How much does salon software cost in Australia?
Salon software in Australia typically costs between $0 and $360+ per month, depending on features and team size. Most small salons pay between $30-80 per month. All prices should include GST.
Typical pricing ranges
Salon software pricing varies significantly based on features, team size, and pricing model. Here's what you can expect at each price point.
Free options ($0/month)
Some platforms offer free tiers, but these usually come with significant limitations: basic features only, marketplace commission fees (15-30% on bookings from their marketplace), branding restrictions (their logo on your booking page), or limited team members (typically 1-2 only). Free plans work for solo practitioners just starting out with very few bookings, but most growing salons outgrow them within a few months. The real cost often appears in commission fees — a salon getting 15 new marketplace clients per month at $80 average pays $240-360 in commission, making "free" more expensive than most subscriptions.
Budget options ($20-50/month)
Entry-level paid plans typically include basic scheduling, client management, and some form of online booking. At this price point, you might be limited on team members (usually 1-3), may not get SMS reminders included (they're often an add-on at 8-15c per message), and reporting is usually basic. These plans suit solo operators or very small salons who want to move beyond a free tier but don't need full team management features yet.
Mid-range options ($50-100/month)
This is where most small-to-medium salons land, and where value is often best. Plans in this range usually include unlimited appointments, online booking with your own branding, SMS reminders (200-500 per month included), payment processing integration, basic-to-intermediate reporting, and support for small teams (3-10 staff). For a salon with 3-6 team members, this bracket typically provides everything needed without overpaying for enterprise features.
Premium options ($100-300+/month)
Larger salons or those needing advanced features like extensive integrations, marketing automation, loyalty programs, or multi-location support typically pay in this range. Per-staff pricing models can push costs even higher — a platform charging $30/user/month costs $300/month for a 10-person salon. At this price point, you should expect comprehensive reporting, priority support, advanced team management, and API access for custom integrations.
Pricing models explained
Understanding how salon software companies charge is as important as knowing the price. The pricing model determines how your costs scale as your business grows.
Flat monthly fee
You pay a fixed amount regardless of bookings, team size, or revenue. This is predictable and usually the best value for busy salons and growing teams. If you pay $79/month whether you have 3 staff or 15, the unit cost drops as you grow. Flat-fee plans reward growth rather than penalising it.
Per-staff pricing
Costs scale with your team size. Common rates range from $15-40 per team member per month. Seems affordable for solo operators but becomes expensive quickly: 3 staff at $25/month = $75/month; 6 staff = $150/month; 12 staff = $300/month. Before choosing a per-staff plan, calculate the cost for your expected team size over the next 12-24 months, not just today.
Commission-based
Some "free" software takes a percentage of each booking — typically 20% for new clients acquired through their marketplace, and sometimes additional fees for payment processing. This model can work for very new salons with low booking volume, but costs escalate rapidly with growth. A salon doing 300 appointments per month with 20% marketplace traffic at $80 average pays $960/month in commission alone. Always calculate your projected commission before choosing this model.
Hybrid models
Combination of monthly fee plus transaction fees, commission on certain booking types, or per-feature add-ons. These are the hardest to evaluate because the true cost depends on your usage patterns. Read the fine print and ask for a total cost estimate based on your specific situation: team size, monthly appointments, and features needed.
What affects the price
Several factors influence what you'll actually pay. Understanding these helps you compare apples to apples.
Team size
The single biggest cost variable. On per-staff plans, every new hire increases your software bill. On flat-fee plans, adding staff is free. For a growing salon, the difference over 2-3 years can be thousands of dollars.
SMS and reminder costs
Automated SMS reminders are the most effective way to reduce no-shows (typically cutting them by 50-70%). Some platforms include 200-500 SMS per month in the subscription. Others charge per message (8-15c each). For a salon sending 2 reminders per appointment across 300 monthly bookings, that's 600 SMS. At 10c each, that's $60/month extra if not included.
