Salon, spa and medspa booking and payments, priced by plan rather than per staff
Is GlossGenius Worth It?
GlossGenius is worth considering if you run a hair, nail, lash, barber, esthetics, spa or medspa business in the US and want booking, deposits, POS, memberships and marketing in one system, priced by plan rather than per team member. Standard is $28/month ($24/month billed annually) and suits a solo owner; Gold is $56/month ($48 billed annually) for up to 9 team members; Platinum is $168/month ($148 billed annually) with no team limit. It is a weaker fit if most of your card payments are taken online or on file (3.4% + $0.15, versus 2.4% + $0.15 in person), if you need a direct accounting integration such as QuickBooks, or if you operate outside the United States and Puerto Rico. Payroll and the Reception AI receptionist cost extra. There is no contract, and the 14-day free trial needs no credit card. We have not hands-on tested the product; this verdict is based on GlossGenius's published US pricing and help-center pages checked on 10 Nov 2026.
Who It’s For
Good Fit If…
- Good Fit: You want online booking, deposits, POS, memberships, packages and gift cards in one system without a long-term contract
- Good Fit: You have a team of up to 9 and prefer a flat plan price (Gold $56/month) to paying per staff member
- Good Fit: You take most card payments in person, where the rate is 2.4% + $0.15 on every plan
- Good Fit: You want clients to book online without downloading an app or logging in
- Good Fit: You run a hair, nail, lash, barber, esthetics, massage, spa or medspa business in the United States or Puerto Rico
Not a Fit If…
- Not a Fit: Most of your payments are online, card-on-file or keyed-in, where the rate rises to 3.4% + $0.15
- Not a Fit: You want to keep your own card processor, POS system or card reader (GlossGenius does not support third-party ones)
- Not a Fit: You need a direct QuickBooks or accounting-software integration
- Not a Fit: Your business is outside the United States and Puerto Rico
- Not a Fit: You need a verified hands-on Tool Checked product test or ranked score before deciding (not published on this profile)
Business types: Barbershop · Beauty & Wellness · Chiropractic · Day Spa · Fitness & Sports · Hair Salon · Health & Clinics · Lash & Brow · Makeup Artist · Massage Studio · Med Spa · Medical Aesthetics Clinic · Nail Salon · Personal Trainer · Physical Therapy · Skin Care & Esthetician · Tanning Salon · Tattoo & Piercing · Therapy & Counseling · Yoga & Pilates Studio
Pricing & Total Cost
| Plan | Price (USD) | Staff | Includes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Standard | $28 /month billed monthly ($24/month billed annually, $288/year) | Owner + 1 reports-only Accountant account |
|
| Gold | $56 /month billed monthly ($48/month billed annually, $576/year) | Up to 9 total account members |
|
| Platinum | $168 /month billed monthly ($148/month billed annually, $1,776/year) | Unlimited team members |
|
| Practice Essentials (medspa) | $168 /month billed monthly ($148/month billed annually, $1,776/year) | Up to 9 total account members |
|
| Practice Advanced (medspa) | $298 /month billed monthly ($248/month billed annually, $2,976/year) | Unlimited team members |
|
- Card processing 3.4% + $0.15 (built-in processor required)
- SMS $0.02 per message beyond 500/mo
- AI receptionist add-on $50/mo
- Prices shown as $24, $48 and $148 a month are billed annually ($288, $576 or $1,776 a year). Month-to-month billing is $28 (Standard), $56 (Gold) or $168 (Platinum).
- The calculator picks the plan by team size at month-to-month rates: 1 team member uses Standard ($28/month), 2–9 use Gold ($56/month) and 10 or more use Platinum ($168/month). Each extra location adds $24, $48 or $143 a month on those plans.
- Standard allows only one extra account member, limited to a reports-only Accountant role, so it suits a solo owner.
- Card on file, online, deposit, no-show/cancellation and keyed-in payments are 3.4% + $0.15 (the calculator rate); tap, dip or swipe is 2.4% + $0.15; invoices 2.9% + $0.30; Buy Now, Pay Later 6% + $0.30, paid by the business.
- Optional client surcharge settings: Split (you pay 1%, the client pays a 2.5% technology fee) or Client pays (the client pays 3.5%).
- Instant payouts cost 1.8% of the amount; standard payouts are free.
- Card readers are a one-time cost: Tap & Go $49, Pro Reader $299; expedited shipping $14.99. Gold and above get 50% off one Tap & Go reader.
- Each additional location is an add-on: $24 (Standard), $48 (Gold) or $143 (Platinum) per month billed monthly, or $20, $41 or $126 per month billed annually. Locations must share one time zone and tax rate.
