salonMonster vs. BooksOpen
salonMonster is built by hairdressers for the salon day, with client records, colour formulas, and email and text reminders included on every plan. BooksOpen is a booking app built by professional piercers for piercing and tattoo studios.
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
BooksOpen
Piercers, tattoo artists, and the studios they work in
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
BooksOpen
Request-only or automatic booking, intake forms, deposits and cancellation fees set per service, aftercare, and check-up and downsizing reminders
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
BooksOpen
Built by professional piercers. Support channels are not listed on the pages we reviewed
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
BooksOpen
A booking app made by piercers for piercing and tattoo work, at US$29 a month
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
BooksOpen
Piercers, tattoo artists, and the studios they work in
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
Request-only or automatic booking, intake forms, deposits and cancellation fees set per service, aftercare, and check-up and downsizing reminders
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Built by professional piercers. Support channels are not listed on the pages we reviewed
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A booking app made by piercers for piercing and tattoo work, at US$29 a month
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.
Public product and pricing information reviewed October 7, 2026. salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. BooksOpen’s price is in US dollars. Plans and features change, so check BooksOpen's pricing page before deciding.
The real difference: built for the piercing studio, or built for the salon day
Built around the chair
BooksOpen is built around piercing and tattoo work: intake forms, aftercare, and downsizing reminders. 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.
Paid your way
In a BooksOpen studio, deposits and payments go to the studio admin’s bank account, and the studio pays its artists. With salonMonster, taking cards is optional: use integrated payments, or keep the terminal you already have and record the sale.
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 BooksOpen: get your client list first, then cancel
Your client list is the business you built, and it should come with you. Ask BooksOpen for a copy of it. Start there and we'll do the rest together.
1
Get your records
Ask BooksOpen for your client list, upcoming bookings, and any forms you need to keep, in a spreadsheet or CSV file if they can. 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 BooksOpen.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs less, salonMonster or BooksOpen?
salonMonster is $30 a month for one person with every salon tool included, plus $15 for each additional person with a calendar, up to $120. BooksOpen lists its Business plan at US$29 a month, and its Studios launch advertises unlimited team members for one studio at that price, with Stripe transaction fees on top. salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US, so compare in your own currency, for the setup you would really use.
Is BooksOpen only for solo artists?
No. Its Studios launch adds shared booking links, team calendars, and front desk access for a whole studio.
Does BooksOpen offer a free trial?
BooksOpen advertises a 14-day free trial with no card required. salonMonster’s trial is also 14 days of the full system with no card, so nothing is charged until you choose a plan.
Can I approve bookings before they go in my calendar?
Yes, with either one. BooksOpen offers request-only bookings. salonMonster lets you approve online booking requests before they land in your book, or let clients book instantly.
Does US$29 a month include card processing?
No. BooksOpen’s pricing page lists Stripe transaction fees separately. With salonMonster, integrated payments are optional, and you can keep the terminal you already have.
Can I export my data from BooksOpen?
BooksOpen’s website doesn’t say how to export your client list. Ask for a copy of your clients, upcoming bookings, and forms, and make sure you have it before you cancel.
Can salonMonster move everything from BooksOpen?
It depends on the files you’re able to get. Send them over and we’ll tell you exactly what can move before you cancel anything. Any deposits you’re holding for future bookings stay with you to honour, so list those separately.
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 BooksOpen, a real person will look over the files you get and explain what can come across before you cancel.
No card. No contract.
salonMonster is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by BooksOpen. BooksOpen is a trademark of its respective owner. Product and pricing information was reviewed on October 7, 2026.