The 10 Best Scheduling Apps for Massage Therapists: Take the Hassles Off Your Valuable Hands with These Free and Paid Scheduling Tools

In the services industry, scheduling and other administrative tasks can put a kink in even the most organized business. Your hands are busy enough making people feel better—how are you also supposed to handle managing scheduling, new client intake, follow-up, and other needs? It’s a lot, but it’s not a lot that you have to deal with on your own. 

You may think you need to hire a receptionist, or you may be wondering if that’s necessary. Perhaps you’re looking for an alternative because you don’t want the expense or hassle of having an employee on staff. Fortunately, today’s technology makes it easy for you to manage everything when you invest in the right tools. (And speaking of investing, you’ll be happy to know that you don’t have to spend a fortune, thanks to these free and cheap scheduling apps and the dedicated assistance of the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai.)

Choosing the right tool, of course, is going to be your primary focus. The apps available have a lot of similarities, but they also have their differences that you’ll need to compare when making your decision. Ideally, you’ll want to find an app that can handle lead intake, appointment scheduling, and client booking, cloud-based deployment and scalability, and integration with other tools and software that you use on a daily basis. Of course, that’s just the beginning. 

In the list below, you’ll find the 10 best scheduling apps for massage therapists, including some that are designed specifically for the industry and others that are created to streamline scheduling, save you time, and reduce valuable lost time due to no-shows, scheduling errors, and more. 

If you want to save even more time, consider adding the 24/7 messaging services of the dedicated team at Smith.ai to your new scheduling tool and let us handle appointment booking, lead intake and more.

‍1. MassageBook

This dedicated tool is designed to make managing your massage therapy business easier than ever. With easy scheduling tools and a user-friendly dashboard, you can create custom rules and even set color-coding to track different types of appointments, tasks, and more. 

With MassageBook, you’ll get a client-facing booking solution and join a network of professional massage therapists so that you are easier for clients to find. It offers cloud-based deployment so you can use it anywhere you can access the web, too. There are dedicated apps for iOS and Android, and it offers robust client and appointment management, practice management, and more. 

The highlights of this app include:

• Free option? Yes
• Price: Paid plans start at $7.50 per month
• Multi-location management
• Email marketing and other tools
• POS integration
• Dedicated for massage therapists and salons
• Easy integration with other software
  

2. Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling is one of the most popular scheduling and appointment booking tools available. It offers straightforward features and a variety of solutions that will suit the needs of your massage business. You can create rules-based availability, set custom business hours, and create a dedicated client booking site so that people can make appointments at their convenience. 

The Acuity app is available for Android and iOS and is mobile-friendly for cross-compatibility on multiple devices, making it easy to run your business from anywhere. One of the best features is the auto-adjust for time zones. You'll also find dedicated client intake forms, and so much more. Some of the highlights of this tool include:

• Free option? No
• Price: $14 per month to start
• Custom forms and form fields
• Adaptable to any business
• Calendar syncing
• Online payment integration
• Membership and package offerings for clients
• HIPAA-compliant data storage
  

3. Vagaro

Vagaro is a handy scheduling tool that is going to change the way that you do business. It offers 24/7 online booking and custom scheduling solutions like most of the apps on this list, but it also provides powerful management tools to run your business and marketing tools to get your name out there and build a strong client base for your massage business. 

The Vagaro app can be integrated with payment processing, and integrated booking is available through social media, Yelp, and other sites, including your own website with a dedicated Booking Widget. You can send email and text notifications or add push notifications for even more direct contact. Plus, there’s a dedicated client-facing app. The highlights of this platform include:

• Free option? No, but a trial is offered
• Price: $25 per month to start 
• Custom form creation
• Detailed customer profiles with SOAP notes
• HIPAA-compliant and verified
• POS integration
• Social media booking tools
• Customizable reporting dashboard
  

4. Mindbody

With the Mindbody app, wellness businesses like massage therapy clinics can manage appointments and scheduling better than ever before. This tool was originally designed for fitness and yoga studios, but it offers a scheduling tool that is ideal for massage therapists, as well. You can set multiple administrative permissions and even find custom dashboard options for calendars, reporting, and more. 

The Mindbody app does have a much higher price tag, but some of the features are going to be worth it for the bigger businesses that need a bigger solution. Still, it makes the list because it’s customizable, cloud-based, and fits the needs of services like massage therapy well. The features of note include:

• Free option? No
• Price: $129 per month
• Text and email notifications
• Automated campaigns available
• Scheduling with rules-based availability
• Reporting tools
• POS integration
  

5. Fresha

Fresha offers a free solution for scheduling management. Not only that, but it’s rated as the #1 software for spas and salons, so you can trust that you’re getting a powerful booking solution that is customized to your industry. With a customizable and color-coded calendar, scheduling is easier than ever. You can also monitor sales, manage clients, and integrate with payment solutions and other tools. 

Fresha offers professional calendar tools and a custom client-facing booking engine. You’ll also enjoy multi-device compatibility and seamless switching from desktop to mobile. There is a built-in analytics tool to help you track your time and make sure you’re managing your business effectively, and it’s completely free unless you want the Plus features, and those are only charged on a transaction basis. 

