nashi Team
5 min read
Singapore's spa and salon industry runs on repeat clients — but getting paid should not slow the experience down. A treatment ends, a client reaches for their wallet, and the checkout moment matters. Clunky payment setups break the ambiance; missing card acceptance loses the sale entirely.
Over 92% of Singapore consumers now use cashless payment methods. Expat residents and international tourists arriving for spa visits and salon treatments almost exclusively pay by card. For beauty businesses in Singapore, the ability to accept cards is no longer optional — it is the baseline expectation.
Mobile payment solutions solve several problems at once. Therapists can collect payment in the treatment room without returning to reception. Mobile beauty specialists can accept cards at a client's home — no dedicated hardware required.
What are the best mobile payment solutions for Singapore spas and salons?
nashi leads on price for at-service card acceptance — no hardware, no monthly fee, and the lowest published rates in Singapore. Fresha, Timely, and Zenoti are booking and management platforms with integrated payments; each serves a different scale of beauty business. The table below gives a quick overview before the detailed breakdowns.
Platform | Starting Price | Best For | Key Differentiator | Free Trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|
nashi | From 1.99% + $0.30 (no monthly fee) | At-service mobile card acceptance | Lowest rates, Amex support, no hardware | Yes — up to $1,000 fee-free |
Fresha | From $19.95/month + processing fees | Booking-focused salons and spas | Marketplace discovery + all-in-one management | No |
Zenoti | Custom (~$225–$400/month/location) | Multi-location spas and chains | Enterprise spa management with mobile POS | No |
Timely | From NZD 39/month per staff | Independent salons needing booking + payments | Tap to Pay on iOS and Android for in-chair checkout | No |
1. nashi: Mobile card acceptance at the point of service
Full transparency: nashi is our own product. We've included it because we believe it genuinely belongs here — but you should factor that in when weighing our take.
nashi turns any NFC-enabled Android phone into a card terminal. No card reader, no Bluetooth device, no monthly fee. For therapists moving between treatment rooms and mobile beauty specialists working at client homes, that portability matters.
Spa and salon contexts often call for payment at the chair or bed — not at a reception counter. nashi handles exactly that. A therapist finishes a service, enters the amount on their phone, and the client taps to pay.
Rates start from 1.99% + $0.30 for Singapore-issued Visa and Mastercard — the lowest published starting rate in Singapore. Amex and international cards are accepted at 3.3% + $0.30. That gap matters for any mid-to-upmarket spa or salon serving expats and international visitors.
What makes it stand out
Tap to Phone on any NFC-enabled Android device — no extra hardware
Accepts Visa, Mastercard, and Amex
Fully digital KYC — typically approved in one business day
Automatic payouts to your bank account in two business days
Full and partial refunds through the app
No setup fee, no monthly fee, no lock-in contract
Free trial: up to $1,000 in fee-free transactions
Powered by Adyen's payment infrastructure; PCI-DSS compliant
How much you'll pay
Singapore Visa / Mastercard: from 1.99% + $0.30 (eligible segments); 2.4% for new-to-cards merchants; 2.7% standard list pricing
Amex and international cards: 3.3% + $0.30
No setup fee, no monthly fee
Contact nashi to discuss rates for your specific business category
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths:
No hardware required — works on any NFC-enabled Android you already carry
Lowest starting rate for in-person card acceptance in Singapore
Accepts Amex — rare among Singapore mobile payment tools
One-day digital onboarding with no paperwork or branch visits
Free trial covers the first $1,000 in transactions with no rate applied
Trade-offs:
Android only for now — iOS Tap to Pay on iPhone support is coming
No built-in appointment booking, client records, or staff management
Best rates require a direct conversation with the nashi team
Who it's built for
nashi suits independent therapists, solo aestheticians, and small salon or spa teams that want card acceptance without a management platform. Mobile beauty specialists — those who travel to client homes for massages, facials, or nail services — find it particularly practical.
Onboarding completes in one business day. The free trial covers up to $1,000 in transactions — most therapists' first week of card acceptance before any rate applies.
2. Fresha: Booking platform with integrated mobile payments
Fresha is a beauty and wellness business management platform used by salons, spas, barbershops, and nail studios worldwide. It bundles appointment booking, client management, staff scheduling, inventory, memberships, and card payment processing into one system. For a salon that wants booking and payments on the same platform, Fresha covers the full workflow.
Fresha's Marketplace is a consumer-facing discovery channel where new clients can find and book your salon. A client who books for the first time pays Fresha a 20% commission (minimum $6) on that booking. Every subsequent booking from that same client is commission-free.
