Acrylic nails are your bread and butter. A full set takes 90+ minutes. Fill appointments run 60 minutes. The skill level required is high. Your clients are willing to pay $45-80+ for quality work. And when done right, they rebook religiously every 2-3 weeks.
But here’s the challenge: managing acrylic nail appointments is complex.
You’re not just booking a quick 15-minute service. You’re coordinating intricate, high-value appointments that require specific timing, skilled technicians, and careful client management.
Consider what acrylic nail services actually require:
- Extended appointment blocks (60-120+ minutes) that can’t be rushed
- Skilled technician matching based on experience with acrylics, nail art, and specific techniques
- Service differentiation between full sets, fills, repairs, shape changes, and custom nail art
- No-show protection for high-value appointments that are expensive to replace
- Portfolio showcasing to display nail art skills and attract premium clients
- Inventory coordination for different acrylic systems, colors, and specialized tools
According to the 2025 Global Scheduling Experience Report, 62% of salons say proper pre-booking client questions have improved session quality and increased tips. But most generic appointment software treats a 90-minute acrylic set the same as a 15-minute eyebrow wax.
The old appointment book simply can’t handle the operational complexity of a modern acrylic nail business.
The same report showed a 35% drop in no-shows with automated SMS and email reminders—critical for protecting revenue when acrylic appointments represent your highest-value services.
These are the three appointment software solutions I see the most successful acrylic nail salons using to manage their complex scheduling, protect their revenue, and showcase the artistry that commands premium pricing.
My Top 3 Acrylic Nail Appointment Software for 2025
- Fresha: Best overall platform with free core features and massive marketplace exposure specifically built for nail professionals
- Booksy Biz: Perfect for dedicated nail salons focused on maximizing acrylic appointment revenue and reducing costly no-shows
- Square Appointments: Ideal for salons wanting seamless payment processing and professional retail integration for nail products
Fresha
Best for acrylic nail specialists wanting professional features without monthly subscription fees
Pricing: Free core plan; Plus plan at $9.95 per month per team member
I’ve watched Fresha become the backbone of over 450,000 beauty professionals worldwide, and acrylic nail specialists are some of their biggest success stories. What makes this platform particularly powerful for acrylic work is how it’s specifically designed for the complexities of nail services.
Fresha is built to support everything from acrylics to spa pedicures, with nail salons and independent nail techs relying on Fresha to streamline bookings and keep their calendars full.
Handle Complex Acrylic Services Like a Pro
Acrylic nail services aren’t one-size-fits-all. Your service menu includes:
- Full acrylic sets with basic shape (90-120 minutes)
- Full sets with intricate nail art (120-180 minutes)
- Fill appointments (60-75 minutes)
- Shape changes and repairs (45-60 minutes)
- Removal and new sets (120+ minutes)
Fresha’s nail salon scheduling software makes it easy to manage gel, acrylic, and mani-pedi appointments with ease, with automated reminders to reduce no-shows and 24/7 online booking.
The platform’s service builder handles this complexity perfectly. You can set different durations for each service type, build combo packages (like “Acrylic Set + Nail Art”), and even add buffer time between lengthy appointments for proper sanitation and setup.
This precision scheduling ensures you’re never rushing through a detailed acrylic set or leaving clients waiting because the previous appointment ran long.
Showcase Your Acrylic Artistry
Acrylic nail work is visual art. Clients choose their nail tech based on portfolio quality, especially for custom nail art and intricate designs.
Fresha’s portfolio system is built for nail artists. You can upload unlimited photos, organize them by technique (French tips, ombre, 3D art, holiday designs), and tag specific skills or products used.
When potential clients browse your services, they see your actual work—not generic stock photos. This visual proof is crucial for acrylic services where clients need confidence in your technical skills before committing to 2+ hour appointments.
I know an acrylic specialist in Phoenix who gets 50% more bookings for premium nail art services simply because clients can see her detailed portfolio before booking. The visual evidence builds trust and justifies higher pricing.
Get Discovered by Acrylic Clients Actively Searching
Here’s where Fresha truly dominates: organic client discovery through their marketplace.
With your business listed on Fresha’s marketplace, new clients can find you when searching for nearby nail services like acrylic extensions or gel polish.
When someone searches “acrylic nails near me” or “nail art,” your salon appears in Fresha’s app results. This exposure is particularly valuable for acrylic services, where clients often research extensively and are willing to travel for quality work.
