From simplifying staff management to automating emails, these top 5 salon software picks make it easy to run a salon in Australia.
Salons thrive on great service, but juggling bookings, staff, and promotions can get hectic. The right software can streamline operations and save you time and effort.
In this article, I’ve picked the top 5 beauty salon software in Australia that can help you manage your business smoothly.
Our Top Picks
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Best all-in-one salon staff management software
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Good for client-facing appointment booking and POS
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Good for managing salon services and online presence
Why trust us?
Our team of unbiased software reviewers follows strict editorial guidelines, and our methodology is clear and open to everyone.
See our complete methodology
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Tools considered
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Tools reviewed
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Best tools chosen
How I Chose the Best Salon Software for Small Businesses
Here’s what I looked for in my top picks.
Must-have features
- Functionality to streamline a key salon process: Each salon software must support at least 1 core function, like staff management, salon sales or marketing.
- Australian market suitability: The tool should support local currency, align with local laws, and offer support during Australian hours.
- Ease of use and onboarding: It should be user-friendly with setup possible in minutes—even for less tech-savvy people.
I also made sure the software is:
- Affordable: The tool shouldn’t cost an arm and a leg, especially for salons on a budget.
- Reliable: Minimal downtime is a must, as salons have busy operations.
Finally, I checked for features that make salon software great:
- Customizability: Branded colours, workflows and logos are an added advantage.
- Scalability: The tool should be useful for managing multiple locations and larger customer/employee databases to support growing salons.
- Multi-device accessibility: It should be accessible on tablets, phones and laptops for on-the-go use.
- Excellent customer support: Reliable, instant customer support is essential in this industry.
The 5 Best Salon Software for Small Businesses of 2025
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Connecteam — Best all-in-one salon staff management software
Why I chose Connecteam: With features that make managing staff, scheduling tasks, and staying in touch super easy, Connecteam stands out as one of the best salon software options in Australia.
Here are some of its features.
Employee scheduling and task management
With Connecteam’s staff scheduling features, creating and managing schedules is quick and simple—plus, staff can switch shifts, manage leaves and absences, and more. I like how the platform can automatically create schedules for you—considering employee time off requests, availability, qualifications, and overlapping shifts.
I love how you can add tasks directly to schedules. Connecteam supports this with its employee task tracking features, allowing you to assign responsibilities, track performance, and ensure nothing falls through the cracks. This is great for salons, where delivering a top-notch customer experience is key.
Time clock
With Connecteam’s employee time clock, it’s easy to track how many hours each staff member has worked—and even how much time is spent on specific services. Since the time clock is available on the mobile app, employees working off-site can log their hours on the go.
Connecteam makes it easy to comply with Fair Work regulations. You can automate break deductions and configure overtime rules—helping ensure timesheets align with award interpretation and rostering obligations.
Timesheets are automatically recorded, making payroll quick and hassle-free. And Connecteam integrates with various payroll providers, including Xero. You can also use the time tracking data to compare employee performance, helping you identify who’s completing tasks efficiently and who may need additional support or training.
In-app chat, checklists, digital forms and reports
Need input from a teammate? Just drop a message in the online team chat or contact someone directly—it’s a snap.
I also found creating digital forms and checklists incredibly convenient—they help ensure every step of a procedure is followed properly.
You can also set up client intake and feedback forms and store them in the built-in document hub for easy access. This keeps all your customer info organized and helps deliver a more personalized experience.
The real-time reports are a standout too—you can see the time spent on tasks, labour costs, and completed tasks. It’s a great tool for making smart, data-driven decisions and tracking employee performance.
Training, certifications and knowledge base
To stay current with the latest salon services, proper training is a must. Connecteam is also an employee training software.
With Connecteam, you can easily create short courses or safety videos to train your staff—no matter where they are. I found it simple to build quizzes to test staff members’ knowledge and store certifications and staff records in the document hub, which is incredibly useful for salon operations.
The company knowledge base is another great feature. It acts as a central library where staff can quickly access safety protocols, step-by-step service guides, and tips for handling different client scenarios—equipping them to deliver a consistently high-quality experience.
Connecteam uses a folder system to keep knowledge base items organized. Wix integration
I’m happy Connecteam seamlessly integrates with Wix—an online booking system. Client appointments are automatically synced with employee schedules, assigning salon appointments to available employees.
This ensures that staff members are available for booked procedures and reduces the time and effort needed to coordinate.
Key Features
- Employee scheduling and task management
- Wix booking integration
- Employee time tracking
- Procedure checklists and forms for intake/feedback
- In-app chat
- Training and certification filing
Pros
- All-in-one salon staff management solution
- Free plan for small salons (up to 10 users)
- Easy drag-and-drop scheduling
- Mobile-first onboarding and training for salon workers on the go
Cons
- Doesn’t offer client history tracking yet
Pricing
Free-for-life plan availablePremium plans start at $29/month for 30 users
14-day free trial, no credit card required
Start your free trial -
Fresha — Good for client-facing appointment booking and POS
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Fresha is an online appointment booking platform built specifically for salons and beauty service providers that also functions as a point-of-sale system.