- Marketing texts use credits: Gold includes 500 a month, Platinum 2,500 and Standard 100 one-time credits; extra bundles cost $4.99 for 100, $7.99 for 250 or $11.99 for 500, about $0.024 per credit on the 500 bundle. A text-only message uses 1 credit per recipient and a photo message uses 3. Appointment notifications are unlimited and separate.
- Payroll add-on: $40/month plus $6 per team member paid through payroll that month (1-month free trial).
- Reception (AI receptionist): free through November 30, 2026, then $50/month including 100 voice minutes and 200 messages.
- Prices exclude US sales tax, which GlossGenius collects where applicable.
Pricing shown for the US market in USD; local pricing and taxes may vary.
Real Cost by Business Size
| Business Size | Cost Items | Monthly Total | 12-Month Total | Assumptions |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Solo — Standard, billed monthly |
| $28 | $336 | Standard $28/month month-to-month. No card volume or add-ons modeled. Prices exclude US sales tax. Rates checked 10 Nov 2026; illustrative calculations from published prices, not observed customer spending. The 12-month figure repeats the same monthly assumptions at unchanged rates, not an annual-price quote. Source |
| Team up to 9 — Gold, billed monthly |
| $56 | $672 | Gold $56/month month-to-month for up to 9 account members (no per-staff fee). No card volume or add-ons modeled. Prices exclude US sales tax. Rates checked 10 Nov 2026; illustrative calculations from published prices, not observed customer spending. The 12-month figure repeats the same monthly assumptions at unchanged rates, not an annual-price quote. Source |
| Team of 5 — Gold with the Payroll add-on for 5 paid staff |
| $126 | $1,512 | Gold $56 + Payroll add-on $40 + 5 × $6 paid team members. No card volume, texts or Reception modeled. Prices exclude US sales tax. Rates checked 10 Nov 2026; illustrative calculations from published prices, not observed customer spending. The 12-month figure repeats the same monthly assumptions at unchanged rates, not an annual-price quote. Source |
Which Plan Should You Pick?
| Plan | Pick It If… | Upgrade When… |
|---|---|---|
| Standard | You work alone and do not need forms, waitlist, Google booking or bookable team members. | You add a bookable team member or need Forms & Waivers, waitlist, Google booking or time tracking. |
| Gold | You run a team of up to 9 people. | You reach 10 team members or want customizable commission structures and Google/Meta marketing analytics. |
| Platinum | You have 10 or more team members. | You run a medspa that needs charting (Practice Advanced). |
| Practice Essentials (medspa) | You run a medspa or aesthetics practice with up to 9 members. | You need unlimited team members or 100 GB photo storage. |
| Practice Advanced (medspa) | You run a larger multi-provider medspa. |
Price History
| Checked | Plan | Price | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Before 3 Sep 2025 (help-center statement) | Standard (monthly, members who joined before 3 Sep 2025) | $24 /month | Source |
| Since 3 Sep 2025 (help-center statement) | Standard (monthly, new members) | $28 /month | Source |
| 7 Nov 2026 (archive capture, 13:18 WIB) | Standard (monthly / billed annually) | $28 /month ($24 billed annually) | Source |
| 7 Nov 2026 (archive capture, 13:18 WIB) | Gold (monthly / billed annually) | $56 /month ($48 billed annually) | Source |
| 10 Nov 2026 (source check) | Standard (monthly) | $28 /month | Source |
| 10 Nov 2026 (source check) | Gold (monthly) | $56 /month | Source |
| 10 Nov 2026 (source check) | Platinum (monthly) | $168 /month | Source |
Features
| Feature | Standard | Gold | Platinum | Practice Essentials (medspa) | Practice Advanced (medspa) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Online booking website and built-in deposits | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| POS, Tap to Pay and card readers | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Memberships, packages and gift cards | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Inventory and retail | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Bookable team members | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Standard allows one extra reports-only Accountant account; Gold up to 9 total members; Platinum unlimited. Source |
| Forms & waivers | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Waitlist | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Google booking & review integration | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Room & resource management | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Time tracking | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Rebooking reminders | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Customizable commission structures | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Google & Meta marketing tracking | ✕ | ✕ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Marketing text credits per month | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Standard: 100 one-time credits; Gold 500/month; Platinum 2,500/month. Source |
