Business Growth
❓ Question
What booking system do you use for group bookings at your hair salon?
Lucy Walker
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🥇 Gold Seller
Freelancer · Coventry · 4mo ago
Right, I need some honest opinions. I've been using a paper diary for 2 years and my husband thinks I'm mad for not going digital. I've looked at Square Appointments and Treatwell but I honestly can't figure out which one is better for a small beauty salon. I don't need anything fancy — just something that sends reminder texts, takes deposits and lets clients book online without ringing me at 11pm. What would you go for?
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✅ Best Answer
I switched from Appointy to Phorest about a year ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Phorest's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#1
For multi-staff Trafft is excellent. Each person has their own colour-coded calendar, you can set individual hours and services, and clients book with a specific person or with 'any available' if you prefer. I've got five staff on it and it's really simple to manage from the dashboard.
#2
I was asking myself this a year ago. Best decision I ever made was just picking one and starting. Phorest has a free plan that's genuinely functional. Start there, learn the system, then upgrade when you actually need the paid features. Don't let the choice paralysis stop you from just getting on with it.
#3
I switched from Square Appointments to Treatwell about a year ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Treatwell's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#4
I switched from Square Appointments to Phorest about two years ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Phorest's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#5
I switched from Vagaro to Timely about 3 months ago and the main thing I noticed was the client-facing booking page. Timely's is just cleaner and clients seem to complete the booking without getting confused halfway through. If you're worried about looking professional, that matters more than you'd think.
#6
I tested Fresha and SimplyBook.me side by side for a month. Fresha won on price, SimplyBook.me won on features. For a solo spa just starting out, Fresha's free plan is hard to argue with. You can always switch later once you know exactly what you need.
#7
For multi-staff BookPin is excellent. Each person has their own colour-coded calendar, you can set individual hours and services, and clients book with a specific person or with 'any available' if you prefer. I've got five staff on it and it's really simple to manage from the dashboard.
#8