Quick answer: The best AI receptionist for a hair salon books the right stylist and service length into your salon software. Zian is our platform pick for 24/7 calls with SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger follow-up in 30+ languages; LeadsNow.ai is the done-for-you pick. Of eight salon products checked on 24 October 2026, two met all four criteria: Mira (Mangomint) and GlossGenius Reception.
This guide is for salon owners and managers. It checks seven salon booking systems (Fresha, Vagaro, Boulevard, Square Appointments, Mangomint, GlossGenius and Phorest), the AI receptionists that book into them, and the jobs a salon phone throws at them: a named stylist, the right block for a cut or a balayage, deposits, price and walk-in questions, reschedules and evenings. Every vendor fact was read on that vendor’s own pages on 24 October 2026.
Where Zian fits for a salon front desk
Zian is our platform pick when a salon wants one AI agent to answer every call 24/7 and then run the follow-up across SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and Facebook Messenger, in 30+ languages. LeadsNow.ai, which runs on Zian, is the done-for-you pick for owners who would rather pay for results than set software up themselves.
Zian’s AI Receptionist agent answers inbound calls around the clock, qualifies the caller, books, transfers and takes messages, and handles voicemail on calls. zian.ai also lists lead reactivation, the job of bringing lapsed clients back into the chair. It connects to calendars, CRMs and knowledge bases, with HighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce and Zapier named, plus an API. The honest gap: zian.ai does not name a Fresha, Vagaro, Boulevard, Square, Mangomint, GlossGenius or Phorest connector, so confirm the booking route for your salon software in your partnership application. Zian is in a partnership-application beta with no published prices; each of its three listed plans, including Intel + Widgets (Free Forever), starts with a partnership application.
What does a hair salon need an AI receptionist to do?
Salon calls cluster around seven jobs, and each has its own way to go wrong:
- Book a named stylist. Clients ask for a person, not a time slot.
- Book the right length. A cut, a root colour and a balayage are different blocks. As Fresha’s scheduling announcement puts it, “Hair salons may require processing time between color services and finishing appointments.”
- Take the deposit or card your policy requires, using the rules already set in your booking system, never an invented fee.
- Quote prices from your menu only. An invented price is one you must honour or argue about.
- Answer walk-in, parking and patch-test questions, which usually live in your head, not the booking system.
- Move appointments, especially inside your cancellation window.
- Cover after hours, when the salon is closed and clients are free to ring.
The test for any product: does the vendor’s own documentation say what the AI does for each job? The tables below answer that, and every finding traces to a vendor page linked in the tables or in the source list at the end.
The service-duration booking table: what the AI must ask before it books
The durations here are yours: every salon sets its own block lengths, so the second column names the setting to check, not a number. The last two columns are what any receptionist has to ask, and what goes wrong when it guesses.
| Service type | The block your salon sets | What the AI must ask | What breaks if it guesses |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cut, or wash, cut and blow-dry | The service duration for each stylist level, if senior stylists run longer | Which stylist; new or returning client; wash or dry cut | A junior’s slot gets sold as a senior’s, or a dry-cut slot is too short for a wash and blow-dry |
| Root colour or full colour | Duration plus any processing or gap time you configure | Roots only or full head; last colour date; whether a patch test is on file | Processing time is double-booked, or a client without a current patch test is booked straight into colour |
| Foils, balayage, colour correction | Your longest blocks; consultation-first in some salons | Whether a consultation has happened; hair length and history; photo or quote needed | A long colour job lands in a short gap, or a correction is quoted at menu price |
| Treatments and add-ons (toner, bond treatment, gloss) | Add-on durations stacked on the main service | Which main service it attaches to | The add-on is booked as a separate visit, or not timed at all |
| Cut plus colour in one visit | Multi-service booking with one or more stylists | Same stylist for both, or colourist then stylist | The two services are booked back to back with no processing gap, or with two stylists who are not both free |
| Extensions | Consultation, then a long fitting block | Consultation booked first; method and length | A fitting is booked without the hair ordered, and the deposit policy for it is skipped |
| Bridal, events, groups | Group or multiple-staff bookings | Number of people; services per person; start time | Guests are booked one at a time into slots that do not line up |
NextClient AI’s Square guide says Square by default offers times “based on how long the service takes”: “if a haircut takes 45 minutes, Square might only offer 9:00, 9:45, 10:30”, so an in-between time cannot be booked until the salon switches to a fixed interval. And Boulevard’s FAQ says its AI Receptionist cannot yet handle “consultation-first booking flows”. If you book balayage, corrections or extensions consultation-first, check that first.
