5 Best Optios alternatives in 2026 - honest comparison

Why switch away from Optios?

Optios is solid software. The POS is one of its strongest points: a fast checkout with reporting, inventory linking, and a dedicated payment terminal (Optios Pay) designed for the salon counter. For salons that mainly want a robust till with hardware, that is a genuine advantage. Still, owners look elsewhere for three common reasons. First, the entry barrier: there is no permanent free plan, only a 14-day trial, so a starter or solo salon has a fixed monthly cost from day one. Second, price transparency: although Optios publishes entry rates from around 29 euros per month, full packages, multiple modules, and hardware are often assembled via a free demo or tailor-made consultation, which makes comparing harder. Third, payment flexibility: Optios promotes its own payment terminal, while many salons prefer to connect their own Stripe or Mollie account to receive iDEAL, Bancontact, and card payments directly to their own bank account and negotiate their own transaction fees, without hardware lock-in. Finally there is the desire for a modern, multilingual platform with a GDPR-focused health vault. All 5 alternatives in this list handle at least one of these points differently from Optios.

1. Salonnare - best for free start and payment flexibility

Disclosure: Salonnare is our own product. We place ourselves at #1 because we believe we are the best pick for salons that are just starting or want to lower fixed costs - but we evaluate ourselves honestly on pricing and features. Pros: forever-free plan (1 staff member, 50 bookings/month, all core features), paid plans from 29 euros (Starter) or 59 euros (Pro). You connect your own Stripe or Mollie account so you negotiate your own transaction fees and receive iDEAL, Bancontact, Apple Pay, and card payouts directly to your account, without a middle layer and without hardware lock-in. Modern V2 UI, Dutch VAT-correct POS (21% services, 9% retail), audit trail ready for the tax authority, GDPR-compliant EU servers, and an encrypted health vault (Art. 9 GDPR) for allergies and medical notes. Support and interface in Dutch, English, German, French, and Spanish, plus SSO via Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Facebook. Extras: no-show fee system via pre-authorization, recurring memberships, marketing campaigns (email), built-in online booking on your own site and via Google, and a Progressive Web App so staff works on any device. Coming soon: Google review automation and a multi-location dashboard. Cons: younger product than Optios, so a smaller user community and fewer case studies. If you want a certified physical till terminal with peripherals, Salonnare is software-first (you work on tablet, laptop, or phone) rather than hardware-first. Pricing: 0 euros Free / 29 euros Starter / 59 euros Pro. Annual prepay includes 2 months free. Best for: solo hairdressers, estheticians, nail salons, and growing Benelux salons looking for a modern solution without fixed hardware costs or lock-in. Start today with the free plan - no credit card required. See all features for the complete list.

2. Salonized - best for established Dutch salons

Salonized is one of the best-known Dutch salon software packages and a logical comparison if you are moving from Optios into the Dutch market. Pros: mature product with strong online booking, calendar, POS, and client records, plenty of Dutch-language support, and a large user base. iDEAL is well supported as the primary payment method, and VAT settings are native NL-proof. For established salons that value stability and a known brand, Salonized is a safe choice. Cons: there is no free tier - the entry plan sits around 30 euros per month, so you have fixed costs immediately. Advanced marketing automation, memberships, and detailed reporting only appear in higher plans, quickly pushing you toward 50-70 euros per month. Control over your own Stripe/Mollie account is more limited than with Salonnare, and the UX feels somewhat dated to some users. Pricing: from around 30 euros per month, no free plan. Best for: established Dutch salons that already have a client base and want a proven, Dutch-language platform. If you would rather start without fixed costs, Salonnare with a free plan is more favorable; for a full feature comparison, read our dedicated Salonized comparison.

3. Treatwell - best for marketplace reach

Treatwell is not traditional salon software; it is a marketplace with a built-in booking tool. Customers find your salon through the Treatwell app and website (think Booking.com for salons), and you pay commission per new booking. Pros: direct access to hundreds of thousands of active beauty shoppers in NL, BE, FR, UK, and IT, among others. Strong acquisition channel for new salons without an existing client base. Integrated booking, basic POS, and client records included. Cons: commission on new clients who book via the marketplace (per Treatwell, around 35% on the first booking) plus a transaction fee on online prepayments. With many new marketplace clients this adds up fast - often more than a fixed SaaS subscription or an Optios package. Your clients receive Treatwell-branded communication, reducing your grip on the customer relationship, and reviews stay on Treatwell instead of your own Google Business profile. The software side (POS, inventory, marketing) is less deep than Optios or pure salon software. Pricing: software from around 50 euros per month + per-booking commission. Best for: new salons without an existing client base that need acquisition fast, or salons in tourist areas. Less suited as a direct Optios replacement - consider a hybrid with Salonnare as backoffice and Treatwell purely for acquisition.

