Best Ovatu Alternatives in 2026
The top Ovatu alternatives are Phorest, Vagaro and DaySmart Salon: 15 salon software our editors would look at instead of Ovatu, in our ranking order.
Ovatu: A broad salon platform covering bookings, operations, payments, marketing, and inventory. Where it falls short: no free plan is available.
Switching from Ovatu? For most salon software buyers the best Ovatu alternative is Phorest, built for established salons needing branded client experiences. On a budget, Timely starts at $9/user/mo, against $25/user/mo for Ovatu. Salonist has a free plan, which Ovatu does not.
Why People Look for an Ovatu Alternative
- No free plan is available
- Advanced marketing features require the Loaded plan
- Additional employee charges apply beyond the first employee
- No free plan — 1 of the alternatives below has it
- Paid from $25/mo — Timely is $9/mo
Quick Picks by What You Need
- Best overallPhorest9.3
Established salons needing branded client experiences
Visit Phorest - Lowest priceTimely7.6
Paid plans from $9/user/mo
Visit Timely - Best free optionSalonist7.9
Has a free plan (Ovatu has none)
Visit Salonist
All 15 Ovatu Alternatives, Ranked
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.
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Best forEstablished salons needing branded client experiences
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 9.3 vs 8.4
A broad salon management suite for established teams building branded client experiences.
9.3/10★★★★★Visit Phorest -
Best forSalons wanting booking and business integrations
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 9.1 vs 8.4
A capable salon booking suite with payments, calendars, reminders, and business integrations.
9.1/10★★★★★Visit Vagaro -
Best forGrowing salons wanting affordable depth
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 9.0 vs 8.4
A broad salon suite with affordable entry pricing and deeper tools on higher tiers.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
9.0/10★★★★☆Visit DaySmart -
Best forMulti-location salons wanting modern workflows
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 8.9 vs 8.4
A broad salon operations platform with multi-location tools and layered monthly fees.
8.9/10★★★★☆Visit Mangomint -
Best forEstablished salons prioritizing booking maturity
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 8.8 vs 8.4
A mature salon platform combining booking, payments, client management and multi-location tools.
8.8/10★★★★☆Visit Kitomba -
Best forPremium multi-location salon operators
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 8.7 vs 8.4
A broad salon platform for multi-location operators managing booking, payments, and client operations.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
8.7/10★★★★☆Visit Boulevard -
Best forLarge salons needing advanced booking operations
- Better than Ovatu:
- Editor score 8.5 vs 8.4
Advanced booking and multi-location tools for larger salon operations.
8.5/10★★★★☆Visit Meevo -
Best forSolo professionals needing calendar connectivity
- Better than Ovatu:
- Paid from: $24/mo vs $25/mo
A connected salon platform for booking, calendars, payments, marketing, and operations.
8.3/10★★★★☆Visit GlossGenius -
Best forEuropean salons wanting low-cost essentials
A low-cost salon suite covering bookings, POS, inventory and multi-location management.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
8.2/10★★★★☆Visit Salonized -
Best forLong-established salons wanting broad coverage
Broad salon coverage for established businesses, with limited integrations.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
8.1/10★★★★☆Visit Insight -
Best forEstablished multi-location salon groups
A broad salon platform for established groups that need centralized operations and client management.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
8.0/10★★★★☆Visit Shortcuts -
Best forSalons wanting a free marketplace presence
- Better than Ovatu:
- Free plan
A broad salon platform with a free marketplace listing and paid operational tools.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
7.9/10★★★★☆Visit Salonist -
Best forChair-based salons and renter models
A chair-focused salon system combining booking, queues, payments and renter workflows.
- Multi-location support
- POS and payments
- Staff calendar
7.7/10★★★★☆Visit Salonomy -
Best forTime-based service businesses, not salons
- Better than Ovatu:
- Paid from: $9/mo vs $25/mo
A capable time and project tracker, but not a salon operations system.
7.6/10★★★★☆Visit Timely -
Best forBarbershops and salons needing booth tools
A broad barbershop platform with booking, payments, booth tools, and multi-location support.
- Memberships and packages
- Inventory tracking
- Multi-location support
7.5/10★★★★☆Visit SQUIRE
Ovatu Alternatives: Common Questions
What is the best alternative to Ovatu?
Phorest: #1 in our Salon Software ranking, with an editor score of 9.3 out of 10. A broad salon management suite for established teams building branded client experiences.
Is there a free alternative to Ovatu?
Yes. Salonist and Squire have a free plan or a free tier.
What is the cheapest paid alternative to Ovatu?
Of the alternatives here that publish a price, Timely starts lowest, at $9/user/mo.
Why do people look for Ovatu alternatives?
No free plan is available; Advanced marketing features require the Loaded plan; Additional employee charges apply beyond the first employee.
How do I switch from Ovatu?
Export your data from Ovatu (most tools have an export in their settings). Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one. Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on. Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Ovatu.
How to Switch from Ovatu
- Export your data from Ovatu (most tools have an export in their settings).
- Sign up for the alternative; start on its free plan or trial if it has one.
- Import your export and set up the integrations your team relies on.
- Run both side by side for a short while, then cancel Ovatu.
Ovatu vs Each Alternative
| # | Tool | Free plan | Paid from | POS and payments | Inventory tracking | Multi-location support | Memberships and packages | Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | Ovatu | No | $25/user/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.4 | |
| 1 | Phorest | No | 9.3 | |||||
| 2 | Vagaro | No | $30/mo | 9.1 | ||||
| 3 | DaySmart Salon | No | $29/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 9.0 |
| 4 | Mangomint | No | 8.9 | |||||
| 5 | Kitomba | No | 8.8 | |||||
| 6 | Boulevard | No | $143/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.7 |
| 7 | Meevo | No | 8.5 | |||||
| 8 | GlossGenius | No | $24/mo | 8.3 | ||||
| 9 | Salonized | No | €21/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.2 |
| 10 | Insight Salon Software | No | $25/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.1 |
| 11 | Shortcuts | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 8.0 | |
| 12 | Salonist | Yes | $79/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.9 |
| 13 | Salonomy | No | £12/seat/mo | Yes | Yes | 7.7 | ||
| 14 | Timely | No | $9/user/mo | 7.6 | ||||
| 15 | Squire | No | $30/mo | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | 7.5 |
Head-to-Head
Reviewed by iTechGuides Editors · Editorial team · Updated Oct 2026
Last updated · How we research and update