A salon point-of-sale (POS) system is the combination of hardware and software that helps facilitate customers’ payments and handle day-to-day operations, like employee management and marketing. Since hair salons revolve around appointments, these POS systems should also include booking features or integrate with separate booking software.
The top POS systems for hair salons include:
- Square: Best overall salon POS system.
- Clover: Best for customizability.
- Lightspeed: Best for multi-location salons.
- DaySmart Salon: Best for salon-specific features.
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POS system providers, like Square and Clover, offer different POS software plans depending on your specific industry. The best options for salons typically fall under the “beauty,” “appointments” or “personal services” categories. Regardless, be sure to look for features or integrations that make online appointment booking painless for both employees and customers and clearly communicate your salon’s cancellation policy.Sponsored partner picks for
Salon-specific features
DaySmart SalonBest Salon POS Systems
Calculate your monthly cost estimate
Input your business’s monthly transaction details and we’ll help you sort from the best valueProduct | Cost Estimate | Payment processing fees | Cost Estimate | Learn more | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Square POS Learn more on Square POS's secure website | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | 5.0/5 Best for Overall salon POS system | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $0.00 and up. | Get an estimated monthly cost for your business. | Learn more on Square POS's secure website |
Clover POS Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | 4.0/5 Best for Customizability | In-person: 2.3% + $0.10 Online: 3.5% + $0.10 | $0.00 and up. | Learn more on Clover POS's secure website | ||
Lightspeed Retail POS Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | 3.5/5 Best for Multi-location salons | In-person: 2.6% + $0.10 Online: 2.9% + $0.30 | $109.00 for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $289 for Plus plan. | Learn more on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website | ||
DaySmart Salon | Best for Salon-specific features | N/A | $29.00 Basic plan; $69 Deluxe plan; $199 Premium plan. |
Our pick for
Overall salon POS system
The free Square Appointments plan’s scheduling features make it hard to beat. You can set up an online booking website, send appointment reminders to clients, manage appointments via mobile app and add employees’ calendars. You’ll need to subscribe to the Premium plan to access staff management tools (e.g., time tracking and scheduling), though.
Square POS
Learn more
on Square POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
and up.
Square is one of a few in the space that offers a free version of its POS system. Even the free version comes with a long list of features and functionality, including sales tracking and reporting, offline mode for accepting payments without a Wi-Fi connection and a customizable interface. It’s a strong choice for businesses that don’t require specialized or advanced POS features.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan option available.
- Offers helpful related services, like payroll, that integrate closely with its POS system.
- No long-term contracts or termination fees.
- All plans include a free online store.
Cons
- Can’t run on Windows devices.
- Complex industries might prefer a more specialized system.
Our pick for
Customizability
Clover’s baseline personal services POS plan lets salons accept cards, as well as PayPal and Venmo payments, and includes employee shift management tools, gift card options and a loyalty program. Additionally, it integrates with a variety of industry-specific apps and gives you the flexibility to work with outside payment processors.
Clover POS
Learn more
on Clover POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$0.00
and up.
Clover point-of-sale hardware is pricey, but the reasonable monthly cost and low payment processing fees may help offset that upfront investment over time.Read full review
Pros
- Free plan available if you’re only using a mobile card reader.
- 24/7 phone and email support.
- All restaurant plans include no-fee online ordering, and retail plans let you integrate with existing online stores.
Cons
- Promotions require a three-year contract.
- Charges termination fees, though they may be waived in certain cases.
- Online payment processing rates are more expensive than competitors.
- Popular accounting integrations are only available through third-party apps.
Our pick for
Multi-location salons
Lightspeed stands out for its emphasis on supporting multiple business locations and centralizing data across those locations. This is ideal for larger salon chains, but know that you may need to use a separate system for booking appointments.
Lightspeed Retail POS
Learn more
on Lightspeed Retail POS's secure website
Monthly fee
$109.00
for Basic plan, $179 for Core plan, $289 for Plus plan.
Lightspeed Retail is a cloud-based POS system for retailers. It has strong inventory management capabilities and is a good match for more established small businesses with multiple locations. Newer small businesses with less complicated operations could be better served with a simpler, less expensive product.Read full review
Pros
- Includes detailed inventory management tools for creating product variants.
- Free one-on-one onboarding session for all new merchants.
