Aura'd

Aura'd is salon booking software for hairdressers, lash technicians and beauty professionals, suited to solo stylists and salons managing staff. Its strongest case is the path from a capped free plan to team tools, while booking volume and card fees deserve a close look.

Overview

Clients can book through a branded app or website at any hour, with availability updated in real time. Alongside appointments, Aura'd keeps client lists, preferences, promotions and appointment notes together. That combination suits businesses that want booking and client context in one service; its Free plan is better for a small schedule than a busy salon.

Key features

Automated SMS and email reminders are described as reducing no-shows by up to 90%. Free includes email confirmations but no reminders, so a stylist who wants follow-up messages needs Solo or above. Client preference tracking and appointment notes can help keep customer context close to the booking.

Aura'd integrates with Stripe and accepts cards, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Clearpay and Klarna. There is no booking commission on any plan, but card processing costs 1.9% + 20p, which adds up with payment volume. Deposits and payments are included from Business, making that tier the relevant step for salons that need those capabilities within Aura'd.

Premium adds API access for services, availability, bookings and client management, with API key authentication and HTTPS encryption; Aura'd claims 99.9% uptime. The API's placement at £149 per month makes it a substantial commitment for businesses that need to connect booking data to other software. Branded salon appointment apps are available on iOS and Android. Setup is described as taking under 15 minutes, with free setup assistance; Business adds priority support.

Pricing

Aura'd has a free plan and paid plans from £19/mo. The Free plan costs nothing and allows 50 bookings per month and five services, with a basic booking page and email confirmations. It has no email reminders, analytics or custom branding. Those caps make it a sensible way for a new or very small business to begin, but they constrain growth.

Solo costs £19 a month and removes booking and service limits while adding a custom booking page, email and SMS reminders, analytics and custom branding. It suits an individual stylist who needs more capacity and client follow-up without staff tools. Team costs £39 a month and adds a staff portal and scheduling for up to five staff members, a practical fit for a small salon.

Business costs £69 a month and raises the allowance to unlimited staff, while adding deposits and payments, advanced analytics and priority support. It is the tier for larger teams that need those operational features. Premium costs £149 a month and adds white label, a custom domain, custom email sender, branded PWA and API access. Those additions matter most to businesses investing in a distinct branded experience or software integrations. All plans carry the same card processing cost of 1.9% + 20p, despite zero booking commission.

Platforms

Aura'd is available on Android, iOS and web, and offers API access on Premium. The branded appointment apps extend booking to iOS and Android users.

Who it's for

Aura'd fits hair stylists, lash technicians and beauty therapists, from solo operators through salons with multiple staff. Solo is the clearest match for an individual who has outgrown Free; Team and Business suit salons that need staff scheduling or broader team capacity. A business that needs API access must budget for Premium.

Pros and cons

• Pro: Free provides a real starting point, with 50 bookings per month and five services before a paid plan is needed.
• Pro: Solo adds unlimited bookings and services, SMS and email reminders, analytics and custom branding for an individual operator.
• Pro: Team and Business scale from five staff to unlimited staff, with scheduling and payment features on the higher tier.
• Con: Free omits reminders, analytics and custom branding, and its booking and service caps can become limiting quickly.
• Con: Card processing costs 1.9% + 20p on every plan, so zero booking commission does not mean fee-free payments.
• Con: API access, white label and custom domain are reserved for Premium at £149 a month.

Alternatives

Choose ScheduleAnyone if a free plan lasting up to six months, with up to 200 appointments and three staff, better matches an early-stage operation; its platform support also includes macOS and Windows. WellnessLiving is an option for a single-staff business seeking booking for both classes and appointments, with its Starter plan at $62 a month billed annually.

Next may suit readers looking for free booking, scheduling and app features, with optional unlimited SMS texts at $5 a month. Salonist offers a free Market Place Listing with 50 appointments per month, online booking, calendar and scheduling, and staff shift management.

SalonSynq is worth considering for a solo user who wants unlimited bookings, manual payment logging and email reminders at no monthly fee, while accepting that its Start Plan has no SalonSynq online payment. Tonso offers a free plan when the business passes booking fees to clients.

Phorest is another option for businesses looking for unlimited devices and staff. salOWN offers a free web plan for one stylist, capped at 50 bookings per month, with Google and Apple Calendar sync.

For more options in this category, see Salon App Builder Software.

Verdict

Aura'd is a strong fit for solo beauty professionals who want booking, client records and reminders in one service, with a clear route to staff scheduling as the business grows. Its free plan is useful for a modest appointment load, and Solo is the natural upgrade for an individual who needs uncapped bookings and reminders. Look elsewhere if card processing costs are a deciding factor, or if API access is essential but Premium's monthly price is hard to justify.