The quotable rule: an AI receptionist can only book your durations correctly if your booking software already holds them correctly, per service and per stylist. Phorest’s Front Desk AI launch pack lists “Service durations & descriptions are current” as a setup check, and Mangomint says its Mira receptionist respects “each provider’s schedule, service times, and your gap rules”.
Can an AI receptionist book into Fresha, Vagaro, Boulevard, Square, Mangomint, GlossGenius or Phorest?
Yes, but how depends on the platform. On 24 October 2026, all seven platforms document an own-brand AI or automated assistant, but Vagaro’s and Phorest’s work only in chat and text, and Square’s replies to appointment reminders. Square’s App Marketplace also lists third-party AI receptionists for Square Appointments. A third-party integration only counts here when both sides say so: the AI vendor’s page and the salon platform’s own integrations, marketplace or help page. A claim on one side only is a sales claim, not an integration.
| Salon platform | Its own AI or automated assistant | Channels | How the AI books | Route for an outside AI, per the platform’s own pages |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | AI Concierge | Calls and messages (Fresha’s setup guide notes calls may “not yet” be available in every region) | Writes the appointment into the Fresha calendar | Fresha’s blog says it provides “a powerful API” so partner salons are bookable through AI assistants, and mentions “advanced API capabilities” for enterprise accounts; its help centre documents Xero, QuickBooks, Mall GTO and a paid Data connector for analytics. We could not find a third-party AI receptionist listed by Fresha, as at 24 October 2026 |
| Vagaro | Vera Receptionist | Chat on the Vagaro Listing Page, plus SMS with a Text Marketing plan; Vagaro calls it “an AI chatbot” | Books in Listing Page chat; over text it “sends the customer a link” | APIs and Webhooks: US$10 a month including 5,000 webhook calls, by request, “up to seven business days” to activate |
| Boulevard | AI Receptionist (Beau), in beta | Inbound calls; texts a booking link and one reminder, no two-way texting | Sends a booking link “with the correct service already selected”; does not book by voice | Zapier on Premier, Prestige or Enterprise; public and custom apps by Application ID; the integrations page lists REACH.ai, and a partner page lists TrueLark |
| Square Appointments | Square Assistant, an automated messaging tool; Square’s separate AI voice ordering answers calls to take pickup orders | Square Assistant: replies to SMS appointment reminders, 24/7 | Clients “confirm, reschedule, or cancel upcoming appointments” and Square Assistant updates the calendar | Square’s App Marketplace lists NextClient AI (US and Canada) and IsOn24 AI Call Agent (US), both of which say they write bookings into Square Appointments |
| Mangomint | Mira | Calls and texts on Mangomint Phone; English only | Books, reschedules and cancels in Mangomint itself | Webhooks that send event data out to apps such as Klaviyo or Mailchimp |
| GlossGenius | Reception | Calls and texts; single-location accounts only, for now | Books directly if you auto-approve appointments; otherwise creates a pending request | We could not find an API or Zapier listing in GlossGenius’s help centre (713 URLs in its sitemap), as at 24 October 2026 |
| Phorest | Front Desk AI (Ivy) | Two-way SMS and WhatsApp; Phorest says it “currently works via Two-Way SMS and WhatsApp” | Books, reschedules and cancels in Phorest from the chat | The Phorest API (Booking and Client APIs) “requires your own development team”, partners “might be subject to integration charges”, and it has no webhooks; the partners page lists nine integrations, none of them an AI receptionist |
Why both sides matter: Boulevard’s partner page describes TrueLark as “a leader in conversational AI”, and TrueLark’s own integrations archive lists Boulevard. But TrueLark’s product pages now resolve to Weave’s AI Receptionist page, which says automatic booking is “For qualified Dental PMS only”. A two-sided listing proves a relationship, not salon booking, so TrueLark is not ranked.
If you are weighing a general AI agent against your platform’s own add-on, read the route column: it shows whether an outside agent can write bookings at all. We explain how to test that in whether an AI agent can actually book into your calendar.
Best AI receptionist for a hair salon in 2026: ten options ranked
How we ranked these, and a disclosure. zian.ai publishes this list and Zian appears in it. Under our editorial rule, Zian is placed first as the platform pick and LeadsNow.ai, a managed service that runs on Zian, second as the done-for-you pick. Both are scored on the same four criteria as every other row, only from zian.ai’s own pages and our published brand facts, and their scores are shown. Every other product was read on its own site, help centre and AI-product domain on 24 October 2026.