Why I chose Fresha: Fresha is great for managing client-facing functions—like appointment bookings and payments.
Here are the features that intrigued me.
Marketplace and online bookings
Fresha hosts a dedicated marketplace for beauty salons and spas to attract new clients. The best part? It’s super easy to sign up and create a business profile. But while there’s no subscription fee, you do get hit with some hefty commission charges.
You can also set up your own booking system and take appointments directly through your website, social media or the Fresha marketplace. I like that your staff and clients get automated reminders, too—as it’s easy to forget important appointments.
That said, you can’t sync appointments with your employee calendar the way you can with Connecteam and its Wix integration, and I think that’s definitely a drawback.
Client and inventory management
Salons that offer a personalized experience really stand out—and I like that Fresha includes client management features like recording service history, preferences, feedback and even important details like allergies.
Another great feature is the inventory management system. You can list everything from hair dyes and makeup to cleansing tools and set low-stock alerts. I also appreciate the extras like multi-location support, instant inventory updates through the POS and insights into product performance.
But Fresha doesn’t offer automated reordering, which I think is a downside.
POS and marketing automation
You don’t want to keep clients waiting or manually calculate totals—and with Fresha’s POS system, you don’t have to. You can quickly ring up totals, apply discounts, redeem gift cards and process payments all in one place. I like how clean and easy to use the dashboard is, even if you’re not tech-savvy.
Also, marketing is essential for every salon, and Fresha’s got your back—even on the free plan. You can automate emails to send appointment reminders, request reviews, offer discounts and prompt clients to rebook. I especially enjoyed using the ready-made email templates—they make launching a quick campaign simple.
What users say about Fresha
Pros: The ease of use, the comprehensive tools available.
Read review here.
Setting up was harder than other online booking systems, hard to sync with google calendar, not mobile friendly, the fees are high.
Read review here.
Key Features
- Online booking system and free marketplace
- Client management and relationship-building tools
- Inventory management and point-of-sale system
- Marketing and promotion tools
Pros
- Free plan (includes basic marketing features)
- Detailed appointment and client management features
Cons
- High commission costs with marketplace
- Unreliable customer service at times
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: Yes
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Vagaro — Good for managing salon services and online presence
Vagaro is an online booking app and POS system with built-in salon marketing features.
Why I chose Vagaro: Vagaro is a great tool for managing salon service bookings, plus it offers other features that help grow your business.
Here’s what stood out for me.
Advanced booking system and online visibility
With Fresha, you can enable clients to book appointments online and even add a booking system to your website—but Vagaro takes this a step further with more advanced booking options. You can create a branded website, set time buffers between appointments, accept credit card details, apply cancellation fees, manage classes and workshops and customize your booking form to fit your salon’s needs.
Vagaro also shines when it comes to online booking flexibility. You can integrate a “Book Now” button directly on your Facebook, Instagram, Apple Maps or Yelp profiles—making it easy for clients to schedule appointments from wherever they are.
Vagaro offers staff scheduling—letting you assign appointments to specific service providers. But some of Vagaro’s scheduling features—such as shift swaps and dynamic scheduling—aren’t as comprehensive as competitors’ because the platform is more appointment-focused than workforce-focused.
Vagaro also includes a free marketplace to help bring in new clients, which I think is a good bonus.
Inventory management, customer profiles and communication
Vagaro takes inventory management to the next level with supplier management and automatic reordering. You can even set up an online store to sell your products, which I think is a nice touch for boosting revenue.
In addition, the app lets you create detailed customer profiles, storing valuable info you can use to improve the overall customer experience.
One feature I particularly like is Connect by Vagaro, which allows you to message both customers and your team instantly. However, customers must have the Vagaro app to communicate, and they might be reluctant to download the app, making this feature less useful from a client-facing perspective.
Unfortunately, Vagaro doesn’t offer in-app training, surveys, or group chats. That said, I like some of its marketing features, including daily deals (promotional offers you can advertise to customers).
What users say about Vagaro
Pros: How easy it is to make an appointment and the helpful notification/reminder process.
Read review here.
Wish there was more customize options to choose.
Read review here.
Key Features
- Online booking and scheduling
- Point-of-sale system and CRM
- Inventory management with automated reordering capabilities
- Online store
Pros
- Customized/branded client management tools
- Provides a combination of client booking, marketing, and POS tools
Cons
- Slightly complicated interface
- Additional costs for some features
Pricing
Starts at $30 USD/ $45 AUD/month Trial: Yes Free Plan: Yes
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Phorest — Good for customer loyalty and marketing automation
Available on
Phorest is an all-in-one salon management software with features for payroll, scheduling, staff management, and marketing.
