Comparison
Trimsy vs Phorest — modern alternative to Phorest in Australia
Phorest is a well-known salon software brand with strong roots in the UK and Ireland, expanding into AU/NZ. It bundles a deep salon-focused feature set into a monthly subscription. Trimsy is the newer, AU-built challenger — leaner, cheaper, with bring-your-own card processing.
Best fit: For Australian salons that find Phorest pricey for what they actually use, or want their own subdomain and card-processor freedom instead of a closed-loop ecosystem.
Side by side
| Feature | Trimsy AU-built — fixed monthly fee, 0% per-booking commission | Phorest Established Irish-built salon platform |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat AUD subscription from $24.99/mo | Tiered — entry from ~$120 AUD/mo, top tier $300+/mo |
| Per-booking commission | 0% | 0% on direct bookings; PhorestPay processing fee on cards |
| Card processor | Your choice — Stripe Connect or Square Terminal | PhorestPay (their own processor) — limited alternatives |
| Card-processing fee | Your own Stripe / Square rate (~1.7%–2.2%) | PhorestPay rates apply (typically 1.8%–2.5% AU) |
| Walk-in queue + kiosk | Yes — kiosk + live queue board | Limited — appointment-led; weaker walk-in handling |
| Multi-location | Growth plan, no per-location surcharge | Yes — included in higher tiers |
| SMS reminders | Twilio at-cost — no markup | Bundled credits + overage charges |
| Country focus | Built in Australia | Built in Ireland; AU presence smaller than UK/IE |
| Marketing tools | Workflows for rebook, birthday, drip | Strong — Phorest TreatCard, SMS marketing, client loyalty |
| Setup time | <1 hour self-serve | Onboarding consultant — 1-2 weeks typical |
✓ Where Trimsy wins
- →Roughly 70–85% cheaper for equivalent core functionality
- →Bring your own Stripe or Square — pay your processor's actual rate
- →Walk-in queue dashboard (Phorest is appointment-focused)
- →Set up in an hour, not 1-2 weeks of consultant onboarding
- →AU-built — AU support hours, AU billing, AU GST
Where Phorest may be the better choice
- ·Phorest TreatCard loyalty and client-marketing tools are more mature than Trimsy's
- ·Phorest has a deeper salon-specific industry reputation in AU/NZ
- ·Phorest's consultant-led onboarding may be a benefit for non-technical owners
Frequently asked
Is Trimsy cheaper than Phorest?+
Yes — significantly. Phorest's entry tier in Australia is roughly $120 AUD/mo and goes up to $300+/mo for the top tier. Trimsy is $24.99 to $49.99 AUD/mo flat. For a single-location salon, the saving is typically $1,000+ per year on subscription alone, plus card-processing savings if you bring your own Stripe or Square rate.
Can I migrate from Phorest to Trimsy?+
Yes. Phorest exports clients, services, sales history and staff records as CSVs. Trimsy's onboarding wizard imports them — usually in one step. Recurring TreatCard loyalty balances and complex client notes need manual review; we can help during a free onboarding call.
Will I lose PhorestPay if I switch?+
Yes — and that's actually the point for many salons. With Trimsy you connect your own Stripe Connect or Square Terminal account and pay your processor's standard rate (often lower than PhorestPay's blended rate). The processing fee saving compounds with subscription savings.
Should I stay with Phorest?+
If Phorest TreatCard and the dedicated salon-marketing suite are central to how you run, the migration friction may not be worth it. If you mostly use Phorest for bookings, payments, rosters and basic loyalty — and find the price hard to justify — Trimsy will cover the same ground for a fraction of the cost.
See for yourself — 14-day free trial, no card required
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