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GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat: See Which One Fits Your Business
Read our in-depth comparison of GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat to see which is best for your beauty or wellness business needs.
We know running a beauty and wellness business is a lot. Whether it’s figuring out ways to manage client relationships, your schedule, or your team, finding the right software for your needs can feel super overwhelming – especially for small businesses looking to build from the ground up.
That’s why we’re taking two of the most popular beauty and wellness software options on the market today, GlossGenius and StyleSeat, and diving into their features, pricing, customer support, and reviews to see what’s right for your business.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Key Takeaways
StyleSeat is a popular beauty and wellness business management platform that connects business owners to clients, and allows them to manage their bookings accordingly. Although StyleSeat’s free trial and modern presentation make it seem like a great option at first, its hidden fees and lack of core features can make a dent in business owners and their clients’ relationships.
Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!
Furthermore, StyleSeat charges your clients booking fees, this is something almost no other competitor we’ve reviewed does. Charging clients non-refundable booking fees is unprecedented, and can make a dent in business owners and their clients’ relationships.
GlossGenius is purpose-built for businesses in the self-care and beauty industry. Reviewers appreciate its modern aesthetics and design touches, as well as its ease of use. It has some features specific to beauty and wellness as well, such as processing time for salons.
GlossGenius still has some features it’s building out but it offers one of the best payment processing rates in the industry – flat 2.6% – with its POS system. Compare that to StyleSeat’s 2.75% processing rate. GlossGenius’ subscription plan prices with the features included, and its payment processing often make GlossGenius the more affordable option.
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GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Subscription Plans
Just as not all business management software is the same, subscription plans will vary by platform, so reviewing the included features in each plan is crucial. You don’t want to pick a plan that doesn’t have critical features for your business.
GlossGenius, unlike StyleSeat, offers different subscription plans to pick from, so you can pick the best one for your business and budget needs. You can also switch your plan at any time on either GlossGenius, so as your business needs grow and change, you can adapt your software.
GlossGenius plan options
GlossGenius’ subscriptions start at $24 per month. The Standard plan includes many of the features you need to run an individual beauty or wellness business. From online scheduling to a custom website builder. GlossGenius even has calendar management tools, built-in POS, unlimited appointment reminders, and client notes.
GlossGenius has other subscription plans that include more premium features, like automated waitlists, built-in forms and waivers, and an AI assistant to help you craft marketing messages. Another important point is that GlossGenius also doesn’t charge add-on fees for almost any feature. That means that different subscription plans automatically unlock all the features associated with the plan at no extra cost.
StyleSeat plan options
StyleSeat has one payment tier for $35 per month. It used to offer a Basic free plan, but as of August 12th has discontinued it. The fact that now there is only one plan available might feel a bit limiting for beauty and wellness businesses.
It doesn’t help that StyleSeat’s only available plan is missing a lot of core features that are important for these businesses.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Feature Breakdown
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Features are one of the most important things to consider when picking software to run your beauty or wellness business. Think about it: What features a software offers and how easy they are to use can be the key to how much time you spend on regular business tasks.
For example, let’s say your booking system doesn’t have waitlists. Think about the impact on your efficiency. Your team can spend hours on the phone trying to fill last minute calendar spaces. If your software does offer a waitlist option but it’s super confusing for your team and/or your clients, that’s even more time and frustration.
Check out this comparison of the features between GlossGenius and StyleSeat:
*100% chargeback protection on payments processed using the GlossGenius card reader and Tap to Pay on iPhone available on the GlossGenius Gold and Platinum plans.
StyleSeat is missing a pretty significant amount of core features, like text marketing, custom website creators, and stylish POS systems. When comparing paid plans, GlossGenius’ base plan comes with stylish card readers and a custom website creator for $24 a month.
Although both StyleSeat and GlossGenius are created for beauty and wellness businesses, GlossGenius understands that your business needs aesthetically important features like the ones listed here. And most importantly, all these are included in subscription and not as add-ons.
