booking apps for beauty pros, compared
An honest look at the tools solo lash artists, brow artists, estheticians and nail techs use to take bookings, and where WIPE fits. Every competitor number comes from the competitor's own page, with a link and the date we checked it.
prices and fees at a glance
| Tool | Price for one person | Fee on new clients | Website | Checked |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GlossGenius | Standard $28/mo ($24/mo billed yearly). Gold $56/mo ($48 yearly). Platinum $168/mo ($148 yearly). | None listed on its pricing page. | A custom booking website on every plan. | GlossGenius pricingGlossGenius website builder |
| Booksy | $29.99/mo plus tax; $20/mo for each extra staff member. | Boost (optional): a one-time 30% fee on a new client's first visit, up to $100. | A profile on the Booksy marketplace, free to turn on. | Booksy pricing (US) |
| StyleSeat | Premium $35/mo (promoted at $19/mo when checked). | New Client Connection: 30% of the first service, capped at $50, once per client. Clients pay a $2.35 booking fee. | A booking profile on the StyleSeat marketplace. | StyleSeat blog: StyleSeat vs Booksy fees and plans (updated Aug 28, 2026) |
| Square Appointments | Free $0/mo. Plus $49/mo per location. Premium $149/mo per location. | None listed on its pricing page. | An online booking site on every plan, including Free. | Square Appointments pricing |
| Vagaro | $30/mo for one person; $23.99/mo for the first 6 months when checked. $10/mo per extra calendar. | Not listed on its US pricing page; every plan includes a free Vagaro Marketplace listing. | Online booking on Vagaro, Instagram, Facebook and Apple Maps. A branded MySite website isn't in its "included with every plan" list. | Vagaro pricing (US) |
| WIPE | $39/month, everything included. Building and previewing is free. | None. No commission, no marketplace. | Built from your Instagram, at yourname.iw.pe. | Our pricing |
All competitor facts checked October 21, 2026 on each company's own page, linked in the table. Prices change; check before you decide.
each one, compared with wipe
- GlossGenius alternativeGlossGenius vs WIPE
All-in-one booking, payments and a booking website. Strong if you take cards in the chair.
- Booksy alternativeBooksy vs WIPE
A booking app with a client marketplace. Strong if you want new clients from the app.
- StyleSeat alternativeStyleSeat vs WIPE
A marketplace with booking and payments. Strong if you want to be found by new clients.
- Square Appointments alternativeSquare Appointments vs WIPE
Free booking with Square payments and hardware. Strong if you sell in person.
- Vagaro alternativeVagaro vs WIPE
A very full salon platform. Strong if you want every tool in one system.
Where WIPE fits
WIPE isn't a full salon system. It turns your Instagram into a website in seconds: your services and prices, your photos and before and afters, your policies, your area and a Book button. It takes no commission and has no marketplace, so every client who books is yours. If you need payments, deposits or a marketplace, one of the tools above is the better fit, and WIPE's Book button can open its booking link.
what wipe doesn't do yet
- Take deposits or card payments. There are no processing fees, but no deposits through WIPE either.
- Send automatic text messages. Confirmations and reminders go by email, and you can text a client from your own phone in one tap.
- Connect a domain you already own. Your address is yourname.iw.pe.
- List you on a marketplace to bring you new clients.
- Run a team: it's made for one pro and one calendar.
questions
Which booking app has no commission?
Of the tools on this page, GlossGenius and Square Appointments list no new-client fee on their pricing pages. Booksy charges one only when its optional Boost brings you a new client, and StyleSeat charges one on new clients its marketplace brings. WIPE takes no commission at all and has no marketplace.
Is WIPE a booking app?
WIPE is a website made from your Instagram, with booking built in: clients choose a service and a time, and get an email confirmation and a reminder. It doesn't take payments, so if you need deposits or a card reader, a booking app is the better fit, and WIPE's Book button can link to it.
Why compare WIPE with booking apps at all?
Because many pros use a booking app's free page as their website. If that page works for you, keep it. WIPE is for the pro who wants a site that looks like her Instagram and her brand.