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A GlossGenius alternative with no monthly fee
Paybrain is a salon and spa system with no monthly fee and AI built in: client briefs before every visit, AI promotion ideas, promo texts at 5¢ each and paper forms made digital, all included, where GlossGenius sells its AI receptionist as a $50-a-month add-on. You pay 3.0% + 10¢ per in-person card payment, with online booking, deposits, forms and memberships included. GlossGenius charges $28 to $168 a month plus 2.4% + 15¢, so Paybrain costs less below roughly $5,209 a month in card sales, and GlossGenius costs less above it. If you pass the fee on, Paybrain at a 3% card price costs you $0.17 on an $80 sale with no monthly fee, and your client pays $0.40 less than under GlossGenius's 3.5% Client pays, whose plan fee still applies.
GlossGenius prices as of October 2026, from glossgenius.com (see Sources). Break-even assumes an $80 average ticket.
AI that works from your own sales, included
Every AI tool comes with the account. No add-on fee, no higher plan to unlock it. Each one drafts or suggests, and you decide.
- AI client briefsBefore each visit, the Provider iPad app shows a brief written from the client's real visit history.
- AI promotion ideasOffers suggested from your last few weeks of sales, ready to send as a text in a couple of taps.
- Promo texts at 5¢ eachNo marketing plan to buy. Send a text blast to your customers and pay 5¢ a text from prepaid credits.
- Paper forms, made digitalPhotograph an intake or consent form and AI builds the digital version for you to review.
Fees side by side
| Paybrain | GlossGenius Standard | GlossGenius Gold | GlossGenius Platinum | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly feeGlossGenius: monthly / billed yearly | $0 | $28 / $24 | $56 / $48 | $168 / $148 |
| In personTap, dip or swipe | 3.0% + 10¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ |
| Card on file, online, keyed | 3.2% + 35¢ | 3.4% + 15¢ | 3.4% + 15¢ | 3.4% + 15¢ |
| Online invoices | 3.2% + 35¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Free trial | Not needed: no monthly fee | 14 days | 14 days | 14 days |
What a month costs
In-person card payments at an $80 average ticket, monthly fee included (GlossGenius billed monthly).
| Paybrain | GlossGenius Standard | GlossGenius Gold | |
|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 a month38 payments | $93.80 | $105.70 | $133.70 |
| $6,000 a month75 payments | $187.50 | $183.25 | $211.25 |
| $12,000 a month150 payments | $375.00 | $338.50 | $366.50 |
If you pass the card fee on
Both let clients cover processing. GlossGenius adds a technology fee to the client's total; Paybrain posts card prices and gives cash payers a cash discount.
| Paybrain card pricing | GlossGenius platform fee setting | |
|---|---|---|
| How it works | Card price posted on every price, up to 4% above your cash price; cash payers get a cash discount | A technology fee on the client's total: 2.5% (Split) or 3.5% (Client pays), shown before they pay |
| $80 sale, client covers 2.5%Net cost to you per sale | $0.56 | $0.82 (Split: you pay 1%) |
| $80 sale, client paysPaybrain at a 3% card price; GlossGenius Client pays | $82.40 | $82.80 (3.5% fee) |
| $80 sale, net cost to youPaybrain at 3%; GlossGenius Client pays | $0.17 | $0.00 (Client pays) |
| Like for like: client covers 3.5%Net cost to you per sale | $0.22 ahead | $0.00 (Client pays) |
| Monthly fee | $0 | $28–$168 |
| Cash payers | Pay your stored price | Not compared |
| Paybrain at 3% | Paybrain at 3.5% | GlossGenius Standard, Client pays | GlossGenius Gold, Client pays | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $3,000 a monthNet processing cost plus monthly fee | $6.46 | $7.98 ahead | $28.00 | $56.00 |
| $6,000 a monthNet processing cost plus monthly fee | $12.75 | $16.50 ahead | $28.00 | $56.00 |
| $12,000 a monthNet processing cost plus monthly fee | $25.50 | $33.00 ahead | $28.00 | $56.00 |
More on how it works and the rules: What is dual pricing?
