Best booking software for salons and barbershops: 5 picks compared

Best booking software for salons: the short list

Trafft is the pick for a salon that books a chair or room with each stylist, and Square Appointments, Fresha, Setmore and Acuity Scheduling are the picks when staff numbers, price per head or a free start matter more. As read on October 8, 2026, Trafft's Professional plan, the first with Resources, is $49.99 a month, billed monthly, and includes 15 users (team members).

Trafft for salons: chairs, deposits and service add-ons

A salon books a stylist and a chair together. Trafft's Resources do that: its help center says Trafft checks resource availability before confirming a booking, and its example is three chairs for beard trimming, after which no further bookings can be made for that service at that time. Resource Management starts on Professional, so a salon on Mini or Growth cannot hold a chair with a stylist.

Deposits also start on Professional. They are set per service, as a fixed amount or a percentage, and the rest is paid on the day. Service Extras, the add-on services a client can add to a booking, start on Growth. Trafft takes one service per booking, and Extras are its documented workaround for a combined visit. Customer import, from Mini, loads a client list from a CSV file.

Square Appointments and Fresha: per location or per team member

Square Appointments charges $49 a month per location on Plus and sets no employee limit, so adding stylists does not change the fee. Resource management, for rooms, chairs and stations, is on Premium at $149 a month per location, and Square's Premium card is aimed at large salons with complex staff and booking needs.

Fresha bills per bookable team member, meaning staff with calendar bookings enabled: its Independent plan covers one and Team several. The price is on Fresha's own pricing page; Fresha says there is no booking fee per appointment, and teams get a 7-day trial with no credit card required.

Setmore and Acuity Scheduling: per user or per calendar

Setmore treats each staff calendar as a user, even without a login. Free covers up to 4 users, and Pro is $12 per user a month, billed monthly. Acuity Scheduling counts calendars, one per person or location: Standard includes up to 6 and is $34 a month, billed monthly.

Acuity says shared resources can be assigned to classes, but its pricing page names no plan for them. For treatment rooms and equipment, see best booking software for massage therapists.

Which one fits a barbershop or a growing salon

Each tool counts a growing team differently. Trafft includes 1 user on Free, 3 on Mini, 5 on Growth, 15 on Professional and 30 on Business. Square sets no employee limit, and Fresha and Setmore charge per person.

• Trafft Professional for a salon or barbershop that books chairs or rooms with stylists, up to 15 users.
• Square Appointments if staff numbers keep growing and the fee should follow locations.
• Fresha to pay per bookable team member.
• Setmore for a free start with up to 4 users.

Trafft opens all features during its 14-day trial, its sign-up guide says, but names no plan for it, so check that Resources work before you pay. Trafft vs Square Appointments compares the first two picks, and best appointment scheduling software widens the list to seven tools.