- Stylish credit card readers
- Modern and customizable booking site templates
- Easy-to-use waitlists
- A forms and waivers builder
- Marketing tools
StyleSeat Hidden Fees
One of the biggest cons of StyleSeat’s pricing are its unprecedented add-ons.
For example, StyleSeat forces your clients to pay a booking fee of $2.35 whenever they book an appointment with your business. Be weary of this, as StyleSeat customers have reported complaints from their clients. The last thing you want to deal with is a client who is unhappy before their services.
Furthermore, StyleSeat offers a number of marketing features that can help connect your business with clients. This sounds good in practice, however, you are automatically opted-in to these features, and must contact customer support if you want to opt-out. That means for every new client that you onboard using StyleSeat, you could face a 30% hit to the appointment they’ve booked if you never thought to opt-out.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Payment Processing Fees
We get it, payment processing fees may not be glitzy or the first thing that comes to mind when considering software - still, if you’re considering StyleSeat or GlossGenius to process your payments, they are super important to consider.
GlossGenius
GlossGenius has a flat payment processing fee of 2.6% across all payment types and subscription plans. That means there are no additional transaction fees, or different rates based on whether you’re using a card on file or a physical card in your place of business. This is one of the better payment processing rates in the beauty and wellness industry, and it’s easy to understand.
StyleSeat
StyleSeat payment processing fees used to vary based on subscription plans and payment types. Because StyleSeat only has one subscription tier now, it comes with one payment processing fee of 2.75%.
Check out this table that compares StyleSeat and GlossGenius processing rates. Here is a full breakdown of StyleSeat pricing.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Customer Support
StyleSeat customer support
StyleSeat’s customer support is solely available through live chat. The live chat support is 24/7, and you’ll have to go through a digital assistant before you speak with a real support member.
GlossGenius customer support
GlossGenius’ customer support line is available Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, through phone and text.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Review Comparison
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GlossGenius
The overall sentiment around GlossGenius is positive. Reviewers are satisfied with GlossGenius – particularly booking and scheduling. Some reviewers ask for specific features they’d like GlossGenius to add as it continues to grow its platform.
StyleSeat
The overall sentiment around StyleSeat is negative. Reviewers are satisfied with the ease-of-use StyleSeat offers, but have strong feelings about the customer support response time and quality.
Final Thoughts
So what’s the key takeaway? The most important differences between GlossGenius and StyleSeat are features, price, and hidden fees.
Put it this way, GlossGenius just offers more features for less money. But beyond features, GlossGenius doesn’t charge your own clients booking fees, nor will it force them to download a proprietary app and sign up to schedule appointments.
Ultimately, a tool should work as a tool that helps manage your day-to-day business needs, but also put you in a position where growth and success are encouraged. When you have no access to offerings that are growth-oriented, your small business is less likely to take that next step.
Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!
GlossGenius is a growing name in the software space so some of its functionality is still being built out but if aesthetics and employee management are important to you, GlossGenius could be it. Their software was built specifically for beauty and wellness businesses and offers a sleek and modern feel that can also be customized to fit your brand. GlossGenius also offers features like payroll and financial reporting for more advanced businesses. If you’re looking for a POS system that is built into your system, GlossGenius will often have the lower payment processing rate between the two.
For customers transitioning from other related software, like StyleSeat, GlossGenius offers free data transfers for new users. GlossGenius will transfer all appointments, client lists, services, and products from your current booking system, no matter what it is, over to GlossGenius for free. GlossGenius also offers a 14-day free trial so you can see how GlossGenius can work for your business without any upfront commitment.
NOTE: All prices and feature comparisons are as of August 12, 2024. GlossGenius has no affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement with StyleSeat, Inc. or its affiliates.
All trademarks, logos and brand names are used for identification purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners.
The Capterra logo is a service mark of Gartner Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
Gartner Digital Markets reviews are shared across its different brands sites and constitute the subjective opinions of individual end-users based on their own experiences and do not represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates.