Who is included: a product that answers a salon’s new inbound calls or client enquiries with AI, and whose own pages name at least one of the seven salon platforms above as the system it books into or sends booking links from. Square Assistant is described in the platform table but not ranked, because Square’s help article describes it replying to appointment reminders rather than taking new enquiries. We also required the salon platform’s side to list or document the product. That is why Clara AI is not ranked: its pricing page says its Growth plan “Books directly into Boulevard, Vagaro, Mindbody, or Zenoti”, but we could not find Clara on Boulevard’s integrations page or in Vagaro’s help centre, as at 24 October 2026. This is the set we compared, not every AI receptionist on the market.
The four criteria, defined before scoring and applied to every row:
| Criterion | Yes (1) | Partial (0.5) | 0 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Books into named salon software | A vendor page says the AI writes the appointment into the named system during the call or chat | It sends a booking link or creates a request | No salon system named |
| Stylist-specific booking | A vendor page says, or shows in a sample conversation, that the AI offers or books named team members or providers | A page says only that the AI reads staff schedules or availability | The vendor says provider choice happens outside the conversation, or it is not stated |
| Deposit or card-on-file handoff | A vendor page describes what the AI does when a service needs a deposit or saved card | n/a | The vendor says it does not, or we could not find it after reading every URL in its sitemaps and help centre |
| After-hours text follow-up | A page says it sends or answers texts (SMS or WhatsApp) after hours or around the clock | It sends only fixed one-way texts, such as a booking link | Not stated, including a product that replies only in an in-app or web chat |
Order: products that answer phone calls by voice rank above message-only products; within each group, by score out of 4; ties go to the product that documents multi-location use, then alphabetically. Prices are the vendor’s own, as at 24 October 2026.
| Rank | Product | Answers calls | Books into | Stylist-specific | Deposit or card handoff | After-hours texts | Score | Published price (24 Oct 2026) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Zian | Yes, 24/7, as an AI receptionist that qualifies, books, transfers and takes messages | Calendars, CRMs and API (HighLevel, HubSpot, Salesforce, Zapier named); no salon platform named | Not stated on zian.ai | Not stated on zian.ai | Yes: SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Facebook Messenger, email | 1 of 4 (placed first under our editorial rule) | No public price (partnership-application beta) |
| 2 | LeadsNow.ai | Managed service; leads answered in under 60 seconds, 24/7 | Not stated in our published brand facts | Not stated | Not stated | Not stated | 0 of 4 stated (placed second under our editorial rule) | Pay-per-result |
| 3 | Mira (Mangomint) | Yes, on Mangomint Phone; 24/7 once enabled | Yes: Mangomint | Yes | Yes: holds the slot and texts a card or deposit link | Yes | 4 of 4 | Mira billed separately, price shown inside a Mangomint account; Mangomint US$120 a month per location plus US$10 per user; Phone add-on US$70 a month per line, required for Mira to take calls |
| 4 | GlossGenius Reception | Yes | Yes: GlossGenius, if appointments auto-approve | Yes (sample conversation) | Yes: quotes the deposit, waits for agreement, texts a payment link | Yes | 4 of 4 | Free to 30 November 2026; then US$50 a month with 100 voice minutes and 200 messages, US$0.50 a minute and US$0.05 a message beyond |
| 5 | NextClient AI | Yes, 24/7 | Yes: Square Appointments (Plus or Premium; free plan gets a booking link) | Yes | Yes: card on file, fixed or percentage deposit, or full prepayment | Partial: texts booking, payment and follow-up links; its FAQ says the AI does not yet answer text messages | 3.5 of 4 | Shown on nextclient.ai by visitor country; for US visitors: Pay as You Go US$5 a month plus US$0.36 a minute, or Essential US$24 a month with 65 minutes, then US$0.29 a minute; 14-day free trial; talk time billed by the second |
| 6 | Fresha AI Concierge | Yes, where calls are available in your region | Yes: Fresha | Yes: it “only offers the services, team members and times you’ve made available” | Yes: it “can introduce upfront payments and appointment protection” in the conversation, and warns before a cancellation fee | No: replies 24/7 in Fresha’s in-app chat; its help centre says text and WhatsApp messages through Fresha are “one-way only” (its launch post mentions SMS, but we found no help article documenting two-way texts) | 3 of 4 | A$69.95 a month per location (messaging only); A$229.95 a month per location (calls and messaging, 200 minutes per location, then A$1.38 a minute); the pricing page showed us Australian-dollar prices |
