The 7 Best Scheduling Apps for Stylists in 2026
GlossGenius, Square Appointments, Vagaro, Booksy, StyleSeat, Fresha and Acuity compared for solo stylists: monthly price, new-client fees and who each app suits.
Published by Cosmo Salon Studios
Updated November 5, 2026
The short answer: for a stylist working alone, GlossGenius and Square Appointments are the simplest scheduling apps. GlossGenius puts booking, payments and a booking website in one app from $24 a month billed yearly, and Square Appointments has a free plan for one location. If you want an app that also finds you new clients, StyleSeat and Booksy run marketplaces, but they charge extra on new clients they send. Vagaro suits pros who plan to add a second calendar.
Prices below come from each company’s own pricing page or help center, checked on November 5, 2026. Apps change prices often, so confirm on their site before you sign up.
| App | Starting price | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| GlossGenius | From $24/mo billed yearly ($28 monthly) | Solo stylists who want one polished app |
| Square Appointments | Free for one location; Plus $29/mo | Starting out, or already using Square |
| Vagaro | $30/mo for one calendar, +$10 per extra | Pros who plan to add a second calendar or an assistant |
| Booksy | $29.99/mo, +$20 per extra staff member | Barbers and pros who want marketplace discovery |
| StyleSeat | $35/mo, plus a new-client fee | Building a book from scratch through a marketplace |
| Fresha | About $19.95/mo (Independent plan) | Low monthly cost with marketplace listing |
| Acuity Scheduling | From $16/mo billed yearly ($20 monthly) | Estheticians and massage therapists who need intake forms |
The 7 apps, one by one
GlossGenius
Price: From $24/mo billed yearly ($28 monthly). See GlossGenius pricing.
What you get: Online booking, a booking website, card payments, deposits and no-show protection, and automatic client reminders.
Watch for: No free plan. Higher tiers add marketing tools and cost more; the top tier rose to $168 a month in April 2026.
Square Appointments
Price: Free for one location; Plus $29/mo. See Square Appointments pricing.
What you get: Online booking, reminders, card payments and Square’s point of sale. The free plan covers a single location.
Watch for: Card processing fees apply to every payment. Pricing is per location, and advanced features sit on paid plans.
Vagaro
Price: $30/mo for one calendar, +$10 per extra. See Vagaro pricing.
What you get: Booking, payments, client records and a consumer marketplace where clients search for services nearby.
Watch for: Text marketing, forms, a branded app and other tools are paid add-ons, so the real monthly cost climbs.
Booksy
Price: $29.99/mo, +$20 per extra staff member. See Booksy pricing.
What you get: Booking, reminders, a client-facing app and marketplace listing. Popular with barbers.
Watch for: Boost, its paid marketing for new clients, adds a fee on clients it finds for you. Processing fees are separate.
StyleSeat
Price: $35/mo, plus a new-client fee. See StyleSeat pricing.
What you get: Booking, payments, reminders and a large consumer marketplace for beauty services.
Watch for: When StyleSeat brings you a new client, it takes 30% of that first appointment, up to $50.
Fresha
Price: About $19.95/mo (Independent plan). See Fresha pricing.
What you get: Booking, payments, client records and a consumer marketplace.
Watch for: A new client who finds you through its marketplace costs 20% of their first booking, $6 minimum.
Acuity Scheduling
Price: From $16/mo billed yearly ($20 monthly). See Acuity Scheduling pricing.
What you get: Booking pages, intake forms, packages and calendar sync. Not built only for beauty, which suits service menus that need a consult.
Watch for: No beauty marketplace, so it won’t find you clients. Text reminders start on the Growing plan.
What to check before you switch apps
- Client list export. Make sure you can download your clients’ names, phone numbers and visit history. Your client list is your business.
- Deposits and no-show rules. A deposit at booking is the simplest guard against empty chairs.
- Processing fees. Card fees usually run 2.5% to 3.5% a payment on top of the subscription, and they add up faster than the monthly price.
- Who owns the client. On marketplace apps, read how the app treats a client after the first visit and whether repeat bookings carry a fee.
Cosmo is building its own booking app
Cosmo Salon Studios is building a booking app for the beauty professionals who lease our suites. Its working name is Orbit, because the goal is to keep your clients coming back around. It isn’t available yet and there’s no launch date, so nothing here describes a feature you can use today. We’ll update this page when there’s something real to show.
Until then, any app on this list works in a Cosmo suite. You run your own business: you choose your booking app, keep your client list and keep 100% of your service revenue. Cosmo’s directory of its beauty professionals already sends clients to the booking page of each pro who lists one.
Most suites start at $298/week the first year. Prices vary by suite size and location. Cosmo has eight Michigan locations, with Macomb opening in 2027. See Cosmo locations.
Common Questions
Salon suite questions, answered
What is the best scheduling app for a hair stylist?
Is there a free scheduling app for stylists?
Which booking apps charge a fee for new clients?
Can I use my own booking app in a salon suite?
Is Cosmo Salon Studios making its own booking app?
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