Salonnare vs Essalon — cloud vs Windows legacy

Cloud vs local installation

Essalon requires a Windows machine in your salon with a local database. Salonnare runs in the browser — you can log in from any device: at home, on holiday, on the checkout tablet. No risk of hard-drive failure, automatic backups, always the latest version.

Mobile access

Essalon has limited mobile access because it is desktop-oriented. Salonnare has a Progressive Web App (PWA) that works on iPhone, Android and tablets — your schedule is always in your pocket.

A day in your salon: Essalon vs Salonnare

With Essalon you start the day by booting the desktop PC behind the counter, opening the program and loading your schedule. If a client calls for an appointment while you are at the basin, you have to walk to the counter. With Salonnare you grab your phone and book the appointment in 10 seconds - the same schedule, the same client data, but available everywhere. When you are at home in the evening and a client calls, you open Salonnare on your laptop and immediately see tomorrow's schedule. With Essalon that information is only available on the computer in your salon. This difference seems small but saves owners an average of 20-30 minutes per day on unnecessary trips and waiting time. Discover all the features that cloud-first makes possible.

Data safety: local vs cloud

A common objection to cloud software is data safety. In reality the opposite is true: a local Essalon installation on a Windows PC is more vulnerable than cloud storage. Your hard drive can crash, ransomware can encrypt your data, and manual backups are often forgotten. Salonnare runs on EU cloud servers with automatic daily backups, encryption (AES-256) and 24/7 monitoring. Your data is safer in the cloud than on a single desktop. GDPR compliance is built in as standard, including a client portal for data access and deletion. Read more about our approach to privacy and security.

Step-by-step migration from Essalon to the cloud

The switch from desktop to cloud sounds daunting but is simpler than you think. Step 1: export your client database and appointments from Essalon. Step 2: create a free Salonnare account and import the data via CSV. Step 3: set up your services, opening hours and staff - allow 2-3 hours. Step 4: run both systems in parallel for a week: use Salonnare for new bookings while Essalon serves as backup. Step 5: once you are confident, switch over completely. Your old Essalon PC can then serve as a checkout terminal with Salonnare in the browser. Check the pricing plans and start with the free plan.

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