Phorest vs. Nubis Salon 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. Nubis Salon is a tiered platform with plans for small salons through franchise groups.
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
Nubis Salon
Salons running walk-ins, staff rotation, and more than one location, with plans sized from small teams to franchise groups
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
Nubis Salon
Booking, walk-ins, staff rotation, and checkout, with a wait list, marketing, memberships, loyalty, and gift cards on its Professional plan and up
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
Nubis Salon
Phone and email support, with help for devices and workflows
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
Nubis Salon
A tiered booking and point-of-sale platform, where the wait list, marketing, and loyalty tools start on the second plan
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
Nubis Salon
Salons running walk-ins, staff rotation, and more than one location, with plans sized from small teams to franchise groups
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
Booking, walk-ins, staff rotation, and checkout, with a wait list, marketing, memberships, loyalty, and gift cards on its Professional plan and up
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
Phone and email support, with help for devices and workflows
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 tiered booking and point-of-sale platform, where the wait list, marketing, and loyalty tools start on the second plan
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, Nubis Salon 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 Nubis Salon's pricing page .
The real difference: Phorest, Nubis Salon, 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. Nubis Salon is built around walk-ins, staff rotation, and the front counter. 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. With Nubis Salon, the wait list and marketing tools start on its second plan. 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 Nubis Salon: export first
1
Export your records
From Phorest, grab your client file first, then appointments, services, and products. From Nubis Salon, get your clients, upcoming appointments, notes, services, and any gift card or membership balances. 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 Nubis Salon 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. Nubis Salon is a tiered booking and point-of-sale platform for salons running walk-ins and staff rotation, with plans up to franchise groups. 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, Nubis Salon, 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. Nubis Salon’s plans start at $59 a month in Canada and $45 in the US for up to five bookable staff, with its wait list and marketing tools on the next plan up. Team size, country, and add-ons all change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Do Phorest and Nubis Salon 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. Nubis Salon advertises a 14-day trial with no credit card needed to register.
Do Phorest or Nubis Salon 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. Nubis Salon’s terms say fees already charged are generally non-refundable and that you can request account closure.
Can I export my data from Phorest or Nubis Salon?
Phorest documents free self-service exports for several data categories. Custom exports requested from Phorest may involve a charge. Ask Nubis Salon how to get your records out before you close your account. Whichever you’re on, get every export you rely on before you cancel or downgrade.
Can salonMonster move everything from Phorest or Nubis Salon?
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 Nubis Salon, 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 Nubis Salon. Phorest and Nubis Salon are trademarks of their respective owners.