The right tools can transform the way you run your business. As a busy makeup artist (or aspiring one), spinning all the plates at once can get frustrating and draining, leaving you open to mistakes or mismanagement. However, once you’ve found a software that can properly serve your needs, you can optimize your operations and start building toward a successful future. This article will explore the best booking apps for makeup artists, along with why they matter and key features to consider in your search. 

3 Benefits of Having a Makeup Artist Booking App

Booking apps for makeup artists come in all shapes and sizes. Below, we detail three major benefits of investing in a makeup artist app. 

1. Streamlines appointment booking

An app or booking site can optimize your appointment scheduling and get more clients in the books. Making it easy for potential clients to book your services can help expand your client base and increase your profits. With 24/7 online booking, your schedule is always ready for interested patrons to claim their slots, without the need for phone calls or emails. 

Try GlossGenius today and get access to our Scheduling & Calendar page!

2. Provides a centralized hub

Imagine being able to manage every aspect of your booking through one convenient app. Well, we’ve got good news! The right makeup artist app can take care of a variety of booking tasks, such as rebooking, rescheduling, and cancellations, so you can avoid missed appointments, double-booking, or other scheduling faux pas. 

3. Lets you track appointments

With appointment tracking, you can identify client trends such as peak times or customer happiness. Seeing these metrics can help you pinpoint what is working best for your makeup services, and which areas could use improvement, leading to more targeted client satisfaction and retention. 

GlossGenius offers Reports & Analytics to help you enhance your makeup services.

4 Features to Look for in a Makeup Artist Booking App

Before you commit to a makeup artist software app, be on the lookout for the following features:

1. Built-in payment processing

Payment processing lets you quickly and efficiently checkout clients – whether they’re paying for services or products – while also tracking transactions. A built-in processing software can add extra security and reduce fraud, while also leading to fewer accounting errors. 

GlossGenius provides Point of Sale features to help you process and track your payments.

2. Client management 

Client management tools let you improve your relationships with your loyal customers by sending appointment reminders, tracking satisfaction, and capturing feedback. These tools should also allow you to keep appointment history and craft client profiles so you can properly tailor your messaging and services. 

Reduce no-shows and improve your client relationships with GlossGenius Client Management tools.

3. Marketing tools

Marketing is a way to keep your regular clientele updated on your services and promos, while also helping to attract new customers. Send out text and email blasts, customize your message, and integrate with your social media to make the most out of your advertising endeavors. 

GlossGenius makes it easy to market your business and expand your brand!

4. User-friendliness

The best app for makeup artists should be simple to use, period. An easy interface means that you never have to struggle to find what you’re looking for or spend hours trying to get your tasks done. If you run a makeup business with employees, you’ll want something with a not-so-steep learning curve that doesn’t take days to learn, either. 

How Much Does a Booking App Cost?

The price of booking apps can vary depending on the type of software, features, and add-ons you need. Some booking apps offer free plans for users (with limited features), or plans as low as $5-$10 dollars per month, while others can cost hundreds of dollars. GlossGenius offers a Standard plan for $24/month, a Gold plan for $48/month, and a Platinum plan for $148/month. 

9 Top Makeup Artist Booking Apps

There are plenty of booking apps for makeup artists on the market, but not all of them will give you what you need. Keep reading for our curated list of makeup artist software apps you can pair with your business to ensure you stay on top of what matters. 

1. GlossGenius

GlossGenius is an all-in-one platform for makeup artists, and offers awesome features like a customizable online booking system, client and staff management, integrated payment processing (always at a 2.6% flat rate), payroll, and waitlists. One of the best apps for makeup artists on the market, GlossGenius lets you send automated appointment reminders to cut down on no-shows, check reports to see how business is going, and apply for loans to boost your business – all through one convenient platform. 

While GlossGenius offers two affordable platforms with customizable features, some of the current drawbacks include the inability to adjust client notification frequency or draft invoices, and the lack of platform-based two-way communication (currently you can only message via emails or text). 

*Room and resource management, service packages, and memberships coming soon!

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2. Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling is one of the best booking apps for makeup artists, but with its limited features, that’s about all it is. Mainly built for small businesses, Acuity offers 24/7 booking and with the more expensive plans, custom text reminders. However, it lacks many of the key features you’ll need in a makeup artist software app, like custom forms and waivers, text and email marketing, inventory management, and social media templates. (Psst – GlossGenius has them all!)

3. Schedulicity

Schedulicity is an appointment scheduling software that’s loaded with other key features. With Schedulicity, you get client booking and two-way sync with color-coded calendar management. Update your policies and block chronic no-shows from making new appointments, and send appointment reminder texts so you never encounter that problem again. Schedulicity lets you keep client notes, offers payment processing, and even lets you sell products with inventory management. 

