Free dog grooming software: what is actually free
Free plans, free trials, and free demos are not the same thing. Here is what each free tool gives a groomer, and what it quietly leaves out.
Mriganka Bhuyan
Founder, June · November 7, 2026
The short answer
None of the main dog grooming software companies has a free plan. For most solo groomers, the best free option is Square Appointments’ free plan. It costs $0 for one location, takes online bookings, and sends automatic text and email reminders. No Square plan has a profile for each pet, no-show fees need the paid Plus plan, and in the US its in-person and online card rates are a little higher than on the paid plans.
I built June, and June is not free, so read this knowing that. I still think a free tool is the right start for some groomers, and this page says which ones. Every price and limit below comes from each company’s own website.
Prices checked: November 7, 2026
Full disclosure
I built June, one of the products discussed here. The pricing and product information below was checked against each company’s current public documentation, and I’ll point out where another product is the better fit.
Free plan, free trial, or free demo?
Software lists mix these up, so here is what each one means. A free plan costs $0 for as long as you stay inside its limits. A free trial gives you the paid software for a few days, then charges you. A free demo is a call where someone shows you the software. Only the first one is free software.
Every free option I found
None of these are built for groomers except Doxford, and Doxford is free only up to 5 clients. The others are general booking tools that many groomers use anyway.
| Tool | What is free | Automatic text reminders | What you give up | First paid step |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Square Appointments, free plan | One location. Online booking, unlimited staff calendars. | Yes, text and email | No no-show fees, no confirmations, no Google Calendar sync, no pet profiles. Higher card rates in the US. | Plus: $49 a month (US), CA$35 (Canada) |
| Setmore, free plan | Up to 4 users, unlimited appointments | Email only, one per booking | No deposits, no repeat appointments, Setmore branding stays | Pro, priced per user |
| Goldie, Starter | 20 appointments a month, 1 user | No. You send them from your own phone. | Hand-sent reminders, 20 appointments a month | Pro: $19.99 a month |
| Google Calendar | One booking page with a personal Google account | No text reminders | No payments built in, no pet records | A paid Google plan for more booking features |
| SimplyBook.me, free plan | 50 bookings a month, 1 provider | Email only. Texts are sold as credits. | Payments start on a paid plan | Not confirmed in USD |
| Doxford | Free for up to 5 clients | Not stated | Free-plan features are not listed | Solo: $39.90 USD a month |
| A paper book | Costs only the book | No | No online booking, no payments, no backup if it gets lost | None |
Tuft and ShakeYourTail also have free plans and show up in US searches, but both are UK tools priced in pounds.
Grooming software with no free plan
If you searched for a free version of a grooming software you have heard of, this is the answer. None of these has a free plan. Most have a trial or a demo. I could not find a free plan on Cuddles’ pricing page either, although some of its pages still say free.
| Software | Try it first | Cheapest plan |
|---|---|---|
| June | 14 days | $69 USD a month for new shops, unlimited staff |
| MoeGo | Demo or trial | Salon plans from $79 a month |
| DaySmart Pet | 14 days, no card | Basic $29 a month with DaySmart payments, $39 without, 1 user |
| Gingr | Demo | Spa plan $109 a month |
| Groomsoft | 30-day free account, no card | $29.95 a month |
| Pawfinity | 7 days, no card | $60 a month, or $55 a month paid yearly |
| Groomer.io | No trial | $79 a month (limited-time price), $99 regular |
| Teddy | 14 days, no card | $49 a month, 1 groomer |
What free still costs you
Card fees
Square’s free plan makes its money when your clients pay. In the US, Square charges a little more per payment on the free plan than on its paid plans, except for typed-in cards:
| How the client pays | Free | Plus ($49 a month) | Premium ($149 a month) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tap, dip, or swipe | 2.6% + 15¢ | 2.5% + 15¢ | 2.4% + 15¢ |
| Online, including booking deposits | 3.3% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ | 2.9% + 30¢ |
| Typed in, or a saved card | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ | 3.5% + 15¢ |
On a $90 groom paid by tap, that is $2.49 on Free and $2.40 on Plus. The gap is small: a shop would need about $49,000 a month in tap payments before the lower rate alone pays for Plus. In Canada, Square charges the same card rates on every plan, so the free plan costs nothing extra in card fees there.
