# Alternatives to GlossGenius

GlossGenius is an all-in-one booking, payments, and marketing platform aimed at independent beauty and wellness professionals and small studios.

GlossGenius ranks #3 of 8 in Salon & spa management, with an Alt Score of 100. It is licensed under Proprietary (commercial SaaS), sold by subscription from $24/month and available on iOS, Android and Web. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

Source: https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/glossgenius/
Category: Salon & spa management

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: GlossGenius is built for beauty, wellness, and health service businesses — salons, spas, medspas, barbershops, nail and lash studios, massage and esthetics practices, and fitness studios. It serves everyone from solo operators and booth renters to multi-location businesses with large staff teams. Founded in 2016 and based in New York City, it is used by more than 120,000 businesses.
- **What you get**: An all-in-one business management platform combining online booking, an appointment calendar with resource management and two-way calendar sync, point-of-sale with card readers at a flat 2.6% rate, client CRM, automated reminders, marketing (email/text, Google Reviews), inventory management, memberships and packages, deposits and no-show protection, staff management, timesheets, payroll with customizable commissions, and reporting. It also layers in AI agents (Growth Analyst, an AI receptionist, and a marketing agent). Plans run Standard ($24/mo), Gold ($48/mo), and Platinum ($148/mo), each with a 14-day free trial.
- **How it works**: Businesses sign up online (no credit card for the free trial) and get a customizable GlossGenius Booking Website where clients book instantly without logins or app downloads, and can also be booked through connected Google, Instagram, Facebook, and Yelp profiles. Owners and staff manage calendars, clients, payments, and payroll from the iOS app or via desktop and tablet in the browser. Automation handles confirmations, reminders, rebooking prompts, deposits, and marketing campaigns in the background, while AI agents surface revenue opportunities and answer after-hours inquiries.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary (commercial SaaS) (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Pricing model**: Subscription (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Starts at**: $24/month (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Platforms**: iOS, Android, Web
- **Status**: active (verified 2026-07-12)

## Ranked alternatives

| # | App | Alt Score | Licence | Platforms |
|---|-----|-----------|---------|-----------|
| 1 | [Boulevard](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/boulevard.md) | 100 | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | Web, iOS |
| 2 | [Fresha](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/fresha.md) | 100 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 3 | [Mangomint](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mangomint.md) | 100 | Proprietary SaaS; commercial subscription, no long-term contracts | Web, iOS, Android |
| 4 | [Phorest](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/phorest.md) | 100 | Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription) | Web, iOS, Android |
| 5 | [Vagaro](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/vagaro.md) | 100 | Proprietary | Web, iOS, Android |
| 6 | [Booksy](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/booksy.md) | 96 | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | iOS, Android, Web |
| 7 | [Timely](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/timely-salon.md) | 96 | Proprietary / commercial SaaS (© Timely Limited) | Web, iOS, Android |

Alt Score = Verified coverage (90%) + Visibility (10%). See https://altcatalog.com/how-alt-score-works/

## Feature comparison

Legend: Yes / No / Partial / ? (not verified).

| Salon & spa management checklist | GlossGenius | Boulevard | Fresha | Mangomint | Phorest | Vagaro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starts at | $24/month | $140/mo per location (billed annually; normally $176) | €12.95 per team member/month | $165/month | ? | £20/month |
| License | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | Proprietary | Proprietary SaaS; commercial subscription, no long-term contracts | Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription) | Proprietary |
| Platforms | iOS, Android, Web | Web, iOS | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS, Android |
| Online booking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Appointment calendar | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Point of sale | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Client records / CRM | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Automated reminders | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Staff scheduling & commissions | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Inventory management | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Memberships & packages | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Deposits / no-show protection | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Marketing tools | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mobile app | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-location | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |

## Sources

Sources for GlossGenius. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: Proprietary (commercial SaaS) — <https://glossgenius.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: No page states a software license explicitly; inferred as proprietary commercial SaaS from the paid, hosted subscription plans.
  - Quote: “GlossGenius offers a transparent and inclusive pricing model, providing a comprehensive suite of tools for a flat monthly fee.”
- **Pricing model**: Subscription — <https://glossgenius.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: 14-day free trial, no permanent free tier, so Subscription rather than Freemium.
  - Quote: “GlossGenius offers multiple plans: Standard Plan (starts at $24/month) ... Gold Plan (starts at $48/month) ... Platinum Plan (starts at $148/month)”
- **Starts at**: $24/month — <https://glossgenius.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Standard Plan (starts at $24/month): Includes all business essentials, like scheduling, a booking site builder, POS capabilities, and basic marketing.”
- **Platforms**: iOS, Android, Web — <https://glossgenius.com/calendar-scheduling-app> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: iOS native app confirmed on Apple App Store (apps.apple.com/us/app/glossgenius-booking-payments/id1081286979); Android confirmed via overview page 'Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android'; desktop/web via t
  - Quote: “Edit appointments and check availability from the front desk or on the go with mobile, desktop, and tablet accessibility.”
- **Status**: active — <https://glossgenius.com/about> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Founded 2016, 120,000+ businesses, actively hiring and announcing new AI Agents features per llms.txt/site.
  - Quote: “The businesses behind the world’s most meaningful appointments deserve better. We’re fixing that.”
- **Online booking**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/online-booking> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Let clients book instantly from your free GlossGenius Booking Website — no logins or app downloads required.”
- **Appointment calendar**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/calendar-scheduling-app> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Quickly book, edit, and manage appointments with intuitive, customizable tools — like Resource Management and two-way calendar sync.”
- **Point of sale**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/point-of-sale> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Make checkout fast and easy for you and your clients with professional card readers and a low, flat 2.6% processing rate with no hidden transaction fees.”
- **Client records / CRM**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/client-management> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Store and manage every client detail in one place — notes, preferences, visit history, payments — to deliver the kind of personalized service that keeps clients coming back.”
- **Automated reminders**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/client-communication-and-notifications> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Send unlimited automated reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups, and include everything clients need — like pre-appointment instructions, directions, and required forms.”
- **Staff scheduling & commissions**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/payroll> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Staff scheduling via shared calendar/custom work hours (for-team-members page); customizable commissions confirmed here and on pricing page.
  - Quote: “Pay by direct deposit or check, customize product and service commissions, and set multiple rates, schedules, and pay frequencies.”
- **Inventory management**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/salon-inventory-management> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Track inventory with automated quantity updates and mobile barcode scanning.”
- **Memberships & packages**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/memberships-packages> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Sell prepaid salon, spa, and medspa packages and recurring memberships in person or online.”
- **Deposits / no-show protection**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/no-shows-protection-card-on-file> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Keep your business protected from last-minute cancellations and no-shows with custom booking requirements, deposits, cancellation policies, and more.”
- **Marketing tools**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/marketing> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Drive repeat bookings, higher retention, and increased client spend by promoting your latest services and offers with AI-powered Email & Text Marketing.”
- **Mobile app**: Yes — <https://apps.apple.com/us/app/glossgenius-booking-payments/id1081286979> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Native iOS app by GlossGenius, Inc. on the Apple App Store; Android also referenced on the overview page.
  - Quote: “GlossGenius: Booking, Payments App - App Store”
- **Multi-location**: Yes — <https://glossgenius.com/pricing> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Platinum plan adds unlimited team members and multi-location management.
  - Quote: “Manage multiple locations? Run every location with one connected system.”

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Ranked by verified data, never by who paid. https://altcatalog.com/trust/