salonMonster vs. Salonist
salonMonster is built by hairdressers for the salon day, with the wait list, inventory, and marketing included on every plan. Salonist is a tiered salon platform where each of those needs a higher plan.
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
Salonist
Salons and spas that want unlimited staff on every plan, a marketplace listing, and multi-location tools
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
Salonist
Point of sale, memberships, and packages, with inventory and marketing campaigns on its Advance plan, and a wait list, forms, and before-and-after photos on its Expert plan
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Salonist
Chat and on-demand phone support, with personalised onboarding on the Advance plan and up
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
Salonist
A tiered salon platform where inventory, marketing campaigns, and the wait list each need a higher plan
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Salonist
Salons and spas that want unlimited staff on every plan, a marketplace listing, and multi-location tools
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
Point of sale, memberships, and packages, with inventory and marketing campaigns on its Advance plan, and a wait list, forms, and before-and-after photos on its Expert plan
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Chat and on-demand phone support, with personalised onboarding on the Advance plan and up
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A tiered salon platform where inventory, marketing campaigns, and the wait list each need a higher 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.
Public product and pricing information reviewed October 5, 2026. salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. Salonist's prices are its US monthly rates in US dollars. Prices and plans change, so check Salonist's pricing page before deciding.
The real difference: features spread across tiers, or everything in one plan
The essentials are in the price
With Salonist, inventory and marketing campaigns need its Advance plan, and the wait list needs Expert. salonMonster sticks to what a salon uses every day and includes it on every plan.
Booking under your own name
Salonist lists you in its marketplace, with a one-time 15% fee on a new marketplace client's first visit. salonMonster has no marketplace. Clients book on your own booking page or a widget on your website, so your business stays front and centre.
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 Salonist: export while your plan is active
Your client list is the business you built, and it should come with you. Salonist lets you export your clients yourself while your plan is active. Start there and we'll do the rest together.
1
Export before your plan ends
Export your client list from Salonist while your plan is still active, since its help centre says exports stop when the plan does. Ask about history, notes, and photos too.
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 Salonist.
Frequently asked questions
Which costs less, salonMonster or Salonist?
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. Salonist’s US monthly plans are $59, $109, and $179, each with unlimited staff, with inventory and marketing campaigns starting on the $109 plan and the wait list on the $179 plan. Which costs less depends on your team size and the tools you need, so compare the setup you would really use.
Does Salonist charge commission on bookings?
Only in one case. Salonist charges a one-time 15% fee on a new marketplace client’s first visit. Bookings through your own link, your website, or from returning clients carry no booking fee. salonMonster has no marketplace and no booking fees: clients book through your own booking page or a widget on your website.
Does Salonist offer a free trial?
Yes. Salonist offers a free trial, and its help centre says you can’t export data during it. 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.
How do I cancel Salonist?
Salonist’s help centre says to cancel by email from your registered account, and to download your data before your plan expires. salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee.
Can I export my data from Salonist?
Yes, while your plan is active. Salonist’s help centre shows a client export, and says exports aren’t available once the plan ends. Download everything you rely on first, and ask about history, notes, and photos.
Can salonMonster move everything from Salonist?
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.
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 Salonist, 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 Salonist. Salonist is a trademark of its respective owner. Product and pricing information was reviewed on October 5, 2026.