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We know running a beauty and wellness business is a lot. Whether it’s figuring out ways to manage client relationships, your schedule, or your team, finding the right software for your needs can feel super overwhelming – especially for small businesses looking to build from the ground up.
That’s why we’re taking two of the most popular beauty and wellness software options on the market today, GlossGenius and StyleSeat, and diving into their features, pricing, customer support, and reviews to see what’s right for your business.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Key Takeaways
StyleSeat is a popular beauty and wellness business management platform that connects business owners to clients, and allows them to manage their bookings accordingly. Although StyleSeat’s free trial and modern presentation make it seem like a great option at first, its hidden fees and lack of core features can make a dent in business owners and their clients’ relationships.
Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!
Furthermore, StyleSeat charges your clients booking fees, this is something almost no other competitor we’ve reviewed does. Charging clients non-refundable booking fees is unprecedented, and can make a dent in business owners and their clients’ relationships.
GlossGenius is purpose-built for businesses in the self-care and beauty industry. Reviewers appreciate its modern aesthetics and design touches, as well as its ease of use. It has some features specific to beauty and wellness as well, such as processing time for salons.
GlossGenius still has some features it’s building out but it offers one of the best payment processing rates in the industry – flat 2.6% – with its POS system. Compare that to StyleSeat’s 2.75% processing rate. GlossGenius’ subscription plan prices with the features included, and its payment processing often make GlossGenius the more affordable option.
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GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Subscription Plans
Just as not all business management software is the same, subscription plans will vary by platform, so reviewing the included features in each plan is crucial. You don’t want to pick a plan that doesn’t have critical features for your business.
GlossGenius, unlike StyleSeat, offers different subscription plans to pick from, so you can pick the best one for your business and budget needs. You can also switch your plan at any time on either GlossGenius, so as your business needs grow and change, you can adapt your software.
GlossGenius plan options
GlossGenius’ subscriptions start at $24 per month. The Standard plan includes many of the features you need to run an individual beauty or wellness business. From online scheduling to a custom website builder. GlossGenius even has calendar management tools, built-in POS, unlimited appointment reminders, and client notes.
GlossGenius has other subscription plans that include more premium features, like automated waitlists, built-in forms and waivers, and an AI assistant to help you craft marketing messages. Another important point is that GlossGenius also doesn’t charge add-on fees for almost any feature. That means that different subscription plans automatically unlock all the features associated with the plan at no extra cost.
StyleSeat plan options
StyleSeat has one payment tier for $35 per month. It used to offer a Basic free plan, but as of August 12th has discontinued it. The fact that now there is only one plan available might feel a bit limiting for beauty and wellness businesses.
It doesn’t help that StyleSeat’s only available plan is missing a lot of core features that are important for these businesses.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Feature Breakdown
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Features are one of the most important things to consider when picking software to run your beauty or wellness business. Think about it: What features a software offers and how easy they are to use can be the key to how much time you spend on regular business tasks.
For example, let’s say your booking system doesn’t have waitlists. Think about the impact on your efficiency. Your team can spend hours on the phone trying to fill last minute calendar spaces. If your software does offer a waitlist option but it’s super confusing for your team and/or your clients, that’s even more time and frustration.
Check out this comparison of the features between GlossGenius and StyleSeat:
*100% chargeback protection on payments processed using the GlossGenius card reader and Tap to Pay on iPhone available on the GlossGenius Gold and Platinum plans.
StyleSeat is missing a pretty significant amount of core features, like text marketing, custom website creators, and stylish POS systems. When comparing paid plans, GlossGenius’ base plan comes with stylish card readers and a custom website creator for $24 a month.
Although both StyleSeat and GlossGenius are created for beauty and wellness businesses, GlossGenius understands that your business needs aesthetically important features like the ones listed here. And most importantly, all these are included in subscription and not as add-ons.
- Stylish credit card readers
- Modern and customizable booking site templates
- Easy-to-use waitlists
- A forms and waivers builder
- Marketing tools
StyleSeat Hidden Fees
One of the biggest cons of StyleSeat’s pricing are its unprecedented add-ons.
