Square vs. Phorest 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. Phorest prices by quote and signs salons to a one-year contract.
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
Phorest
Growing salons, spas, and med spas. Phorest says its plans are perfect for three or more staff
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
Phorest
Top features locked behind paid plan upgrades and add-ons, and cancelling requires wide-range advance notice
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
Phorest
Tailored setup, migration, and training. Support available Monday to Friday
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
Phorest
A broad platform with a quote-based price and a one-year contract
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
Phorest
Growing salons, spas, and med spas. Phorest says its plans are perfect for three or more staff
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
Top features locked behind paid plan upgrades and add-ons, and cancelling requires wide-range advance notice
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
Tailored setup, migration, and training. Support available Monday to Friday
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 broad platform with a quote-based price and a one-year contract
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, Phorest September 23 to 24, 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 Phorest's Canada or United States pricing page.
The real difference: Square, Phorest, or software built for your salon
Built around the chair
Square has to work for a mechanic, a tax accountant, and a salon. 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. 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 Phorest, every plan is priced by quote, and reminder texts are billed per message. 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 Phorest: export first
1
Export your records
From Square, download your customer directory and appointment history, then your items, payment history, and reports. From Phorest, grab your client file first, then appointments, services, and products. 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 Phorest 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. Phorest is aimed at growing salons, spas, and med spas, with quoted pricing and a one-year contract. 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, Phorest, 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. Phorest doesn’t publish a subscription price on its Canadian or US pricing page and asks you to request a quote. Team size, country, and add-ons all change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Do Square and Phorest 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. Phorest has no free trial. Its public FAQ says it offers a personalized demonstration instead.
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 Phorest require a contract?
salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee. Square has no long-term commitment and lets you cancel or downgrade anytime. 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.
Can I export my data from Square or Phorest?
Square lets you export your customer directory and appointment history as CSV files, along with items, payment history, and reports. Phorest documents free self-service exports for several data categories. Custom exports requested from Phorest may involve a charge. Whichever you’re on, get every export you rely on before you cancel or downgrade.
Can salonMonster move everything from Square or Phorest?
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 Phorest, 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 Phorest. Square and Square Appointments and Phorest are trademarks of their respective owners.