Features a salon or spa compares
| Paybrain | GlossGenius | |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking site | Included, per location | All plans |
| Deposits | Included; late cancels and no-shows forfeit them | Not compared |
| Forms and waivers | Included, with AI import of paper forms | Gold and up |
| Packages and memberships | Memberships with perks, included | All plans |
| Loyalty | Included | Not compared |
| Text marketing | 5¢ a text, with AI-suggested promos | All plans |
| Inventory | Per-location stock counts, AI purchase orders | All plans |
| Automated waitlist | Not offered | Gold and up |
| Room and resource management | Not offered | Gold and up |
| AI receptionist for calls and texts | Not offered | Add-on, $50/mo |
| Client brief before each visit | AI-written, in the free Provider iPad app | Not compared |
| Hardware | Tap to Pay on a phone, or the $999 countertop kit (touchscreen, drawer, printer, scanner, Stripe reader) | Tap to Pay, Tap & Go Reader $49, Pro Reader $299 |
Which one fits
- Paybrain fits a new or part-time business, a slower season, or anyone who'd rather not carry a monthly bill, and salons that want a full front-desk register. See Paybrain for salons and med-spas.
- GlossGenius fits a busy salon whose card volume sits above the break-even, or one that needs its waitlist, resource booking, med-spa EMR or AI receptionist.
Questions people ask
Is there a GlossGenius alternative with no monthly fee?
Yes. Paybrain has no monthly fee on any plan; you pay 3.0% + 10¢ per in-person card payment, and online booking with deposits, intake and consent forms, memberships and loyalty are included. GlossGenius plans start at $28 a month ($24 a month billed yearly), as of October 2026.
Can I pass card fees on to clients with GlossGenius or Paybrain?
Yes, on both. GlossGenius lets you choose who pays: "Split" charges clients a 2.5% technology fee and you 1%, and "Client pays" charges clients 3.5% and you nothing, on top of your plan. Paybrain's card pricing posts a card price up to 4% above your cash price and gives cash payers a cash discount. At 3% on an $80 sale, your client pays $82.40 instead of $82.80 under GlossGenius Client pays, and Paybrain costs you $0.17 with no monthly fee. At the same 3.5% as Client pays, Paybrain leaves you $0.22 ahead; GlossGenius Client pays costs you $0.00 per sale plus the plan.
When is Paybrain cheaper than GlossGenius?
When your card volume is low. At an $80 average ticket, Paybrain costs less than GlossGenius Standard until about $5,209 a month in card sales ($4,465 against Standard billed yearly), and less than Gold until about $10,419. Above that, GlossGenius's lower 2.4% + 15¢ rate wins.
What does GlossGenius charge for card processing?
As of October 2026, GlossGenius lists 2.4% + 15¢ for tap, dip or swipe, 3.4% + 15¢ for card on file, online or keyed-in payments, and 2.9% + 30¢ for online invoices, on every plan.
Does Paybrain have forms and memberships like GlossGenius?
Yes. Paybrain includes intake and consent forms (photograph a paper form and AI turns it into a digital one), signatures on screen or by link, and memberships with recurring billing and built-in perks. GlossGenius puts forms and waivers on its Gold plan and up.
Where is GlossGenius stronger?
GlossGenius has a lower in-person rate, a free trial, beauty-specific tools like Google booking and reviews, an automated waitlist and room and resource management, a med-spa EMR line, an AI receptionist add-on, and chargeback protection on in-person payments. Paybrain has none of the waitlist, EMR or receptionist features.
Sources
GlossGenius facts checked October 2026. Prices change; check glossgenius.com before you decide.
- GlossGenius pricing (plans, processing rates, add-ons, trial): https://glossgenius.com/pricing
- GlossGenius point of sale (readers): https://glossgenius.com/point-of-sale
- GlossGenius Help: how to customize the platform fee: https://glossgenius.elevio.help/en/articles/18-how-to-customize-the-platform-fee
- GlossGenius Help: how payment processing fees are calculated: https://glossgenius.elevio.help/en/articles/619-how-payment-processing-fees-are-calculated
- Paybrain pricing: https://paybrain.io/pricing
Booking, forms and memberships. No monthly fee.
3.0% + 10¢ in person — that's the whole bill.