Booking Shortlist

For: Massage

Best booking software for massage therapists in 2026: 6 apps compared

By Booking Shortlist · Published · Updated · Prices checked on · Based on public documentation

Disclosure: Our #1 pick is MeetScarlet, and we are affiliated with them. We also cover competing tools and where they shine. We may earn commissions from links on this page. Details

The short answer: For most solo massage therapists, MassageBook is the closest fit: its $59 Practice plan includes intake forms, SOAP notes, text reminders and gift certificates, though new clients from its directory cost a 15% fee. Fresha ($19.95) and Booksy ($29.99 plus tax) cover almost as much for less, without named SOAP notes. Vagaro includes SOAP notes and suits growing clinics. GlossGenius suits therapists who want no marketplace. Square’s Free plan costs $0, but no-show fees need its $49 Plus plan. Checked November 4, 2026. Our #1 pick, MeetScarlet, is live with your own branded app, but its help says “no live card payment has been run yet” (checked November 5, 2026).

Key takeaways

  • MassageBook's Practice plan, $59 a month (checked November 4, 2026), includes client intake forms, premium SOAP notes, text and email reminders and gift certificates. A second therapist means its $99 Clinic plan.
  • Fresha's $19.95 Independent plan is the cheapest paid one-therapist plan on this page, with consultation forms and no-show fees, but Fresha takes 20% (minimum $6) of each brand-new marketplace client.
  • Booksy's single $29.99 plan (plus tax) lists custom intake forms, no-show protection and free reminders, and supports travel fees for mobile therapists.
  • Vagaro includes SOAP notes with every plan, but forms aren't on its included list, and its free card reader means 12 months of Vagaro processing.
  • Square Appointments' Free plan costs $0 per location, but no-show fees need Plus at $49 and room booking needs Premium at $149.

What massage booking software is (and isn’t)

Massage booking (or scheduling) software lets clients book online, sends reminders, takes deposits and card payments, and keeps intake forms and treatment notes on each client’s record. Some apps also list you in a marketplace, often for a fee on each new client.

It isn’t full clinical or insurance-billing software; we didn’t compare those tools. This page is for solo therapists and small clinics of two or three. See all our pages for massage businesses.

How we chose these apps

  • Six massage criteria, marked Yes, Partly or No for every app on its one-therapist plan: intake forms, SOAP notes, deposits and no-show fees, reminders, packages or memberships, and gift cards.
  • The one-therapist plan is the one each vendor labels for solo or one-person businesses, or its entry plan if none is labelled: MassageBook Practice (“Built for solo-practitioners”), Fresha Independent, Booksy’s single plan, Vagaro “Just Me”, GlossGenius Standard and Square Free (“For solo professionals”).
  • Price for one and two therapists, in-person card rate, contract and new-client fees, from each vendor’s US pricing page and terms, checked November 4, 2026.
  • We haven’t used these apps hands-on, so this list is based on public documentation. We don’t score apps. Our #1 pick, MeetScarlet, is shown separately below, and our method explains more.

The shortlist at a glance: criteria, prices and biggest limitations

Why this order: apps are ordered by how many of the six criteria are a Yes on the one-therapist plan, then by how many are Partly, then by the lower listed monthly price for one therapist, before tax and after any introductory offer. That puts Booksy ($29.99 plus tax) one cent ahead of Vagaro ($30.00). It’s a count of documented features, not a quality ranking, and there’s no score behind it. Our pick, MeetScarlet, sits outside the order.

App (one-therapist plan)Intake formsSOAP notesDeposits and no-show feesRemindersPackages or membershipsGift cards
MeetScarlet (our #1 pick, not placed by this rule)Partly (booking questions, up to 20 per service; no intake forms named)No (its Jane comparison says “Scarlet has no charting”; staff notes on each member)Partly (deposits and no-show fees documented; “no live card payment has been run yet”)Partly (texts need Scarlet Pro; email reminders “built but not sending yet”)Partly (memberships and visit packs documented; card payments on once your Stripe account is approved)Partly (in-app sales need card payments, on once your Stripe account is approved; cards can be issued at the desk)
1. MassageBook (Practice)YesYesYesYes (text and email)YesYes
2. Fresha (Independent)Yes (consultation forms)Partly (client and treatment notes; no SOAP notes named)YesYes (100 free texts a month, then $0.02)YesYes
3. BooksyYes (custom forms and waivers)Partly (client notes; no SOAP notes named)YesYesYesYes
4. Vagaro (Just Me)Partly (not on its included list; no price shown)YesYesYes (email, text or push)YesYes
5. GlossGenius (Standard)Partly (Gold plan)Partly (Gold plan; client notes on Standard)YesYesYesYes
6. Square Appointments (Free)Partly (“automatic contracts” sent at booking)Partly (client notes; no SOAP notes named)Partly (deposits; no-show fees on Plus)Yes (text and email)Partly (Plus plan)Yes (2.5% load fee)

Yes: included on that plan. Partly: only on a higher plan, listed with no price shown, or only part of it. No: we found none. Checked November 4, 2026, on each vendor’s pricing and feature pages (MeetScarlet’s card payment notes, November 5, 2026).