4. Booksy - best for mobile-first salons

Booksy is a mobile-first salon platform with strong apps for both clients and stylists, originally from Poland and the US. Pros: excellent mobile apps (iOS + Android) for both staff and clients - booking via the app feels native. Freemium model with a free starter (1 staff member) and Pro from around $29.99/month. Built-in Booksy Biz marketplace where clients can find you, plus Boost ads for extra visibility and strong review automation. Cons: primary markets are the US and Poland, so Benelux-specific features like iDEAL, Bancontact, VAT-correct POS, and GDPR/tax compliance are less polished than Optios. Boost ads run on commission (per Booksy, around 30% on a new marketplace client's first booking), which adds up fast. Support is largely English, and the app-first approach means desktop functionality is more limited. Pricing: free starter / approx. $29.99 Pro / $69.99 Pro+ (official Booksy pricing, 2025). Best for: modern salons operating mainly from phone or tablet with a young audience that books via mobile apps. Less suitable for salons that want a certified counter till with hardware, which is exactly where Optios is strong.

5. Fresha - best for international growth

Fresha is the largest international player with, by its own count, hundreds of thousands of businesses worldwide and a strong international platform. Pros: Fresha built its reputation on free software, but since 2025 charges a paid subscription (see pricing). Strong international platform, attractive for starters who want a broad feature set. Modern app-first UI, solid mobile staff dashboard, built-in marketing tools, and client management. Global brand recognition and a large feature set. Cons: Fresha monetizes through transaction fees - per their pricing page a transaction fee from around 1.19% + 0.20 euros per payment (depending on the payment method) on top of standard card processing. At a hundred online payments a month, that adds up fast. iDEAL and Bancontact support is limited and not primary, while those are THE payment methods in the Benelux. VAT settings are not native NL-proof and support is mainly English. You cannot use your own Stripe/Mollie account - payments are forced through Fresha Payments. Pricing: since 2025 a paid subscription (per independent pricing overviews from around €14.95/month) plus a transaction fee from around 1.19% + €0.20 per payment and around 20% marketplace commission on new clients who book via the Fresha marketplace. Best for: solo practitioners without many online payments, or salons with an international clientele. For Benelux salons with heavy iDEAL/Bancontact volume, a Salonnare Pro subscription with your own Mollie account often works out cheaper.

How do you migrate away from Optios?

Switching from Optios to an alternative is less complex than it seems. Step 1: export your data from Optios. Via your account or support, request an export of clients, appointments, services, and product list - most platforms deliver this as CSV or Excel. Do this on a quiet evening so you have time to test. Step 2: pick your new platform and create a free account (Salonnare and Fresha both offer a free entry where you can test without paying immediately). Step 3: import your client base via CSV - most platforms accept the same column structure (name, email, phone, birthday, notes). Step 4: configure services, prices, staff, and opening hours. In Salonnare this setup takes under an hour via the onboarding wizard. Step 5: place the new booking widget on your website and update the booking link in your Google Business profile, Instagram bio, and WhatsApp Business. Step 6: sort out payments. With your own Stripe or Mollie account you connect it once and receive iDEAL and Bancontact directly to your own bank account, so you do not need to buy a separate terminal. Step 7: inform your regulars via a short email that your booking system has been refreshed - Salonnare can send this automatically on your first campaign. Optionally keep Optios running in parallel for 1 month for historical reference, then cancel. The whole process usually takes less than one business day.

Which alternative fits which type of salon?

The best choice depends on your salon type, size, and growth stage. Solo esthetician or pedicurist (1 person): pick Salonnare Free (permanently 0 euros). Fresha was free for years but since 2025 charges a paid subscription (free trial available). Salonnare wins for the Benelux thanks to iDEAL/Bancontact to your own account and Dutch-language support; Fresha fits better if you already have international clients. Starting hair or barbershop (2-3 staff): Salonnare Starter (29 euros) is favorable thanks to no extra transaction fees and no hardware lock-in. If you specifically want a physical counter till with terminal at the center, Optios remains worth considering. Established salon (4-8 staff): Salonnare Pro (59 euros) offers unlimited staff plus all modules; Salonized or Optios on a higher package are alternatives if you are already set up. Salon that runs mainly on the till with heavy card traffic at the counter: here Optios with its own payment terminal is a strong option - just choose the hardware and its fixed costs deliberately. Salon with strong marketplace needs: use Treatwell as an acquisition channel alongside Salonnare as backoffice. This hybrid works better for many salons than choosing between marketplace or own software. Mobile-first salon with a young audience: Booksy. In short: if you want to start for free, transparent fixed pricing, and your own bank account without commission, Salonnare is the logical step away from Optios.

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