• Free option? Yes
• Price: 2.19% + $0.20 per transaction for Fresha Plus
• Integrated online booking engine
• Marketing tools
• Payment processing integration
• Social media integration
• No subscription
  

6. SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me allows you to create the perfect scheduling solution for your massage therapy business, whether you’re an independent owner or you have a small practice that needs a little more streamlining and automation. You'll be able to set and display availability based on custom rules, and there’s a 24/7 booking engine available to clients. 

With SimplyBook.me, you’ll also have access to dedicated iOS and Android apps so that you can manage your bookings on any device. There’s also a widget and embed link for easy integration on your social media and other channels, and you’ll be able to integrate with all kinds of existing software and tools. Plus, it has an open API that makes custom integrations easy. 

Check out key features like:

• Free option? Yes, for up to 50 bookings a month
• Price: $9.90 per month to start
• Customization and scalability
• Payment integration
• Personalized client app
• Admin app
• Notifications via email and SMS
  

7. Schedulicity

Schedulicity is a tool that is dedicated to massage therapy businesses that need a robust, capable scheduling and appointment booking tool. This app is available for Android and iOS and has also been designed for cross-compatibility with just about any computer or device. You can request prepayments and deposits, offer scheduling 24 hours a day, and even block people who no-show too frequently. 

This tool also integrates with payment processing tools and other software and has marketing tools that you can use to build your brand. Automated reminders, notifications, and even birthday greetings can be scheduled to keep the communication going even when you aren’t around. The highlights of this app include:

• Free option? No
• Price: Starts at $20 per month
• “Book Now” social button available
• Client-facing booking engine
• Waitlists available
• Custom forms and form fields
• Custom policies for deposits, appointment booking, and more
• Waivers that can be customized to your needs
  

8. Schedulista

Schedulista is a dedicated scheduling tool that is going to make your massage business easier than ever to run. You’ll enjoy access to a dedicated client booking engine that allows you to create custom rules-based scheduling, as with most of the tools on this list. However, you’ll also enjoy an easy-to-use platform and customizable interface that makes managing your business a breeze. 

The app is available for iOS and Android and offers a host of scheduling tools, including branding options for your client booking page and automation for all of your most tedious tasks. It’s one of the preferred options among those who are looking to improve their automation and time management. Key features include:

• Free option? No
• Price: $19 per month to start
• Schedule by the day
• Notifications available via text and email
• Real-time schedule changes and updates
• Customizable dashboard 
• Detailed reporting and analytics
  

9. Square Appointments

Square Appointments is one of the simplest tools available for booking, and it integrates with plenty of different software and apps that you might already be using. It offers a dedicated client-facing booking engine that allows you to set custom scheduling availability and rules, along with integration with payment processing and more. 

You’ll love the affordable cost of Square Appointments, including the fact that it’s free to use for those who only need one staff calendar for a single user. There are several different features of the scheduling app, but its ease of integration with the Square POS tools makes it a hot choice for several small businesses and independent massage therapists. 

The key features of this app include:

• Free option? Yes
• Price: Starts at $50 per month for paid plans
• Dedicated iOS and Android apps
• Integrates with Square Stand and Square Register for payments
• Scalable 
• Cloud-based deployment
• Custom pricing for more than 10 employees
  

10. Cliniko

For massage therapists that work as part of a healthcare practice, Cliniko offers a solution for total practice management. This platform allows you to manage schedules, invoices and payments, appointments, client notes, and more. This platform is geared more towards healthcare, but massage therapists of all kinds love it for easy management and scheduling of their business. 

Cliniko makes it easy to run your business and keep things organized. You may even be able to grow faster by improving your efficiency and reducing time wasted on tedious tasks or missed appointments due to poor scheduling. Plus, it’s free to try so you can test it out before you commit. 

Check out the highlights of this app, including:

• Free option? Free trial for 30 days
• Price: Starts at $45 per month
• Secure record storage
• Easy appointment management
• Client-facing booking engine
• Unlimited free support
• Integrates with MailChimp, Xero, and other apps and tools
• Also includes CRM and other practice management tools
  

Leave your scheduling and service needs in the capable hands of Smith.ai

As you can see, almost all of the tools on the list above are either free or going to cost you less than a couple of trips to Starbucks for a monthly plan. What’s not to love about that? When you consider how much a scheduling app can automate and streamline your operations, it only makes sense to invest in one that suits your massage business accordingly. 

Plus, if you can spare a few more coffees each month, you’ll be able to invest in the assistance of the virtual receptionists at Smith.ai, who can provide dedicated appointment booking, intake scheduling, and other solutions. We can even integrate with several of the tools listed above, along with other apps and software platforms, giving you total management of your business with a partner that you can depend on to take all of the details off your hands. 

If you’re ready to take your massage business to the next level, learn how Smith.ai can handle all of your appointment booking needs. Schedule a Live Chat consultation or reach out to us via email to discuss what virtual receptionists can do for you.