A nail artist I know in Miami gets 6-8 new acrylic clients weekly just from Fresha marketplace visibility. That’s $300-600 in additional revenue per week with zero advertising spend—and acrylic clients typically become regulars once they find someone they trust.
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Completely free for solo nail techs with full portfolio and booking features | Plus plan required for advanced team management and marketing automation |
| Massive marketplace exposure brings high-value acrylic clients organically | 20% commission on marketplace bookings (standard across platforms) |
| Specialized acrylic service combinations and precise timing controls | Can feel feature-rich for technicians who only want basic scheduling |
Fresha Alternative: Salonist
Salonist is an all-in-one nail salon scheduling software that handles everything from managing appointments to processing payments and marketing, with a custom branded mobile-optimized booking website. However, it lacks Fresha’s marketplace exposure and free tier that makes it so accessible for independent acrylic specialists.
Booksy Biz
Best for dedicated nail salons focused on protecting acrylic appointment revenue and building recurring clientele
Pricing: Starting around $30/month with all features included
Booksy has carved out a special position serving nail salon owners who understand that acrylic appointments represent their highest-value services that need maximum protection.
Booksy stands out as the best nail salon software due to its comprehensive all-in-one features that cater specifically to the needs of nail artists and salon owners, with 24/7 client booking and comprehensive client management features.
No-Show Protection That Actually Saves Revenue
Missed acrylic appointments are devastating. A no-show for a 2-hour acrylic set during peak Saturday hours can cost $80+ in lost revenue that’s nearly impossible to replace.
Booksy’s no-show protection creates real accountability. The system can require deposits for acrylic appointments, automatically charge cancellation fees for late cancellations, and even temporarily restrict booking privileges for clients with multiple no-shows.
All inclusive pricing means every feature is included with every plan, with no monthly add-ons or higher plan tiers for access to features that should come standard.
For acrylic specialists charging $50-100+ per appointment, this protection can save hundreds in lost revenue monthly while ensuring your weekend prime-time slots stay profitable.
Built for Long-Term Client Relationships
Acrylic clients are your recurring revenue foundation. Once they find a nail tech they trust, they typically book every 2-3 weeks for fills and maintenance.
Booksy’s client management system is designed for these long-term relationships:
- Automated rebooking reminders sent 2.5 weeks after acrylic services
- Service history tracking with photos and notes from previous appointments
- Preference management for nail shape, length, and color choices
- Package promotions encouraging clients to pre-book multiple fill appointments
This automation ensures your acrylic clients never go too long between appointments, protecting both their nail health and your recurring revenue stream.
Specialized Features for Acrylic Nail Businesses
With Booksy, you can place an appointment widget on your nail salon’s website that integrates seamlessly, allowing clients to book appointments directly without leaving your webpage.
The platform includes features specifically valuable for acrylic work:
- Portfolio galleries organized by nail art styles and techniques
- Technician specialization matching clients with artists skilled in their preferred styles
- Service combinations for acrylic sets with nail art, chrome, or specialty finishes
- Inventory alerts for acrylic powders, liquids, and specialized tools
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Industry-leading no-show protection saves significant revenue on high-value acrylic appointments | Higher monthly cost than basic scheduling alternatives |
| All features included with transparent pricing and no hidden add-on fees | Can feel overwhelming for very simple nail service operations |
| Massive client base (15+ million users) for discovery and direct bookings | Learning curve to master all specialized nail business features |
Booksy Biz Alternative: Appointy
Appointy offers nail salon booking software that manages nail technicians and appointments while reducing missed manicures and streamlining payments and marketing. However, it lacks the specialized acrylic features and massive client marketplace that make Booksy compelling for high-volume nail salons.
Square Appointments
Best for nail salons wanting professional payment processing and seamless retail integration
Pricing: Free for solo providers; Plus at $29/month per location; Premium at $69/month per location
Square Appointments excels when you need more than just appointment booking—you need a complete business ecosystem that handles complex acrylic services, retail sales, and professional payment processing.
Square Appointments has made significant strides in 2024-2025, particularly standing out for their hardware quality and integration capabilities, with the best-looking and most modern equipment in the industry.
Professional Hardware Perfect for Nail Salons
Square’s payment terminals are designed for the reality of nail salon operations. Clients can easily complete payments and add tips while their fresh acrylics dry, without worrying about damaging their new nails.
