What salon software really costs in 2026 — fees included
Comparing salon software on the subscription price is like comparing flights on the base fare. The real bill has four more lines.
The five cost lines
- Subscription: the advertised monthly price, often per user
- Marketplace commission: a cut of a 'new client's' first booking — up to 30%
- Card processing: percentage plus pence on every transaction
- Messaging: SMS bundles sold as credits
- Add-ons: forms, loyalty, reports unlocked per tier
A realistic example
A two-person salon doing £8,000/month with a 'free' marketplace platform can easily pay £150–£300/month once commission on new clients and card fees are counted. The subscription was never the cost.
Questions to ask any vendor
- What do you charge on a new client's first visit?
- Can I export my full client list today, free?
- Which of your features are extra-cost add-ons?
- What do reminders actually cost per month at my volume?
Slotora's answer is short: the software is free, commission is 0%, email reminders are free, and your data exports any time. There are three optional paid extras — SMS credit, Nita the AI assistant and the AI phone receptionist — and every one of their prices is published on the pricing page. Card payments are not among them: they run through your own Stripe account and Slotora adds 0%. Booksy and Slotora compared, feature by feature
