salonMonster vs. Ombra
salonMonster is built by hairdressers for the salon day, with reminders and bulk text marketing included on every plan. Ombra is a booking, point-of-sale, and website platform made for many kinds of service business.
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
Ombra
Appointment businesses of many kinds, from salons and beauty to fitness, wellness, and pet care, that want booking, point of sale, and a website in one
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
Ombra
Booking, deposits and no-show fees, point of sale, a website builder, a shared text and email inbox, and rebooking and winback tools
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Ombra
Loads your client export, or a photo of a paper book, usually within 48 hours
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
Ombra
A booking, point-of-sale, and website platform for many kinds of service business, with a monthly text allowance per chair
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Ombra
Appointment businesses of many kinds, from salons and beauty to fitness, wellness, and pet care, that want booking, point of sale, and a website in one
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
Booking, deposits and no-show fees, point of sale, a website builder, a shared text and email inbox, and rebooking and winback tools
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Loads your client export, or a photo of a paper book, usually within 48 hours
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A booking, point-of-sale, and website platform for many kinds of service business, with a monthly text allowance per chair
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 5, 2026. salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. Ombra's prices are in US dollars. Prices and plans change, so check Ombra's website before deciding.
The real difference: a platform for every service business, or software built for your salon
Built around the chair
Ombra has to work for a gym, a dog groomer, and a salon. 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.
Reminders are in the price
With Ombra, each chair gets 100 texts a month and pays per text after that. salonMonster includes email and text reminders and booking confirmations on every plan, plus bulk email and text marketing.
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 Ombra: export first, then cancel
Your client list is the business you built, and it should come with you. Ombra lets you export it yourself. Start there and we'll do the rest together.
1
Export your records
Download your clients, bookings, notes, and payments from Ombra as CSV files. Ask Ombra about photos and attachments too. 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 Ombra.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs less, salonMonster or Ombra?
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. Ombra’s US prices are $29 a month for one seat, or $19 a month per chair with a two-chair minimum, with 100 texts per chair included and $0.05 a text after that. Team size and how much you text both change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Does Ombra 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. Ombra also advertises a 14-day trial with no card.
Does Ombra have a marketplace?
Ombra has a customer app that helps people find nearby salons and barbers. salonMonster keeps booking between you and your clients: they book through your own booking page or a widget on your website, not a marketplace.
Does Ombra require a contract?
No. Ombra says you can cancel anytime, and its subscriptions renew unless cancelled before the next period. salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee either.
Can I export my data from Ombra?
Yes. Ombra says you can export your clients, bookings, notes, and payments as CSV files from settings at any time. Download everything you rely on before you cancel, and ask about photos and attachments.
Can salonMonster move everything from Ombra?
It depends on the files you’re able to export. Send them over and we’ll tell you exactly what can move before you cancel anything.
Which one has better migration help?
Both offer free help moving in. With salonMonster, a real person looks at your files, moves what can be moved, and walks through the new account with you before you close the old one.
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 Ombra, a real person will look over the files you export 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 Ombra. Ombra is a trademark of its respective owner. Product and pricing information was reviewed on October 5, 2026.