Take payments using just your phone with Tap to Pay—no hardware needed. Accept every major type of payment your clients prefer, whether that’s tap, chip, card on file, Apple Pay, Google Pay, Cash App Pay, or Cash App Afterpay.
The sleek hardware design elevates your salon’s professional image, which matters when you’re charging premium prices for intricate acrylic work.
Retail Integration That Boosts Acrylic Revenue
Successful acrylic nail salons don’t just provide services—they sell cuticle oils, nail strengtheners, at-home maintenance kits, and gift certificates. Square’s retail integration makes this seamless:
- Inventory management for nail care products, tools, and gift card sales
- Automatic stock alerts when popular acrylic aftercare items run low
- Package deals combining acrylic services with retail maintenance products
- Upselling tools that suggest relevant products during checkout
I know nail salon owners using Square who’ve increased their average acrylic transaction by 40% just by making retail sales professional and effortless.
Build Your Nail Business Ecosystem Gradually
Square’s ecosystem is specifically designed to take care of front-desk operations, such as online booking and client management, and back-of-house tasks, with tools to integrate booking, eCommerce, scheduling, staff management, and payments seamlessly from one app.
Square’s “Lego approach” lets you start simple and expand:
- Start with basic appointment booking (free for solo nail techs)
- Add professional POS for retail sales and tip processing
- Include Square Marketing for client retention campaigns
- Build a website with Square Online that showcases your acrylic portfolio
Everything syncs automatically. A client books an acrylic set online, purchases aftercare products during checkout, and their complete service history updates across all systems.
Advanced Scheduling for Complex Acrylic Services
Customers can view availability by nail technician and book appointments easily online, with the ability to request prepayment or credit card information when booking online to reduce no-shows.
The platform handles acrylic-specific scheduling needs:
- Technician specialization matching clients with artists experienced in their preferred acrylic techniques
- Service duration flexibility for different acrylic complexity levels
- Resource management ensuring nail stations and tools are properly allocated
- Waitlist management to fill cancellations for high-demand acrylic appointments
Pros & Cons
| Pros | Cons |
|---|---|
| Free plan perfect for starting acrylic nail techs with professional payment processing | Limited advanced marketing features compared to specialized beauty platforms |
| Best-in-class payment processing and hardware for professional salon image | Plus/Premium plans can become expensive for larger nail salon teams |
| Excellent retail integration crucial for selling acrylic aftercare and maintenance products | Newer marketplace with smaller user base compared to Fresha/Booksy |
Square Appointments Alternative: Setmore
Setmore offers free online nail salon booking software with custom booking pages, staff profiles, and integration with Square or Stripe for advance payments. However, it lacks the comprehensive POS integration and professional hardware that make Square compelling for retail-focused acrylic nail businesses.
Essential Tools for Acrylic Nail Business Success
Beyond appointment software, here are additional tools that successful acrylic nail salons use:
Professional Photography Setup: Ring light and phone mount for consistent, stunning before/after photos that showcase your acrylic artistry on social media and booking platforms.
QuickBooks Integration: Track the profitability of different acrylic services, monitor product costs vs. revenue, and manage the financial complexity of a high-revenue nail business.
Instagram Business: Build your acrylic portfolio and attract premium clients through visual content showcasing detailed nail art and transformation videos.
Canva Pro: Create professional service menus, aftercare instruction cards, and social media content that positions your acrylic work as premium artistry.
Google My Business: Optimize for local searches like “acrylic nails near me” and manage client reviews that build trust for expensive, time-intensive services.
Wrapping up
The right appointment software doesn’t just organize your schedule, it becomes the foundation for scaling a profitable, premium nail business built around recurring acrylic clients.
Each of these three platforms excels in different areas:
- Choose Fresha if you want professional features without monthly fees, plus access to millions of potential acrylic clients through their specialized nail marketplace
- Select Booksy Biz if you’re serious about protecting revenue from high-value acrylic appointments and building long-term client relationships that drive recurring revenue
- Pick Square Appointments if seamless payment processing and retail integration are crucial for selling acrylic aftercare products and creating a premium salon experience
The best appointment software is the one that matches your current business model while supporting your growth from solo nail tech to thriving acrylic nail destination.
Start with a free trial of whichever system aligns with your acrylic business goals. Your clients will appreciate the professionalism, and you’ll love having more time to focus on creating the stunning acrylic transformations that keep clients coming back every few weeks.
Because in the acrylic nail business, it’s all about precision, artistry, and building trust, and the right technology helps you deliver all three consistently.