In 2025, Fresha moved from its free-forever model to paid subscriptions. The Independent plan costs $19.95/month for one bookable staff member. The Team plan costs $14.95/month per bookable staff member, with Enterprise pricing for setups of 20 or more.
What makes it stand out
Appointment booking, staff scheduling, and inventory in one platform
Marketplace exposure — new clients can find and book your salon directly
Mobile POS for in-salon checkout on a smartphone or tablet
Automated appointment reminders to reduce no-shows
Membership and package management included at no extra cost
Client profiles track spend history, visit frequency, and preferences
Marketing tools: campaigns, promotions, and client notifications
How much you'll pay
Independent plan: $19.95/month (one bookable staff member)
Team plan: $14.95/month per bookable staff member
Enterprise: custom pricing for 20+ team members
In-person card processing: 2.29% + $0.20 per transaction, plus $0.10 per tap-to-pay authorisation
Online card processing: 2.79% + $0.20
Manual card entry: 3.30% + $0.20
Marketplace commission: 20% (minimum $6) on a new client's first booking only
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths:
Strong all-in-one feature set for booking-focused salons and spas
Marketplace drives new client discovery without additional ad spend
Membership and package management included at no extra cost
Automated reminders reduce no-show rates and the revenue lost with them
One platform manages booking, client records, and card payments together
Trade-offs:
Monthly subscription fee applies on top of card processing costs
Marketplace commission adds per-booking acquisition cost for new clients
In-person processing rate (2.29% + $0.20 + $0.10) is higher than nashi's starting rate
Not suited to mobile beauty operators who don't need a booking system
No free plan — the subscription cost begins from day one of sign-up
Who it's built for
Fresha suits fixed-location salons and spas with a team of bookable staff. Independent nail technicians, aestheticians, and solo stylists fit the Independent plan. Growing salons with multiple therapists use the Team plan.
The Marketplace adds most value when you actively use it to attract new clients — unused, you're paying for nothing.
3. Zenoti: Enterprise spa management with mobile payment capability
Zenoti is an enterprise-grade spa, salon, and wellness management platform. It powers more than 30,000 businesses across 50+ countries, including established spa chains, med spas, and multi-location salon groups. The platform covers appointment scheduling, POS, inventory, payroll, marketing, and integrated payments from a single dashboard.
Zenoti's payment layer goes beyond standard card acceptance. It supports buy-now-pay-later integrations with providers including Afterpay, Klarna, and Affirm — practical for higher-ticket spa treatments. Mobile POS lets therapists process payments at the chair or table — no reception visit required.
Pricing is custom and requires a sales conversation. Estimates typically start from $225 to $400 per month per location. Contracts run 12 to 24 months, with implementation and training costs charged separately.
What makes it stand out
Unified management across appointments, inventory, payroll, and marketing
Mobile POS for in-room card acceptance on tablets or smartphones
BNPL integrations: Afterpay, Klarna, Affirm, and Sunbit
Loyalty programs, gift cards, and tiered membership management
Multi-location operations and staff management from one system
Advanced reporting and business analytics for operations at scale
AI-powered features for personalised client communication and scheduling
How much you'll pay
Custom pricing — requires a demo and direct sales quote
Estimated starting range: ~$225–$400/month per location
Long-term contracts: typically 12 to 24 months
Implementation, training, and migration costs are charged separately
Payment processing fees: custom, confirmed during the onboarding process
No self-serve free trial — a guided demo is the entry point
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths:
Built specifically for multi-location spa and salon operations
Comprehensive feature set covers the full business — not just payments
BNPL options expand how clients can pay for high-ticket services
Strong reporting for owners managing large teams across multiple locations
Established platform with 30,000+ businesses across 50+ countries
Trade-offs:
Custom pricing requires a sales process — no instant sign-up or published rates
Long-term contracts reduce flexibility in early stages of growth
Not suited to solo therapists or small single-location salons
Cost is disproportionate for businesses that don't need enterprise complexity
Implementation timelines can extend to weeks before the system goes live
Who it's built for
Zenoti is built for established spa chains and multi-location salon groups. Singapore luxury hotel spas, medical aesthetic clinics, and wellness chains with multiple outlets are the natural fit. For smaller or single-location salons, simpler tools serve better — Zenoti's commitment doesn't fit until operations scale.
4. Timely: Salon booking with at-chair Tap to Pay
Timely is a booking and payments platform built specifically for hair, beauty, wellness, and spa businesses. Its TimelyPay feature turns an Android or iOS smartphone into a contactless card terminal. Clients can pay from their chair or treatment table — no trip to the reception desk required.
Plans are priced per bookable staff member. Build (NZD 39/month) covers online booking and basic client management. Elevate (NZD 59/month) and Innovate (NZD 70/month) add marketing tools, reporting, and advanced controls.
