day payouts from Monday to Thursday at no extra charge. For instant payouts outside those days, or for any instant payout request, an additional 1.8% fee applies on top of the standard processing fee. Most salons won't need this frequently, but it's worth knowing if cash flow is tight.

4. Card Reader & Hardware Costs

To accept in-person card payments, you'll need GlossGenius's card reader. The current offering is:

• GlossGenius Pro Reader: $299 (down from the previous $329 price)

This is a one-time hardware purchase. New customers occasionally receive promotional offers — a discounted or free reader at sign-up — but these deals vary and aren't guaranteed. Factor the $299 into your first-year cost calculation if you don't already have compatible hardware.

There's no monthly hardware fee, and the reader connects to the GlossGenius app via Bluetooth. It supports tap, chip, and swipe payments.

5. What's Included vs. What Costs Extra

GlossGenius bundles a lot into its base subscription, but a few items that stylists commonly need come at an additional cost.

Included in all plans

• Booking website (on a GlossGenius subdomain)
• Unlimited appointments
• Unlimited clients
• Online booking
• Email and SMS notifications
• Client management (history, notes, contact details)
• Inventory tracking
• Packages and memberships
• Basic marketing tools
• Payment processing (at 2.6%)
• Mobile app for iOS and Android

Costs extra

Payroll

If you want GlossGenius to handle staff payroll, it's an additional $40/month base fee plus $6 per employee per month. For a five-person team, that's $70/month on top of your plan subscription — or $840 more per year. This is a significant add-on cost for mid-sized salons.

Electronic Medical Records (EMR)

For medical spas and aesthetic practices, GlossGenius offers an EMR module. Pricing is not listed publicly and requires a demo booking to discuss. If your business sits in this category, you'll need to contact GlossGenius for a custom quote.

Text marketing credits

Standard plan subscribers get a limited number of text marketing credits, with Gold users receiving 500 credits/month and Platinum users getting 2,500. Sending campaigns beyond your credit allowance costs extra — the per-credit rate is not publicly listed but applies if you're running frequent SMS campaigns to a large client list.

Card reader hardware

As noted above, the Pro Reader costs $299 and is not included in any plan subscription.

Custom domain

GlossGenius does not appear to offer native custom domain support in the way some other platforms do — your booking website lives on a GlossGenius subdomain. If you want a custom domain for your booking site, this is a limitation of the platform that's worth checking directly with their support team, as features do evolve.

6. GlossGenius Pros & Cons

Pros

• Clean, intuitive mobile app. GlossGenius consistently earns high marks from solo stylists who want everything managed from their phone. The UI is polished and easy to learn.
• All-in-one for US stylists. Booking, payments, basic marketing, client management, and inventory in one app — no integrations needed for core operations.
• Flat transaction rate. 2.6% with no per-transaction cents is simple to understand and budget for.
• No commission on bookings. Unlike marketplace platforms, GlossGenius doesn't take a cut of your booking revenue.
• 14-day free trial. No credit card required — you can test the full platform before committing.
• Forms and waivers on Gold+. Digital consent forms and intake questionnaires are included at the Gold tier, which is useful for lash, brow, and skin professionals.

Cons

• US-only. GlossGenius does not operate outside the United States. Salons in the UK, EU, Australia, Canada, or elsewhere cannot use the platform at all.
• Processing fees add up. At 2.6%, a salon turning over $8,000/month in card payments pays over $200/month in fees before the subscription cost. Higher-volume salons may find more competitive rates elsewhere.
• Payroll is expensive. $40/month plus $6 per employee makes payroll a costly add-on for small teams.
• No custom domain included. Your booking site lives on a GlossGenius subdomain, which limits your ability to build a branded online presence around your own domain.
• Platinum pricing is steep. At $148–$168/month, Platinum is a significant jump from Gold and is only justifiable for salons with a genuine need for the advanced analytics and reporting features.
• Limited international payment options. Built around US card payments only — no support for non-US banking, currencies, or local payment methods.

7. How GlossGenius Compares

To put the pricing in context, here's how GlossGenius stacks up against some comparable salon software platforms:

The key takeaway: GlossGenius is competitively priced for US salon owners, particularly at the Standard tier. Its 2.6% processing rate is slightly higher than some alternatives but comes without the complexity of a per-transaction fee. For salons outside the US, GlossGenius isn't available — full stop.

