Suggestions appear as you type. Use the up and down arrows to choose one and Enter to open it.

This page's audience our own tag's counts — open to see them
–Visits
–Page views
–Clicks to vendors
–Time on page
–Reading now
Clicks to vendors, by tool
  • –
Top countries
  • –
Devices
  • –

– · visits, page views and clicks counted by our own tag, which counts more than our checked analytics; every figure rounded down · how we count

Head-to-head · Salon Software

Salonist vs Squire

  • Updated Oct 2026
  • Both researched from official sources
  • 9 checks side by side
Higher score Salonist #13 in Salon Software 7.9/10 Free plan · 7-day trial Free planFree trial✓ 7 of 7 features Visit Salonist
Squire #16 in Salon Software 7.5/10 Open source Free trial✓ 7 of 7 features Visit SQUIRE

Salonist leads on 1 check, Squire on 1, and 7 are even. Who comes out ahead on the 9 yes/no, price and count checks where we have data for both products. The editor score weighs everything else too.

Our verdict

  • Highest scoreSalonist · 7.9/10
  • Lowest starting priceSquire · $30/mo
  • Free planonly Salonist
  • Free trialboth

Salonist scores higher on our rubric for salon software: 7.9 against 7.5 out of 10; our editors rank them #13 and #16.

Salonist offers free plan; Squire doesn't. Squire is cheaper to start at $30/mo against $79/mo.

Salonist is the better fit for salons wanting a free marketplace presence. Squire is the better fit for barbershops and salons needing booth tools.

  • Salonist fits best

    Salons wanting a free marketplace presence

  • Squire fits best

    Barbershops and salons needing booth 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 Salonist 7.9/10 Visit ↗ Squire 7.5/10 Visit ↗
At a glance
Editor score 7.9 7.5
Ranking #13 in Salon Software #16 in Salon Software
Best for Salons wanting a free marketplace presence Barbershops and salons needing booth tools
Pricing model Free plan + paid Free
Starting price $79/mo $30/mo (best)
Free plan ✓ (best) —
Free trial 7 days 14 days
Free trial length 7 days · no card needed 14 days
Deployment Cloud, Mobile Cloud, Mobile
Platforms Web, iOS, Android Web, iOS, Android
Integrations 40+ integrations 4 integrations
Features Salonist 7/7 · Squire 7/7
Online booking ✓ ✓
Staff calendar ✓ ✓
POS and payments ✓ ✓
Client reminders ✓ ✓
Inventory tracking ✓ ✓
Multi-location support ✓ ✓
Memberships and packages ✓ ✓
Our review
Pros
  • Free marketplace listing for salon discovery and booking visibility
  • Covers booking, POS, inventory, reminders, memberships and staff operations
  • Supports web, iOS and Android with broad payment and marketing integrations
  • Combines booking, scheduling, POS, reminders, and client management
  • Supports booth-rent collection, commissions, memberships, and loyalty programs
  • Offers multi-location support, branded apps, and inventory tracking
Cons
  • The free offering is narrower than the paid plans
  • Paid plans start at $79 per month on monthly billing
  • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of very small operators
  • SQUIRE is positioned primarily for barbershops rather than general salons
  • There is no free plan
  • Advanced features require higher-priced monthly tiers
Our verdict

Salonist is cloud-based salon and spa management software for beauty and wellness businesses, ranging from single-chair operators to multi-location groups. It brings online booking, appointment calendars, staff scheduling, point-of-sale…

Read the review →

SQUIRE is business management software for barbers, barbershop owners, and multi-location barber brands. It combines online appointment booking, scheduling, point-of-sale payments, client management, reminders, reporting, inventory,…

Read the review →
  1. SalonistSalon Software 7.9Free plan · 7-day trial
  2. SquireSalon Software 7.5Open source

Strengths and trade-offs

  • Salonist — where it wins

    • Free marketplace listing for salon discovery and booking visibility
    • Covers booking, POS, inventory, reminders, memberships and staff operations
    • Supports web, iOS and Android with broad payment and marketing integrations

    Where it doesn't

    • The free offering is narrower than the paid plans
    • Paid plans start at $79 per month on monthly billing
    • Its broad feature set may exceed the needs of very small operators

  • Squire — where it wins

    • Combines booking, scheduling, POS, reminders, and client management
    • Supports booth-rent collection, commissions, memberships, and loyalty programs
    • Offers multi-location support, branded apps, and inventory tracking

    Where it doesn't

    • SQUIRE is positioned primarily for barbershops rather than general salons
    • There is no free plan
    • Advanced features require higher-priced monthly tiers
  • Salonist7.9/10 · Free plan · 7-day trial

    A broad salon platform with a free marketplace listing and paid operational tools.

    Visit SalonistFull verdict →
  • Squire7.5/10 · Open source

    A broad barbershop platform with booking, payments, booth tools, and multi-location support.

    Visit SQUIREFull verdict →

All salon software comparisons → · Full ranking →

Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026

Last updated · How we research and update