Pricing model: Subscription, Open Source
Shortcuts comes in a variety of packages for businesses of different sizes:
Shortcuts Live is designed for smaller businesses and starts at $29 a month.
The Essentials package includes all the core features and pricing starts at $85 a month.
The Evolve package includes customer engagement functionality and pricing starts at $159 a month.
The Elevate package adds a mobile guest app, customized forms, and loyalty options and pricing starts at $209 a month.
24 reviewers had the following to say about Shortcuts's pricing:
Pros
Pretty easy to use and good functionality
Cons
The cost far outweighed the viability of product and for $200+ per month. Far better software for much much cheaper.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Can't work cheaper without it. I wish they would make the payroll commissions more flexible. It would save me time adjusting the staffs hours each pay day.
Pros
Simple to use. It does the marketing for you too now.
You can lock the staff out of doing dumb stuff and also see it from home when you want.
The computer layout is like the book, cards and cash register. No annoying buttons to bother you. Its a Touch screen - you hardly have to look at it to check someone out and book appointments you can just do it Easy while your chatting. I LOVE IT. It tells you everything in the reports that is going on
Cons
It cost a lot to get the software. We have had to buy it three times (for our three shops) - We wouldn't consider running without it though. That would be worse.
Rating breakdown
Too expensive
Pros
Don’t like it
And too expensive
Very complicated to remember steps
Long wait times for help
Cons
They want you to watch videos
It is too complicated
And for the price they should do what ever you ask
Extremely long wait time for help
Too expensive
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
I feel they try to keep up and the customer support is pretty good. Extras are a but expensive. Overall it’s good.
Pros
Online booking and text confirmations and 24 hour support.
Cons
No training on all it has to offer, kind of expensive and they go up in price. Shortcuts doesn’t really help unless you ask.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
I wouldn't recommend shortcuts to any salon and Ive made this clearly obvious to shortcuts. this software is not right for any non basic salon business. After spending numerous hours/days/years on extra extra extra training, encountering daily and constant system errors and issues. I managed to get help from someone who was efficient and she spent over and hour reprogramming our software after it had been set up incorrectly (by shortcuts). Then everything she spent her time doing was wasted because the system that is shortcuts managed to not save any of her updates. So suffice to say our next 3 training sessions revolved around reprogramming it again. Please please please do your research before signing up to a shortcuts contract. Perhaps do a trial with them first. Because I am signed to a 3 year contract and would honestly have been better off using a paper and pen system. Shortcuts is awkward, cluncky and constantly times out. When id had it over a year i was told extra training would require payment and i even paid for my receptionist to do a course which didnt even touch on the system and turned out to be nothing related to shortcuts at all. The help desk is impossible to get through to. Their systems constantly goes offline. Its very sticky and cluncky. Its not user friendly and it duplicates clients contacts and if you ask shortcuts to fix most issue they will charge you unless you nearly have a nervous breakdown. The marketing tool requires a degree in software programming to be able to use as its completely random and not user friendly. Before i bought S/C I couldn't have been clearer about my needs before I agreed to this system and ive lived to regret it. It was supposed to make booking easier for me and my clients but its been a complete nightmare. Other software companies were honest about what their systems couldn't do but shortcuts promised theirs could do everything on my list and more. And the truth is its not right for some. But it's not even capable of managing my stock which is extensions and Ive given up. I hate leaving reviews like this but after they fasley used a feedback they asked me to do after a training session I feel its my duty to be honest about this system and prevent others from being duped.
Pros
It looks nice
Cons
Its useless, not user friendly, over priced and very basic
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Very professional, reliable & friendly
Pros
Well organized & personalized for what I needed
Cons
As a sole proprietor, wish there was a price break. Also think for the overall price remote access should be included.
Think if computer qlitches occur, should not be charged to temporarily place on another computer
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
Shortcuts is the best people, dont waste any more of your time. It does everything and I mean everything better than all the others. It really comes down to price why i bothered to look at all the options. But when you think it might cost you a couple of dollars a day to probably make 100 times more per day, then its worth every cent,.
