Best Beauty Appointment Software in Nairobi [2025 Guide]

Nairobi is not New York. If you try to use a booking app built for America, you are going to struggle. Why?

1. M-Pesa: If your app asks for a credit card deposit, you have lost 99% of Kenyan clients.
2. Reminders: Kenyans don't check email. We check SMS and WhatsApp.
3. Data: Your booking page needs to load fast on a Tecno with 3G, not just an iPhone on WiFi.

Here is the honest breakdown of the landscape in Nairobi right now.

1. Miali (The Local King)

Best For: Independent stylists, mobile barbers, suite renters. Why it wins:

• WhatsApp Reminders: It sends reminders where clients actually look.
• Data-Lite: It loads instantly.
• M-Pesa Ready: It understands how we pay.
• Free Plan: A generous free tier for starters.

2. Fresha

Best For: Huge spas with 20+ staff. The Catch: It's "free" but they take a huge commission (20%!) on new clients. If you bring your own client but they book through the Fresha marketplace link, Fresha takes a cut. That adds up to thousands of shillings a month.

3. Booksy

Best For: High-end barbershops. The Catch: It's expensive. $30/month is a lot when you are just starting. Great features, but built for the US market first.

The Verdict for 2025

If you are a solo entrepreneur or a small team in Nairobi, you need a tool that respects the way we do business. You need M-Pesa deposits. You need WhatsApp integration. You need low costs.

Miali is the only one checking all those boxes. Stop trying to force American software to work in Kenyon markets. Try the local solution.