---
title: "Salon booking software in Australia: Which are searched most?"
description: "Compare the booking and business software hair and beauty salons run on. Share of Search among Fresha, Kitomba, Simple Salon, Square Appointments, Phorest, Vagaro, Shortcuts and Timely, the salon booking software Brandwave compares in Australia, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time."
canonical: "https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-salon-booking-software"
publisher: "Brandwave"
---

# Salon booking software in Australia: Which are searched most?

Compare the booking and business software hair and beauty salons run on. Share of Search among Fresha, Kitomba, Simple Salon, Square Appointments, Phorest, Vagaro, Shortcuts and Timely, the salon booking software Brandwave compares in Australia, using the same methodology, market, and reporting period. Branded searches tell you how often people look for a brand by name or related terms. Comparing these searches across competitors helps you see how popular each brand is over time.

## Key facts

- **Competitive set**: Salon booking software
- **Market**: Australia
- **Brands compared**: 8
- **Month measured**: Sep 2026
- **Highest Share of Search**: Fresha, 72.3%

## Which brand is most popular in search among salon booking software in Australia?

- In September 2026, Fresha was the most searched among salon booking software in Australia, with an estimated 27.1K branded searches, 72.3% of all searches for the eight we track.
- Kitomba is in 2nd place, 62.7 percentage points behind at 9.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Fresha’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia increased from 68.8% to 72.3%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kitomba’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia decreased from 11.2% to 9.6%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Simple Salon’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia decreased from 7.4% to 5.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Square Appointments’ share of searches among salon booking software in Australia decreased from 6.1% to 5.1%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Phorest’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia increased from 2.5% to 4.3%.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Fresha’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 74.3% in December 2025 and was lowest at 66.9% in March 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Kitomba’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 13.3% in March 2026 and was lowest at 9.2% in January 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Simple Salon’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 7.4% in May 2026 and was lowest at 5.1% in September 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Square Appointments’ share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 6.3% in April 2026 and was lowest at 4.4% in December 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Phorest’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 4.3% in July 2026 and was lowest at 2.4% in December 2025.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vagaro’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia peaked at 4.8% in January 2026 and was lowest at 2.3% in April 2026.
- Across the 12 months ending September 2026, Vagaro, Shortcuts and Timely held steady: their share of searches among salon booking software in Australia each moved less than 0.5 percentage points.

## Top salon booking software in ChatGPT and Google AI Overviews

In Brandwave's three ChatGPT questions and two Google AI Overviews, Fresha and Square Appointments were mentioned most often, in four of the five answers. Fresha was recommended most often, coming first in four out of five answers. Square Appointments was second, and Timely was third. Shortcuts, which ranked seventh in searches, was not mentioned at all.

Brands get a higher AI rank if they are mentioned earlier in the answers that list options.

| Brand | AI rank | ChatGPT answers that named it | Google AI Overviews that named it | All answers that named it |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Fresha | 1st | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 |
| Square Appointments | 2nd | 3 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 4 of 5 |
| Timely | 3rd | 3 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
| Simple Salon | 4th | 0 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Phorest | 5th | 1 of 3 | 2 of 2 | 3 of 5 |
| Kitomba | 6th | 2 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 2 of 5 |
| Vagaro | 7th | 0 of 3 | 1 of 2 | 1 of 5 |
| Shortcuts | Not ranked | 0 of 3 | 0 of 2 | 0 of 5 |

## Every AI answer about salon booking software

- Asked ChatGPT "What's the best salon booking software in Australia?": 1. Fresha, 2. Timely, 3. Kitomba, 4. Phorest, 5. Square Appointments
- Asked ChatGPT "Which booking app is best for a small hair salon?": 1. Fresha, 2. Timely, 3. Square Appointments
- Asked ChatGPT "What software should a beauty salon use for bookings and payments?": 1. Fresha, 2. Square Appointments, 3. Timely, 4. Kitomba
- Searched Google, AI Overview "salon software": 1. Fresha, 2. Simple Salon, 3. Phorest
- Searched Google, AI Overview "hair salon software": 1. Square Appointments, 2. Simple Salon, 3. Phorest, 4. Vagaro

Not named in any answer: Shortcuts.

Brands are listed in the order each answer named them. The answers were collected in Australia on October 23, 2026.

## Compare search popularity between leading brands

- [Fresha vs Kitomba: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/fresha-vs-kitomba): 72.3% against 9.6% Share of Search.
- [Fresha vs Simple Salon: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/fresha-vs-simple-salon): 72.3% against 5.1% Share of Search.
- [Fresha vs Square Appointments: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/fresha-vs-square-appointments): 72.3% against 5.1% Share of Search.
- [Fresha vs Phorest: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/fresha-vs-phorest): 72.3% against 4.3% Share of Search.
- [Kitomba vs Simple Salon: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/kitomba-vs-simple-salon): 9.6% against 5.1% Share of Search.
- [Kitomba vs Square Appointments: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/kitomba-vs-square-appointments): 9.6% against 5.1% Share of Search.
- [Kitomba vs Phorest: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/kitomba-vs-phorest): 9.6% against 4.3% Share of Search.
- [Simple Salon vs Square Appointments: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/simple-salon-vs-square-appointments): 5.1% Share of Search each.
- [Simple Salon vs Phorest: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/phorest-vs-simple-salon): 5.1% against 4.3% Share of Search.
- [Square Appointments vs Phorest: compare search popularity](/demand/au/compare/phorest-vs-square-appointments): 5.1% against 4.3% Share of Search.

