Quick Overview
- 1#1: Fresha - Free all-in-one booking, POS, payment processing, and management platform designed specifically for salons and spas.
- 2#2: Square Appointments - Free scheduling, online booking, and integrated POS system tailored for service-based businesses like salons.
- 3#3: Booksy - Mobile-first booking and POS software for salons with client management and marketplace discovery features.
- 4#4: Schedulicity - Free appointment scheduling and booking software for wellness professionals including salons and beauty services.
- 5#5: Setmore - Free online appointment booking and scheduling tool with payment integration suitable for salon management.
- 6#6: Picktime - Completely free booking software for salons featuring staff scheduling, reminders, and client database.
- 7#7: Appointy - Free appointment scheduling platform with POS capabilities, marketing tools, and salon-specific features.
- 8#8: SimplyBook.me - Free customizable booking system with payment processing and service management for salons.
- 9#9: Loyverse POS - Free cloud-based POS system with inventory and sales tracking adaptable for salon retail and services.
- 10#10: Odoo POS - Open-source free POS module with appointment and inventory features integrable for small salons.
We ranked these tools based on feature depth (including booking, payments, and client management), user-friendliness, performance reliability, and overall value, ensuring only the most effective platforms are included.
Comparison Table
This comparison table explores free salon POS software options like Fresha, Square Appointments, Booksy, Schedulicity, Setmore, and more, designed to help salon owners navigate their choices. It highlights key features, usability, and unique advantages, ensuring readers gain clarity on which tool aligns with their business needs.
| # | Tool | Category | Overall | Features | Ease of Use | Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fresha Free all-in-one booking, POS, payment processing, and management platform designed specifically for salons and spas. | specialized | 9.4/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.6/10 | 9.8/10 |
| 2 | Square Appointments Free scheduling, online booking, and integrated POS system tailored for service-based businesses like salons. | specialized | 8.7/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.5/10 |
| 3 | Booksy Mobile-first booking and POS software for salons with client management and marketplace discovery features. | specialized | 7.9/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.7/10 | 8.1/10 |
| 4 | Schedulicity Free appointment scheduling and booking software for wellness professionals including salons and beauty services. | specialized | 8.1/10 | 7.6/10 | 9.2/10 | 9.4/10 |
| 5 | Setmore Free online appointment booking and scheduling tool with payment integration suitable for salon management. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 7.0/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 6 | Picktime Completely free booking software for salons featuring staff scheduling, reminders, and client database. | specialized | 7.8/10 | 7.5/10 | 8.5/10 | 9.2/10 |
| 7 | Appointy Free appointment scheduling platform with POS capabilities, marketing tools, and salon-specific features. | specialized | 6.2/10 | 5.7/10 | 8.1/10 | 7.4/10 |
| 8 | SimplyBook.me Free customizable booking system with payment processing and service management for salons. | specialized | 7.6/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.4/10 | 9.1/10 |
| 9 | Loyverse POS Free cloud-based POS system with inventory and sales tracking adaptable for salon retail and services. | other | 7.8/10 | 7.2/10 | 8.9/10 | 9.6/10 |
| 10 | Odoo POS Open-source free POS module with appointment and inventory features integrable for small salons. | enterprise | 7.8/10 | 8.2/10 | 6.5/10 | 9.5/10 |
Free all-in-one booking, POS, payment processing, and management platform designed specifically for salons and spas.
Free scheduling, online booking, and integrated POS system tailored for service-based businesses like salons.
Mobile-first booking and POS software for salons with client management and marketplace discovery features.
Free appointment scheduling and booking software for wellness professionals including salons and beauty services.
Free online appointment booking and scheduling tool with payment integration suitable for salon management.
Completely free booking software for salons featuring staff scheduling, reminders, and client database.
Free appointment scheduling platform with POS capabilities, marketing tools, and salon-specific features.
Free customizable booking system with payment processing and service management for salons.