For example, StyleSeat forces your clients to pay a booking fee of $2.35 whenever they book an appointment with your business. Be weary of this, as StyleSeat customers have reported complaints from their clients. The last thing you want to deal with is a client who is unhappy before their services.
Furthermore, StyleSeat offers a number of marketing features that can help connect your business with clients. This sounds good in practice, however, you are automatically opted-in to these features, and must contact customer support if you want to opt-out. That means for every new client that you onboard using StyleSeat, you could face a 30% hit to the appointment they’ve booked if you never thought to opt-out.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Payment Processing Fees
We get it, payment processing fees may not be glitzy or the first thing that comes to mind when considering software - still, if you’re considering StyleSeat or GlossGenius to process your payments, they are super important to consider.
GlossGenius
GlossGenius has a flat payment processing fee of 2.6% across all payment types and subscription plans. That means there are no additional transaction fees, or different rates based on whether you’re using a card on file or a physical card in your place of business. This is one of the better payment processing rates in the beauty and wellness industry, and it’s easy to understand.
StyleSeat
StyleSeat payment processing fees used to vary based on subscription plans and payment types. Because StyleSeat only has one subscription tier now, it comes with one payment processing fee of 2.75%.
Check out this table that compares StyleSeat and GlossGenius processing rates. Here is a full breakdown of StyleSeat pricing.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Customer Support
StyleSeat customer support
StyleSeat’s customer support is solely available through live chat. The live chat support is 24/7, and you’ll have to go through a digital assistant before you speak with a real support member.
GlossGenius customer support
GlossGenius’ customer support line is available Monday to Friday 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET, and Saturday 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. ET, through phone and text.
GlossGenius vs. StyleSeat Review Comparison
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GlossGenius
The overall sentiment around GlossGenius is positive. Reviewers are satisfied with GlossGenius – particularly booking and scheduling. Some reviewers ask for specific features they’d like GlossGenius to add as it continues to grow its platform.
StyleSeat
The overall sentiment around StyleSeat is negative. Reviewers are satisfied with the ease-of-use StyleSeat offers, but have strong feelings about the customer support response time and quality.
Final Thoughts
So what’s the key takeaway? The most important differences between GlossGenius and StyleSeat are features, price, and hidden fees.
Put it this way, GlossGenius just offers more features for less money. But beyond features, GlossGenius doesn’t charge your own clients booking fees, nor will it force them to download a proprietary app and sign up to schedule appointments.
Ultimately, a tool should work as a tool that helps manage your day-to-day business needs, but also put you in a position where growth and success are encouraged. When you have no access to offerings that are growth-oriented, your small business is less likely to take that next step.
Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!
GlossGenius is a growing name in the software space so some of its functionality is still being built out but if aesthetics and employee management are important to you, GlossGenius could be it. Their software was built specifically for beauty and wellness businesses and offers a sleek and modern feel that can also be customized to fit your brand. GlossGenius also offers features like payroll and financial reporting for more advanced businesses. If you’re looking for a POS system that is built into your system, GlossGenius will often have the lower payment processing rate between the two.
For customers transitioning from other related software, like StyleSeat, GlossGenius offers free data transfers for new users. GlossGenius will transfer all appointments, client lists, services, and products from your current booking system, no matter what it is, over to GlossGenius for free. GlossGenius also offers a 14-day free trial so you can see how GlossGenius can work for your business without any upfront commitment.
NOTE: All prices and feature comparisons are as of August 12, 2024. GlossGenius has no affiliation, sponsorship or endorsement with StyleSeat, Inc. or its affiliates.
All trademarks, logos and brand names are used for identification purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners.
The Capterra logo is a service mark of Gartner Inc. and/or its affiliates and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
Gartner Digital Markets reviews are shared across its different brands sites and constitute the subjective opinions of individual end-users based on their own experiences and do not represent the views of Gartner or its affiliates.
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