How Much Does It Cost to Develop a Salon Booking App?

The beauty and wellness industry is growing rapidly, and salon booking apps have become an essential part of this transformation. Today, customers prefer booking salon services online instead of making phone calls or visiting salons in person. With the increasing use of smartphones, salon booking apps help customers book appointments anytime, anywhere, with just a few clicks.

Many salons are now moving away from manual appointment management because it often leads to double bookings, missed appointments, and poor customer experience. A salon booking app simplifies the entire process by allowing salon owners to manage bookings, staff schedules, payments, and customer data from one platform. This not only saves time but also improves customer satisfaction and business efficiency.

If you are planning to build a salon booking app, understanding the development cost is an important first step. In this blog, we will explain how much it costs to develop a salon booking app, what factors affect the cost, and how you can plan your budget effectively.

What Is a Salon Booking App?

A salon booking app is a mobile or web application that allows customers to book salon services online without calling or visiting the salon. Using a salon booking app, users can choose services such as haircuts, spa treatments, makeup, or grooming, select a preferred stylist, pick an available time slot, and confirm their appointment instantly.

From a business perspective, a salon booking app helps salon owners manage appointments, staff schedules, services, and payments from a single dashboard. It reduces manual work, avoids double bookings, and improves overall operational efficiency. This makes salon booking apps an essential digital tool for modern beauty and wellness businesses.

Key Features of a Salon Booking App

A successful salon booking app must include essential features for both customers and salon owners. These features improve user experience, simplify salon operations, and increase bookings. Below are the core features every salon booking app should have.

Customer App Features

1. User Registration & Profile
   Customers can sign up using email, phone number, or social media accounts. The profile section allows users to manage personal details, view booking history, and save preferences for faster future bookings.
2. Service Browsing & Pricing
   Users can easily browse salon services such as haircuts, styling, spa treatments, or makeup. Clear service descriptions, pricing, and duration help customers make quick and informed decisions.
3. Appointment Booking & Rescheduling
   This feature allows customers to select a service, choose a stylist, pick a date and time, and book an appointment instantly. Users can also reschedule or cancel appointments directly from the app.
4. In-App Payments
   Secure in-app payment options such as credit/debit cards, digital wallets, or UPI make the booking process smooth and convenient. Online payments also reduce no-shows and improve revenue flow.
5. Push Notifications
   Push notifications keep users informed about booking confirmations, reminders, offers, and promotions. This helps improve customer engagement and reduces missed appointments.
6. Ratings & Reviews
   Customers can rate services and leave reviews based on their experience. Ratings and reviews build trust, improve service quality, and help new users choose the right salon or stylist.

Salon Owner / Admin Panel Features

1. Dashboard & Analytics
   The admin dashboard provides a complete overview of bookings, revenue, customer activity, and performance reports. These insights help salon owners make data-driven business decisions.
2. Staff Management
   Salon owners can add, edit, and manage staff profiles, set working hours, and assign services. This helps in efficient workforce management and better appointment scheduling.
3. Service & Pricing Management
   Admins can easily update service lists, prices, discounts, and special offers. This feature ensures pricing accuracy and allows quick changes based on business needs.
4. Booking & Calendar Management
   A centralized calendar shows all appointments in real time. Salon owners can accept, reschedule, or cancel bookings while avoiding double bookings and scheduling conflicts.
5. Payment & Commission Tracking
   This feature helps track payments, commissions, refunds, and earnings. It provides clear financial records and simplifies accounting for salon businesses.

Types of Salon Booking Apps

Salon booking apps can be developed in different formats based on business goals and service models. Choosing the right type of salon booking app plays a major role in development cost, features, and scalability. Below are the most common types of salon booking apps used in the beauty and wellness industry.

Single Salon Booking App

A single salon booking app is designed for one salon or salon brand. This type of app allows customers to book appointments directly with a specific salon. It is ideal for independent salon owners or small chains looking to build a strong digital presence.

This app includes features like service listing, staff selection, appointment scheduling, and online payments. Since it serves only one business, the development cost is lower compared to other types of salon booking apps.

Best for:

• Individual salon owners

• Small or local salon businesses

• Budget-friendly app development

Multi-Salon Marketplace App

A multi-salon marketplace app allows multiple salons to register and offer their services on a single platform. Customers can compare salons, services, prices, and ratings before booking an appointment. Popular salon booking platforms usually follow this model.

This type of salon booking app requires advanced features such as salon onboarding, commission management, location-based search, and detailed admin controls. Due to its complexity, the development cost is higher, but it offers better revenue opportunities.

Best for:

• Startups building a salon aggregator platform

• Entrepreneurs targeting large-scale markets

• Businesses planning long-term scalability

On-Demand Salon Services App (At-Home Services)

An on-demand salon services app allows customers to book beauty services at their home or preferred location. These apps connect customers with professional beauticians who travel to the customer’s location to provide services.

