How barbershop businesses use SalonBook
A barbershop moves fast. Services are short, the same regulars come back every two to three weeks, and Saturday decides the week. Barber shop appointment software has to be quick for the barber, obvious for the client and honest about who is actually available. SalonBook gives each barber a calendar, gives the shop one combined view, and lets clients book a specific barber or the first open chair.
A shop sets up in about an hour. The owner adds each barber, builds a short service menu with durations and prices, sets each barber’s hours and breaks, and connects Stripe, Square or PayPal. The booking page is live at ocmpro.com/your-shop the same day.
Booth renters and commission barbers on one system
Many shops mix booth renters and commission barbers. Each barber on SalonBook has his own availability, services and client notes, so a renter controls his own book, while the owner sees the whole shop on one calendar and in the reports. Clients book the barber they want from the shared shop page.
The "any available staff" option matters for new clients who do not have a barber yet. They pick a time, SalonBook assigns the open chair, and the barber who did the cut becomes the default for their next booking.
Handling walk-ins without losing appointments
When a walk-in comes in, the barber adds him to the calendar in the gap before the next appointment. Because the appointment already holds its slot, the barber knows exactly how long he has. If a walk-in needs more time than the gap allows, the shop can offer the next opening or add him to the waitlist for a text when a chair frees up.
Start free, upgrade when you add staff
The Free plan is $0 per month and covers one barber, five services, online booking, a calendar, a client list, email confirmations and a public website with the theme studio. A single-chair barber or a booth renter running his own book can use it indefinitely.
The Pro plan is $39 per month, or $348 per year (about $29 per month billed annually), for up to three barbers with unlimited services and products. Pro adds no-show and cancellation fees, deposits, SMS reminders at 24 hours and 1 hour, the waitlist with auto-book, the client portal, forms, loyalty, referrals, gift certificates, memberships, an online shop, invoices with tipping, reports, all ten website templates, custom CSS, the embed widget, a custom domain with SSL, and Google Tag Manager and Meta Pixel support.
Enterprise is $89 per month, or $828 per year (about $69 per month annually), for unlimited barbers, a JSON data API and headless mode. Paid plans include a 14-day free trial with no contract, no setup fee, and you can cancel at any time.
| One barber on Free | Three chairs on Pro | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $39, or $29/mo billed annually |
| Barbers | 1 | Up to 3, each with own calendar |
| Services | 5 | Unlimited |
| Reminders | Email confirmations | SMS and email at 24h and 1h, plus follow-ups |
| No-show protection | None | Deposits and no-show fees under your policy |
| Waitlist | Not included | Auto-books the next client when a slot opens |
| Shop website | ocmpro.com/your-shop | Custom domain with SSL, Shear template, custom CSS |
| Product sales | Not included | Online shop for pomade, beard oil and merch |
SalonBook charges no marketplace commission, no per-booking fee and no per-client acquisition fee. A shop doing 300 cuts a month pays the same $39 as a shop doing 100. Your payment processor charges its own card fees.
Getting your clients to book online
Barbershop clients will book online if the link is in front of them when they think about a cut. Four placements do most of the work.
- Set your SalonBook page as the Book link on your Google Business Profile. A search for your shop or "barber near me" shows a booking button next to your hours.
- Put the link in your shop’s Instagram bio and each barber’s bio. Photos of fades, tapers and beard work attached to services let a client book the cut he saw.
- Embed the booking widget on your existing website, if you have one, so clients do not leave to book.
- Turn on SMS reminders. A text an hour before a cut is the single most effective way to get a client through the door on time.
Clients who book online can reschedule or cancel within your policy from the client portal, see their visit history, save a card, check loyalty points and send a referral link. A regular who refers a coworker costs you nothing in commission.
| Task | Texting and walk-ins only | SalonBook |
|---|---|---|
| Booking a cut | Text and wait for a reply | Pick an open slot in seconds, 24/7 |
| Seeing who is free | Ask each barber | One shop calendar with every chair |
| Saturday no-show | Chair sits empty | No-show fee charged, waitlist refills |
| Regular’s standing cut | Remember to text every two weeks | Recurring appointment booked once |
| Reminders | None, or manual texts | Automatic SMS and email |
Who SalonBook is for
SalonBook fits a single barber renting a chair, a three-chair neighborhood shop and a multi-location shop that needs unlimited staff and a data API. Flat pricing, a free plan with no time limit, and no commission make it straightforward to start with one barber and grow.
If your barbers are currently on a marketplace app, moving to SalonBook means the clients they built are theirs and the shop’s, with history and preferences stored on your records and no cut taken on the visit.
Add your barbers, set their hours and take your first online booking today.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
Can each barber have his own booking calendar?
Yes. Every barber has his own availability, breaks, blocked time and client notes, and clients can book a specific barber or choose "any available staff".
Can I charge a no-show fee?
Yes. On the Pro plan you can require a card on file and charge a no-show or late cancellation fee under the policy shown to the client at booking.
Does SalonBook work for booth renters?
Yes. Each barber controls his own hours and services, while the shop owner sees all chairs on one calendar. A single booth renter can also use the Free plan on his own.
Is there a per-booking fee or commission?
No. SalonBook has no marketplace commission, no per-booking fee and no per-client acquisition fee. Plans are flat at $0, $39 or $89 per month.
Can I add walk-ins to the calendar?
Yes. Walk-ins are added in a few taps and appear on the same calendar as online bookings, so the next appointment is protected.
Can clients set up a standing appointment every two weeks?
Yes. Recurring appointments are booked in one step and hold the slot on the barber’s calendar, with reminders before each visit on the Pro plan.