Avana Connect
Switch it on once for your Instagram. It answers clients with your own prices and free times and lets them book inside the conversation.
£9.99a month
Add Connect A Phorest alternative you can sign up for without a sales call
See the price, try it for a week, decide for yourself. Avana is salon software for owners who would rather not sign a long contract.
Price on the pageNo contractFree for 7 days
In shortChecked October 2026
Avana, by Sweeber Technologies, is a Phorest alternative for UK salons that want a published price and a monthly plan. Phorest does not publish its prices; it quotes each salon after a demo, and third-party reports mention prices from around £99 a month plus VAT with contracts of 12 to 24 months. Avana costs £15.99, £28.99 or £55.99 a month with VAT included, takes no commission and can be cancelled any month.
| At a glance | Avana | Phorest |
|---|---|---|
| Price on the website | Yes | No, quote after a demo |
| Starting price | £15.99 a month, VAT included | Around £99 + VAT, according to third parties |
| Contract | Monthly | Often 12 to 24 months, according to third parties |
| Trial | 7 days free, self-serve | Demo with their team |
Phorest figures are from third-party reviews and comparison sites, not from Phorest. Ask Phorest for the price and contract length in writing.
Straight answer first
Phorest or Avana: which fits your salon?
Phorest is built for established salons with bigger teams. Avana is built for owners who work alone or with a few others.
Avana is the better fit if
- you want to see the price before you talk to anyone
- you prefer to pay monthly and stay free to leave
- you work alone or with one or two colleagues
- your clients find you mostly through Instagram
Phorest is the better fit if
- you run a large salon or several locations
- you want in-depth marketing campaigns and staff targets
- a dedicated account manager matters to you
Side by side
Phorest and Avana compared
What you can check before you commit, and what each system covers.
| Phorest | Avana | |
|---|---|---|
| Published price | No* | Yes, VAT included |
| Charges per booking or text | Ask Phorest* | None per booking; texts in packs |
| Minimum term | Ask Phorest* | One month |
| Online booking page | Yes | Yes |
| Deposits | Yes | Yes |
| Email and text reminders | Yes* | Yes, texts in packs |
| Instagram DM booking | Book button | Avana Connect |
| Courses with a practice day | No | Avana Academy |
| Detailed marketing campaigns | Yes | Simple re-booking invites |
*From Phorest's public material and third-party reviews, October 2026. Phorest quotes per salon.
Why owners choose Avana
What makes the decision easier
None of this is about features you will never use.
You know the cost before you start
£15.99, £28.99 or £55.99 a month, VAT included, published on the pricing page. No demo needed to find out.
You can leave
Monthly billing with no notice period. If Avana stops suiting you, you stop paying at the end of the month.
Setup is an afternoon
Add your treatments, set your hours, share your link. You do not need a training session to take your first online booking.
Payments
Clients can still pay in the salon
Paying at the desk works the way it always has. For a long treatment you can ask for a deposit when they book, so the slot you keep free is paid for. You decide per treatment.
- Pay in the salon, as before
- Turn a deposit on for the treatments that need one
- Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay online
Checkout
Deposit balayage£25.00
CardApple PayGoogle Pay
Your messages
A question in your Instagram DMs turns into a booking
Switch on Avana Connect once on your Instagram account. From then on it answers clients with your own prices and free times, and lets them book inside the chat.
- Replies within seconds, late at night too
- Only prices and times that are really yours
- You can step in and type yourself whenever you like
Instagram · Studio Ivy
How much is balayage with you?
Balayage is £120 and takes 2.5 hours. I still have 10:00 and 14:00 free on Saturday.
10:0014:00
10:00 please
Lovely. Tap below to hold your slot.Confirm appointment
What it costs
The price is right here on the page
Avana has three plans: Business at £15.99, Business Plus at £28.99 and Business Max at £55.99 a month, all with VAT included. There is no commission on your takings and no contract, and every plan starts with 7 days free without card details.
MonthlyYearly save up to £112
Business
For the independent salon that takes bookings seriously.
/month
£0.53 a day, and no commission on your revenue.
Start free- Unlimited online bookings
- Your own booking page and QR code
- Online calendar and services
- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- Intake questions when clients book
- Confirmation and reminder emails
- Online payments and deposits
- Automatic invoices and a monthly export
- Booking widget for your own website
- Add-ons, client records and discount codes
- Loyalty card for regular clients
Most popular
Business Plus
For the salon that wants every gap in the week filled.
/month
£0.97 a day. One extra appointment a month covers it.
Start free- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- Waitlist that fills cancelled slots
- Sell gift cards
- Sell products when clients book
- Cash book and end-of-day close
- Track expenses and stock
- Insights into how your salon is doing
- Discount campaigns with an end date
- Consent forms online
- Send documents with the confirmation
- Multiple locations
Business Max
For the salon that also teaches, with Avana Academy included.
/month
£1.87 a day, with Avana Academy included.
Start free- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- 2 extra team members includedEach with their own calendar. After that, £5.99 a month per person.
- Avana Academy includedSell courses with certificates for your students.
- Treatment rooms in your calendarAdd the room or chair to each appointment, so two treatments never clash.