Free cloud-based POS system with inventory and sales tracking adaptable for salon retail and services.
Open-source free POS module with appointment and inventory features integrable for small salons.
Fresha
specializedFree all-in-one booking, POS, payment processing, and management platform designed specifically for salons and spas.
Global client discovery marketplace that automatically brings in new customers via free online bookings
Fresha is an all-in-one salon management platform offering free POS, online booking, appointment scheduling, client management, and payment processing tailored for beauty, hair, and wellness businesses. It enables seamless operations from a single dashboard, including inventory tracking, staff scheduling, and marketing tools, with no monthly subscription fees—instead relying on commissions from new client bookings. As a truly free solution, it connects businesses to a vast client discovery marketplace, driving growth without upfront costs.
Pros
- Completely free with no subscription fees for core POS and management features
- Intuitive interface and mobile app for easy on-the-go management
- Built-in client discovery marketplace that attracts new bookings
Cons
- 20% commission on new online bookings (free for repeats and walk-ins)
- Advanced reporting and multi-location support require premium upgrades
- Limited customization options in the free plan
Best For
Small independent salons, barbershops, and solo beauty professionals seeking a cost-free, user-friendly POS and booking system.
Pricing
Free forever for single-location businesses (20% commission on new online bookings, 0% on repeats/walk-ins); Premium plans start at $49/month for advanced features.
Square Appointments
specializedFree scheduling, online booking, and integrated POS system tailored for service-based businesses like salons.
Unlimited free online booking and appointments with no caps on staff or clients
Square Appointments is a robust, free scheduling and POS software tailored for service businesses like salons, enabling online booking, calendar management, and seamless payment processing. It supports unlimited staff and appointments on the free plan, with features like client reminders, no-show protection, and basic reporting. Integrated with Square's POS ecosystem, it streamlines salon operations from booking to checkout without subscription costs.
Pros
- Completely free for unlimited appointments and staff
- Intuitive mobile app and quick setup
- Seamless integration with Square POS and payments
Cons
- Transaction fees apply to payments (2.6% + 10¢ in-person)
- Limited advanced reporting and customization in free tier
- No built-in inventory tracking for products in basic plan
Best For
Small salons or solo stylists needing a no-cost, user-friendly booking and POS system to manage appointments and payments.
Pricing
Free plan with core features; Plus ($29/mo/location) and Premium (custom) for advanced tools; payment processing fees apply.
Booksy
specializedMobile-first booking and POS software for salons with client management and marketplace discovery features.
Booksy Marketplace, which boosts discoverability by listing your services to millions of app users searching locally.
Booksy is a popular online booking and management platform designed for salons, barbershops, spas, and beauty professionals, offering appointment scheduling, POS functionality, and client management. The free version provides basic online booking, calendar tools, and simple POS for payments via integrated processing, making it accessible for small businesses without upfront subscription costs. While it enables client discovery through the Booksy marketplace, advanced reporting, marketing, and unlimited staff features require paid upgrades.
Pros
- Intuitive mobile app for on-the-go booking and POS management
- Free tier with no monthly fees and marketplace visibility for new clients
- Seamless integration for payments and basic scheduling
Cons
- Transaction fees (around 2% + fixed fee) eat into profits on free plan
- Limited customization, reporting, and staff management in free version
- Heavy reliance on upsells for full POS and business tools
Best For
Solo practitioners or very small salons seeking a no-cost entry into online booking and basic POS with client acquisition potential.
Pricing
Free plan with per-transaction fees (~2% + $0.30); paid plans start at $29.99/month for Pro features.
Schedulicity
specializedFree appointment scheduling and booking software for wellness professionals including salons and beauty services.
Customizable online booking widget that embeds seamlessly on websites, Facebook, and Google for effortless client self-scheduling.