Hi Mark! Thank you for your review, we truly appreciate the kind words - The Shortcuts Team
Rating breakdown
There are lots of positives but overall the programme crashes frequently, there are always glitches particularly when accessing pricing or scanning a bar code. Support is minimal.
Hi Amber! We are very sorry to hear about your experience. We take the satisfaction of our customers very seriously and would love to chat to you further about how we can resolve any issues you may be having. One of our customer service reps will be in touch with you shortly.
Rating breakdown
It’s easy to pick up where someone leaves off, easy booking, fairly easy checking out.
Pros
I do all my training with this software. It’s easy for me to train with, user friendly, simplified steps. Step-by-step process which eliminates error.
Cons
At the check out if another service/product is added on after ‘confirmation’ is clicked, you have to put in 0.00 to the EFT to combine the whole price. Confusing to train on.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
Please listen to your clients I have just had my licence revoked on my remote access when i needed at the most but not only that they have taken my salon one as well how disgusting as it is paid for i am away visiting a very poorly friend overseas and will probably need to fly home to sort out this mess as my salon cant function properly
Pros
I have not really got a problem with this product. I rarely use in the old days they had an amazing team
Cons
I found it easy to use as a small salon I cant afford all the extra add ons but I have muddled through
Rating breakdown
Shortcuts customer support is always available and very helpful
Pros
Shortcuts is very user friendly. I love how it keeps up with my client's histories
Cons
Sometimes the program license times out which is frustrating and takes unnecessary time I don't have.
The pricing is a little high currently but I've used it for 12 years and don't want the hassle of switching
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 10/10
Pros
The amount of things it can do for the cost.
Cons
Could have more robust reporting and customization of reporting.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
We love this program/ clients can book on line. saves us time. check out and inventory very easy.
Pros
Easy to use. Support is great, anytime we have a question or problem someone helps. able to log in from home and girls can see schedule on phone.
Cons
Need to be able to color code clients. we have clients that have special prices and time we need. would be nice if they would be color coded so we can see that when they come up to pay.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 10/10
Shortcuts used to be innovative but that has gone to their heads. They are not competitive in the market place anymore and bundle services into their offering that is expensive but obsolete in today's market.
Pros
Well branded
Desktop reliability
Not much really
Cons
Archaic in terms of design and use.
Very Expensive
Being charged for training for what should be support
Long contracts (3 years) with an autorenewal clause that made me feel like I am being held as a hostage.
The arrogant attitude of the company
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Pros
It's easy to use. The customer service is great no matter what time of day you call. I've called over the weekend thinking that i would have to wait till next business day and i was able to speak to someone right away.
Cons
The only issue i have is that the cost is based on how many employees you have.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 8/10
I have been in the beauty industry for 30 years and I have worked with many software companys. I have for 1 year now had shortcuts live..And it is the worst program ever and I would never recommend it. But to make matters worst Shortcuts has been the most unprofessional to deal with when I have addressed my concerns with them . I now have requested my data and they tell me they cant provide to me.. And now they have said they can but it will come at a price.. Please be aware as they dont tell you this when you sign up. Do yourself A FAVOUR AND STAY AWAY.
Rating breakdown
I am appalled that a customer can spend thousands of dollars to get a programme to work for me rather than the programme doing what it promises and that Shortcuts are willing to fob me off. After being a loyal customer for 6 years running and have put in so much effort to have a great Spa software, this is the thanks I get from Shortcuts. Do your research, there is other software out there that works in a much easier way and doesn't cost as much. Be careful of software that wants to lock you into a 3 year contract. Upgrades are also another 3 year contract added onto your current contract. Bizarre!
Pros
The technical support are quote knowable and mostly friendly.
Cons
There is no social media integration. Average wait time on the phone for tech support is at least 20 minutes, in a busy salon that loses money. Their system is very old school based, not very intuitive. The Gift voucher system is so counter intuitive, really hard to find old gift voucher numbers.
They lock you into a 3 year contract and I believe that is the only way they keep customers. Their pricing for features that you can't use properly are extra costing. Overall I paid for the extra services so that I could use the software to it's best and after signing the contract there only some features available.
