# Alternatives to Phorest

Phorest is salon and spa management software focused on client retention, marketing, and online booking for hair and beauty businesses.

Phorest ranks #5 of 8 in Salon & spa management, with an Alt Score of 100. It is licensed under Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription), sold by subscription and available on Web, iOS and Android. 12 of 12 checklist rows are verified against a public source.

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

## Overview

- **Who it's for**: Phorest is salon, spa, and aesthetic clinic management software aimed at growing and multi-location hair, beauty, and medi-aesthetic businesses (its plans are pitched as best for salons and medspas with 3 or more staff). It is used by over 155,000 professionals and offers dedicated packages for both traditional salons and med spas. The product targets premium, growth-focused businesses rather than solo operators.
- **What you get**: A cloud-based platform combining an appointment calendar, online booking, point of sale, client records/CRM, automated SMS and email reminders, staff scheduling with flexible commission structures, stock/inventory management, memberships and recurring packages, deposits and no-show protection, and marketing tools. It also bundles the PhorestGo mobile management app, client-facing booking app, loyalty programs, gift cards, and multi-location reporting. Higher tiers add features like 2-Way SMS, Ads Manager, reputation management, and AI tools.
- **How it works**: Phorest is sold as tiered monthly subscription plans (Starter, Grow, Complete Advantage, Elite, plus Core/Elevate Aesthetics for med spas), with all plans including unlimited devices and staff and bespoke setup and training; pricing is quote-based rather than published, and there is no self-serve free trial. Staff run the business from a cloud desktop app and the PhorestGo app on iPhone, iPad, or Android, while clients book online 24/7 and via a branded booking app. Payments, deposits, and retail are handled through the built-in POS and PhorestPay terminals.

## Profile

- **License**: Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription) (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Pricing model**: Subscription (verified 2026-07-12)
- **Starts at**: ?
- **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android
- **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 | [GlossGenius](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/glossgenius.md) | 100 | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | iOS, Android, Web |
| 4 | [Mangomint](https://altcatalog.com/alternatives/mangomint.md) | 100 | Proprietary SaaS; commercial subscription, no long-term contracts | 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 | Phorest | Boulevard | Fresha | GlossGenius | Mangomint | Vagaro |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription | Subscription |
| Starts at | ? | $140/mo per location (billed annually; normally $176) | €12.95 per team member/month | $24/month | $165/month | £20/month |
| License | Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription) | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | Proprietary | Proprietary (commercial SaaS) | Proprietary SaaS; commercial subscription, no long-term contracts | Proprietary |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web, iOS | Web, iOS, Android | iOS, Android, Web | 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 Phorest. Each alternative is sourced on its own page.

- **License**: Proprietary commercial SaaS (subscription) — <https://www.phorest.com/us/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Phorest Plans Our plans are great for growing salons & medspas, perfect for 3+ staff All our price plans include: Unlimited devices Unlimited staff Affordable SMS rates”
- **Pricing model**: Subscription — <https://www.phorest.com/us/pricing/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Monthly plan tiers (Starter, Grow, Complete Advantage, Elite; Med Spa: Core/Elevate Aesthetics); prices are quote-based via 'Request a quote'.
  - Quote: “Choose the plan that's right for your business Feature Comparison Starter Grow Complete Advantage Elite”
- **Platforms**: Web, iOS, Android — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-management-app/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Cloud/web desktop software plus PhorestGo mobile app on iOS and Android; client online booking is web-based.
  - Quote: “Download the PhorestGo 2.0 app for iPhone, iPad or Android”
- **Status**: active — <https://www.phorest.com/about/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Actively developed; sitemap and product update pages show 2026 activity (e.g. PhorestGo 2.0, AI features).
  - Quote: “Phorest Salon Software is used by over 155,000 hair, beauty and clinic professionals”
- **Online booking**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/online-booking/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Increase your revenue by 30% & save 5-7 admin hours with Phorest's AI-powered Online Booking.”
- **Appointment calendar**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-appointment-book/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Appointment scheduling software for premium aesthetic clinics and salons. Manage bookings across multi-location businesses with enterprise tools.”
- **Point of sale**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-pos-software/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “POS software for premium salons and aesthetic clinics. Streamline payments, retail, and bookings across multi-location businesses.”
- **Client records / CRM**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-crm-software/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Paperless Client Cards Secure, cloud-based client records”
- **Automated reminders**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/automated-sms-email/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Automate SMS & email communication. Reduce salon & clinic no-shows, increase bookings. Instant appointment confirmations, reminders, rebooking prompts & more!”
- **Staff scheduling & commissions**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-rostering-software/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Note: Staff/employee management page covers scheduling ('Schedule teams, track performance') plus flexible commission structures.
  - Quote: “Flexible Commission Features ... Customise commission structures to fit your business - tiered, flat, by role”
- **Inventory management**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-inventory-software/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Stock management software for premium salons and aesthetic clinics. Track retail, reduce waste, and manage stock across multi-location businesses.”
- **Memberships & packages**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/memberships/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “managing recurring revenue has never felt so effortless ... ideal for recurring experiences like monthly facials, massage package”
- **Deposits / no-show protection**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/online-booking/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Never Be Left With an Empty Seat Reduce no-shows & secure your bookings with deposits ... 49% fewer no-shows, thanks to upfront deposits and automated reminders.”
- **Marketing tools**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-marketing-software/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Growth-focused marketing software for multi-location salons and aesthetic clinics. Automate campaigns, increase retention, and drive revenue.”
- **Mobile app**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/features/salon-management-app/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Download the PhorestGo 2.0 app for iPhone, iPad or Android”
- **Multi-location**: Yes — <https://www.phorest.com/industry/multi-location/> (verified 2026-07-12)
  - Quote: “Phorest Salon Software helps multi-location salons and salon franchises thrive with reporting, tracking & management features.”

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