Best Salon Directory to List Your Business in 2026

Your salon is only as visible as the places people look for you. Years ago, that meant Yelp and Google. Today, it means a dozen different directories, each claiming to be the one that brings you the most clients.

But not every directory is right for every salon. Some charge monthly fees. Some take a percentage of bookings. Some barely get traffic. Here's how to evaluate the major platforms and choose which ones fit your business and budget.

1. Google Business Profile (Free, Essential)

Google Business Profile is not technically a salon directory. It's your free listing on Google, and it's the single most important place your business needs to show up.

Cost: Free forever. No fees, no percentage, no catch.

Reach: Massive. When someone searches "salon near me" or "hair salon in Fort Worth," Google Business Profile shows your listing on the search results and Google Maps. This is where most clients start their search.

Features: Business hours, phone number, photos, reviews, pricing (optional), service categories, answers to common questions, booking link (if you set one up), messaging, and posts.

Pros: It's free. Google's dominance in search means your visibility here directly impacts whether clients find you. You can upload photos of your salon and work. Reviews on Google influence local search rankings. You can respond to reviews and interact with potential customers.

Cons: You can't fully control the format or design. Google sometimes auto-fills information incorrectly and you have to correct it. You can't force bookings through Google directly (though you can add a booking link). Google sometimes pushes feature updates that change how your listing appears.

Best for: Every salon. This is non-negotiable. If you only list on one platform, make it Google Business Profile.

2. Yelp (Free or Paid, High Trust)

Yelp is the second-largest directory for local businesses. Consumers trust Yelp reviews, and being listed there matters for visibility.

Cost: Free basic listing. Paid ads start around thirty dollars per month for targeted ads. Premium business page (Yelp Ads with reporting) runs one hundred to five hundred dollars per month depending on your market.

Reach: High. Yelp gets millions of visitors monthly. People actively browse salons on Yelp and use it to make booking decisions.

Features: Business info, reviews, photos, hours, pricing, categories, messaging, and optional booking integration with select platforms (Booksy, Calendly, etc.).

Pros: You can claim and manage a free listing. Yelp reviews are trusted by consumers and often appear in other platforms' algorithms. You can upload high-quality photos of your salon and work. You can message potential customers directly from Yelp. If you use a booking platform that integrates with Yelp, clients can book directly on Yelp.

Cons: Yelp has a reputation for filtering reviews and only showing some of them publicly (their algorithm decides which reviews are "useful"). If someone leaves a negative review, it can hurt you and you can't control the narrative. Paid advertising can be expensive with limited ROI for some small businesses. Yelp's interface feels dated compared to newer platforms.

Best for: Salons in competitive markets (like Fort Worth) where consumer trust and visible reviews matter. Free listing is worth setting up. Paid ads are optional and depend on your budget and market.

3. Booksy (Free, Growing)

Booksy is a scheduling and directory platform designed specifically for beauty and wellness businesses. It's growing rapidly and offers features that older platforms don't have.

Cost: Free basic profile. Paid plans for advanced features (booking payments, advanced analytics, marketing tools) start around fifteen dollars per month for stylists, scalable for larger salons.

Reach: Medium, growing. Booksy has millions of downloads and active users, primarily younger demographics searching for beauty services.

Features: online booking system, service pricing, stylist profiles, portfolio, reviews, messaging, recurring bookings, reminder texts, no-show tracking, and appointment payment processing.

Pros: Booksy is designed for beauty businesses, so it understands salon needs deeply. The interface is modern and user-friendly. Clients can book directly without leaving Booksy. It integrates with your phone calendar. You can set stylist-specific pricing. The platform takes a small percentage of bookings (2.5 percent) but charges no monthly fee if you don't need paid features. This makes it scalable: you only pay when you get booked.

Cons: Booksy's reach is smaller than Google or Yelp, so you'll get fewer discovery clients unless you build your own following there. The percentage fee (2.5 percent) means every booking costs something if you use the payment feature. You need to actively manage your Booksy profile or clients will see outdated information.