App1 therapist / month2 therapists / monthIn-person card rateContractBiggest limitation
MeetScarlet (our #1 pick)$349 plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year with setup free (5 staff logins)Same: one location, 5 staff loginsWe found none; in-app cards are Stripe’s fees + 1%; on once your Stripe account is approved; its help says “no live card payment has been run yet”Renews automatically; cancelling takes effect at the end of the paid period; no refunds for part-used months or years, apart from founding-plan exceptionsNo charting; card payments on only once your Stripe account is approved
MassageBook$59 (Practice); Launch is $29 with a 3-service limit$99 (Clinic, required for two or more providers)2.6% + $0.15 in person through Square; 2.7% + $0.15 on MassageBook Pay, its Stripe option (help pages, checked November 5, 2026)“No long-term contract”15% fee (minimum $6) on new directory and Google clients
Fresha$19.95 (Independent)$29.90 (Team, $14.95 per team member)2.29% + $0.20FAQ: “cancel at any time”; terms mention 30 days’ written notice20% (minimum $6) on new marketplace clients
Booksy$29.99 + tax$49.99 + tax2.49% + $0.10 (Booksy Card Reader)“No commitment”; no refund of the paid periodBoost takes 30% of a first visit, up to $100
Vagaro$23.99 for 6 months, then $30.00$33.99 for 6 months, then $40.002.6% + 10¢ (under $4,000 a month)Free reader means 12 months of Vagaro processing or $150Forms not on its included list
GlossGenius$28 billed monthly, or $24 billed annually (Standard)$56 billed monthly, or $48 billed annually (Gold)2.4% + $0.15Monthly; “All Subscription Fees are non-refundable”Forms and SOAP notes need Gold
Square Appointments$0 (Free), per locationSame: priced per location, unlimited staff calendars2.6% + 15¢ (Free)Cancel anytime; no refund of fees paidNo-show fees need Plus ($49); rooms need Premium ($149)

Sources: each vendor’s pricing page, checked November 4, 2026. US dollars a month, before tax unless shown. Fresha’s and Booksy’s two-therapist prices are our arithmetic. MeetScarlet’s rows in both tables draw on its pricing, Jane comparison and help pages for members, memberships and gift cards, checked November 4, 2026, and its terms and help pages for appointments and payments, checked November 5, 2026.

The best booking software for massage therapists in 2026

1. MassageBook, best for solo therapists who want massage-specific tools

MassageBook’s Practice plan, $59 a month (25% off for AMTA members), is “Built for solo-practitioners” and includes client intake forms, premium SOAP notes, text and email reminders, insurance billing receipts and gift certificates. Holding cards for no-show fees is “Practice & Clinic Only”, and it accepts HSA and FSA cards. A second therapist means Clinic, $99 a month, with unlimited staff seats, room assignment and couples bookings.

Where it loses: new clients who book through its directory or Reserve with Google cost a one-time 15% of the service price (minimum $6), or 30% from its directory on the $29 Launch plan. Each automatic membership renewal costs $0.85 for the first five a month, falling to $0.25, on top of card fees.

Best for: solo therapists who want intake forms, SOAP notes and insurance receipts in one massage-built app. See MassageBook’s pricing page, or read our MassageBook review.

2. Fresha, best low price with forms and no-show fees

Fresha’s Independent plan costs $19.95 a month for “One-person businesses”. Team costs $14.95 per team member a month, so two therapists cost $29.90 (our arithmetic). Both plans list consultation forms, memberships, packages, gift cards, resources such as rooms, upfront payments, and no-show and cancellation fees. Its massage page offers “Client Notes & Treatment History”. Texts are 100 free a month (per team member on Team), then $0.02 each.

Where it loses: Fresha charges a one-time 20% commission, with a $6 minimum, on each brand-new client who finds you on its marketplace. We found no SOAP notes named on its pages. Its FAQ says you can “cancel at any time”, but its Partner Terms mention 30 days’ written notice.

Best for: solo therapists and small teams who want a low monthly price and accept a share of each new marketplace client. Read our Fresha review.

