We’ve all been there as hairstylists, with a hairdryer in one hand and a phone in the other. You’re juggling clients, appointments, and schedule changes while trying to keep up with social media marketing, supply orders, taxes, bookkeeping, and myriad other tasks. It’s enough to make even the calmest hairstylists want to cut their own bangs.
Fortunately, the dawn of apps for hairstylists is making life easier for both salon owners and independent stylists alike. To help in your hunt for the best apps for hairstylists, we’ve highlighted (pardon the pun) 10 apps we think are worth exploring.
You’ve probably got plenty of apps on your phone, but you might want to make space for a few more if you’re running a hair salon business. The best apps for hairstylists enable business management, marketing, and continuing education right from the palm of your hand. Here are some of the ways hairstylists are getting techy to help their salon business grow:
No matter which apps you use, the goal should be to alleviate some of the burdens of running a business. The best apps for hairstylists make the business and marketing side of things easier, so you can focus on doing what you do best – styling and cutting hair and delighting your clients.
Here are 10 best salon apps you need to try as a hairstylist:
Let’s dive deeper into each one.
Best for managing your salon, GlossGenius is an all-in-one salon software designed to help you drive bookings and increase revenue. A smooth, stylish booking experience gives new clients a glimpse of what to expect when they enter your salon. Setup is quick and easy, so you’ll waste no time getting up and running with GlossGenius. You can also build a stunning booking website in minutes that aligns with your brand’s aesthetic, whether modern, chic, luxe, glamorous, or anything in between.
Payments are equally seamless, with integrated popular payment processors like Apple Pay, Google Pay, PayPay, and major credit card processors. GlossGenius also offers a sleek card reader for quick, easy payment processing. Fair, flat-rate pricing starts at $24 per month, with a free trial available, and you can add unlimited employees at no extra cost.
Developed by Google, Snapseed is a free mobile photo editing app that’s perfect for enhancing your photos. It comes with a range of features to help you generate high-quality photos without changing the resolution of the original image. After editing an image, you have the option to save your changes as a predefined “look” that you can apply to future photos.
Snapseed’s user-friendly interface gets you up and running quickly once you install the app. Jump in and try out over 29 different tools and filters to uplevel your photo editing game, including background removal, white balance, color contrast, and a handy brush tool to make micro edits to your photo. With Snapseed, you’ll get flawless photos that you can post on your social media pages, website, and anywhere you want to showcase your client work.
Turn client photos into magazine-ready masterpieces with FaceApp, another photo editing app that includes AI filters, effects, backgrounds, and other tools. Simple yet powerful, FaceApp doesn’t just retouch photos. You can transform people into different versions of themselves to look older or younger, add a beard, swap genders, and more.
While FaceApp is free to download, you’ll need to pay an annual subscription fee of $39.99 to unlock the full range of features. You may find the investment to be worth it in terms of showcasing the best versions of client photos.
Stylez is a virtual playground where beauty buffs can learn, engage, shop, and even earn new certifications in braided styling, barbering, balayage, textured hair, and more. With built-in booking features, Stylez also allows clients to check for certifications and book salon appointments right from the app (dubbed #Hairdating). The booking tool is a unique feature that pairs clients with the right pros based on clients’ needs.
For beauty professionals, Stylez provides an all-in-one hair and beauty education platform with simple, step-by-step learning experiences. The tutorials are easy to follow and recreate, so you can quickly transfer your knowledge into the salon chair with clients. With 50-plus educators and influencers sharing their hair wisdom, you can become a pro in different techniques and styles without ever leaving your sofa. Plus, there’s an online shop included where you can shop for trusted professional products at great prices. Paid plans start at $33.33 per month, billed annually, or $39.99 monthly.
If you didn’t find what you need on the Stylz app, Sally Beauty has you covered. The app version (available for both iOS and Android) of Sally Beauty’s online store gives you access to your favorite hair brands. Choose from multiple fulfillment options, including free shipping on purchases of $35+, free two-hour delivery on orders over $35 before 4 p.m., or free local pickup at a Sally Beauty store. The quick delivery options are ideal if you’re in a bind and need more products for your salon ASAP.
The app will also store your order history for quick and easy reordering anytime you run out of anything. You can also take advantage of flexible payment options with PayPal and Klarna and split your payment into four interest-free payments.
For purposes of social media marketing, Instagram is best for showcasing your portfolio of clients. Photos, videos, Reels, Stories, and Live features give you plenty of ways to connect with your local audience and strut your stuff. It’s free to download and use (ads cost extra if you’re looking to pay to play).
To make the most of Instagram as a hairstylist, follow these tips:
Canva has simplified the world of graphic design for creators of all kinds. The Canva app lets you create professional-looking marketing assets, even if you’ve never touched a graphic design app in your life. From social media graphics to small business cards, logos, and email headers, Canva does it all. It’s an excellent resource for hairdressers who want to expand their reach without paying for costly design services.
Canva has a free version with many different templates, images, fonts, and other design tools; the paid plan gives you more options. Simple drag-and-drop technology gives you a quick way to create digital designs and upload them to other channels, including Instagram and Facebook. Canva also enables you to work in teams – a great feature if you have someone else handling your social media marketing.
If you’ve ever gotten sucked into a rabbit hole of TikTok videos, then you know how addictive the app can be. Free to download and use, TikTok features short-form videos from creators around the world, with an algorithm that gets to know its users. That means you can quickly start reaching a target audience of people who are interested in all things hair – from hairstyle tutorials and product recommendations to client work and behind-the-scenes looks at your salon.
The most important thing to remember with TikTok is to be yourself. The authentic version of you is what your audience wants to see, not an overly scripted video. Take advantage of TikTok’s many options for sounds, filters, duets with other brands and users, and other tools that make your videos come to life.
Hairstyle Try On is a free app that lets you test different hairstyle looks – a handy tool for hairstylists that want to help their clients find a new style. Simply snap or upload a picture and choose from 36 unique hairstyles in various lengths, or purchase the paid version to access more than 800 hairstyles. You can also try out different colors in 50 different shades,
With Hairstyle Try On, you eliminate the problem of clients bringing in a photo from a magazine and wanting to recreate a look. You can show them how a style fits their face shape, hair texture, and color – rather than hoping for the best and having them leave disappointed when they don’t leave looking like their favorite celebrity. It’s much easier to set reasonable expectations when clients can see that their hair isn’t going to magically transform just by sitting in your chair.
Pinterest is one of the best apps for hairstylists, especially those who want to expand their skill set. Here are some ways hairstylists can use the Pinterest app:
There are dozens of apps out there for beauty salon owners and stylists, but we think the ones highlighted above are the best apps for hairstylists in 2023. With the help of these technologies, many salon owners are able to switch to managing their salons with apps instead of relying on outdated hardware and systems. They can also grow their businesses much more quickly and elevate their brands to new heights.
As you’re incorporating apps into your business, keep the following tips in mind:
We’re firm believers that these apps will be the key to success for salon business owners and stylists in 2023 and beyond. They’ll help you stay ahead of trends, attract new customers, increase your customer feedback, and even help improve your business reputation. The sooner you embrace technology, the sooner you can take your business to the next level.
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