| 7 | IsOn24 AI Call Agent | Yes, 24/7 | Yes: Square Appointments (or Google Calendar) | Yes: callers “choose the service and staff member” | No: it “does not take deposits, collect card details” | Yes: text agent replies 24/7 | 3 of 4 | Starter US$59 a month with 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts (US$590 a year); Sprinter US$99, Sprinter Plus US$149 and Cruiser US$199 a month; 7-day free trial |
| 8 | Boulevard AI Receptionist (beta) | Yes | Partial: booking link with the service preselected | No: provider selection happens “in the booking flow, not on the call” | Yes: card collected through the booking link | Partial: booking link plus one reminder | 2 of 4 | Free August to November 2026; then US$125 a month per location for the first 200 minutes, US$0.60 a minute after, texts at standard rates |
| 9 | Phorest Front Desk AI | No: two-way SMS and WhatsApp | Yes: Phorest | Partial: reads “staff schedules” | Yes: sends a payment link with a fixed 1-hour expiry | Yes: 24/7 | 3.5 of 4 | Listed under “Add to any plan”; Phorest plans are by quote |
| 10 | Vagaro Vera Receptionist | No: chatbot | Yes in Listing Page chat; link over SMS | We could not find it | We could not find it | Yes: can reply only outside business hours, or all the time | 2 of 4 | US$10 a month in the US; free in Canada, the UK and Australia (Vagaro pricing article); Vagaro’s set-up article also says Vera Receptionist is “Free for a Limited Time” |
How the ties were broken: Mira and GlossGenius Reception both score 4 of 4. Mira documents multi-location use, so it sits above GlossGenius, which says Reception “supports single-location businesses right now”. NextClient AI scores 3.5 because it sends texts but does not yet answer them. Fresha AI Concierge and IsOn24 both score 3: Fresha’s help centre documents its AI replying in Fresha’s own in-app chat, not to texts, and IsOn24 takes no deposits. Fresha documents multi-location use (one AI Concierge number per location) and also comes first alphabetically, so it sits above IsOn24. Phorest scores 3.5 but answers no calls, so it sits in the message-only group with Vagaro, ranked below every voice product.
1. Zian
The pick for one agent that answers every call 24/7, books or takes a message, then follows up by SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs or Facebook Messenger, in 30+ languages, with knowledge-base lookups for walk-in, parking or patch-test policies. zian.ai names no salon-platform connector, so agree the booking route in your partnership application, using the route column above as your checklist.
2. LeadsNow.ai
LeadsNow.ai is the done-for-you option: a managed, pay-per-result AI appointment-setting service that runs on Zian, has booked 50,769+ appointments, and answers leads in under 60 seconds, 24/7.
3. Mira by Mangomint
The most complete salon-native receptionist we read. Mira “books directly” and “respects each provider’s schedule, service times, and your gap rules”; if a requested provider is booked, it offers the closest alternative. When a service needs a card or deposit, Mira “holds the time slot and texts the client a link”. The catch, from the same help centre: Mira “currently supports English only”, it needs Mangomint plus the US$70-a-month Phone add-on to take calls, and its price is shown only inside a Mangomint account.
4. GlossGenius Reception
Strong on policy. When a service needs a deposit, Reception “tells them the amount before booking”, waits for agreement and sends a payment link after booking. It reads your cancellation policy when you require acknowledgement and will not cancel inside your window. GlossGenius’s marketing page says it “finds availability across locations”, but the help article governs today: multi-location accounts, and accounts with a signed HIPAA Business Associate Agreement, cannot turn it on yet.
5. NextClient AI
A Square Appointments option listed in Square’s own App Marketplace, whose documentation shows it writing appointments “during the call”. It handles named-stylist requests, stacked services such as cut and colour, group bookings, and card-on-file, deposit or full-prepayment policies. On Square’s free plan, though, “the AI does not write to your calendar”, and each receptionist connects to one Square location. It texts callers booking, payment and follow-up links, but its FAQ says having the AI reply to texts automatically “is in progress”: client replies land in an inbox for you to answer.
