What is the best WordPress booking plugin for hair salons?+
SlotPress is a free WordPress booking plugin built for hair salons. Clients choose a treatment, pick their preferred stylist and book a confirmed slot — with per-service durations, staff selection, a hold timer and automatic email confirmations at no cost.
Can clients book a specific stylist online?+
Yes. SlotPress supports staff selection, so clients can choose a named stylist — Sophie, Mia, Emma — or leave it open to the first available. Each stylist has their own availability calendar.
How does SlotPress handle long colour services like balayage?+
Each service has its own duration. A balayage configured at 2.5 hours automatically blocks that window on the stylist's calendar, so no other booking can overlap — without any manual effort.
Does SlotPress prevent two clients booking the same stylist at the same time?+
Yes. The hold timer reserves the slot the moment a client starts entering their details. A second visitor sees that slot as unavailable until the first booking is complete or the timer expires.
Is the free version of SlotPress enough for a single-location hair salon?+
Yes. The free version includes everything a single-location salon needs — services, stylists, availability rules, a calendar, booking form, email confirmation, Apple iCal and the widget customizer — all at no cost.
How quickly can I set up online booking for my salon?+
The Setup Wizard guides you through services, stylists, hours and widget design in a few minutes. It then creates a booking page with the [slotpress_booking] shortcode automatically placed.
Can I match the booking widget to my salon's brand colours?+
Yes. The free Widget Appearance Customizer lets you pick accent colour, theme (Light, Warm or Dark), corner style and spacing — the preview updates live before you publish.
What does SlotPress Pro add for hair salons?+
Pro adds WhatsApp Business API reminders to reduce no-shows, Google Calendar and Outlook sync for your stylists, GDPR consent audit trail, Meta Pixel and GA4 booking events, popup and fullscreen display and a custom colour palette. Most single-location salons run perfectly on the free plan.
