Hair Salon Software Comparison 2025: The 7 Best Solutions Tested

Okay, let's be honest: The right software can mean the difference between "stressed out hanging on the phone all day" and "working relaxed while appointments fill themselves." But which one to choose?

I checked out all the providers so you don't have to. Here's what I found out.

What Should the Software Even Do?

Before we look at individual solutions, here are the basic checks:

The 7 Candidates at a Glance

1. Terminz — When You Want Simple and Fair

Best for: Salons that don't want complicated software and hidden costs

What's good:

• Don't need an hour to set up (honestly: 10 minutes)
• SMS and email reminders run automatically
• Unlimited staff, no matter which plan
• Terminal App for Android/iOS tablets — check-in, checkout (cash/card/split), tips, receipt printing, end-of-day reconciliation
• German servers, no data tourism to the USA
• 30 days free to try out

What's not there yet:

• Still relatively new to the market (but the product delivers)

Costs: on request

Try for free →

2. Shore — The One with All the Features

Best for: Established salons willing to pay a bit more

What's good:

• Really has everything
• POS system is included
• Good marketing tools

What's annoying:

• More expensive (from €29/month)
• Setup takes longer
• Support sometimes overwhelmed (you read that in reviews)

Costs: €29 - €89/month

3. Treatwell — Marketplace with Software

Best for: Salons that want to find new customers through the Treatwell marketplace

What's good:

• Access to Treatwell marketplace
• New customers come in automatically
• Software is okay

What's annoying:

• Commission on marketplace bookings (up to 35% – ouch!)
• You become dependent on them
• Other salons undercut each other

Costs: Commission + possibly extra for the software

4. Phorest — When Money Is No Object

Best for: Large salons with 5+ people and high expectations

What's good:

• Has EVERYTHING for salon management
• Strong marketing automation
• Support is top-notch

What's annoying:

• Really expensive
• Too much for small salons
• Training takes forever

Costs: From €99/month

5. Planity — The French One in Germany

Best for: Anyone who wants to try something different

What's good:

• Design is sleek
• No commission
• Own marketplace

What's annoying:

• Not well-known in Germany yet
• Support often in French

Costs: From €39/month

6. Belliata — The Classic

Best for: Traditional salons that rely on proven solutions

What's good:

• Been on the market for a long time
• Runs reliably
• Good German support

What's annoying:

• Design looks like 2010
• App is meh
• Hardly any new features

Costs: From €39/month

7. Timify — The All-Rounder

Best for: When you also need features for other industries

What's good:

• Flexible for different industries
• Has an API (for tech geeks)
• Basic version is free

What's annoying:

• Not specifically made for salons
• Premium features cost extra

Costs: Free to €79/month

Quick Comparison: All at a Glance

Which One Is Right for You?

You're Alone or Just Two of You

Recommendation: Terminz or Timify (free)

• Simplicity is more important than a thousand features
• Budget is limited
• Want to get started quickly

Medium-Sized Salon (3-5 People)

Recommendation: Terminz or Shore

• Staff calendar becomes important
• Automation saves real time
• Pays for itself quickly through fewer no-shows

Large Salon (6+ People)

Recommendation: Phorest or Shore Premium

• Need detailed reports
• Marketing automation becomes important
• Customer loyalty programs make sense

How to Switch Without Anything Going Wrong

1. Test it first — Minimum 2 weeks
2. Export your data — Old software must be able to do this
3. Train your team — 1-2 hours usually enough
4. Run both in parallel — 1 week for safety
5. Tell your customers — New booking link via SMS/email

My Verdict for 2025

For most salons, Terminz simply makes the most sense:

• ✅ Setup in 10 minutes (really)
• ✅ Everything important is included
• ✅ Fair prices, no hidden costs
• ✅ German servers, GDPR compliant
• ✅ Try free for 30 days

But hey, I'm obviously biased. Just try it out – it's free anyway.

Try now for free →

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You might also be interested in:

• Online Appointment Booking 2025: Why You're No Longer Competitive Without It
• Reduce No-Shows by 80%: Proven Strategies
• GDPR-Compliant Appointment Booking: The Complete Guide