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Head-to-head · Salon Marketing Software

FollowThrough vs Phorest

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 5 checks side by side
Higher score FollowThrough #4 in Salon Marketing Software 9.0/10 Free plan · 14-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 4 of 5 features Visit FollowThrough
Phorest #8 in Salon Marketing Software 8.6/10 Pricing on request ✓ 0 of 5 features Visit Phorest

FollowThrough leads on 1 check, Phorest on 0, and 4 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 5 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreFollowThrough · 9.0/10
  • Free planonly FollowThrough
  • Free trialonly FollowThrough
  • Most featuresFollowThrough · 4 of 5

FollowThrough scores higher on our rubric for salon marketing software: 9.0 against 8.6 out of 10; our editors rank them #4 and #8.

FollowThrough offers free plan; Phorest doesn't.

FollowThrough is the better fit for small salons wanting a free marketing CRM. Phorest is the better fit for mature multi-location salons needing full lifecycle tools.

  • FollowThrough fits best

    Small salons wanting a free marketing CRM

  • Phorest fits best

    Mature multi-location salons needing full lifecycle tools

Advertiser disclosure: iTechGuides is reader-supported. Vendors can pay for top positions in our rankings and for a place on other products' pages, and we may earn a commission when you click some links. Bought places stand at the number bought; this page and our disclosure say so. Paying vendors may get a fuller, more detailed review from our editors, and that review can change their score. How we rank.

Side by side

Feature FollowThrough 9.0/10 Visit ↗ Phorest 8.6/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 9.0 8.6
Ranking #4 in Salon Marketing Software #8 in Salon Marketing Software
Best for Small salons wanting a free marketing CRM Mature multi-location salons needing full lifecycle tools
Pricing model Free plan + paid Paid
Starting price $29/mo —
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial 14 days —
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Integrations 2 integrations 10 integrations
Built for Solo, Small business, Mid-market Small business, Mid-market, Enterprise
Features FollowThrough 4/5 · Phorest 0/5
Booking integration ✓ (best) Not checked yet
SMS campaigns ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Email campaigns ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Client segmentation Not checked yet Not checked yet
Loyalty tools ✓ (best) Not checked yet
Specs
Campaign automation Advanced Not checked yet
Our review
Pros
  • Free pipeline, task, and email notification tools
  • Lifecycle emails, sequences, broadcasts, and retention reports
  • Loyalty tools plus Square and Clover integrations
  • Combines booking, POS, payments, marketing, loyalty and reputation tools
  • Supports multi-location reporting, staff performance and inventory management
  • Offers branded mobile apps, online booking and automated reminders
Cons
  • SMS messaging starts with the Solo plan
  • Booking and operations tools start with Growth
  • Advanced team controls are reserved for Business
  • Pricing requires a sales conversation rather than published plan prices
  • The broad feature set may exceed the needs of smaller salons
  • Advanced capabilities are reserved for higher-tier plans
Our verdict

FollowThrough is a customer follow-up and retention platform from CLVRD for small businesses, including salons. It combines contact management, customer timelines, visual pipeline tracking, tasks, reminders, automated lifecycle emails,…

Read the review →

Phorest is cloud-based management software for salons, spas, medspas and aesthetic clinics. It brings appointment scheduling, online booking, client records, staff management, point of sale, payment collection, marketing automation,…

Read the review →
  1. FollowThroughSalon Marketing Software 9.0Free plan · 14-day trial
  2. PhorestSalon Marketing Software 8.6Pricing on request

Strengths and trade-offs

  • FollowThrough — where it wins

    • Free pipeline, task, and email notification tools
    • Lifecycle emails, sequences, broadcasts, and retention reports
    • Loyalty tools plus Square and Clover integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • SMS messaging starts with the Solo plan
    • Booking and operations tools start with Growth
    • Advanced team controls are reserved for Business

  • Phorest — where it wins

    • Combines booking, POS, payments, marketing, loyalty and reputation tools
    • Supports multi-location reporting, staff performance and inventory management
    • Offers branded mobile apps, online booking and automated reminders

    Where it doesn't

    • Pricing requires a sales conversation rather than published plan prices
    • The broad feature set may exceed the needs of smaller salons
    • Advanced capabilities are reserved for higher-tier plans

More comparisons

All salon marketing software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update