## How did search popularity change for Australia salon booking software in September 2026?

- Simple Salon’s share of searches among salon booking software in Australia has lost ground for 3 months in a row, from 6.3% to 5.1% in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Phorest in Australia rose 60% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 1.6K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Timely in Australia fell 66.7% over 12 measured months, from 30 to 10 in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Square Appointments in Australia fell 20.8% over 12 measured months, from 2.4K to 1.9K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Kitomba in Australia fell 18.2% over 12 measured months, from 4.4K to 3.6K in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Shortcuts in Australia fell 15.8% over 12 measured months, from 570 to 480 in September 2026.
- Estimated monthly branded searches for Vagaro in Australia fell 12% over 12 measured months, from 1K to 880 in September 2026.

## Share of Search ranking

| Rank | Brand | Share of Search | Estimated monthly branded searches | Change vs prior month | Owned by |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 | Fresha | 72.3% | 27.1K | 0.0% | Fresha |
| 2 | Kitomba | 9.6% | 3.6K | 0.0% | Kitomba |
| 3 | Simple Salon | 5.1% | 1.9K | 0.0% | Simple Salon |
| 4 | Square Appointments | 5.1% | 1.9K | 0.0% | Square Appointments |
| 5 | Phorest | 4.3% | 1.6K | 0.0% | Phorest |
| 6 | Vagaro | 2.3% | 880 | 0.0% | Vagaro |
| 7 | Shortcuts | 1.3% | 480 | +11.6% | Shortcuts |
| 8 | Timely | 0.03% | 10 | -50.0% | Timely |