Best for: Salons that want a free platform with built-in booking and scheduling. Especially good if you're willing to invest some marketing effort to build your Booksy following. The low barrier to entry (free to start) makes it worth trying.

4. Vagaro (Free or Paid, Full Platform)

Vagaro is an all-in-one platform: scheduling software, client management, marketing tools, and a directory listing. It's trying to be a complete business management system for beauty businesses.

Cost: Free basic version with limited features. Paid plans start around forty-five dollars per month and go up to one hundred fifty dollars per month depending on features (booking payments, staff management, email marketing, advanced reporting).

Reach: Small. Vagaro has directory reach, but it's much smaller than Google, Yelp, or Booksy. Most of Vagaro's value is in its software, not its directory presence.

Features: Scheduling and booking, client management database, automated reminders, payment processing, staff management, email marketing, gift cards, invoicing, and reporting.

Pros: Vagaro combines scheduling software with a directory listing in one place. If you're starting from zero and need a scheduling system anyway, paying for Vagaro gives you both. Email marketing and client management tools are included. It's comprehensive.

Cons: Pricing adds up once you start using paid features. Directory reach is limited compared to other platforms, so relying on Vagaro for client discovery is risky. The interface feels more complex than competitors and has a steeper learning curve. Many users report that Vagaro's customer support is slow. You're locked into one platform, so switching later is complicated.

Best for: Salons that don't have any scheduling software and want an all-in-one solution. If you already use a booking system you're happy with, Vagaro doesn't add much value.

5. StyleSeat (Free or Paid, Creator-Focused)

StyleSeat markets itself as a portfolio and booking platform for independent stylists and small salons. It's Instagram-meets-booking, designed for visual presentation and client connection.

Cost: Free basic profile. Paid premium features (advanced booking, payment processing, analytics) start around twenty-five dollars per month.

Reach: Small to medium. StyleSeat has a loyal community of stylists and clients, but traffic is smaller than Google, Yelp, or Booksy.

Features: Portfolio gallery (image-heavy), online booking, pricing, reviews, client messaging, recurring bookings, and payment processing.

Pros: StyleSeat emphasizes visual portfolio presentation, which is great for stylists with strong before-and-after work. The platform is designed for stylists and understands what they need. Free tier is genuinely usable. Community is engaged and respectful. Easy to set up and manage.

Cons: Discovery traffic is limited because StyleSeat is relatively unknown outside the beauty industry and smaller than competitors. If clients don't specifically search for you on StyleSeat, they might not find you. The platform requires you to actively maintain your portfolio and reviews or it feels stale. Less appealing to older demographics.

Best for: Independent stylists or small salons that have strong portfolio work and want to showcase it beautifully. Good as a secondary listing alongside Google and Yelp, not as a primary platform.

6. The Local Gem (Free, DFW-Focused)

The Local Gem is a directory and client connection platform built specifically for beauty businesses in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. It's free to list and free to use.

Cost: Free forever. No monthly fees, no percentage cuts on bookings, no hidden charges. Completely free.

Reach: Local, focused. The Local Gem reaches clients actively searching for salons, spas, and beauty services in DFW. The traffic is smaller than Google or Yelp, but it's highly targeted to your geographic area.

Features: Business listing with photos, hours, services, pricing, stylist profiles, reviews, client messaging, booking links (connect your own system), and a dedicated search page for local clients.

Pros: It's completely free with no percentage cuts. You're listing on a platform designed for local DFW beauty businesses, so the audience is relevant. You keep 100 percent of the control over your profile. Client support is built for local businesses. No push to upgrade to paid plans. The Local Gem positions salons as local community businesses, not just another listing in a massive national database.

Cons: Reach is smaller than national platforms. If you're in a competitive market and rely heavily on discovery clients, you might need additional platforms to supplement traffic. The platform is newer and less established than Yelp or Google. Building your profile requires you to add photos and information (but that's true for every platform).

