Beauty Salon Booking Software UK: An Honest Comparison for 2026
Beauty salons have one of the widest software option sets in the service industry — and one of the highest confusion levels about what they actually need. Here's a practical breakdown.
What Beauty Salons Actually Need From Booking Software
The requirements for a two-therapist beauty salon are straightforward:
- Online booking from a direct link (WhatsApp, Instagram, Google)
- Service management with accurate durations (a facial isn't the same length as a brow tint)
- Multi-staff calendars if you have more than one therapist
- Automated reminders to cut no-shows
- Review requests post-appointment
- Client history and notes
- Deposit collection for new clients and long treatments
That's the list. Most of the enterprise features on offer — complex reporting, gift card portals, loyalty points, inventory management — are noise for a small or mid-size salon.
Platform Comparison
Fresha
- Price: Free (subscription), 20% commission on marketplace new clients
- Strengths: Excellent UI, widely used, strong payment tools
- Weaknesses: Marketplace commission model, no data ownership for marketplace clients
- Best for: Salons with strong existing direct client base who won't use the marketplace
Timely
- Price: From £20/month per location
- Strengths: Beautiful product, strong for multi-staff, good reporting
- Weaknesses: Per-location pricing adds up, some retention features cost extra
- Best for: Established multi-therapist salons
Treatwell
- Price: Commission-based (up to 30% on new clients)
- Strengths: Strongest marketplace discovery in UK cities
- Weaknesses: High cost at volume, client relationships belong to Treatwell
- Best for: New salons in high-competition areas who need initial exposure
Vomni
- Price: Flat monthly fee, no commission
- Strengths: Review automation, WhatsApp reminders, rebooking nudges included, UK and Israel market
- Weaknesses: Smaller marketplace footprint than Treatwell
- Best for: Independent beauty salons focused on building a loyal direct client base
Setmore
- Price: Free for basic, ~£9/month for paid
- Strengths: Genuinely free entry point, simple setup
- Weaknesses: Limited automation on free tier
- Best for: Solo therapists starting out
The Commission vs Flat Fee Decision
If you're doing 40 new client bookings per month at £50 average:
| Model | Monthly cost |
|---|---|
| Fresha marketplace (20%) | £400 |
| Treatwell (30%) | £600 |
| Vomni flat fee | £29 |
| Timely | £25–40 |
The gap widens every month you grow. Commission models work for Treatwell and Fresha. Flat-fee models work for the salon owner.
Before You Choose
- Count how many new clients you get per month and what they spend on average
- Calculate what 20–30% of that number is
- Compare that figure to a flat monthly fee
- Decide whether marketplace exposure is worth the difference
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best booking software for a small beauty salon? For a solo beauty therapist or small salon, the key criteria are: flat monthly fee (not commission), automated reminders, and a direct booking link. Vomni, Timely, and Setmore all meet these criteria at different price points.
Is Fresha good for beauty salons? Fresha is well-designed and widely used by beauty salons. The free plan works if you don't use their marketplace. If you rely on Fresha marketplace discovery, the 20% new-client commission becomes significant at volume.
Does beauty salon booking software include a POS system? Some platforms include basic POS features (Fresha, Square). Others are booking-only. Most small beauty salons manage payments separately — the booking and POS integration is more important for multi-therapist salons with retail.
How much does beauty salon software cost per month? Entry-level: £0–15/month (Square, Setmore free tier). Mid-range: £25–40/month (Vomni, Timely Solo). Multi-staff: £40–100/month depending on team size and platform. Commission-based platforms (Fresha marketplace, Treatwell) have variable costs on top.
Ready to try Vomni?
Vomni gives independent salons, barbershops, and grooming businesses the tools to reduce no-shows, collect Google reviews automatically, and keep clients coming back. Start your free trial →