Some of the cons of Schedulicity include hefty pricing for expansion, a difficult user interface, and occasional glitches that disrupt business operations. 

4. Fresha

Fresha comes with an array of features in an easy-to-use interface. Calendar management is straightforward and simple, including features like appointment editing, service tracking, and more. Fresha also offers automated appointment reminders, and comes with a free basic plan for appointment bookings – and let’s face it, a freebie is sometimes the best way to find the most compatible tool for your business. Set up integrated social media buttons, process payments, and manage your team, all with Fresha. 

Currently, Fresha doesn’t offer booking web page customization, and many additional features come as pricier add-ons. Due to their processing fees, Fresha gets exponentially more expensive as you scale your business, making it less ideal for those with a long-term plan. 

5. Goldie

Goldie is a free appointment scheduling software that boasts several other features. Along with appointment scheduling and automated text reminders, Goldie lets your clients book online, reserve with Google, and leave reviews for your business. Business owners can manage both clients and staff through the software, send client forms, manage inventory, and use card readers to process payments. 

However, Goldie’s free plan is missing many of its most desirable features and requires a paid subscription plan to actually access the payment processing and client block features. The free plan also doesn’t offer customizable logos or website photos, nor does it provide reports and analytics for your business. 

6. Glamsquad 

Glamsquad is one of the best apps for makeup artists, nail techs, and hairstylists who take their business mobile. With Glamsquad, clients search for the services they want and book directly through the app. After filling out an application, completing an interview (as well as a live demo), Glamsquad will let you know if you qualify to join their team as a freelancer or employee. Once you’re approved, you download their app and set your working zip code. You’ll get text notifications when a client books your services.

Some of the drawbacks of Glamsquad are that you can only provide a single service at a time (so you can’t do hair and makeup). If you want to provide special occasion or bridal makeup, you’ll need a separate certification. Additionally, some Glamsquad pros aren’t happy with the high commission rate the app takes from earnings. 

7. PocketSuite

PocketSuite is a popular app amongst makeup artists, as it offers robust and affordable features for solo acts and small businesses. Send and accept payments through the software app, and sync appointments with Google Calendar and iCal. Pocketsuite also lets you send contracts, forms, and waivers to clients, manage payroll, and view your analytics to make sure business is running smoothly. 

PocketSuite is app-only, which means there’s no desktop or website version you can use instead, which can be a disadvantage for makeup artists who prefer a larger screen to work from. Some users also report technical issues and slow response from customer support. 

8. Square

Square is mainly a point-of-sale (POS) system, though it offers additional features such as online booking anytime, anywhere. They also offer custom text reminders for clients to help avoid no-shows, and with the more expensive plans, inventory management. Square also supports contactless payments and lets you keep cards on file for deposits and easy processing. You can even manage client relationships and give your makeup staff more agency with their own logins. 

However, some cons of Square are that because it is a POS and scheduling platform built to service many industries, it does not contain any bespoke features for makeup artists. Square also has limited app integrations, lack of customization options, and high processing rates. 

9. Setmore

SetMore is a powerful tool for makeup artists. Their software offers features like custom booking pages and notifications, secure payment processing, and email reminders. Integrate social media buttons, create booking QR codes, or hold video consultations with potential clients, all through one convenient hub. You can also get up to 200 bookings with their free plan, and unlimited bookings with their pro plan. If you go with a paid subscription, you’ll gain additional access to two-way calendar sync, recurring appointment settings, SMS reminders, and a 1% donation to plant trees.

However, some users take issue with the lack of unique booking links, as well as pervasive glitches that affect their operations. Users also don’t like the lack of customer support and the limited payment integrations. 

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Scale Your Makeup Career With GlossGenius

Finding the right makeup artist app can be a gamechanger for your business. Software apps can help you streamline your daily operations, taking care of the grunt work so you can focus on beautifying your clients and providing top quality service. And we get it, there’s a lot of apps to choose from. With so many features and plans at your fingertips, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. 

Luckily, we have a solution! Glossgenius is the perfect partner for your makeup business, whether you’re a solopreneur or running a staff of beauty wizards, we’ve got you covered on everything you need to thrive. With an expansive list of Online Booking features and a slick, Custom Website Builder, you can start spreading your brand and filling up your calendar in no time. GlossGenius also comes with features like Inventory Management and Finances, so you can track your stock while also making sure your numbers always add up. 

Try GlossGenius today and get 14 days free!