## Historical estimated branded-search demand

| Month | Brand | Estimated monthly branded searches | Share of Search | Rank |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Oct 2025 | Fresha | 27.1K | 68.8% | 1 |
| Oct 2025 | Kitomba | 4.4K | 11.2% | 2 |
| Oct 2025 | Simple Salon | 2.9K | 7.4% | 3 |
| Oct 2025 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.1% | 4 |
| Oct 2025 | Phorest | 1K | 2.5% | 5 |
| Oct 2025 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.5% | 6 |
| Oct 2025 | Shortcuts | 570 | 1.4% | 7 |
| Oct 2025 | Timely | 30 | 0.08% | 8 |
| Nov 2025 | Fresha | 27.1K | 69.8% | 1 |
| Nov 2025 | Kitomba | 4.4K | 11.3% | 2 |
| Nov 2025 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 6.2% | 3 |
| Nov 2025 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.2% | 4 |
| Nov 2025 | Phorest | 1K | 2.6% | 5 |
| Nov 2025 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.6% | 6 |
| Nov 2025 | Shortcuts | 500 | 1.3% | 7 |
| Nov 2025 | Timely | 20 | 0.05% | 8 |
| Dec 2025 | Fresha | 27.1K | 74.3% | 1 |
| Dec 2025 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.9% | 2 |
| Dec 2025 | Simple Salon | 1.9K | 5.2% | 3 |
| Dec 2025 | Square Appointments | 1.6K | 4.4% | 4 |
| Dec 2025 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.7% | 5 |
| Dec 2025 | Phorest | 880 | 2.4% | 6 |
| Dec 2025 | Shortcuts | 370 | 1% | 7 |
| Dec 2025 | Timely | 10 | 0.03% | 8 |
| Jan 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 68.9% | 1 |
| Jan 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.2% | 2 |
| Jan 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 6.1% | 3 |
| Jan 2026 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.1% | 4 |
| Jan 2026 | Vagaro | 1.9K | 4.8% | 5 |
| Jan 2026 | Phorest | 1.3K | 3.3% | 6 |
| Jan 2026 | Shortcuts | 600 | 1.5% | 7 |
| Jan 2026 | Timely | 10 | 0.03% | 8 |
| Feb 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 70.7% | 1 |
| Feb 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.4% | 2 |
| Feb 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 6.3% | 3 |
| Feb 2026 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.3% | 4 |
| Feb 2026 | Phorest | 1.3K | 3.4% | 5 |
| Feb 2026 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.6% | 6 |
| Feb 2026 | Shortcuts | 500 | 1.3% | 7 |
| Feb 2026 | Timely | 30 | 0.08% | 8 |
| Mar 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 66.9% | 1 |
| Mar 2026 | Kitomba | 5.4K | 13.3% | 2 |
| Mar 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 5.9% | 3 |
| Mar 2026 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 5.9% | 4 |
| Mar 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 3.9% | 5 |
| Mar 2026 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.5% | 6 |
| Mar 2026 | Shortcuts | 590 | 1.5% | 7 |
| Mar 2026 | Timely | 20 | 0.05% | 8 |
| Apr 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 70.9% | 1 |
| Apr 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.4% | 2 |
| Apr 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 6.3% | 3 |
| Apr 2026 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.3% | 4 |
| Apr 2026 | Phorest | 1.3K | 3.4% | 5 |
| Apr 2026 | Vagaro | 880 | 2.3% | 6 |
| Apr 2026 | Shortcuts | 530 | 1.4% | 7 |
| Apr 2026 | Timely | 20 | 0.05% | 8 |
| May 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 69.1% | 1 |
| May 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.2% | 2 |
| May 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.9K | 7.4% | 3 |
| May 2026 | Square Appointments | 2.4K | 6.1% | 4 |
| May 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 4.1% | 5 |
| May 2026 | Vagaro | 1K | 2.5% | 6 |
| May 2026 | Shortcuts | 570 | 1.5% | 7 |
| May 2026 | Timely | 50 | 0.13% | 8 |
| Jun 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 71.5% | 1 |
| Jun 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.5% | 2 |
| Jun 2026 | Simple Salon | 2.4K | 6.3% | 3 |
| Jun 2026 | Square Appointments | 1.9K | 5% | 4 |
| Jun 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 4.2% | 5 |
| Jun 2026 | Vagaro | 880 | 2.3% | 6 |
| Jun 2026 | Shortcuts | 370 | 0.98% | 7 |
| Jun 2026 | Timely | 40 | 0.11% | 8 |
| Jul 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 72.5% | 1 |
| Jul 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.6% | 2 |
| Jul 2026 | Simple Salon | 1.9K | 5.1% | 3 |
| Jul 2026 | Square Appointments | 1.9K | 5.1% | 4 |
| Jul 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 4.3% | 5 |
| Jul 2026 | Vagaro | 880 | 2.4% | 6 |
| Jul 2026 | Shortcuts | 410 | 1.1% | 7 |
| Jul 2026 | Timely | 10 | 0.03% | 8 |
| Aug 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 72.4% | 1 |
| Aug 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.6% | 2 |
| Aug 2026 | Simple Salon | 1.9K | 5.1% | 3 |
| Aug 2026 | Square Appointments | 1.9K | 5.1% | 4 |
| Aug 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 4.3% | 5 |
| Aug 2026 | Vagaro | 880 | 2.4% | 6 |
| Aug 2026 | Shortcuts | 430 | 1.1% | 7 |
| Aug 2026 | Timely | 20 | 0.05% | 8 |
| Sep 2026 | Fresha | 27.1K | 72.3% | 1 |
| Sep 2026 | Kitomba | 3.6K | 9.6% | 2 |
| Sep 2026 | Simple Salon | 1.9K | 5.1% | 3 |
| Sep 2026 | Square Appointments | 1.9K | 5.1% | 4 |
| Sep 2026 | Phorest | 1.6K | 4.3% | 5 |
| Sep 2026 | Vagaro | 880 | 2.3% | 6 |
| Sep 2026 | Shortcuts | 480 | 1.3% | 7 |
| Sep 2026 | Timely | 10 | 0.03% | 8 |

## What is being compared

- **Fresha**: Measured on the search term “fresha”.
- **Kitomba**: Measured on the search term “kitomba”.
- **Phorest**: Measured on the search term “phorest”.
- **Shortcuts**: Measured on the search terms “shortcuts salon software” and “shortcuts software”, summed into one figure.
- **Simple Salon**: Measured on the search term “simple salon”.
- **Square Appointments**: Measured on the search term “square appointments”.
- **Timely**: Measured on the search term “timely salon software”.
- **Vagaro**: Measured on the search term “vagaro”.

- [Fresha](/demand/au/brands/fresha)
- [Kitomba](/demand/au/brands/kitomba)
- [Phorest](/demand/au/brands/phorest)
- [Shortcuts](/demand/au/brands/shortcuts-software)
- [Simple Salon](/demand/au/brands/simple-salon)
- [Square Appointments](/demand/au/brands/square-appointments)
- [Timely](/demand/au/brands/timely-salon)
- [Vagaro](/demand/au/brands/vagaro)

## Methodology

- [How is the Brand Demand Index measured?](/demand/methodology): Where the figures come from, what they compare, and how they may be reused.

## Frequently asked questions

### Which brand is most popular in search among salon booking software in Australia?

In September 2026, Fresha was the most searched among salon booking software in Australia, with an estimated 27.1K branded searches, 72.3% of all searches for the eight we track.

## Cite this page

Brandwave. "Salon booking software in Australia: Which are searched most?". https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-salon-booking-software

This page is also available as HTML at https://gobrandwave.com/demand/au/categories/au-salon-booking-software. Brandwave publishes an index of its Markdown pages at https://gobrandwave.com/llms.txt.