Timely's Tap to Pay capability works on both iOS and Android. That is a meaningful advantage for salons where therapists use iPhones. TimelyPay processes card payments within the same app as booking — no switching between tools.
What makes it stand out
Tap to Pay on both iOS and Android — not limited to Android devices
TimelyPay integrates card processing with the booking and scheduling workflow
Online booking, automated reminders, and client management included
Per-staff pricing keeps costs transparent as the team grows
Purpose-built for beauty and wellness — not adapted from a generic retail tool
How much you'll pay
Build: NZD 39/month per bookable staff (approximately SGD 32/month per staff)
Elevate: NZD 59/month per bookable staff (approximately SGD 48/month per staff)
Innovate: NZD 70/month per bookable staff (approximately SGD 57/month per staff)
TimelyPay processing fees: contact Timely for Singapore-specific card rates
Pricing is in NZD — SGD equivalents shift with the exchange rate
No free tier — a paid plan is required before accessing payment features
Strengths and trade-offs
Strengths:
Tap to Pay on both iOS and Android — a practical advantage for iPhone-heavy salon teams
Purpose-built for the beauty and wellness sector from the ground up
Booking and payment in one app — fewer tools to manage at the front desk
Per-staff pricing is easy to forecast as headcount changes
Trade-offs:
Monthly fee applies per bookable staff member — cost increases with team size
TimelyPay processing rates are not published for Singapore — requires direct enquiry
Pricing in NZD creates SGD uncertainty as exchange rates fluctuate
No free tier — a paid plan is required before any card processing is available
Who it's built for
Timely suits established independent salons and boutique spas with a small team of bookable staff. iPhone-using therapists benefit most — it's one of the few beauty platforms covering both iOS and Android natively.
It fits salons that want booking and in-chair payment in one app. The trade-off: a monthly fee per staff member and processing rates that require direct enquiry.
Frequently asked questions
What payment methods do spa and salon clients in Singapore expect?
Cashless payment methods now dominate Singapore consumer spending, and spa and salon clients reflect that shift. Expat and tourist clients almost exclusively arrive with cards — international Amex usage is common at higher-end wellness businesses. Building in card acceptance alongside PayNow covers the full range of clients a Singapore beauty business is likely to serve.
Can I accept card payments during mobile or at-home beauty services?
Yes. Tap to Phone apps run on NFC-enabled Android phones with no extra hardware. A mobile therapist or at-home nail technician can accept Visa, Mastercard, and Amex directly on their phone. No Bluetooth reader, no counter, and no post-visit invoice required.
Should a salon use a Tap to Phone app or a booking platform with built-in payments?
It depends on what else you need. For card acceptance at the point of service with no monthly cost, a Tap to Phone tool is the simplest and lowest-cost path. For booking, client records, and scheduling alongside payments, Fresha or Timely bundle all of that in one system.
How do spas and salons handle no-show and cancellation fees in Singapore?
This depends on the platform. Booking platforms like Fresha, Timely, and Zenoti can hold a card at booking and charge a no-show fee automatically. Pure card tools like nashi process payment on-demand — a separate arrangement with the client is needed for no-show fees.
Do Singapore spas and salons need to accept Amex?
Not every salon does — but for businesses serving expats, tourists, or corporate clients, Amex acceptance closes a real gap. Most Singapore mobile payment tools do not support Amex. nashi is one of the few Singapore mobile payment tools that accepts Amex — at 3.3% + $0.30 per transaction.
Are there payment platforms built specifically for beauty businesses?
Fresha and Timely are built specifically for hair, beauty, and wellness businesses — not adapted from retail or generic scheduling tools. Zenoti started as a spa management platform and remains focused on the wellness sector. nashi is a general mobile card acceptance tool, but its Amex support and hardware-free setup suit beauty businesses well.
Conclusion: Match the tool to how you take payment
For mobile therapists, independent aestheticians, and salon teams that want card acceptance without a monthly subscription, nashi is the most practical starting point. No hardware, no monthly fee, and the lowest in-person card rates in Singapore — including Amex. Start your free nashi trial and process your first $1,000 in transactions fee-free.
For salons and spas that want booking and payments in one place, the choice depends on scale and device. Fresha suits fixed-location salons and small teams who want Marketplace discovery alongside integrated booking and card payments. Timely suits iPhone-using salon teams who want booking and Tap to Pay on both platforms.
Zenoti is the right platform for established multi-location spa chains. The enterprise feature depth, mobile POS, and BNPL integrations justify the cost and contract for businesses operating at that scale. For everything smaller, the tools above deliver what you actually need — without the long-term lock-in.