Why I chose Phorest: Phorest has various features that enable salons to streamline processes.
Let’s dive into what I found interesting and what wasn’t as appealing.
Scheduling, online bookings and video consultations
Phorest, like other tools, provides an online booking feature that allows clients to book appointments anytime, anywhere. It also doubles as an employee scheduling tool, with appointments syncing directly with staff schedules, making it easy to assign services to employees.
In addition, Phorest offers video consultations, which allow clients to book and consult with your team through the app—a feature that sets it apart from other appointment booking software. This adds a convenient and personalized touch for clients needing quick suggestions or advice.
Staff training, mobile app and POS
If you want to train your team, Phorest allows you to upload training material and manage it directly through the platform. However, it lacks features like quizzes and assessments, and you can’t train employees on the go via the mobile app. Additionally, Phorest doesn’t offer options to issue or store employee certifications.
Phorest does provide a mobile app with scheduling and payment processing features.
Also, salons can get their own client-facing branded app, which I found intriguing. The app features the salon’s logo and brand colours, plus appointment booking, loyalty tracking, a photo gallery and marketing tools. It’s most useful for salons with loyal, returning clients—otherwise, clients may not engage with it.
I did appreciate the simple POS interface and the instant payment processing features, which make transactions quick and easy.
Customer loyalty and marketing automation
I like Phorest’s Treatcard feature for enhancing customer loyalty. It automatically awards points based on the services customers use and adds them to their profiles. These points are then synced with customized “treat offers” once the customer reaches a certain points threshold. I found it very easy to customize the “treat offers” and apply gift cards.
You can also set up automated messages that are sent at preset intervals for recurring services like trims, root touch-ups or skin appointments, as well as birthday offers. This makes it simple to stay in touch with customers and keep them engaged.
What users say about Phorest
The support I receive is awesome! As a busy salon owner, I need to have the support quickly when things arise.
Read review here.
Useless for marketing. Their upgraded marketing suite is frustrating and not at all user friendly.
Read review here.
Key Features
- Treatcard customer loyalty program
- Client management, marketing automation and employee scheduling tools
- Branded online booking app
- Video consultations
Pros
- Easy-to-use customer loyalty program
- Personalized mobile app for salons
Cons
- Pricing isn’t transparent, with user reviews citing poor value for money
- Limited integrations make it difficult to use with other tools
Pricing
Contact vendor for price Trial: No Free Plan: No
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Mindbody — Good for wellness businesses offering classes and memberships
Available on
- Web
- iOS
- Android
Mindbody provides a well-rounded suite of features for marketing, staff management, scheduling and payment processing.
Why I chose Mindbody: Mindbody has some features that make managing salon services a piece of cake.
Here is what I found interesting and not as good.
Mindbody consumer app, scheduling and payment processing
With Mindbody, clients can schedule appointments through the consumer app, your website, your social media handles or even your personalized salon app—I really like the variety of options on offer.
What sets Mindbody apart is its ability to schedule recurring classes and sessions—such as self-grooming classes, an eye makeup tutorial or a posing-tips session for brides-to-be. Plus, you can create waitlists, assign instructors and track attendance.
Additionally, you can offer memberships to clients, track their usage, auto-bill them, provide perks and more.
I found the payment processing to be simple and intuitive. If your salon offers training, classes or membership packages, Mindbody is a great option for you.
Personalized salon app and staff management features
The personalized salon app is my favourite feature—perfect for salons with a loyal, recurring customer base. It helps foster brand loyalty and makes it easy to stay in touch with your clients.
Customers can book appointments directly through the app, which syncs seamlessly with Mindbody’s staff management features, ensuring service availability. You can also send team notifications and alerts, process payroll, track time and performance and assign tasks.
Unfortunately, Mindbody lacks advanced HR and training features like customized tutorials, certification records and a full suite of communication tools such as an internal chat, newsfeed or knowledge base.
What users say about Mindbody:
It has easy scheduling, apps are easy to use.
Read review here.
Has some technical problems. Some of their customer support aren’t too helpful.
Read review here.