| 100% chargeback protection (card reader / Tap to Pay) | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| HIPAA compliance (free BAA) | ✕ | ✓ | ✓ | – | – | Source |
| Payroll | Add-On | Add-On | Add-On | – | – | Source |
| Reception (AI receptionist) | Add-On | Add-On | Add-On | – | – | Source |
| Multi-location | Add-On | Add-On | Add-On | – | – | Each extra location is an add-on: $24 (Standard), $48 (Gold) or $143 (Platinum) per month billed monthly. Source |
Features for Your Business
| Processing / gap time booking | ✓ |
| Booth & chair rental support | Higher Plans |
| Retail products & stock | ✓ |
| Room & equipment booking | Higher Plans |
| Spa packages & memberships | ✓ |
| Digital intake & consent forms | Higher Plans |
| Service add-ons (nail art, removal) | ✓ |
| Design gallery / portfolio | ✓ |
| Book several technicians at once | Higher Plans |
| Automatic fill / rebooking reminders | Higher Plans |
| Required deposits per service | ✓ |
What It Can and Can’t Do
Booking & Calendar
- Supported: 24/7 online booking on a GlossGenius booking site, without a client app download or login
- Supported: Gap time, processing time, custom booking approval and overlapping appointments on every plan
- Supported: Two-way calendar sync and booking through Google (Google booking from Gold)
- Supported: Waitlist and room & resource booking from Gold
- Limitation: No public client marketplace listing is described on GlossGenius's own pages
- Limitation: Multi-location currently requires locations in the same time zone and with the same tax rate
Payments & POS
- Supported: Built-in processing: 2.4% + $0.15 tap, dip or swipe; 3.4% + $0.15 card on file, online or keyed-in; invoices 2.9% + $0.30
- Supported: Optional Split or Client-pays technology-fee settings
- Supported: Buy Now, Pay Later via Afterpay, Affirm and Klarna (6% + $0.30, $50–$4,000)
- Supported: Free next-business-day payouts; instant payouts for 1.8%
- Limitation: Third-party POS systems and card readers are not supported; outside payments can only be recorded
- Limitation: Card payments work only in the United States and Puerto Rico
Marketing & AI
- Supported: Free unlimited email marketing
- Supported: Text marketing with plan credits or paid bundles
- Supported: Reception AI receptionist answers calls and texts and books appointments (add-on)
- Supported: Marketer (early access, free) and Growth Analyst (5 questions on Standard, 20/month on Gold, unlimited on Platinum)
- Limitation: Marketer has no published price yet; GlossGenius says it will show the price before charging
Team & Payroll Add-On
- Supported: Commission rates per service, product or team member; tiered commissions
- Supported: Time tracking from Gold
- Supported: Payroll add-on with W-2/1099 year-end filings and benefits deductions
- Limitation: No direct integration with QuickBooks or other accounting software (export reports instead)
See It in Action
Pros & Cons
- Pro: No per-staff fee: Gold ($56/month) covers up to 9 team members and Platinum is unlimited
- Pro: In-person card rate of 2.4% + $0.15 on every plan, with no minimum volume
- Pro: No contracts or setup fee; billing annually saves 14% on Standard and Gold
- Pro: Free assisted data transfer from your current booking software
- Pro: 14-day free trial with no credit card required
- Con: Online, card-on-file, deposit and keyed-in payments cost 3.4% + $0.15
- Con: Standard is effectively solo-only (one extra reports-only Accountant account)
- Con: Forms, waitlist, Google booking, time tracking and room booking start at Gold
- Con: Payroll and the Reception AI receptionist are paid add-ons
- Con: US and Puerto Rico only; no direct QuickBooks or accounting integration
Setup & Migration
- Data Import
Free, done for you
Contract & Cancelling
- Contract
Monthly or annual (discount)
- Cancellation Fee
No contracts or cancellation fees. Cancelling takes effect at the end of the current billing cycle; unused time, including on annual plans, is non-refundable unless you are within 15 days of your most recent subscription payment. Monthly accounts can be paused instead (annual accounts cannot be paused).
- How to Cancel
Only the account owner can cancel. Mobile app: Settings > Subscription & Billing > Manage Subscription > Cancel Subscription. Web browser: Settings > Subscription > Subscription & Billing > Cancel Subscription, then complete the cancellation form. Export reports first: the account becomes inaccessible after the billing cycle ends, but data is retained unless you separately request account deletion (permanent, within 1–48 hours). Source: GlossGenius help “How to Cancel Your GlossGenius Account” (checked 10 Nov 2026).
