Booksy vs GlossGenius pricing comes down to two ways of charging. Booksy has one plan at $29.99 a month plus $20 for every extra team member, with all features included. GlossGenius sells tiers, Standard at $28 ($24 billed annually), Gold at $56 for up to nine staff and Platinum at $168 for teams of ten or more. A solo stylist pays almost the same on both. A four-chair shop pays $89.99 on Booksy and $56 on GlossGenius Gold, before card fees, which usually decide the real winner.
Booksy was read on biz.booksy.com/en-us/pricing and GlossGenius on glossgenius.com/pricing, both on 11 November 2026 from a US connection. All figures are US dollars, monthly prices unless stated. The totals below are our arithmetic from the printed prices, not quotes from either company.
Booksy vs GlossGenius pricing side by side
| Line | Booksy | GlossGenius |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | One plan, $29.99 plus tax, $20 per extra team member | Tiered plans, listed monthly or billed annually |
| Entry plan | $29.99, every feature included | Standard, $28 monthly or $24 billed annually |
| Mid plan | Same plan | Gold, $56 monthly or $48 annually, businesses up to 9 staff |
| Larger teams | $20 per member, no cap printed | Platinum, $168 monthly or $148 annually, teams of 10 or more |
| Med spa plans | No separate plan | Practice Essentials $168 ($148 annually), Practice Advanced $298 ($248 annually) |
| Card processing | 2.49% + $0.10 on the Booksy reader, 2.69% + $0.30 mobile or keyed, 2.49% + $0.20 Tap to Pay | 2.9% + $0.30 for online invoicing. The in-person rate showed as a blank placeholder on the page we read |
| Marketplace | Booksy Marketplace, Boost takes 30% of a new client first visit, up to $100 | No marketplace fee printed |
| Trial | 14 days, no card | Start free, no card |
| AI receptionist | Listed in the product menu, no price on the pricing page | Reception add-on, $50 a month |
The detail for Booksy is on its own page: Booksy pricing per month with worked totals.
Which is cheaper for a solo stylist, a four-chair shop and an eight-chair salon?
| Business | Booksy | GlossGenius |
|---|---|---|
| Solo stylist or barber | $29.99 | Standard at $28 ($24 annually) |
| Four chairs | $29.99 + 3 x $20 = $89.99 | Gold at $56 ($48 annually) |
| Eight chairs | $29.99 + 7 x $20 = $169.99 | Gold at $56 up to nine staff |
| Eight chairs plus AI phone and text answering | $169.99 + whatever Booksy quotes for its AI Receptionist | $56 + $50 Reception = $106 |
So the gap grows with headcount. At one chair it is a rounding error, at four it is about $34 a month and at eight about $114. That is the plan line only. GlossGenius prints a flat tier price but its page does not say on the card whether extra staff raise the price, so ask for a written total for your exact headcount before you move.
Card fees can outweigh the plan price
Take a shop that runs $15,000 a month through the card reader in 200 payments. On Booksy at 2.49% + $0.10 that is $373.50 + $20 = $393.50. If the same volume is keyed in at 2.69% + $0.30 it is $403.50 + $60 = $463.50. Those numbers are larger than the whole difference in subscriptions, so ask each company for your in-person rate in writing. The GlossGenius page we read showed an empty placeholder where the tap, dip or swipe rate should be, so do not assume it matches Booksy. A quarter of a percentage point on $15,000 is $37.50 a month.
Booksy adds one more variable. Boost is free to switch on, then a one-time 30% of a new client first visit, capped at $100. A $70 haircut costs $21 in fee, a $400 color costs $100. Clients who book through your own profile link are not charged when Boost is on, which is why shops send their link in every Instagram bio and text.
What does each one charge for an AI receptionist?
GlossGenius prints a number: Reception is $50 a month and is described as answering calls and replying to texts around the clock. Booksy lists an AI Receptionist in its product menu but the pricing page shows no add-on fee, and says the subscription includes all features. Ask which it is before you compare totals.
Both are aimed at calls and texts from people who already found you. Neither page says it answers Instagram or Facebook direct messages, which is where many new clients ask their first question. Someone who writes "how much is a balayage" at 9pm usually books with whoever replies first. We cover what to look for in an AI booking bot for Instagram DMs.
Where each one wins
Booksy wins when a marketplace sends you new clients, when you want one price with every feature unlocked and when the shop is built around chairs and card readers. It is easy to forecast, and a barbershop that wants booking, reminders and payments in one app gets exactly that.
GlossGenius wins on entry price for small teams, a clear ladder up to an aesthetics suite and a printed price for AI call and text answering. A solo stylist or a team under nine will pay less, and a med spa gets clinical tools that Booksy does not sell as a separate plan. Match feature lists line by line before you switch.
If you are weighing a third platform, the same walk-through for another popular system is in Vagaro pricing per calendar. If you book consultations or sessions more than chairs, Calendly vs Acuity pricing runs the same totals for a per-seat tool against a per-calendar one.
Where an AI agent fits next to either one
Neither platform is the problem. Both book appointments and take payments. The leak is the conversation before the booking: the Instagram DM, the Facebook message, the text to the number on your Google listing, the web chat at 10pm. MessageAgent answers those, quotes services from rules you set, qualifies the lead and books the visit on your real calendar, then hands the thread to your staff with the history. It is a flat $199 a month, or $99 a month billed yearly, whatever you pay Booksy or GlossGenius. A four-chair shop on Booksy lands near $289 a month before tax and card fees, and a shop that also wants its own documents answered can see how Custommodel trains a chatbot on your own price list and policies.
What to ask each sales rep before you decide
- The exact monthly total for your headcount, in writing, including the front desk and any chair renters.
- Your in-person and online card rates at your monthly volume, and any reader or terminal cost.
- The price of the AI receptionist, and whether it covers Instagram and Facebook DMs or only calls and texts.
- How marketplace or Boost fees apply to clients who book through your own link.
- How long data transfer takes and what you lose from your current system.
Frequently asked questions
Is Booksy more expensive than GlossGenius?
For a solo stylist the two are within $2 of each other, $29.99 against $28. For a four-chair shop Booksy is $89.99 against $56 on GlossGenius Gold, and for eight chairs $169.99 against $56. Card fees and Boost can shift that.
How much is Booksy per month?
$29.99 plus tax for the owner and $20 for each additional team member, read on 11 November 2026. All features are included. Card processing is separate, and Boost takes a one-time 30% of a new client first visit, up to $100.
How much is GlossGenius per month?
Standard is $28 monthly or $24 billed annually, Gold is $56 or $48, and Platinum is $168 or $148. Med spas use Practice Essentials at $168 or $148 annually, or Practice Advanced at $298 or $248 annually. Reception adds $50 a month.
Can I add an AI chatbot for Instagram DMs to either one?
Yes. Both keep handling booking and payments while a separate agent answers social and web conversations and books into your calendar. MessageAgent does this for a flat $199 a month with no per-conversation charge. See the appointment booking bot for how it books.
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