- 5 free SMS a month included
- Email campaigns
- Automatic birthday and win-back emails
- Use your own domain name
- Your own branding in campaigns
- Advanced settings
- Early access to new features
All prices include VAT. If you change plan, you only pay the difference.
Add when you need it
Three extras you can switch on
Avana Connect costs £9.99 a month, the Avana Academy £8.99 a month with a plan, and text messages come in packs from £4.99. They go on the same bill as your plan, and you can stop any month.
Avana Academy
Sell your own courses to people who want to learn your craft. Lessons are set up once, the practice day sits in your calendar and certificates go out on their own.
£8.99a month with a plan
Add the Academy Text message packs
Text reminders for clients who skip their email. You buy texts in packs, the credits never expire and there is no subscription.
from £4.99a pack
Pick a text pack What you get
Everything you need to open for bookings
Every Avana plan includes a booking page, a calendar, deposits, email reminders and client records from day one. Where something starts at Business Plus, it says so on the tile.
Your own booking pageTreatments, prices and free times on one link, with your photos. Clients book without making an account.Set up your page Your calendar on your phoneYour whole day at a glance, wherever you are. A new booking appears straight away, with who is coming and for what.Set your hours Pay in the salon or onlineClients pay at the desk as they always have. Online payment works too, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.Turn on online payments Deposits against empty slotsAsk for an amount upfront on a long treatment. The slot is then properly held, and if nobody turns up, you keep the deposit.Set a deposit Email remindersA confirmation right after booking and a reminder the day before with the time and your address. You do nothing.Switch reminders on Text remindersFor clients who never read their email. Text messages come in packs from £4.99, with no subscription on top.Pick a text pack Your client recordsColour formulas, your notes and everything done before, per client. After the visit you invite them back with one tap.Import your clients A waiting list when you are fullSaturday fully booked? A client can join the waiting list, and the moment someone cancels, the next person gets an email.From Business PlusSet up the waiting list Someone helps out?If someone works with you on Saturdays or a few days a week, add them with their own hours and treatments.Add a team member
Also included
- Reviews collected after each visit
- Invoices for your accountant
- Discount codes for your clients
- A questionnaire before the first visit
- Your own cancellation rules
- Gift cards and product sales, from Business Plus
- Holidays and days off in one go
- A QR code for your front desk
- Your own wording in every email
- A clear view of how full your week is
Better together
Three pairings that bring in the most
Avana's booking page, deposits, reminders, Avana Connect and the Avana Academy work together in one account. Turn two on together and they win you appointments you would otherwise have missed.
Avana Connect+Deposits
A late-night message becomes a paid appointment
Someone asks at eleven at night what balayage costs. Connect replies, they book Saturday at ten and the deposit is paid there and then. In the morning it is in your calendar.
How much is balayage?
£120. Saturday 10:00 is free.
Deposit paid£25 · Saturday 10:00
Booking page+Reminders
People who book themselves also turn up
The client picks a time and gets a confirmation straight away. The reminder follows the day before. If it no longer suits, they move it themselves and the slot opens up again.
The day beforeSee you tomorrow at 10:00Studio Ivy, 14 Market Street
Reminder sentAll they have to do is turn up
Your clients+Avana Academy
Earn extra from skills you already have
Record your know-how once as a course and sell it to people who want to learn your craft. The practice day goes between your appointments and you keep the whole course price.
Balayage for beginners4 lessons · 1 practice day
6 students signed upYour next practice day is full
Questions
Phorest alternative: frequently asked
What is a good alternative to Phorest?
For a small or mid-sized salon, Avana is a straightforward option: published prices from £15.99 a month with VAT included, a monthly plan and no commission. You get a booking page, deposits, reminders, client records, and Avana Connect to answer Instagram messages.
How much does Phorest cost?
Phorest does not publish its prices; it gives each salon a quote after a demo. Third-party reviews mention starting prices of around £99 a month plus VAT, with extras for text messages and apps. Ask Phorest for a written quote including VAT and all add-ons.
How long is a Phorest contract?
Phorest does not state its terms publicly. Third-party reports mention contracts of 12 to 24 months. Check your own agreement for the end date and notice period before you plan a switch.
Can I leave Avana whenever I want?
Yes. Avana is billed monthly with no notice period. Your first 7 days are free and need no card details.
Can I bring my Phorest clients to Avana?
If you can export your client list from Phorest as a CSV or Excel file, upload it in Avana's import screen. Avana recognises the usual columns and asks about anything it is unsure of.
Question not here? The help centre walks through every part of Avana step by step.
Price transparency
Why price transparency matters when you choose salon software
Many salon owners start looking for a Phorest alternative when their contract is close to its end date. It is a good moment to ask a simple question: what will this cost me over the next year, all in? With quote-based software, that answer depends on the demo, the add-ons and the term.
Avana keeps it on one page. Our pricing shows three plans with VAT included. Your booking page, deposits, reminders and client records are in every plan. Text messages come in packs you buy when needed.
Compare more UK options on our alternatives page, or read the SalonIQ and Timely comparisons.
See for yourself before you sign anything
Avana is free for 7 days. No sales call, no card details.
Start your free week