- 24/7 phone and live chat support.
- Generate unlimited barcode labels.
Cons
- No free plan options.
- Lowest-tier plan doesn’t include e-commerce features.
- Charges termination fee and may require annual contract.
- Does not include a virtual terminal or offline mode.
Our pick for
Salon-specific features
DaySmart Salon is made specifically for salons and includes features like email marketing, appointment scheduling and the ability to add a “book now” button to your Instagram profile. If you’re trying to build a positive reputation for a newer salon, the Premium plan also has a feature that prompts clients to leave reviews and automatically posts positive ones online.
DaySmart Salon
Payment processing fees
N/A
Monthly fee
$29.00
Basic plan; $69 Deluxe plan; $199 Premium plan.
DaySmart Salon is POS software specifically designed for hair and nail salons, day spas and barber shops. It comes with useful tools that enable online booking, employee management, marketing and reputation management. Best of all may be the fact that DaySmart lets you try its system free for 14 days.
Pros
- Free trial period.
- Variety of plans offering extensive functionality.
- Integrated payment processing.
Cons
- Does not sell hardware.
- Unlimited training and phone support not included with cheapest plan.
Our picks for the best salon POS systems
Square
Best overall salon POS system
Why we like it: Square POS is one of the most streamlined, tech-forward POS solutions available. The Square POS app — which enables payment processing — can take on employee management, inventory tracking and automated sales reports. Square POS integrates with other merchant services in the Square universe, including Square Appointments, an intuitive appointment-scheduling app. Its customer relationship management, or CRM, tools are handy, too: You can save credit card information to easily check out repeat customers, compile customers’ important information in a centralized directory and send custom digital receipts. You can also provide tip options upon checkout. Read our full Square POS review for more details.
- $0 for Square POS, Restaurant, Retail and Appointments Free plans.
- $29 for Square Appointments Plus plan.
- $69 for Square Appointments Premium and Square Restaurants Plus plans.
- $89 for Square Retail Plus plan.
- $165 for Square Restaurant Premium plan.
- Custom pricing for Square Retail plan.
- $0 for Square magstripe-only card reader ($10 for each additional reader) or if using Tap to Pay for iPhone (iPhone not included).
- $59 for Square Reader contactless and chip card reader.
- $149 for Square Stand iPad POS or Square Stand Mount (iPad not included; monthly financing available).
- $299 for Square Terminal mobile card reader with built-in printer (monthly financing available).
- $799 for Square Register two-screen system (monthly financing available).
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
- 3.5% plus 15 cents for manually keyed transactions.
- 3.3% plus 30 cents for invoices.
Clover
Best for customizability
Why we like it: Clover POS is a highly customizable, all-in-one POS system that can accept essentially every type of payment your customers use, including chip, swipe and contactless payments. Clover software is loaded with features that are particularly helpful for salon owners, including capabilities to manage employee shifts, measure employee performance through sales reports and offer customers tip options upon checkout. Clover also integrates with staff management apps like Gusto, a payroll processing software, and Time Clock, employee shift management and time tracking software, among many others. Clover’s built-in CRM tools include promotional tools, rewards and discounts, physical and digital gift cards, customer profiles detailing buying history, and the ability to request private feedback with digital receipts. Salons with a retail element can also use Clover’s Inventory app to organize and track products. Read our full Clover review for more details.
- $0 for Clover Go Payments, Retail Starter and Personal Services Starter plans.
- $14.95 for Clover Go Essentials, Professional Services Starter and Standard and Home & Field Services plans.
- $49.95 for Retail Standard, Personal Services Standard and Advanced and Professional Services Advanced plans.
- $59.95 for Quick-Service Dining Starter and Standard plans.
- $69.90 for Retail Advanced plan.
- $79.90 for Quick-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $89.95 for Full-Service Dining Starter plan.
- $109.90 for Full-Service Dining Standard plan.
- $129.85 for Full-Service Dining Advanced plan.
- $199 for chip, swipe and contactless Clover Go card reader.
- $279 for countertop card reader.
- $599 for Clover Flex mobile POS with receipt printer and slimmer Flex Pocket with no printer.
- $799 for Clover Mini POS.
- $799-$899 + $25 per month for kitchen display system.
- $1,699 for Clover Station Solo.
- $1,799 for Clover Station Duo.