Payment processing fees
If you accept online payments, expect processing fees of 1.7-3.9% plus a fixed fee per transaction. Australian Stripe rates for domestic cards (1.7% + 30c) are lower than international rates. Some platforms add their own application fee (0.5-1.5%) on top. For a salon processing $15,000/month in card payments, the difference between 1.7% and 2.7% is $150/month.
Feature tier
Online payments, advanced reporting, marketing tools, and multi-location support are often locked to higher-priced tiers. List the features you genuinely need, then find the tier that includes all of them. Don't pay for a premium tier because of one feature you might use someday.
Setup and migration
Some platforms charge $200-500 for onboarding, data migration, or training. Others include these for free. If you're switching from another system with years of client data, check whether migration assistance is included or billable.
Calculating your true monthly cost
To compare options accurately, calculate the total monthly cost for your specific situation.
- 1Start with the subscription price for the plan that includes the features you need
- 2Add per-staff costs if applicable (multiply by your current team size AND your expected team size in 12 months)
- 3Add estimated SMS costs if reminders aren't included (2 reminders per appointment x monthly appointments x per-SMS rate)
- 4Add estimated payment processing fees (monthly card revenue x processing percentage + fixed fee per transaction)
- 5Add any commission fees (percentage of bookings from marketplace x average booking value x expected marketplace bookings)
- 6Subtract savings from reduced no-shows (even a conservative 5% reduction pays for itself — calculate: monthly appointments x no-show reduction x average booking value)
Don't just compare the headline subscription prices. A $30/month plan with $60 in SMS fees, $150 in per-staff fees, and $200 in commission costs you $440/month. A $79/month plan with everything included costs $79/month.
Price comparison by salon size
Here's what typical salons pay across different sizes, based on mid-range software with standard features.
Solo operator (1 person)
Flat-fee plan: $30-50/month. Per-staff plan: $15-40/month. Commission-based: $0 base + variable commission. Recommended: A starter plan with included SMS and online booking. At this size, per-staff and flat-fee costs are similar, so choose based on features.
Small salon (2-5 staff)
Flat-fee plan: $50-80/month. Per-staff plan: $60-200/month (depending on rate and team size). This is where flat-fee pricing starts to clearly win. A 5-person salon on a $30/user plan pays $150/month; the same salon on a flat $79/month plan saves $71/month ($852/year).
Medium salon (6-15 staff)
Flat-fee plan: $79-150/month. Per-staff plan: $150-600/month. The gap widens significantly. A 10-person salon on per-staff pricing at $25/user pays $250/month. The same features on a flat $79/month plan saves $171/month ($2,052/year). At this size, flat-fee is almost always the better choice.
Multi-location business
Most platforms charge per location: $79-200/month per location. Some offer volume discounts for 3+ locations. If each location has its own team, per-staff pricing multiplies across locations. Check if your plan supports centralised management (one dashboard for all locations) or requires separate accounts.
Tips for getting the best value
- 1Calculate the total monthly cost for your specific team size — use the formula above, not the advertised "starting from" price
- 2Check if SMS reminders are included or extra — this is often the sneakiest hidden cost
- 3Understand any commission or transaction fees on payments — 1% extra on $15k monthly revenue is $150
- 4Factor in setup fees and data migration costs — free migration saves $200-500 upfront
- 5Consider the cost of features you actually need, not everything on offer — overpaying for unused features is waste
- 6Ask about annual payment discounts — many platforms offer 10-20% off for annual commitment
- 7Use the free trial to test with real bookings before committing — you'll discover deal-breakers early
- 8Don't forget to factor in the value: reduced no-shows, time saved, and extra bookings from 24/7 online availability often return 5-10x the software cost
Related features
In-depth guides
Explore comprehensive guides on this topic
Ready to try Bella Booking?
Start your free trial today. No credit card required.
Australian-owned business. Sydney-based support team.