The confirmation text messages are very short and their online marketing system to create marketing emails (when it works as it rarely does) looks like its from the 80's. I had a MAC pc and had to install other software with a technician that cost me over $1400 to get sorted out to be able to use Shortcuts on a MAC, it gave us so much trouble I eventually bought a Windows computer from Shortcuts that cost me $2500 plus. I have spent so much time and countless hours working "for" shortcuts instead of it working for me.
I have asked to be released from my contract for Shortcuts and they would prefer to have a customer that will never return than lose 12 months of something that doesn't and has never worked for me.
When I have asked for education to that on my part I know I am using it to it's fullest ability, I have been quoted a few hundred dollars each time.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Originally when independent they were a good company to work with. Jonas has changed this and they are not they same company. Disappointing.
Pros
It's a fairly easy to use appointment system with some good features, albeit a rather dated configuration. Reports are good and system is capable of handling multi sites, although additional licences are needed.
Cons
Since Shortcuts was bought out by Jonas, the support, software and general feel of the company has declined. They are very contract focused, with long contracts. Hardware is expensive to buy and it still requires the software to be loaded onto the computer, instead of cloud based like many newer systems. They have lots of 'bolt ons' to regular fees, ramping up the monthly costs. additional licences are needed for additional terminals or remote access, again increasing costs.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 3/10
We been using shortcuts going on to six years and it's been a blessing to have such a powerful operating system to support our business growth. I have researched other point-of-sale systems including salon biz, salon Iris, mind body, millennium - hands down Shortcuts remains the best for the following reasons. 1) simple user interface The touch option and visual layout is easy on the eyes. This works with our barbers as our staff are spatially and visually oriented. The icons are self explanatory and predictable. 2) shared credit among staff As a team-based environment an important feature was for us to be able to give credit to multiple team members for one ticket. 3) benchmarking A great feature is that shortcuts allows us to benchmark ourselves against other businesses operating within the same threshold. This helps us gauge the health of our business. 4) built-in marketing Shortcuts also has a built in marketing tool in which we can compile customer information based on a variety of demographics and variables. This information can be exported into an email campaign and sent directly to the customer at no additional cost. Comparatively other softwares outsources this feature thus resulting in added cost/each campaign. 5) genuine and enthusiastic The truth is, just with all other technology- bugs and hiccups do happen from time to time. What is important is that we are confident that someone at helpdesk is always there to resolve the problem. We just ranked top 200 salons in North America by Salon Today under growth category. We couldn't have done it without a strong management system. Thanks Shortcuts! Keep up the great work. Lets continue to grow together!
Thank you so much for the kind words, and huge congrats on making it to the Salon Today Top 200 Salons. We love having Eikonic House of Barbers in the Shortcuts family.
Rating breakdown
I wish I didn't have to fill in any stars. In all my years of working with software companies Shortcuts is the worst in customer service. All they were interested in was to get my business at the risk of not being truthful about supporting my operations. It wasn't until I got my training did I learn that they could not configure the software to meet my needs, after the sales team and the scheduler promised they could take care of my request. The hours I wasted on the phone for problems running the software, adding information, ConnectMe (was the worst) failed online booking cost me considerable time and money. No matter how much I complained it was the same story, "I'm so sorry, we will do our best to help you resolve your problem" Updated to Windows 10, then it got worse. ConnectMe could not function without error messages popping up. Their tech group could not figure out how to fix it.
First of all, we want to thank you for taking the time to provide feedback. Your review, and the comments from all our customers, is incredibly important to us. We currently specialize in software for salons, spas, barbershops and cosmetology schools. Unfortunately, as a salt cave, we may not have been the best fit for your unique business model. We did raise this at the outset, however we apologize if you feel we could have communicated this more effectively. We want all our customers to be happy, and will be reviewing your case as we continue to improve our communication moving forward.
Rating breakdown
The staff are always pleasant and helpful however they have a policy of trying to tie you in to long contracts without being clear about it.
Pros
Shortcuts is an out of date and overly expensive salon software which doesn't have the capabilities that it advertises.