Schedulicity is a cloud-based appointment scheduling platform designed for salons, spas, and other service providers, offering 24/7 online booking, calendar management, automated reminders, and basic payment processing. It serves as a lightweight POS solution through integrations with processors like Stripe and Square, handling services, tips, and no-show protection. The free plan provides core features for small businesses, though advanced POS tools like inventory tracking require upgrades.
Pros
- Generous free plan with unlimited appointments and online booking
- Intuitive interface with mobile app for on-the-go management
- Automated SMS/email reminders reduce no-shows
Cons
- Limited POS capabilities in free tier (no native inventory or retail sales tracking)
- Advanced reporting and marketing tools locked behind paid plans
- Payment processing fees apply separately via integrations
Best For
Small salons or solo stylists seeking a simple, free online booking and basic payment system without needing full retail POS functionality.
Pricing
Free plan available indefinitely; paid plans start at $34.99/month (Pro tier) for advanced features like unlimited staff and boosted marketing.
Setmore
specializedFree online appointment booking and scheduling tool with payment integration suitable for salon management.
Unlimited appointments on the free plan with a customizable booking widget for easy website integration
Setmore is a free online appointment scheduling platform tailored for service businesses like salons, enabling online booking, calendar management, and automated reminders. It includes basic POS functionality through payment integrations like Stripe and Square for invoicing and collecting payments at checkout. While not a comprehensive POS system, its free tier provides essential tools for small salons to manage appointments and transactions without upfront costs.
Pros
- Unlimited free appointments and bookings
- User-friendly interface with quick setup
- Integrates with popular payment processors for basic POS
Cons
- Limited advanced POS features like inventory tracking or loyalty programs
- Free plan caps at 4 staff members and lacks custom branding
- Reporting and analytics are basic without upgrades
Best For
Solo stylists or very small salons needing free, simple scheduling and payment collection without complex inventory needs.
Pricing
Free plan with core features; paid plans start at $5/user/month (billed annually) for more staff and advanced tools.
Picktime
specializedCompletely free booking software for salons featuring staff scheduling, reminders, and client database.
Unlimited free online booking and reminders without usage limits
Picktime is a free scheduling and appointment booking software designed for service-based businesses like salons, offering online booking, calendar management, client tracking, and basic invoicing with payment integrations. It functions as a lightweight POS for salons by handling service appointments and payments via Stripe or PayPal, though it lacks full retail inventory features. The free plan supports unlimited appointments and clients, making it accessible for small operations.
Pros
- Generous free plan with unlimited appointments and clients
- Intuitive interface for quick setup and daily use
- 24/7 online booking widget for client self-scheduling
Cons
- Free plan limited to one user and one location
- No native inventory or product sales tracking for retail
- Advanced reporting and custom branding require paid upgrade
Best For
Solo stylists or small salons seeking a no-cost solution for appointment booking and basic service payments.
Pricing
Free plan forever for solo users; premium plans start at $4/user/month for multi-user support and advanced features.
Appointy
specializedFree appointment scheduling platform with POS capabilities, marketing tools, and salon-specific features.
Embeddable online booking widget that integrates seamlessly with any website
Appointy is an online appointment scheduling software with a free plan tailored for small businesses like salons, enabling online booking, calendar management, and automated reminders. It offers basic POS capabilities through payment integrations like Stripe for handling transactions during appointments. However, the free tier is limited in scale and advanced features, making it suitable only for very low-volume salon operations rather than comprehensive POS needs.
Pros
- Free forever plan with online booking widget
- User-friendly interface for quick setup
- Automated email/SMS reminders to reduce no-shows
Cons
- Limited to 100 appointments per month and 1 user
- Basic POS lacks inventory tracking and advanced reporting
- Full features like multi-location support require paid upgrade
Best For
Solo salon owners or stylists with under 100 monthly appointments needing simple online scheduling.
Pricing
Free plan (100 bookings/month, 1 user); paid plans start at $19.99/month for 500 bookings and more features.
SimplyBook.me
specializedFree customizable booking system with payment processing and service management for salons.