3. Booksy, best for mobile massage therapists

Booksy costs $29.99 a month plus tax with “All features included”, plus $20 a month for each extra team member, so two therapists cost $49.99 plus tax (our arithmetic). Its pricing page lists “Custom Forms & Liability Waivers”, no-show protection, online gift cards, and memberships and packages, and its features page offers “client notes and photos”. “Appointment confirmations and reminders are always free”. Its massage page supports mobile therapists, with a “Custom travel area” and “Adjustable travel fees”. The Booksy Card Reader costs 2.49% + $0.10.

Where it loses: we found no SOAP notes named. Its marketplace listing is free, but its optional Boost takes 30% of a new client’s first visit, up to $100, and its terms say Boost profiles “will appear higher in the search results”. Booksy “will not refund you for the period already paid for”.

Best for: mobile and solo therapists who want one price with every feature included. See Booksy’s pricing page.

4. Vagaro, best for clinics that plan to grow

Vagaro costs $23.99 a month for one bookable calendar for the first 6 months, then $30.00, plus $10 for each extra calendar up to seven. Two therapists cost $33.99, then $40.00. Its “Included with every plan” list has SOAP notes, “Memberships, packages, & gift certificates”, calendar and resource management, and “Unlimited notifications & appointment reminders”, sent “via email, text, or push notification”. It takes deposits at booking and stores cards to charge no-show or late-cancellation fees.

Where it loses: forms aren’t on the included list, and the pricing page doesn’t show their price, so check in the trial. The free card reader means processing with Vagaro “for at least 12 months after activation” or paying “a $150 early cancellation fee”, and its agreement says “All purchases are final sale”.

Best for: clinics that expect to add therapists. Read our Vagaro review or Vagaro vs Fresha.

5. GlossGenius, best for therapists who don’t want a marketplace

GlossGenius has no consumer marketplace: “no clients seeing your competitors on marketplaces”. Standard costs $28 a month billed monthly, or $24 billed annually, and includes client notes, deposits, card-on-file rules, cancellation and no-show policies, appointment reminders, packages and gift cards. Forms and waivers, SOAP notes, and room and resource management start on Gold, at $56 a month billed monthly or $48 billed annually, which you also need to book a second team member. In-person cards cost 2.4% + $0.15 on every plan.

Where it loses: deposits are processed at the card-not-present rate, 3.4% + $0.15. Its pricing table ticks memberships on every plan, but its memberships page FAQ still says “(coming soon)”, so check in the trial. Its terms say “All Subscription Fees are non-refundable”.

Best for: established therapists with their own client base who want a low in-person card rate. See GlossGenius’ pricing page.

6. Square Appointments, best for starting at $0

Square Free costs $0 a month per location and is “For solo professionals”. It includes an online booking site, unlimited staff calendars, appointment deposits, “automatic contracts” sent when clients book, and text and email reminders. Its customer directory “stores client contact details, booking history, notes, and payment information”. Gift cards carry a 2.5% load fee. Plus, at $49 per location a month, adds cancellation and no-show fees, packages and a waitlist; Premium, at $149, adds resource management for rooms.

Where it loses: its pages describe client notes (its spa page says “take notes”), but we found no SOAP notes named, and no-show fees need Plus. Its terms say you won’t get “a refund or credit for any Subscription Fee already due or paid”.

Best for: new therapists who want online booking with no monthly fee, adding Plus later for no-show fees. Read our Square Appointments review.

Where our pick, MeetScarlet, fits for massage therapists

MeetScarlet gives your practice its own branded booking app on iPhone, Android and the web. It costs $349 a month plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year with setup free, for one location and 5 staff logins, far more than every app above; Scarlet Pro is $499 a month with 20 logins and “up to 3 locations”. Text reminders to clients (coming soon) are Scarlet Pro only. Its comparison with Jane App (updated November 1, 2026) says “Scarlet has no charting, telehealth or insurance billing” and “email reminders are built but not sending yet”, and lists “Email reminders that send now” among things Jane does that Scarlet doesn’t. It has no marketplace: its site says it isn’t the right fit for “Businesses that want new clients mainly from a marketplace app”. Card payments (Stripe’s fees plus 1% to MeetScarlet) go through your own Stripe account and turn on once Stripe finishes checking it, its payments help says. Its appointments help still says “no live card payment has been run yet”, so check with MeetScarlet before counting on card deposits or no-show fees. Its terms page says “Scarlet is live, and founding studios can join now”. Founding studios pay $299 a month instead of $349 for the first 24 months, on monthly billing, with the $999 setup included at no charge; MeetScarlet plans 10 places (all checked November 5, 2026). Its terms say plans renew automatically, and cancelling takes effect at the end of the paid period. Part-used months and years aren’t refunded, apart from founding-plan exceptions. You can export the member list as a CSV at any time, and your data stays available after you cancel until you ask to delete it. Its FAQ says store apps take “about 4 to 6 weeks”. We found no third-party reviews as of November 4, 2026. Choose MeetScarlet, our pick, if your own branded app matters most and you can wait about 4 to 6 weeks for the store apps, and can manage without email reminders, which are “built but not sending yet”. Choose MassageBook or another app above if you need intake forms, SOAP notes and payments working today. Sources: pricing and FAQ, terms, payments help, appointments help and Jane comparison.