6. Fresha AI Concierge
Built into Fresha, it answers calls and messages, books, reschedules and cancels. Fresha’s help centre says it “only offers the services, team members and times you’ve made available”, and its launch post says it “can introduce upfront payments and appointment protection” within the conversation. If a cancellation would trigger a fee, “the AI informs the client before proceeding”. Its AI does reply to messages, but in Fresha’s own in-app chat: Fresha’s help centre says AI Concierge “handles all of your client messages in Client Connect”, which only clients who have booked with you can start, and that “Text and WhatsApp communication through Fresha is one-way only”. Fresha’s May 2026 launch post says AI Concierge works with Fresha Connect “to manage client messaging across SMS and in-app chat”, but we could not find a Fresha help article that describes the AI replying to a client’s text, as at 24 October 2026, so we score the help centre. Two more cautions: calls may “not yet” be available in your region, and booking an appointment, or changing one, “can only be done by the client themselves on the phone number that’s connected to their client profile”.
7. IsOn24 AI Call Agent
A general AI receptionist with a salon page and a Square integration. Callers “choose the service and staff member, and confirm the price before booking”, and a text agent replies 24/7. Its own pages state the limits: it “does not take deposits, collect card details, or take part in any payment workflow”, cannot book “services with a non-zero cancellation fee”, and does not receive individual staff hours from Square. Starter includes one appointment calendar; Sprinter, Sprinter Plus and Cruiser include three, five and ten.
8. Boulevard AI Receptionist
Beau answers calls, explains the menu and texts a booking link with the right service selected. Boulevard says “Booking directly by voice isn’t something AI Receptionist does today”. It does not handle group appointments, consultation-first flows or two-way texting. It is a beta, free until the end of November 2026.
9. Phorest Front Desk AI
A messaging assistant, not a voice receptionist: it books, reschedules and cancels over two-way SMS and WhatsApp and captures deposits by payment link. Its SMS replies go only to clients “who have already received a message from your business”, and Phorest’s launch pack says Front Desk AI “currently supports your existing clients only”.
10. Vagaro Vera Receptionist
Vera answers chats on your Vagaro Listing Page and, with a Text Marketing plan, texts to your Vagaro number, all the time, after hours or on a schedule. Over text it “can’t check availability, book appointments, or reschedule them” and sends a link instead.
Want one AI agent for calls, texts and DMs? Zian answers inbound calls 24/7, books and follows up by SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and Facebook Messenger in 30+ languages. Apply For Partnership
Which AI receptionist should my salon choose? A decision table
Start from the booking system you already run: switching salon software to get a receptionist is the costliest option.
| If your salon… | Start with | Check first |
|---|---|---|
| Runs Mangomint and books in English | Mira | That deposit rules are set for Express Booking as well as online booking |
| Runs GlossGenius at one location | GlossGenius Reception | Auto-approval is on if you want bookings confirmed on the call, and that clients text your Reception number, because call forwarding “covers calls only” |
| Runs Square Appointments Plus or Premium and takes deposits | NextClient AI | Service time-slot intervals, staff assigned to each service, and who will answer client text replies (the AI does not yet) |
| Runs Square Appointments and takes no deposits or cancellation fees | IsOn24 or NextClient AI | Staff hours (IsOn24 does not read them from Square) and calendar count per plan |
| Runs Fresha | Fresha AI Concierge | That calls are available in your region (until then it is messaging only), and that your online booking settings show the services and team members you want it to offer; its help centre documents AI replies in Fresha’s in-app chat, not two-way texts, although its launch post mentions SMS |
| Runs Boulevard and is happy for clients to finish booking from a link | Boulevard AI Receptionist (beta) | That services are online-bookable; consultation-first services are not supported |
| Runs Phorest or Vagaro and wants calls answered | A voice product that can write to that system | The platform’s API or webhook route in the table above; both own-brand assistants are text and chat only |
| Wants one agent for calls plus SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger follow-up, in more than one language, or across more than one business | Zian | The booking route for your salon software, in your partnership application |
| Wants booked clients without running software | LeadsNow.ai | Pay-per-result terms for your salon |
If you are still deciding whether software is worth it at all, our breakdown of what an AI receptionist costs a small business runs the same month of calls through each pricing model.
How do deposits and no-show fees work when an AI takes the booking?
