The best salon scheduling software in 2026: Fresha, Vagaro, Square and Avana compared on price, features and setup time. Avana stands out for flat pricing, no per-staff fee on the base and the lowest UK card-processing rate. From £12/month, 7-day free trial.
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How the major platforms compare
Built its reputation on a free plan. October 2025 pricing change moved every team to per-member billing (~£15 per stylist/mo) plus 2.29% + £0.20 transaction fees plus 20% marketplace commission on new clients. Mid-market product now, expensive relative to what it delivers for solo or small teams.
Branded app, loyalty programmes, payroll, advanced inventory, marketplace. If you need all of that, Vagaro has it. Base plan £30/mo, scales with team size and add-ons. Most salons end up paying £80-120/mo for features they hardly use.
Genuinely free for solo stylists. Tightly integrated with Square POS. Add a second staff member and you move to ~£29/mo per location, multiplied across locations. Right choice if you already use Square.
From £12/mo (Solo), £39/mo (Pro, 3 stylists, +£4.95 per extra), £69/mo (Team, 3 stylists + 3 locations included). 0% added on Stripe card processing. £1.49 booking fee paid by client per online reservation. Setup in 15 minutes.
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What you get
These are not features — these are the things that change in your daily salon life from day one.
They see your availability and pick their time, even at night and weekends. You only get the confirmation in your inbox.
Every appointment gets an automatic email and SMS reminder at 24 hours and 2 hours before. Clients stop forgetting you.
Avana takes no commission on your bookings. You pay a flat monthly subscription from £12. Card payments run at Stripe's standard rate with nothing added on top. A small booking fee applies to your client when they reserve online.
Drop it in your Instagram bio, send it via SMS or print it as a QR on your business card. Clients book directly, no account required, no app to download.
For longer or pricier services, take a deposit automatically at booking. If the client doesn't show up, you keep the deposit.
Phone numbers, emails, treatment history, photos and notes — all in one place. Not on a marketplace. With you, exportable any time.
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How it works
Step 1
Add your services, prices and opening hours. Done in around 15 minutes, no install required.
Step 2
You get your own booking link. Drop it in your Instagram bio, send it by SMS or print it as a QR on your business card.
Step 3
No phone tag, no DMs at midnight. Clients book without an account. Confirmation and reminder go out automatically.
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2026 comparison
| Avana | Fresha | Vagaro | Square Appointments | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo | £12/mo | ~£15/mo per person | From £30/mo | Free |
| 3 stylists | £39/mo flat | ~£44.85/mo per-staff | ~£50/mo per-staff | ~£29/mo per location |
| 5 stylists | £48.90/mo (£39 + 2×£4.95) | ~£74.75/mo per-staff | ~£70/mo per-staff | ~£29/mo per location |
| Per-staff fee on base | None (then +£4.95 after 3) | Yes (every staff) | Yes | Yes (after solo) |
| Card transaction fee | 1.5% + £0.20 (0% added) | 2.29% + £0.20 | 2.6% + £0.10 | 2.5% |
| Marketplace commission | None | 20% on new clients | Optional | None |
| Booking fee paid by client | £1.49 per booking | None | None | None |
| Setup time | 15 min | 30-60 min | 60-120 min | 30 min |
| Free trial | 7 days, no card | Limited | 30 days | Free plan available |
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Pricing
Most salon software takes 2 to 3 percent of every payment you take. Avana doesn't. A small booking fee applies when clients book online — the same way any ticketing or reservation platform works. You pay standard card processing at Stripe's rate. Nothing added on top. Plans from £12 per month.
Solo
Solo stylists who want bookings, reminders and client records without the admin.
£12per month
Cancel anytime
Pro
Growing salons with a small team who need separate calendars and team-level tools.
£39per month
Cancel anytime
Team
Multi-staff salons or multi-location operators who want one central dashboard.
£69per month
Cancel anytime
Card payments run at Stripe's standard rate of 1.5% + £0.20 per transaction. On a £55 payment you receive £53.97. Avana adds nothing on top.
FAQ
For solo stylists: Square Appointments has a genuinely free plan. For teams of 2+: Avana's Pro plan at £39/mo flat is typically cheaper than Fresha (~£45-75/mo for 3-5 staff), Vagaro (~£50-70/mo) or Square (~£29-87/mo across multiple locations).
Vagaro has the broadest feature set including a branded app, loyalty programmes, payroll and inventory. Whether that matters depends on what you actually use. Most salons use 15-20% of Vagaro's features and pay for 100%.
Avana, typically 15 minutes from first login to taking bookings. Square Appointments around 30 minutes. Fresha 30-60 minutes. Vagaro 60-120 minutes plus follow-up tweaks.
Avana: 1.5% + £0.20 on Stripe with 0% added. Fresha: 2.29% + £0.20. Vagaro: 2.6% + £0.10. Square: 2.5%. On a monthly card volume of £5,000, Avana saves £40-60 vs Fresha or Vagaro.
Card payments run at Stripe's standard processing rate: 1.5% + £0.20 in the UK. Avana adds nothing on top. On a £55 payment you receive £53.97. You can see the exact breakdown for every transaction in your dashboard.
When a client books online, a small £1.49 fee applies — the same way a booking fee works on any reservation platform. It's shown to the client at the time of booking and is non-refundable if the client cancels. It does not come out of your service revenue.
Yes. Every plan includes a 7-day free trial, no credit card required. You can set up your booking page, add your services and test the full calendar before deciding.
Yes. Monthly plans, no contract, cancel from your dashboard.
Avana from £12/mo flat. 7-day free trial.
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