Key Features
- Class and appointment scheduling
- Branded/personalized client app
- POS and payment processing
- Marketing automation
Pros
- Scalable and customizable
- Comprehensive solution
Cons
- Prices can be high
- Steep learning curve compared with other options
Pricing
Starts at $79 USD (~$124 AUD)/month/location Trial: No Free Plan: No
Compare the Best Salon Software for Small Businesses of 2025
| Topic |
Start for free
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|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Reviews |
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| Pricing |
Starts at just $29/month for the first 30 users
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $30 USD/ $45 AUD/month
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Contact vendor for price
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Starts at $79 USD (~$124 AUD)/month/location
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| Free Trial |
yes
14-day
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no
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yes
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no
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| Free Plan |
yes
Free Up to 10 users
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yes
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yes
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no
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| Use cases |
Best all-in-one salon staff management software
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Good for client-facing appointment booking and POS
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Good for managing salon services and online presence
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Good for customer loyalty and marketing automation
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Good for wellness businesses offering classes and memberships
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| Available on |
Web, iOS, Android
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Web, iOS, Android
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What Is Salon Software?
Salon software solutions are digital tools designed to streamline and support day-to-day salon operations for owners and staff. These tools can handle a range of functions, including appointment scheduling, customer relationship management (CRM), staff management, marketing, training and payment processing.
Whether you’re running a solo setup or managing a team across multiple locations, salon software helps automate routine tasks, reduce manual errors and improve client experience.
How Does Salon Software Work?
Salon software guides daily operations using a smooth, structured flow. How it works depends on its core functions and features.
For instance, here’s how a salon software focused on appointment management and staff coordination might work:
The system enables clients to book appointments online, receive automated reminders, check service availability and reschedule or cancel appointments without having to call the salon. The software syncs booked appointments with staff schedules, so each team member is assigned to specific clients.
Managers can use the system to review the day’s schedule, make schedule changes as needed, check staff clock-ins, track task progress and approve any pending leave requests.
Meanwhile, staff can check their schedules and appointments, clock in, and begin assigned tasks. As they work, they can update client notes, log breaks and submit time-off requests.
This workflow will look different for salon software with other core functions (like marketing and client retention).
The Benefits of Salon Software
Whether you’re after a dedicated hair salon software in Australia or a general solution for managing appointments and marketing, here’s how these tools can benefit your business:
Operational efficiency
By automating workflows and tasks such as scheduling, marketing, appointment bookings and loyalty programs, salon software helps save time and effort, enabling salon owners and staff to focus on key areas of business growth.
Higher revenue
This increased operational efficiency can boost revenue by cutting down on wasted time and resources, targeting the right clients, making it easier for clients to book services online and more.
Satisfied staff
Salon staff management software simplifies payroll and helps track performance—all while giving staff instant access to their scheduled appointments, tasks and important updates, which boosts their clarity and motivation.
Better client retention
You can help strengthen customer relationships and improve client retention by using salon booking software to make services accessible, staff management tools to ensure availability, CRM systems to reward loyalty and automate marketing, and online reputation management tools to boost satisfaction and reviews.
Accurate, data-driven decision-making
With salon software to organize different business functions, salons have accurate, real-time data insights that enable informed, measured and data-driven decision-making, helping salons fine-tune their strategies for more success.
Scalability and business growth
Salon software supports expansion by centralizing operations across multiple locations, staff members, and a growing client base. This eliminates the operational barriers that often hold back growth, like manual scheduling and scattered client records.
How Much Does Salon Software Cost?
Salon software varies in pricing, depending on the business function it serves. Some software options offer per-user pricing for a bundle of features, while others provide tiered pricing or a full package that includes a set number of users and features.
Pricing plans can also include a monthly fee or a commission-based model, where charges are based on appointments booked or sales made.
Paid plans typically range from $30 to $800 AUD per month, depending on features, the number of users and other factors. For example, Vagaro’s monthly plans start at $49 AUD while Mindbody’s plans start at $124 AUD.
Additionally, some providers offer generous free plans. For example, Connecteam’s Small Business Plan is entirely free for up to 10 users and provides essential tools for salon scheduling, task management, performance tracking and communication, making it a great option for small salons. Paid plans are also extremely affordable.
FAQs
Salons use different types of software for various business functions. For instance, many salons use salon staff management tools like Connecteam for task management, training, scheduling, payroll, performance tracking and communication features. Salons might also use booking software—like Wix or Vagaro—to enable clients to book appointments.
For client-facing booking and a reliable POS system, Fresha is a great option. Connecteam is a strong salon staff management software, and though it isn’t a traditional booking app, it integrates with Wix, an online booking application. It syncs online bookings with staff schedules, ensuring a staff member is assigned to each booking.
The Bottom Line On Salon Software
Salon software helps salons and spas streamline their operations. From marketing to online appointment booking, there are reliable platforms tailored to each function, while some cover multiple functions.
My top solutions include Phorest for customer loyalty and Fresha for its POS system. Vagaro works well for managing your online presence, and Mindbody is a strong pick for offering membership packages.
Connecteam is my favourite salon software in Australia: It’s a full-fledged salon staff management tool that can integrate with a booking app to optimize employee schedules and ensure availability. It also serves as a training tool, client feedback and intake tool, and team communication app.