Customizable booking widgets that seamlessly embed on websites or social media for easy client access
SimplyBook.me is a versatile online booking and scheduling platform that allows salons to manage appointments, client details, and basic payments through a customizable interface. It supports service-based bookings for multiple staff or locations, automated reminders via email/SMS, and integrations with payment processors like Stripe and PayPal. While not a traditional POS system, its free tier provides essential tools for small salons to handle online reservations and transactions without upfront costs.
Pros
- Generous free plan with core booking and payment features
- User-friendly setup for customizable booking pages and widgets
- Strong automation for reminders and client management
Cons
- Lacks advanced POS tools like inventory tracking and detailed sales reporting
- Free plan includes SimplyBook.me branding on booking pages
- Many premium features (e.g., white-label, advanced analytics) require paid upgrades
Best For
Small salons or solo stylists prioritizing online appointment booking and basic payments over comprehensive POS inventory and retail management.
Pricing
Free plan available with basic features; paid plans start at $9.90/month (Basic) up to $59.90/month (Premium) for advanced options.
Loyverse POS
otherFree cloud-based POS system with inventory and sales tracking adaptable for salon retail and services.
Generous free tier with unlimited sales transactions and offline mode support
Loyverse POS is a free, cloud-based point-of-sale system tailored for small businesses, enabling quick sales processing, inventory management, customer tracking, and employee time tracking via mobile apps on iOS and Android. For salons, it supports service and product sales, client databases with purchase history, and basic reporting to monitor performance. While versatile for basic operations, it lacks native appointment scheduling, requiring manual workarounds or third-party integrations for full salon workflows.
Pros
- Completely free core plan with unlimited transactions
- Intuitive mobile-first interface for quick setup and use
- Solid customer and inventory management for salon products/services
Cons
- No built-in appointment booking or calendar system
- Limited salon-specific tools like stylist commissions or service reminders
- Advanced reports and multi-location features require paid upgrades
Best For
Small salons or solo stylists seeking a no-cost, straightforward POS for handling transactions, products, and basic client tracking without needing advanced booking.
Pricing
Free forever plan with core features; optional paid add-ons like POS Pro ($5/location/month) and Back Office ($10/location/month) for extras.
Odoo POS
enterpriseOpen-source free POS module with appointment and inventory features integrable for small salons.
Modular open-source architecture allowing unlimited free customizations for salon workflows
Odoo POS is an open-source point-of-sale system integrated within the modular Odoo ERP platform, providing salons with tools for sales processing, inventory tracking, and customer management in its free Community Edition. It supports basic service-based transactions and can be extended with community modules for appointments and bookings, though full salon optimization often requires customization. While versatile for small businesses, it's more geared toward general retail than specialized salon workflows.
Pros
- Free Community Edition with no user limits
- Highly customizable via open-source modules
- Strong integration with inventory, CRM, and accounting
Cons
- Steep learning curve for non-technical users
- Self-hosting required for free version, adding setup complexity
- Limited out-of-box salon-specific features like advanced scheduling
Best For
Tech-savvy salon owners seeking a free, scalable POS integrated with broader business management tools.
Pricing
Free self-hosted Community Edition; paid Enterprise apps start at $0-$31.10/user/month depending on modules.
Conclusion
Across the top free salon POS software tools, Fresha emerges as the standout choice, combining all-in-one booking, payment processing, and management features to create a seamless salon operation. While Square Appointments and Booksy follow closely, each offers distinct strengths—Square excels in integrated service scheduling, and Booksy shines with mobile-first client management and marketplace tools. Regardless of needs, these top three provide reliable free options, with Fresha leading as the ultimate solution for streamlined efficiency.
Unlock the full potential of your salon with Fresha—try its free all-in-one platform today to simplify operations, enhance client experiences, and elevate your business.
Tools Reviewed
All tools were independently evaluated for this comparison