Support
- Channels
Email, Live chat, Phone, Help center
- Hours
Phone and text Mon–Fri 10am–8pm ET, Sat 11am–7pm ET; limited email support on Sunday; 24/7 help center and in-app support bot
Integrations & Security
- Works With
Two-way calendar sync (e.g. Google Calendar), Reserve with Google, Google Business Profile, Google Analytics and Meta Pixel (Platinum), Afterpay, Affirm and Klarna (BNPL); no direct QuickBooks or accounting integration
What Users Say
What Reviewers Liked
- Liked: Easy to use, with simple online self-booking for clients — Capterra and G2 business-user reviews (2025–2026). Capterra G2
- Liked: Booking, payments and marketing in one place, plus payroll for those on the paid add-on — Capterra and G2 business-user reviews (2026). Capterra G2
- Liked: Reminders and card-on-file deposits help with no-shows — one Capterra and one G2 business-user review (2026). Capterra G2
Concerns Reviewers Raised
- Concern: Support can be hard to reach or slow to resolve issues — Capterra and G2 business-user reviews (2026). Capterra G2
- Concern: Fewer customization and reporting options as the business grows — Capterra and G2 business-user reviews (2025–2026). Capterra G2
- Concern: Costs add up with plan tiers, processing fees and price increases — Capterra business-user reviews (2025–2026). Capterra
- Concern: Glitches after app updates — Capterra business-user reviews (2025–2026). Capterra
Qualitative summary: 14 selected business-user reviews from 2025–2026, checked 10 November 2026. This is not a representative survey or hands-on testing by Tool Checked. The concerns are individual accounts, not independently established product faults, and experiences with the free data transfer vary. Check GlossGenius’s official documentation for current pricing and policies.
FAQ
How much does GlossGenius cost?
Standard is $28/month billed monthly or $288/year ($24/month), Gold is $56/month or $576/year ($48/month), and Platinum is $168/month or $1,776/year ($148/month). The medspa plans are Practice Essentials ($168/month, or $148/month billed annually) and Practice Advanced ($298/month, or $248/month billed annually). There is no setup fee, and US sales tax may apply.
SourceDoes GlossGenius charge per staff member?
No. Only the account owner pays the subscription; team members have no separate fee. Standard allows one extra reports-only Accountant account, Gold allows up to 9 total account members (the owner plus 8) and Platinum allows unlimited team members.
SourceWhat are GlossGenius card processing fees?
When you cover the fee, tap, dip or swipe payments (card reader or Tap to Pay) are 2.4% + $0.15, and card-on-file, online, deposit, no-show/cancellation and keyed-in payments are 3.4% + $0.15. Invoice card payments are 2.9% + $0.30 and Buy Now, Pay Later is 6% + $0.30. The rates are the same on every plan. You can also pass a 2.5% (Split) or 3.5% (Client pays) technology fee to clients.
SourceIs there a free trial, and is there a long-term contract?
There is no free plan. The 14-day free trial needs no credit card upfront and starts on the Gold plan; you can switch to Standard during the trial. If no card is added by the end of the trial, you lose access until you add one. There are no lock-in contracts: you can pay monthly or annually.
SourceAre text reminders and text marketing included?
Appointment notifications are unlimited on every plan. Marketing texts use credits: Gold includes 500 a month, Platinum 2,500, and Standard gets 100 one-time credits. Extra bundles are $4.99 for 100, $7.99 for 250 and $11.99 for 500 credits (about $0.024 per credit on the 500 bundle); a text-only message uses 1 credit per recipient and a photo message uses 3. Unused monthly plan credits do not roll over.
SourceDoes GlossGenius include an AI receptionist?
Reception answers your business calls and texts and can book, reschedule and cancel appointments. It is free for all members through November 30, 2026 (setups after November 1, 2026 get a one-month free trial). After that it is an optional $50/month add-on that includes 100 voice minutes and 200 messages.
SourceWhich businesses is GlossGenius built for?
GlossGenius lists software for hair salons, nail salons, lash studios, barbers, esthetics studios, massage and spa businesses, and medspas, with Practice plans that add charting for medspas.
SourceCan I move my clients to GlossGenius?
Yes. GlossGenius offers a free data transfer service on all plans. Its team can import client contact details and notes, services, products, upcoming appointments, past appointment history, packages and reviews from another platform or a spreadsheet; the transfer takes 2–6 business days.
SourceHow do I cancel GlossGenius?
Only the account owner can cancel, in Settings under Subscription & Billing. Cancelling takes effect at the end of the billing cycle; unused time is non-refundable unless you are within 15 days of your most recent subscription payment. Export your reports first. Your data is kept unless you request account deletion.
SourceSources & How We Rate
- GlossGenius pricing page — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- GlossGenius fee / payments policy — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- GlossGenius Pricing and Subscription Plans (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Team Member Limits by Subscription Plan (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- GlossGenius and Payment Processing (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Understanding Instant Payouts (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Start Your GlossGenius Free Trial (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- How to Cancel Your GlossGenius Account (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Getting Started with Multi-Location (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Text marketing monthly credits (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- What Is Reception and How It Works (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- GlossGenius Payroll pricing (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Pro Reader and Tap & Go Reader FAQs (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Subscription billing for Legacy Members (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Can I Use GlossGenius While Traveling Internationally? (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Your Standard Payment Transfer Schedule (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- How to Request a Data Transfer (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Can I Checkout Clients Using Zelle, Venmo, Square and Other Third-Party Processors? (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
- Can I Use My Own POS or Card Reader with GlossGenius? (help) — Checked 10 Nov 2026
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