The AI should never set a deposit or a fee. It should read the policy already configured in your booking system and send the client to that system’s payment step, by a secure link or a card already saved; none of the documentation we read describes taking card numbers by voice. What it can enforce depends on what each platform lets you set:
| Platform | What you can set | The line to know | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | A deposit, or captured card details | A no-show fee can be charged “up to the limit agreed in your payment policy” | Fresha help |
| Vagaro | Fixed or percentage deposits above a minimum service price; card capture for cancellation and no-show fees | “Vagaro only accepts and processes deposits and fees from Vagaro Merchant Services” | Vagaro help, fees |
| Boulevard | Deposits “per individual service or staff member”; a custom cancellation fee and window | The built-in policy allows “up to 100% of the full appointment value if the appointment is canceled less than 24 hours in advance” | deposits, policy |
| Square Appointments | No requirement, full prepayment for fixed-price services, or a card held for no-shows | A per-service fee must be entered for each service “or you won’t be able to charge a cancellation fee” | Square help |
| Mangomint | Full payment or partial deposit, separately for online booking and Express Booking | A deposit set for online booking: “this does not apply to Express Booking™”, the flow Mira uses on calls | Mangomint help |
| GlossGenius | Flat or percentage deposits, for all clients or new clients only | Reception quotes “one total for the whole appointment, the deposit plus the card processing fee” | GlossGenius help |
| Phorest | Online and in-house deposits through PhorestPay | Front Desk AI payment links use “a fixed 1-hour expiry window” | Phorest help |
The timing differs, which matters at 9pm on a Sunday. On calls, Mira holds the slot until your Express Booking time limit runs out; over text it sends an Express Booking link and does not hold the slot. Fresha’s launch post says AI Concierge can introduce “upfront payments and appointment protection” within the conversation. NextClient AI creates no Square appointment until the link is paid, within an expiry you choose of 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours, and meanwhile the time “is not reserved on the Square calendar”. GlossGenius books first and sends the link afterwards. IsOn24 takes no deposits, so keep deposit services online-only if you use it.
Price-list, walk-in and reschedule calls: where each AI stops
Price questions. Salon-native products read prices from your menu. Boulevard’s AI “can only share details that live in your Boulevard data” and otherwise “will offer to take a message or transfer the caller instead”; Mira “doesn’t guess” either. If colour prices are “from” prices, say so in the service description, because that is what the AI reads.
Walk-in, parking and patch-test questions. GlossGenius lets you add up to 10 of your own knowledge-base topics, each up to 200 characters, and suggests parking, buzzer codes, patch test requirements and running-late rules. Phorest’s custom responses “cannot override existing business info” such as hours. Boulevard does not yet explain details “like parking, validation, or children/pet policies”.
Reschedules and late cancellations. Inside your window, GlossGenius will not cancel and sends you the request; Boulevard offers your team or a message; Phorest tries to reschedule first; Fresha warns about any fee first.
After hours. Boulevard runs after hours only or around the clock, but cannot yet be limited to certain days. Vera can reply all the time, after hours or on a custom schedule. Mira covers evenings once “Mira 24/7” is on.
If you are tempted to build this yourself, our guide on how to build an AI receptionist, and when not to lists the parts, from the phone number to booking tools and transfers.
Who each AI receptionist is wrong for
| Product | Wrong for a salon that… | Why, in the vendor’s words or settings |
|---|---|---|
| Zian | Wants a one-click add-on inside its salon software today | zian.ai names no salon-platform connector; the booking route is agreed in the partnership application |
| LeadsNow.ai | Wants to run and tune the AI itself | It is a managed, pay-per-result service |
| Mira | Books clients in languages other than English, or is not on Mangomint | “Mira currently supports English only”; Mira requires Mangomint and Mangomint Phone |
| NextClient AI | Is on Square’s free plan, or not on Square, or wants the AI to answer client texts | On the free plan “the AI does not write to your calendar”; having the AI reply to texts automatically “is in progress” |
| GlossGenius Reception | Has more than one location, or has signed a HIPAA BAA | Reception “supports single-location businesses right now” |
| IsOn24 | Takes deposits or charges cancellation fees on most services | No deposits or card capture; no booking of services with a non-zero cancellation fee |
| Fresha AI Concierge | Is in a region where calls are not yet live, or wants the AI to answer client texts | Its setup guide covers the case where “calls are not yet available in your region”; Fresha’s help centre says text and WhatsApp messages through Fresha are “one-way only” and documents AI Concierge replying in Fresha’s in-app chat; its launch post mentions SMS |
| Boulevard AI Receptionist | Books consultation-first services or wants the booking finished on the call | It sends a link; consultation-first flows are “Not currently” supported |
| Phorest Front Desk AI | Needs its phone answered | It “currently works via Two-Way SMS and WhatsApp” |
| Vagaro Vera | Needs its phone answered, or bookings made over text | It is “an AI chatbot”; over text it sends a booking link |
Frequently asked questions about AI receptionists for hair salons
What is the best AI receptionist for a hair salon?