Which fits your practice?

Your situationLook atWhy
Solo therapist who wants intake forms, SOAP notes and insurance receiptsMassageBook PracticeAll on its solo plan: $59, or $44.25 for AMTA members
Cheapest paid one-therapist planFresha$19.95 with consultation forms and no-show fees
No monthly fee at allSquare Appointments Free$0 per location; no-show fees need Plus
Mobile therapistBooksyTravel area and travel fees on one plan
Clinic planning to add therapistsVagaro or MassageBook ClinicVagaro stops charging per calendar at seven; MassageBook Clinic is $99 with unlimited staff seats
Shared treatment roomsMassageBook Clinic, Fresha, Booksy, Vagaro or GlossGenius GoldRoom booking on those plans (GlossGenius: “Room & Resource Management”); Square needs Premium
Don’t want a marketplaceGlossGeniusNo marketplace; 2.4% + $0.15 in person
Want an app under your own practice’s nameMeetScarlet (our pick) or VagaroMeetScarlet: branded app included, store apps in about 4 to 6 weeks, with no charting and card payments on once your Stripe account is approved. Vagaro: a separate Branded App subscription; “Developer account fees are not included”

The verdict

There’s no single best app for every massage therapist. MassageBook covers all six of our criteria on its solo plan. Fresha has the cheapest paid one-therapist plan, Booksy suits mobile therapists, Vagaro suits clinics that plan to grow, GlossGenius suits therapists who want no marketplace, and Square Free is the way in at $0. Our #1 pick, MeetScarlet, suits practices that want their own branded app and can wait about 4 to 6 weeks for the store apps: it has no charting, email reminders are “built but not sending yet”, and card payments turn on only once your Stripe account is approved. Try the one that fits: MassageBook (30-day free trial of Practice), Fresha (7-day trial), Booksy (two weeks free), Vagaro (30-day free trial), GlossGenius (14-day free trial) or Square Appointments (the Free plan, or a 30-day free trial of Plus).

Frequently asked questions

What is the best booking software for a solo massage therapist?
On our six criteria, MassageBook's Practice plan ($59 a month) covers the most: intake forms, SOAP notes, deposits and no-show fees, reminders, memberships and gift certificates. Fresha ($19.95) and Booksy ($29.99 plus tax) cover almost as much for less, but we found no SOAP notes named on their pages. Prices checked November 4, 2026.
Is there a free online booking system for massage therapists?
Square Appointments' Free plan costs $0 a month per location and includes an online booking site, reminders and deposits, but no-show fees need Plus at $49 a month. MassageBook's free plan after its 30-day trial is read-only, with booking switched off.
Which massage booking software has SOAP notes?
MassageBook (basic SOAP notes on Launch, premium on Practice) and Vagaro (included with every plan) name SOAP notes on their pricing pages, and GlossGenius includes them from Gold at $56 a month billed monthly. Fresha, Booksy and Square describe client notes but don't name SOAP notes on the pages we read.
How much does booking software cost for two massage therapists?
By our arithmetic from each pricing page, checked November 4, 2026: Square $0 (Free) or $49 (Plus) per location, Fresha $29.90, Vagaro $33.99 for six months then $40.00, Booksy $49.99 plus tax, GlossGenius Gold $56 billed monthly, and MassageBook Clinic $99. Card fees come on top.
Do massage booking apps charge commission on new clients?
Some do when a client finds you through their marketplace: MassageBook takes 15% (minimum $6) for directory and Google bookings, or 30% from its directory on Launch, and Fresha takes 20% (minimum $6). Booksy charges 30% of the first visit, up to $100, only if you turn on Boost, Vagaro says its marketplace has "no booking fees" unless you opt into its Fill My Books promotion (5% on existing, 20% on brand-new clients), and GlossGenius has no marketplace. All checked November 4, 2026.
Can I get a massage booking app with my own practice's name?
Our pick, MeetScarlet, builds one from $349 a month plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year; its terms page says "Scarlet is live, and founding studios can join now", and card payments turn on once Stripe has checked your own Stripe account, though its appointments help says "no live card payment has been run yet" (checked November 5, 2026). Vagaro sells a Branded App as a separate subscription, and its page says "Developer account fees are not included", so you pay Apple and Google yourself. We found no branded app on the other apps' pages, checked November 4, 2026.

Sources

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