Phorest vs. Groom vs. salonMonster
salonMonster is built for beauty professionals, by beauty professionals, with the everyday salon essentials in one price. Phorest prices by quote and signs salons to a one-year contract. Groom is a barbershop operating system priced per location.
No credit card required · No long-term contract · Free migration help
Canadian-owned and built in British Columbia since 2010, with straightforward pricing for salons across Canada and the US.
Who it's made for
salonMonster
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Phorest
Growing salons, spas, and med spas. Phorest says its plans are perfect for three or more staff
Groom
Barbershops and shop groups that run a walk-in queue, pay barbers on commission, and want oversight across locations
Top features
salonMonster
Online booking, processing-time gaps for colour, booking requests, client records, inventory, reports, a wait list, and bulk email and text marketing, all in one plan
Phorest
Top features locked behind paid plan upgrades and add-ons, and cancelling requires wide-range advance notice
Groom
A walk-in queue, commissions and payout estimates, loyalty and referrals, branded customer apps, and multi-location oversight
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Phorest
Tailored setup, migration, and training. Support available Monday to Friday
Groom
Free onboarding and migration
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
Phorest
A broad platform with a quote-based price and a one-year contract
Groom
A barbershop operating system with one price per location, whatever the size of the team
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Phorest
Growing salons, spas, and med spas. Phorest says its plans are perfect for three or more staff
Groom
Barbershops and shop groups that run a walk-in queue, pay barbers on commission, and want oversight across locations
Online booking, processing-time gaps for colour, booking requests, client records, inventory, reports, a wait list, and bulk email and text marketing, all in one plan
Top features locked behind paid plan upgrades and add-ons, and cancelling requires wide-range advance notice
A walk-in queue, commissions and payout estimates, loyalty and referrals, branded customer apps, and multi-location oversight
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Tailored setup, migration, and training. Support available Monday to Friday
Free onboarding and migration
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A broad platform with a quote-based price and a one-year contract
A barbershop operating system with one price per location, whatever the size of the team
Already sold? Jump in whenever you're ready.
Start your free 14-day trialNo card required, no contract.
Want a deeper dive? Here's how salonMonster stacks up.
Based on each company's public product and pricing information (last reviewed: Phorest September 23 to 24, 2026, Groom October 5, 2026). salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. Prices, plans, and promotions change, so check before deciding: Phorest's Canada or United States pricing page and Groom's pricing page .
The real difference: Phorest, Groom, or software built for your salon
Built around the chair
Phorest says its plans are perfect for three or more staff, and that it isn’t a good fit for chair rental salons or mobile operators. Groom is built for the barbershop floor: walk-in queues, commissions, and oversight across shops. salonMonster is made by hairdressers, for the way a salon day already runs. Book a cut into the gap while a colour processes, approve online booking requests before they land in your book, and keep formulas on the client record.
The essentials are in the price
With Phorest, every plan is priced by quote, and reminder texts are billed per message. Groom charges one price per location, however many chairs you run. salonMonster sticks to what a salon uses every day and includes it on every plan.
Help from people who know salons
We've been behind the chair, so you won't have to explain what a root touch-up is. A real person moves your client list over for free and walks you through your new account. And you get 14 days with no card at all, so nothing can charge you until you've decided it's right for you.
Switching from Phorest or Groom: export first
1
Export your records
From Phorest, grab your client file first, then appointments, services, and products. From Groom, download your clients, booking history, and revenue records as CSV files. Keep your account open while you do.
2
We look at what you got
Send the files over through our secure process. We'll tell you exactly what can move into salonMonster before we call the move done, so there are no surprises later.
3
Walk through it with a real person
We'll go over your clients, services, upcoming bookings, team access, and booking rules together. Once it all looks right, that's the moment to cancel or downgrade your old plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is Phorest or Groom better for a salon?
It depends on what you want the software to do. Phorest is aimed at growing salons, spas, and med spas, with quoted pricing and a one-year contract. Groom is a barbershop operating system built around walk-in queues, commissions, and oversight across shops. salonMonster only does salons and beauty. It’s built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, so every feature is designed around a salon day and included in one plan.
Which costs less: Phorest, Groom, or salonMonster?
salonMonster is $30 a month for one person, with every salon tool included: processing time, a wait list, client records, and marketing. Phorest doesn’t publish a subscription price on its Canadian or US pricing page and asks you to request a quote. Groom’s founding offer is $199 a month per location in Canada with unlimited chairs, advertised until October 31, 2026. Team size, country, and add-ons all change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Does Phorest offer a free trial?
salonMonster’s trial is 14 days of the full system and doesn’t ask for a card, so nothing is charged until you choose a plan. Phorest has no free trial. Its public FAQ says it offers a personalized demonstration instead.
Do Phorest or Groom require a contract?
salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee. Phorest’s public Canadian and US terms state a one-year contract period with automatic annual renewal, at least two months’ written notice, and remaining subscription fees payable on early termination. Groom is month to month, and cancelling takes effect at the end of the paid period.
Can I export my data from Phorest or Groom?
Phorest documents free self-service exports for several data categories. Custom exports requested from Phorest may involve a charge. Groom’s terms promise self-service CSV exports of your clients, booking history, and revenue, with 30 days of export access after a subscription ends. Whichever you’re on, get every export you rely on before you cancel or downgrade.
Can salonMonster move everything from Phorest or Groom?
It depends on the files you’re able to export. Send them over and we’ll tell you exactly what can move before you change anything on your current account.
ready when you are
Ready for salon software built around the chair?
Start with 14 days free. No credit card. If you decide to move from Phorest or Groom, a real person will look over the files you export and explain what can come across before you change anything.
No card. No contract.
salonMonster is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Phorest or Groom. Phorest and Groom are trademarks of their respective owners.