8. Is GlossGenius Worth It?

GlossGenius is a good fit if:

• You're a solo stylist or small US-based team (2–5 people) who wants a clean, mobile-first app
• You turn over less than $5,000/month in card payments, keeping processing fees manageable
• You don't need a custom domain for your booking site
• You're happy with the booking website on a GlossGenius subdomain
• You primarily want simplicity and a polished client-facing experience

You might want to look elsewhere if:

• You're not based in the US — GlossGenius simply won't work for you
• Your card revenue is high enough that a 2.6% fee represents a significant monthly cost
• You need payroll processing and want it bundled in your plan (rather than at $40+/month extra)
• You want your booking site on your own custom domain
• You're a larger salon team (10+ staff) — the Gold plan caps at 9 users
• You need advanced team management without jumping to the $148–$168/month Platinum tier

The real cost of GlossGenius for a solo stylist (year one)

Here's what the total year-one cost looks like for a solo stylist on the Standard annual plan, taking $4,000/month in card payments:

• Subscription (Standard, annual): $288
• Card reader (one-time): $299
• Processing fees (2.6% × $48,000/year): $1,248
• Total year one: $1,835
• From year two onwards: $1,536/year

That's roughly $128/month in real costs once the hardware is accounted for. Whether that represents good value depends on what you're getting from the platform — and how it compares to alternatives available in your market.

9. DoTheBeauty: A Transparent Alternative for EU & Indonesian Salons

If you're running a salon outside the United States, GlossGenius isn't an option. And even for US stylists, it's worth understanding how the fee structures compare before you commit.

DoTheBeauty is a salon booking platform built for EU and Indonesian salons, with published pricing, a website builder included, and zero commission on any booking ever. Here's how it compares on the points that matter most:

The biggest practical difference is the transaction fee: GlossGenius charges 2.6% while DoTheBeauty charges 1% on card payments at the Growth tier. On €5,000/month in card revenue, that's a difference of €80 per month — nearly €1,000 per year — in favour of DoTheBeauty.

DoTheBeauty also includes an AI-powered website builder that creates a full salon website in minutes — something GlossGenius doesn't offer natively — and custom domain support at the Growth tier, so your booking site lives at your own URL rather than on someone else's subdomain.

GlossGenius is a solid tool for US stylists who want simplicity. If you're in the EU or Indonesia, or if you're looking for lower transaction fees and a proper website alongside your booking system, DoTheBeauty is worth a look. Try DoTheBeauty free for 7 days and see how the costs compare for your actual revenue level.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does GlossGenius cost per month?

GlossGenius plans start at $24/month on annual billing (Standard) or $28/month on monthly billing. The Gold plan costs $48/month (annual) or $56/month (monthly), and Platinum runs $148/month (annual) or $168/month (monthly). These prices are for the software subscription only and do not include the 2.6% card processing fee charged on every transaction.

What are GlossGenius fees?

GlossGenius charges two main types of fees: the monthly subscription fee ($24–$168/month depending on plan and billing cycle) and a 2.6% payment processing fee on all card transactions. Optional add-ons such as payroll ($40/month + $6/employee) add to the monthly cost. The card reader hardware is a one-time purchase of $299.

What is GlossGenius Gold Plus pricing?

As of 2026, GlossGenius does not offer a plan called "Gold Plus." The current plan tiers are Standard, Gold, and Platinum. Historical references to "Gold Plus" may reflect an older plan structure that has since been replaced by the current three-tier model.

Is GlossGenius available in the UK or Canada?

No. As of 2026, GlossGenius is only available in the United States. Salons in the UK, Canada, EU, Australia, and other markets cannot use GlossGenius — the platform's payment processing and business operations are US-only.

Does GlossGenius take a commission on bookings?

No. GlossGenius does not charge a percentage of your booking revenue. The only booking-related fees are the subscription cost and the 2.6% card processing fee — which applies to the payment amount, not as a marketplace commission on the appointment value.

What is the GlossGenius transaction fee?

GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6% on all card payments — whether the card is tapped, inserted (chip), swiped, or entered online. This rate does not vary by card type or payment method. An additional 1.8% fee applies to instant payouts outside of the free same-day payout window (Monday–Thursday).

Is there a free trial for GlossGenius?

Yes. GlossGenius offers a 14-day free trial on all plans with no credit card required. This gives you enough time to set up your profile, test the booking flow, and process a few payments before committing to a subscription.