- $3,499 + $34.95 per month for self-ordering kiosk.
- 2.3% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions for most plans, though rates may also vary by hardware type.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents for in-person transactions on Retail Starter, Personal Services Starter and Professional Services Standard plans, as well as Home & Field Services Standard and Advanced plans.
- 3.5% plus 10 cents for online or keyed-in transactions.
Lightspeed Retail POS
Best for multi-location salons
Why we like it: Lightspeed Retail POS is an all-in-one POS system for retail stores that accepts all major payment types. The software is designed to scale across multiple locations, so it can be a good option for salons and spas that are looking to expand. Lightspeed's system includes loyalty features, inventory management tools and reports and business data and insights. You can also customize your Lightspeed Retail POS by downloading compatible apps from Lightspeed's long list of software integrations. Read our full Lightspeed POS review for more details.
- $89 for Lean plan ($69 if billed annually).
- $149 for Standard plan ($119 if billed annually).
- $269 for Advanced plan ($199 if billed annually).
Pricing for Lightspeed's iPad and desktop hardware kits is quote-based. Individual hardware products are listed in Lightspeed's online store:
- $79 for Mobile Tap V2 card reader.
- $199 for iPad stand or swivel stand.
- $299 for WisePOS E countertop reader.
- $429 for Lightspeed Lite Server for data backup and offline mode functionality.
- 2.6% plus 10 cents per in-person transaction.
- 2.9% plus 30 cents for online transactions.
DaySmart Salon
Best for salon-specific features
Why we like it: DaySmart (formerly Salon Iris) is a salon POS software solution designed to streamline operations and securely accept payments. DaySmart is preloaded with an online booking interface, an employee management dashboard, two-way texting capabilities for easier communication with your clients and tools for targeted text marketing campaigns and reputation management. DaySmart also offers a QuickBooks integration, the ability to print payroll checks and a free 14-day trial.
- $29 for Basic plan.
- $69 for Deluxe plan.
- $199 for Premium plan.
No proprietary hardware available.
Integrated with software. Uses Clover Mini or Flex hardware to process chip, swipe and contactless payments. Fees are undisclosed.
How to choose a salon POS system
Here are some factors to think about when searching for the right salon POS system for your business.
- Payment flexibility. A good salon POS system enables you to accept and process a variety of payment types, including credit cards and digital wallets. It should also be easy to set up and have an intuitive interface. Most payments will likely be accepted in person after a hair appointment is finished, but if your salon requires customers to put down a deposit to reserve their appointment ahead of time, make sure your POS system allows for this functionality.
- Salon-specific features. Ideally, your salon POS system has industry-specific features or integrations for appointment scheduling, employee tracking and payroll. These help ensure your stylists and estheticians are getting paid in full and on time, and that your clients can easily sign up for appointments.
- Inventory tracking. This is a must for salons that sell hair products or accessories. If you sell just a handful of tried and true products, your inventory tracking capabilities don’t need to be fancy, but they should let you know when it’s time to restock your bestsellers.
- Loyalty programs. These programs, along with referral codes and other incentives, help keep clients coming back and show them how much you value their patronage. It’s not uncommon for POS system providers to charge extra for this feature.
- Mobile capabilities. A system with mobile POS readers is crucial if you or your staff members make house calls or work outside your main location. NerdWallet’s roundup of mobile credit card readers can help on-the-go stylists find the right solution.
- Fair pricing. Ultimately, the right salon POS system is the one with fees and hardware you can afford. And don’t forget to consider processing fees — most of our top picks use a flat-rate pricing model that’s easy to understand. Free trials and demos can also be helpful if you’re on the fence or between two products.
A version of this article was first published on Fundera, a subsidiary of NerdWallet.
Caroline Goldstein contributed to this article.
Last updated on July 1, 2024
Methodology
NerdWallet’s point-of-sale systems provider ratings reward companies whose products and services are priced well and work in a variety of payment scenarios, among other criteria. Ratings are based on weighted averages of scores in several categories, including cost, system capabilities, contract requirements, customer service and integrations and add-ons. Learn more about how we rate point-of-sale (POS) systems providers.
These ratings are a guide, but services, hardware and pricing can vary widely from business to business and provider to provider. We encourage you to shop around and compare several providers.
NerdWallet does not receive compensation for any reviews. Read our editorial guidelines.
