Square vs. GlossGenius vs. salonMonster
salonMonster is built for beauty professionals, by beauty professionals, with the everyday salon essentials in one price. Square Appointments is built for every kind of business. GlossGenius is USA-only, and a lot of the essentials sit behind a plan upgrade.
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
Square
Service businesses of every kind that want a free scheduling option tied to Square payments, hardware, and its wider commerce tools
GlossGenius
Solo US-based stylists who want an especially polished, design-forward app and stylish card readers
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
Square
Processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans
GlossGenius
A designed booking site, card readers, and AI-generated intake forms, with forms and a waitlist on higher plans
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Square
Self-serve setup and imports, with live onboarding and hands-on migration arranged through its sales team
GlossGenius
Set support hours, with priority support reserved for the top Platinum plan
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
Square
A general booking tool made for every kind of business, with the salon tools you need most kept for its paid plans
GlossGenius
A design-led app that is USA-only, with core tools like forms and waitlist behind a plan upgrade
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Square
Service businesses of every kind that want a free scheduling option tied to Square payments, hardware, and its wider commerce tools
GlossGenius
Solo US-based stylists who want an especially polished, design-forward app and stylish card readers
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
Processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans
A designed booking site, card readers, and AI-generated intake forms, with forms and a waitlist on higher plans
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Self-serve setup and imports, with live onboarding and hands-on migration arranged through its sales team
Set support hours, with priority support reserved for the top Platinum plan
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A general booking tool made for every kind of business, with the salon tools you need most kept for its paid plans
A design-led app that is USA-only, with core tools like forms and waitlist behind a plan upgrade
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: Square October 3, 2026, GlossGenius February 2026). salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. Prices, plans, and promotions change, so check before deciding: Square's Canada or United States pricing page and GlossGenius's pricing page .
The real difference: Square, GlossGenius, or software built for your salon
Built around the chair
Square has to work for a mechanic, a tax accountant, and a salon. GlossGenius is designed for solo stylists in the US. 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 Square, processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans. With GlossGenius, core tools like forms and a waitlist sit behind a plan upgrade. 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 Square or GlossGenius: export first
1
Export your records
From Square, download your customer directory and appointment history, then your items, payment history, and reports. From GlossGenius, export your client list, then ask its support team for your appointments, services, and client notes. 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 Square or GlossGenius better for a salon?
It depends on what you want the software to do. Square Appointments is built for many kinds of businesses, with salon tools such as processing time and a wait list on its paid plans. GlossGenius is a design-forward app for solo stylists in the US, with core tools like forms and a waitlist on its higher plans. 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: Square, GlossGenius, or salonMonster?
salonMonster is $30 a month for one person, with every salon tool included: processing time, a wait list, client records, and marketing. Square has a free plan, but its salon tools sit on Square Plus, at $35 a month in Canada or $49 in the US. GlossGenius starts at $24 a month billed annually or $28 month to month, with forms and a waitlist on the Gold plan at $48 to $56. Team size, country, and add-ons all change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Do Square and GlossGenius 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. Square has a free plan with no time limit, and its paid plans come with a free trial. GlossGenius advertises a 14-day trial without a credit card.
Does Square have a marketplace?
Square Go is a free app in the United States where clients can find and book eligible beauty businesses. It’s currently on iPhone only and isn’t offered in Canada. salonMonster keeps booking between you and your clients: they book through your own booking page or a widget on your website, not a marketplace.
Do Square or GlossGenius require a contract?
salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee. Square has no long-term commitment and lets you cancel or downgrade anytime. GlossGenius is month to month, or billed annually at a lower rate.
Can I export my data from Square or GlossGenius?
Square lets you export your customer directory and appointment history as CSV files, along with items, payment history, and reports. GlossGenius has a self-service client export. Appointments, services, and client notes have to be requested from its support team. Whichever you’re on, get every export you rely on before you cancel or downgrade.
Can salonMonster move everything from Square or GlossGenius?
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 Square or GlossGenius, 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 Block, Inc. or Square or GlossGenius. Square and Square Appointments and GlossGenius are trademarks of their respective owners.