Hair salon booking & management software — buying checklist
From: https://www.iwantmywebsitenow.com/industry/beauty/hair/
Workflow sources checked: 2026-10-01. Prices have separate capture dates.

Use this with a vendor or a builder. These are proposed evaluation tests, not claims that any product passed them.

YOUR BUSINESS
Current software:
What must work differently:
Records to bring across:
Budget and timing:

QUESTIONS TO TEST
1. Color and processing time
Ask: When can a stylist serve another client, and when must the chair stay occupied?
Demonstrate: Build a service with active work, processing and finish time. Try another booking during each stage and verify staff and resource rules separately.
Observed result:
Follow-up:

2. A shared room or chair
Ask: Can two available staff accidentally promise the same resource?
Demonstrate: Give two staff the same service at the same time using one required room. Confirm the room constraint stops the second booking.
Observed result:
Follow-up:

3. Repeat client versus new client
Ask: Which clients came from your own link and which came through the marketplace?
Demonstrate: Trace an existing-client booking and a marketplace booking. Ask how each appears in fee reporting and whether optional promotion changes the cost.
Observed result:
Follow-up:

4. Deposits and rescheduling
Ask: What happens to a deposit when a client moves or cancels the appointment?
Demonstrate: Move a deposit-backed booking, then test a cancellation. Review the calendar, balance, notification and refund action separately.
Observed result:
Follow-up:

DEMO SCENARIO (SYNTHETIC)
A color appointment with one shared resource
1. Create two stylists and one shared treatment room. Define a service with 30 minutes of active work, 45 minutes of processing and 30 minutes to finish.
2. Book the first stylist at 10:00. Decide whether another short service is allowed during processing, and whether the first appointment still occupies a resource.
3. Try to book the second stylist for the same required room. Staff availability should not override a room that is already reserved.
4. Reschedule the first appointment after a deposit. Check that the client record, reminder, deposit reference and new resource reservation still refer to the same appointment.

MIGRATION
Preserve the next visit and the client relationship
Start with clients, staff, services, durations, future appointments and payment references. Request appointment notes and client history separately and confirm access controls for private notes. Keep gift-card balances, prepaid packages and deposits distinct: a customer list does not establish those liabilities. Compare a sample of upcoming appointments against the old calendar, including staff and duration, before redirecting online booking. Agree how returning clients will recognize the new booking link and whether the old marketplace still supplies valuable enquiries.

A POSSIBLE FIRST BUILD
A custom website, consultation intake or client workflow can work alongside an existing calendar. A full booking replacement needs separate work on resource conflicts, reminders, payments and migration. If the marketplace brings profitable clients, include that acquisition value in the decision instead of treating the subscription as an isolated expense.

SOURCES
Square Appointments: booking features
https://squareup.com/us/en/appointments/features
Describes processing time, resource booking and multi-staff services. Confirm availability on your plan; the scenario above is our proposed test.

Booksy: pricing and marketplace features
https://biz.booksy.com/pricing
Describes bookings, marketplace access and optional Boost. Compare acquisition and payment costs as separate line items.

Vagaro: US pricing
https://www.vagaro.com/pro/pricing
Shows bookable-calendar pricing and optional features. Count the calendars and extras required by your salon.

Research by Don, I Want My Website Now.
A product description is not hands-on testing. Verify the plan, current price and export access before committing.