Best for: Every salon in the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Since it's free and has no downsides, there's no reason not to list. It's perfect as your main local directory alongside Google Business Profile.

Quick Comparison Table

Building Your Directory Strategy

Don't just pick one platform. The strongest presence uses multiple directories to reach different audiences and improve your overall discoverability.

A solid minimum for any salon: Google Business Profile (non-negotiable) and The Local Gem (free, local reach). From there, add based on your situation.

If you're in a competitive market where reviews matter heavily: add Yelp. Even just a free listing strengthens your visibility.

If you want your own online booking system without paying a monthly platform fee: add Booksy. The low barrier to entry (free or percentage-based) makes it worth testing.

If you want to showcase your work visually and build a portfolio: add StyleSeat as a secondary platform. It complements Google and Yelp rather than replaces them.

If you need a full business management system (scheduling, client management, email marketing, payments): Vagaro is an option, but only if you can afford the monthly fee and are comfortable with the investment.

How to Decide: Questions to Ask Yourself

Do you have a booking system already? If yes, you only need directories (Google, Yelp, The Local Gem). If no, you need a platform with booking (Booksy, Vagaro, or StyleSeat).

What's your budget? If zero, stick to free: Google, Booksy, The Local Gem, and basic Yelp and StyleSeat. If you can spend money, Yelp ads and Vagaro add features but aren't essential.

Are you in a highly competitive market? If yes (like Fort Worth), you benefit from multiple visible platforms. If no (smaller town), Google and The Local Gem might be enough.

Is your portfolio strong? If you have excellent before-and-after work, StyleSeat helps you showcase it. If you're less visual, focus on Google, Yelp, and Booksy instead.

Do you want to manage everything yourself or delegate? Some platforms are easier to manage than others. Google and The Local Gem are lightweight. Vagaro requires more ongoing management.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which directory brings the most clients?

Google Business Profile brings the most traffic for local searches. Most people search "salon near me" or "hair salon in [city]" on Google first. Yelp brings the second-most traffic in competitive markets. After that, it depends on your market, your profile quality, and how much you promote each platform.

Do I need to list on every platform?

No. Start with Google Business Profile and The Local Gem (both free, both essential for DFW). Add others based on your budget and needs. More listings mean more visibility, but each one requires maintaining an updated profile. It's better to have three excellent profiles than six neglected ones.

Which platform is best for booking?

Booksy and Vagaro both have built-in booking systems. Booksy is simpler and cheaper to start. Vagaro is more comprehensive but more expensive. Google Business Profile and The Local Gem don't have built-in booking but let you link to an external booking system.

What if I already have a salon website with booking?

You still benefit from listing on directories. Directories improve your visibility in search results and give potential clients a place to discover you and read reviews. You can link from the directory to your own website for booking if you prefer clients to book there.

How often should I update my directory listings?

Update immediately when anything changes: hours, services, prices, staff. Otherwise, refresh photos and add new reviews quarterly. Every platform shows activity, and an active profile ranks better than a stale one.

The Takeaways

• Google is non-negotiable: It's the largest driver of local search traffic. Free and essential.
• The Local Gem is a must for DFW salons: Free, local, no downsides to listing.
• Yelp matters in competitive markets: Reviews and visibility are important in busy areas like Fort Worth.
• Choose platforms based on your booking needs and budget: Don't pay for features you won't use.
• Quality over quantity: A few excellent profiles beat many neglected ones.

Start Getting Visible Today

The most successful salons don't rely on one directory. They list on multiple platforms so clients can find them however they search. Start with setting up your Google Business Profile if you haven't already. Then claim your free listing on The Local Gem for DFW beauty businesses. From there, add Yelp, Booksy, or other platforms based on your specific needs.

The goal is simple: be visible wherever your clients are looking. Whether you run a salon in Fort Worth, a studio in Mansfield, or offer specialized beauty services anywhere in the DFW area, getting listed on the right directories is how you fill your schedule. Browse local beauty businesses on The Local Gem to see how other professionals present their profiles.