The reporting feature is useless and makes it impossible to know how your business is performing. They don't even have a good client retention report that is easily accessible, which we consider our most important KPI. There is no option to use the full features of the software remotely which is really hard if you run a business with multiple locations (I cant be in two places at once).
They tie you into long contracts and conveniently don't mention that when you upgrade to a new feature the contract starts again. I believe that this is because they know that if they offered rolling contracts they wouldn't have any customers. If you read the google reviews you will notice I'm not the only person with this complaint.
After years of being a customer of Shortcuts I feel that I've been treated appallingly. I don't want the hassle of moving I just want software that works for me, but after promise after promise of 'new features' which are always 'coming soon', I'm tied into paying for something that still doesn't suit my needs. So I'd really prefer to try something else. But they make it impossible for you to leave.
Due to it's failure to adapt quick enough and improve the software so that it is suitable for a modern salon owners, you'll be better of choosing a different software that does. Avoid at all costs.
Cons
Lack of remote capabilities, poor reporting, poor online booking system & app. Not great for use on an iPad. It's just outdated and doesn't evolve quick enough.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Shortcuts also has a unique system set up for credit card processing which limits the amount of companies that can work with it so expect to pay a premium from their processor.
Pros
When the cloud functionality is working where I can access the software from a remote location.
Cons
The software itself feels very antiquated. It is my no means a user friendly interface. My stylists and staff complain about using this product on a daily basis. Support from Shortcuts has been an issue as well. Being an east coast based salon, their non-emergency tech support doesn't open until 9 am Pacific which has presented problems if I need assistance or have an issue. Training on the product was less than stellar as well and was condensed because the trainer was going on vacation and wanted to have things wrapped up before he left.
Unfortunately I am forced to use this overpriced, hard to use software because my franchisor has made it mandatory and I have no choice. There are so many other options available that are easier to use and less expensive.
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Terrible, unhappy, disgusting service
Pros
The marketing and reports and the promise of better customer service when using their hardware too that has turned out to be a complete joke!
Cons
It has been a very costly experience as we started having issues with our system after about 12 months and they continually passed the buck giving minor solutions but never really fixing our issues. Eventually our computer completely crashed and then we were told it wasn’t their problem and we had to pay for our own technician costing us $500 only to be told that shortcuts had actually put very outdated software on our system originally.
Now our hardware is 12 months out of warranty and the screen is crashing. Seriously I’ve had computers for 10+ years before that have never had the amount of issues as this computer has had and they really don’t care about trying to fix anything or offering any solutions besides buying another one off them.
Would seriously never buy anything from them again!!
Rating breakdown
Likelihood to recommend: 0/10
Pros: Sales staff and pre sales technical staff are amazing. They went above and beyond to get us up and running under very challenging timelines and circumstances. We have more than one location and the ability to share client information is great. Cons: Lack of flexibility in reporting, billing and data capture. We lost all our client history during conversion. Our Experience: When we expanded from a small boutique Spa to a second bigger location at a resort it was obvious that we needed a better application for our Spa and Salon. Shortcuts went above and beyond to work with our bank (not in US) to get CC billing working and get us up and running in a very short time. Because of the time restraints we might have dropped the ball on our end in testing that Shortcuts could handle some of our special reporting and data capture request. I wanted information like new client reports (three different categories of clients and consolidated) with our setup if a new client requested a special employee we have to choose if they are tagged as New or request.. Services in the resort have a Gratuity added but some guest also add an extra Tip.. This causes reporting challenges. They offer some amazing reports that are built around their experience and what owners/managers need. But try to get something like.. All treatments done by an employee with a breakdown of treatment cost, was any discount applied, Gratuity, additional tips All on one report.. Think Not.. Don't want to sound over critical, its a very good product but might not have been the best choice for us.
Hi Roderick! Thank you for taking the time to chat with your Shortcuts Account Manager Gabe this week. We look forward to the solutions we discussed being put into place to give you access to the reporting that you need. We really appreciate the feedback and thank you for being part of the Shortcuts family.
Rating breakdown