Your evenings
Most free plans send reminders by email only, or not at all. Goldie has you send them from your own phone. Hand-sent reminders take time every night, for every client.
No-shows
Every free option whose features I could read leaves out no-show fees, or keeps them for a paid plan. On Square, cancellation and no-show fees start on Plus. If no-shows cost you money today, a free tool will not fix that.
Moving later
Free tools are easy to start and a little harder to leave. Square lets you export your customer list, but it has no pet profiles, so pet details live in custom fields or notes. Plan for that when you move. My guide to switching grooming software covers the move step by step.
Which free setup fits your shop
- Solo groomer working from home: Square Appointments’ free plan, especially if you already take cards with Square. If you book fewer than 20 appointments a month and send your own texts anyway, Goldie’s free plan or a paper book also works.
- Salon with staff: no free tool covers this well. Square’s free plan has unlimited staff calendars, but booking several staff into one appointment, confirmations, and no-show fees are on Plus. This is the point where paid grooming software earns its price.
- Just testing before you pay: use a free trial, not a free plan. You learn more in 14 days of real software than in months of a free tool that lacks the parts you would pay for.
Where June fits, and who should not pick it
June is not free. New shops pay $69 USD a month, and your price stays the same for as long as you stay subscribed. In the US and Canada that includes 1,200 texts a month, then $0.009 USD per extra text, plus 5,000 emails, unlimited staff, clients, and bookings, and automatic appointment texts. There is a 14-day free trial, and I move your data for free.
Do not pick June yet if you are just starting out, your budget is $0, and a few reminders a week are easy to send by hand. Start on Square’s free plan. Come back when no-shows, staff, or late nights of reminder texts start to cost you more than $69 USD a month.
Keep comparing
Frequently asked questions
What is the best free dog grooming software?
For most solo groomers, Square Appointments' free plan. It costs $0 for one location, takes online bookings and sends automatic text and email reminders. No Square plan has a profile for each pet, no-show fees need the paid Plus plan, and in the US its in-person and online card rates are a little higher than on the paid plans.
Is there free pet grooming software made for groomers?
Very little. MoeGo, DaySmart Pet, Gingr, Groomsoft, Pawfinity, Groomer.io and Teddy have no free plan. Doxford is free for up to 5 clients. Most free options are general booking tools such as Square Appointments, Setmore and Google Calendar.
How much does Groomsoft cost?
$29.95 a month, checked November 7, 2026. It includes 100 texts a month and has a 30-day free account with no card.
Does Square Appointments' free plan send text reminders?
Yes. Square lists automatic text and email reminders on the free plan in the US and Canada. Confirmations, custom messages, and cancellation and no-show fees need the Plus plan.
Does June have a free plan?
No. June is $69 USD a month for new shops, and the price stays the same for as long as you stay subscribed. There is a 14-day free trial. A card is needed to start, and nothing is charged until the trial ends.
When should a groomer stop using free software?
When no-shows cost you money, when you add staff who share one calendar, or when you spend evenings sending reminders by hand. Those are the parts free tools leave out or keep for paid plans.
Official sources
Product pages change. These were the primary sources checked for this article, and the verification date appears above. They are listed for transparency without sending you away from June.
- Square US: Appointments pricing and online booking pages
- Square US Help: What are Square's fees?
- Square Canada Help: Square Appointments subscription options
- Setmore pricing page
- Goldie pricing page
- Google Calendar Help: appointment schedules
- SimplyBook.me pricing page
- Doxford pricing page
- MoeGo pricing page
- DaySmart Pet pricing page
- Gingr pricing page
- Groomsoft pricing page and homepage
- Pawfinity pricing page
- Groomer.io pricing page
- Teddy pricing page
- Cuddles pricing page
See if June fits your shop
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