It depends on your booking software. Zian is our platform pick for one agent that answers calls 24/7 and follows up by SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger in 30+ languages, and LeadsNow.ai is the done-for-you pick. Among salon-specific products, Mira (Mangomint) and GlossGenius Reception each met all four of our criteria on 24 October 2026. NextClient AI (Square Appointments) met three and a half, because it does not yet answer text messages on its own, and Fresha AI Concierge met three, because its help centre documents replies in Fresha’s in-app chat but not two-way texts.
Can an AI receptionist book a client with a specific stylist?
Some can. Fresha AI Concierge, Mira, NextClient AI, IsOn24 and GlossGenius Reception document offering or booking a named team member or provider. Phorest says its AI reads staff schedules. Boulevard says provider selection happens “in the booking flow, not on the call”, because its AI sends a booking link.
Will an AI receptionist take a deposit over the phone?
Not by reading out card numbers. GlossGenius says Reception “never takes card numbers over the phone or by text” and texts a secure link instead, as its help article on how Reception works explains. Mira holds the slot on calls and texts a deposit link, NextClient AI texts a Square payment link, Fresha says AI Concierge can introduce upfront payments and appointment protection in the conversation, and Phorest’s Front Desk AI sends a payment link that expires after one hour. IsOn24 does not take deposits.
Does Vagaro have an AI receptionist that answers phone calls?
Vagaro’s Vera Receptionist is a chatbot. Vagaro’s help centre describes it answering messages from your Vagaro Listing Page and, with a Text Marketing plan, texts to your Vagaro number. Over text it sends a booking link rather than booking. Phorest’s Front Desk AI is also text-only, working over two-way SMS and WhatsApp.
How much does an AI receptionist for a salon cost?
On vendors’ own pages on 24 October 2026, GlossGenius Reception is free to 30 November 2026, then US$50 a month with 100 voice minutes. Boulevard’s beta is free to the end of November 2026, then US$125 a month per location for 200 minutes. Fresha’s calls and messaging plan is A$229.95 a month per location with 200 minutes, and IsOn24 starts at US$59 a month. Zian has no public price during its partnership-application beta.
Can an AI receptionist book balayage or colour that needs a consultation or patch test?
Only if your booking software already models it. Boulevard says its AI cannot handle consultation-first booking flows today, and GlossGenius suggests adding patch test requirements to the Reception knowledge base. Check that colour services carry their processing time and that consultations are a bookable service before you switch an AI on.
What happens if a client calls to cancel inside my cancellation window?
GlossGenius Reception will not cancel it and sends the request to you. Boulevard offers to connect the caller with your team or take a message. Phorest’s Front Desk AI tries to reschedule first, and Fresha follows your policy and tells the client about any fee before proceeding.
Where every figure on this page comes from
| Figure | Who published it | Link | Date read |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha AI Concierge: A$69.95 a month per location (messaging only); A$229.95 a month per location (calls and messaging), 200 minutes per location, then A$1.38 a minute | Fresha | www.fresha.com/pricing | 24 October 2026 |
| GlossGenius Reception: free to 30 November 2026; then US$50 a month with 100 voice minutes and 200 messages; US$0.50 a minute and US$0.05 a message beyond | GlossGenius | glossgenius.elevio.help/en/articles/1207-what-is-reception-and-how-it-works | 24 October 2026 |
| GlossGenius knowledge base: up to 10 of your own topics, details up to 200 characters | GlossGenius | glossgenius.elevio.help/en/articles/1234-how-to-configure-your-reception-settings | 24 October 2026 |
| GlossGenius help centre: 713 URLs in its sitemap | GlossGenius (sitemap); counted by Zian AI | glossgenius.elevio.help/en/sitemap.xml | 24 October 2026 |
| Boulevard AI Receptionist: free August to November 2026; US$125 a month per location for the first 200 minutes; US$0.60 a minute after | Boulevard | support.boulevard.io/en/articles/16102622-ai-receptionist-beta-pricing | 24 October 2026 |
| Boulevard standard cancellation policy: up to 100% of appointment value inside 24 hours | Boulevard | support.boulevard.io/en/articles/5941349-cancellation-policies-and-fees | 24 October 2026 |