This type of app includes real-time booking, GPS tracking, service provider assignment, and instant notifications. Because of these advanced features, on-demand salon apps usually have higher development and maintenance costs.

Best for:

• On-demand beauty service startups

• Businesses offering home salon services

• Urban and metro markets

Cost Estimation Based on App Complexity

The cost of developing a salon booking app mainly depends on the app’s complexity, features, and technology stack. A basic app with limited features costs less, while an advanced app with complex functionalities requires a higher investment. Below is an estimated cost breakdown based on different levels of salon booking app development.

Factors Affecting Salon Booking App Development Cost (With Estimated Costs)

The total cost of developing a salon booking app depends on several factors, including platform choice, design, features, backend development, and ongoing maintenance. Below is a clear cost breakdown for each factor to help you plan your budget.

App Platform (Android, iOS, or Both)

The platform you choose directly impacts the development cost.

• Single platform (Android or iOS): $5,000 – $15,000

• Both Android & iOS (Native apps): $15,000 – $30,000

• Cross-platform app (Flutter/React Native): $10,000 – $20,000

App Design Complexity (UI/UX)

Design plays a major role in user experience and development cost.

• Basic UI/UX design: $2,000 – $4,000

• Custom UI/UX with animations: $4,000 – $8,000

• Premium, brand-focused design: $8,000 – $12,000

Feature Complexity

The number and type of features significantly affect the overall cost.

• Basic features (booking, notifications): $5,000 – $10,000

• Medium features (payments, staff management): $10,000 – $20,000

• Advanced features (multi-salon, AI, loyalty programs): $20,000 – $40,000+

Backend & Admin Panel Development

The backend and admin panel control the entire app ecosystem.

• Basic admin panel: $3,000 – $6,000

• Advanced admin panel with analytics: $6,000 – $12,000

• Enterprise-level backend: $12,000 – $20,000+

Third-Party Integrations

Integrations add functionality but also increase costs.

• Payment gateway integration: $500 – $2,000

• Maps & location services: $500 – $1,500

• SMS/Email notifications: $500 – $1,000

• CRM & marketing tools: $1,000 – $3,000

Development Team Location

Hourly rates vary based on the region of the development team.

• North America: $80 – $150/hour

• Europe: $50 – $100/hour

• Asia (Comfygen Technologies): $25 – $50/hour

Maintenance and Support Costs

Maintenance is an ongoing expense after app launch.

• Annual maintenance cost: 15%–25% of total development cost

• Estimated yearly cost: $2,000 – $8,000

How to Reduce Salon Booking App Development Cost

Developing a salon booking app does not always require a high budget. With smart planning and the right development approach, you can significantly reduce costs without compromising app quality. Below are effective ways to lower salon booking app development expenses.

Start with MVP Development

Launching an MVP (Minimum Viable Product) is one of the best ways to reduce salon app development cost. An MVP includes only essential features such as user registration, service listing, appointment booking, and notifications. This approach helps you launch faster, validate your idea, and collect real user feedback before investing in advanced features.

Cost benefit: Saves 30–40% of initial development cost

Choose Cross-Platform Development

Instead of developing separate apps for Android and iOS, choose cross-platform app development using technologies like Flutter or React Native. A single codebase works for both platforms, reducing development time and cost while maintaining good performance.

Cost benefit: Reduces development cost by up to 35%

Prioritize Essential Features

Avoid adding too many features in the first version of your salon booking app. Focus only on core features that solve user problems and support business goals. Advanced features such as AI recommendations, loyalty programs, or multi-salon support can be added later as your business grows.

Cost benefit: Helps control scope creep and unnecessary expenses

Partner with an Experienced App Development Company

Working with an experienced salon booking app development company helps avoid costly mistakes, delays, and rework. An expert team follows proven development processes, uses scalable architecture, and delivers high-quality solutions within budget and timeline.

Cost benefit: Saves long-term costs through efficient development and maintenance

Conclusion

Developing a salon booking app is a smart investment for any beauty or wellness business. The total development cost can range from $10,000 to $70,000+, depending on app complexity, features, and platform choice. Proper planning, feature prioritization, and selecting the right development partner are key to staying within budget while creating a high-quality app.

At Comfygen Technologies, we specialize in building customized salon booking apps that help businesses streamline operations, increase customer bookings, and boost revenue. By focusing on essential features first and using scalable technology, ComfyGen Technologies ensures your app delivers long-term value and a seamless experience for both salon owners and customers.

If you are ready to take your salon business to the next level, Comfygen Technologies can help you design, develop, and launch a fully functional salon booking app tailored to your needs.