How much does salon booking software cost in Canada? (2026)
Disclosure: Written by the Milo team; Milo is one of the tools priced here. Every other company's figures come from its own website, checked October 6, 2026, with a link to each source. Prices change, so confirm before you sign up.
Short answer: going by published list prices, a solo stylist in Canada pays from CA$0 to about CA$60 a month for booking software, and a three-chair salon from CA$0 to about CA$70. Card fees, text messages, fees on new marketplace clients and GST or HST come on top, and they often matter more than the plan.
What you actually pay for
- The plan. Priced three ways: a flat price (Milo's Basic, Pro and Max), per team member (Fresha's Team, Booksy's extra staff, Vagaro's extra calendars) or per location (Square's Plus and Premium).
- Fees on new clients. Marketplaces can charge for the clients they send you: Fresha takes a one-time 20% (minimum CA$6) on brand-new marketplace clients; Booksy's optional Boost takes 30% of a first visit, up to $100.
- Card processing. A percentage and often a fixed amount on every card payment, different in person and online. On a busy month it can be the biggest line.
- Text messages. Reminders by text are usually capped: Fresha includes 100 a month (per team member on Team) then CA$0.03 each; Milo Pro includes 300 and Max 1,000, then 3¢ each; Milo Basic has no texting.
- More locations. Square charges per location; Milo Max includes three and adds CA$9.99 for each more.
- Hardware. Card readers are bought or rented separately unless included; Vagaro offers a free reader with its payment service.
- Tax. Prices here are before GST or HST, which is added where it applies (13% HST in Ontario).
What three salons would pay each month
Illustrative examples, not quotes. Each total uses only the published list price of the plan a salon of that size would need, before tax, card fees, texts beyond the allowance and new-client fees. The salons: (1) a solo stylist at one location; (2) a three-chair salon with three team members at one location; (3) five team members across two locations. “—” means the published pricing doesn't say enough to total it.
| Tool | 1. Solo stylist | 2. Three chairs | 3. Five people, two locations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milo | CA$15.99 (Basic) | CA$15.99 (Basic); CA$20.99 with texts (Pro) | CA$30.99 (Max) | Basic covers up to 3 team members at 1 location, without texting. Pro adds unlimited team members and 300 texts a month. Max includes 3 locations and 1,000 texts; each further location is CA$9.99 a month. Source: Milo plans |
| Fresha | CA$29.95 (Independent) | CA$59.85 (Team, 3 × CA$19.95) | CA$99.75 (Team, 5 × CA$19.95) | Team is priced per team member and allows multiple locations; the pricing page lists no separate per-location fee. New marketplace clients add a one-time 20% (minimum CA$6). Source: Fresha pricing |
| Vagaro | $35 (1 bookable calendar) | $35 + US$20 (2 extra calendars) | — | Vagaro's Canadian page shows $35 a month for one calendar without naming the currency; extra calendars are US$10 each up to 7. Pricing for a second location isn't stated on the page, so we haven't totalled scenario 3. Source: Vagaro pricing |
| Square Appointments | CA$0 (Free) | CA$0 (Free) | CA$70 (Plus, 2 × CA$35) | Free covers a single location; Plus (CA$35) and Premium (CA$85) are charged per location and manage multiple locations. Staff limits aren't stated on the page. Source: Square Appointments pricing (Canada) |
| Booksy | $29.99 | $69.99 ($29.99 + 2 × $20) | — | $29.99 a month plus tax and $20 per extra staff member (up to 14), on Booksy's Canadian page. How a second location is billed isn't stated, so scenario 3 isn't totalled. Boost, if on, takes 30% of a new client's first visit (up to $100). Source: Booksy pricing (Canada) |
| Jane | CA$59 (Balance) | — | — | Balance is one practitioner and 20 appointments a month. Practice (CA$79) and Thrive (CA$99) include one full-time practitioner; the price of more isn't stated, so team scenarios aren't totalled. Jane is built for clinics more than salons. Source: Jane pricing |
What card payments cost
An illustrative example, not data. Assume 200 card payments a month averaging CA$50.00 (CA$10,000.00 in total). The fees below use each company's published rate for Canadian cards.
| Payments through | Published rate | Fees a month | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Milo (through Stripe) | 2.9% + 30¢ (Stripe) + 10¢ (Milo) | CA$370.00 | Stripe pricing (Canada) |
| Fresha, in person | 2.29% + CA$0.20 | CA$269.00 | Fresha pricing |
| Fresha, online | 2.79% + CA$0.20 | CA$319.00 | Fresha pricing |
| Square, credit card in person | 2.5% | CA$250.00 | Square Appointments pricing (Canada) |
| Square, online | 2.8% + 30¢ | CA$340.00 | Square Appointments pricing (Canada) |
Card fees in Milo apply only to payments clients make through Milo with Stripe, such as deposits and online checkouts. Payments you take in cash or on your own card terminal can still be recorded in Milo without a Milo fee. Vagaro, Booksy and Jane don't list card rates on their pricing pages.
Hidden costs to ask about
- Is there a fee on new clients, and from which sources?
- What does each extra team member, calendar or location cost?
- How many text reminders are included, and what does each extra one cost?
- What are the card rates in person, online and for manually keyed cards?
- Do you need to buy or rent a card reader?
- Are add-ons (forms, marketing, payroll, a branded app) priced separately?
- Is the price shown before GST or HST, and is it in Canadian dollars?
- Can you export your client list and history if you leave?
How to lower the cost
- Pick the pricing model that fits how you get clients: a flat plan if most clients already know you, a marketplace if you need new ones and the fee is worth it.
- Count team members and locations before choosing: per-staff and per-location prices grow fast as you add chairs.
- Use email for confirmations and save texts for reminders, so you stay inside the included text allowance.
- Send regular clients your own booking link instead of a marketplace listing, so there's no new-client fee on people who already know you.
- Recheck prices once a year; plans and rates change.
Questions
How much does salon booking software cost in Canada?
From CA$0 to about CA$60 a month for a solo stylist, and from CA$0 to about CA$70 for a three-chair salon, going by the published list prices in this guide. Card fees, texts, fees on new marketplace clients and sales tax come on top.
Is there free salon booking software in Canada?
Yes. Square Appointments has a Free plan at $0 for a single location, according to its Canadian pricing page. Its paid plans start at CA$35 a month per location, and card processing fees apply on every plan.
Do salon booking apps charge commission in Canada?
Some do, on new clients only. Fresha takes a one-time 20% (minimum CA$6) on brand-new clients from its marketplace, and Booksy's optional Boost takes 30% of a first visit, up to $100. Milo and Square Appointments list no commission.
Are salon booking software prices in Canada before tax?
Yes, the prices in this guide are before GST or HST, which is added to your subscription where it applies (13% HST in Ontario, for example). Booksy's page says so directly; check each company's checkout for the final amount.
What does Milo cost?
Milo is CA$15.99 a month on Basic (up to 3 team members, 1 location), CA$20.99 on Pro (unlimited team, 300 texts) and CA$30.99 on Max (3 locations, 1,000 texts), in CAD, with no commission. New workspaces get 14 days of Pro.
Comparing the tools themselves? Read the best salon booking software in Canada, or see Milo vs Fresha and Milo vs Vagaro.