| Mangomint: US$120 a month per location plus US$10 per user; Phone add-on US$70 a month per line | Mangomint | www.mangomint.com/mira/ | 24 October 2026 |
| Mira: Phone add-on (US$70 a month) needed for Mira to take calls | Mira by Mangomint | help.meetmira.com/articles/1372196184-pricing | 24 October 2026 |
| Vagaro Vera Receptionist: US$10 a month in the US; free in Canada, the UK and Australia | Vagaro | support.vagaro.com/hc/en-us/articles/22781768988187-Vagaro-Plans-Pricing-and-Premium-Features | 24 October 2026 |
| Vagaro APIs and Webhooks: US$10 a month including 5,000 webhook calls; up to seven business days to activate | Vagaro | support.vagaro.com/hc/en-us/articles/29521637950875-Set-Up-Webhooks-From-Vagaro | 24 October 2026 |
| Phorest Front Desk AI payment links: fixed 1-hour expiry | Phorest | support.phorest.com/hc/en-us/articles/34681018433938-How-can-I-send-a-Payment-Link-to-take-a-deposit-or-securely-capture-card-details | 24 October 2026 |
| Phorest partners page: nine integrations | Phorest | www.phorest.com/partners/ | 24 October 2026 |
| Square default start times: example of a 45-minute haircut offered at 9:00, 9:45 and 10:30 | NextClient AI | docs.nextclient.ai/howtos/square-time-slot-intervals | 24 October 2026 |
| NextClient AI payment link expiry: 30 minutes, 1 hour or 2 hours | NextClient AI | docs.nextclient.ai/howtos/square-payments | 24 October 2026 |
| NextClient AI: 14-day free trial; US-visitor plans Pay as You Go US$5 a month plus US$0.36 a minute, Essential US$24 a month with 65 minutes then US$0.29 a minute (prices vary by visitor country) | NextClient AI (pricing section on nextclient.ai, read from its getPlans response for a US visitor) | nextclient.ai/ | 24 October 2026 |
| Fresha AI Concierge offers only the services, team members and times made available | Fresha | www.fresha.com/help-center/knowledge-base/ai-concierge/102360-ai-concierge-overview | 24 October 2026 |
| Fresha: text and WhatsApp messages through Fresha are one-way only; AI Concierge replies in Client Connect, which only clients who have booked can start; the launch post (19 May 2026) says it manages client messaging across SMS and in-app chat and can introduce upfront payments and appointment protection | Fresha | www.fresha.com/blog/fresha-ai-concierge-launch, www.fresha.com/help-center/knowledge-base/calendar/167-send-appointment-reminders, www.fresha.com/help-center/knowledge-base/messaging/102352-how-clients-send-you-messages, www.fresha.com/help-center/knowledge-base/ai-concierge/101921-how-ai-concierge-responds-to-messages-in-client-connect | 24 October 2026 |
| IsOn24: Starter US$59 a month (US$590 a year) with 1,000 minutes and 1,000 texts; Sprinter US$99, Sprinter Plus US$149, Cruiser US$199 a month; 1, 3, 5 and 10 calendars; 7-day free trial | IsOn24 | ison24.com/plans.html | 24 October 2026 |
| NextClient AI: the AI does not yet answer text messages; free Square plan does not write to the calendar; one Square location per receptionist | NextClient AI | docs.nextclient.ai/faq, docs.nextclient.ai/howtos/square-booking-flow, docs.nextclient.ai/howtos/square-multiple-locations | 24 October 2026 |
| Boulevard AI Receptionist: no voice booking; provider selection in the booking flow; no consultation-first flows; no two-way texting; cannot be limited to specific days | Boulevard | support.boulevard.io/en/articles/16105159-ai-receptionist-frequently-asked-questions | 24 October 2026 |
| Mira: English only; books directly; multiple locations; Mira 24/7 for after-hours calls and texts | Mira by Mangomint | help.meetmira.com/articles/5920339859-how-mira-handles-calls-and-texts | 24 October 2026 |
| IsOn24: no deposits or card capture; callers choose service and staff member; staff hours that differ from business hours are not received from Square | IsOn24 | ison24.com/ison24-square.html, ison24.com/care/blog/square-integration-guide.html | 24 October 2026 |
| Phorest Front Desk AI: currently supports existing clients only | Phorest | www.phorest.com/front-desk-ai-info-pack/ | 24 October 2026 |
| Zian: 30+ languages | Zian AI | zian.ai/ | 24 October 2026 |
| LeadsNow.ai: 50,769+ appointments; leads answered in under 60 seconds, 24/7 | LeadsNow.ai | leadsnow.ai/ | 24 October 2026 |
Run your salon’s calls and follow-up on one agent. Zian’s AI Receptionist answers every call 24/7, books, transfers and takes messages, then follows up by SMS, WhatsApp, Instagram DMs and Facebook Messenger. Apply For Partnership