01
What's different
Four things the desk feels on day one.
Not a longer feature list. The parts of a skin clinic's day that Morning Room was built around.
Money on the calendar
Know who's paid before you say hello
Paid, part paid, deposit held or prepaid, on every appointment card, worked out from the bill.
Your own terminalOn the way
Windcave, on your own rates
Charge the terminal you already have from the bill. Card processing stays your agreement, not ours.
No payment linksOn the way
Requests arrive in their app
Deposits and balances are asked for inside the client's app, so no pay link ever goes in a text or email.
DMs beside the calendarOn the way
Answer while you treat
Instagram messages sit in the booking panel, and rules answer the classics, tapped or typed, on a countdown the desk can stop.
02
Head to head
Pick what you use now.
See it row by row.
The rows that decide a skin clinic's week, with the ones where the other system is ahead kept in.
Compare with
Phorest publishes no New Zealand plans, so these rows use its Australian pricing and terms.
Mindbody has no New Zealand site, so these rows use its Australian one.
Morning Room
TimelyKitombaFreshaPhorestZenotiMindbodyCliniko
The day, on one screen
Money on every appointment
Morning RoomYes
Paid, part paid, deposit held, prepaid or unpaid, worked out from the bill and shown on the card.
TimelyIcons
Icons for open, paid and unpaid sales and a paid deposit; part paid has no icon of its own.
KitombaIn the panel
A paid deposit shows in the appointment's side panel; the calendar's icon key has no paid or unpaid icon.
FreshaA filter
The calendar can be filtered to unpaid, part-paid or paid bookings; no badge on the appointment is documented.
PhorestColours
Appointments turn green when paid, and gold with a $ icon when a deposit is taken.
ZenotiAmount due
A Due icon marks clients who owe money; deposits and part payments have no marker of their own.
MindbodyPaid or unpaid
A green or red dot for paid or unpaid, and Mindbody says it has no dedicated deposit feature.
ClinikoPaid or unpaid
An icon shows whether an invoice is paid in full; there's no deposit or part-paid icon.
Machines on the calendar
Morning RoomYes
Lasers and devices book like therapists, and maintenance blocks them out.
TimelyPartial
A service can require a room or machine, but blocking time out only works for staff.
KitombaPartial
Rooms and equipment book with a service, but staff can still double-book them.
FreshaYes
A service can require a resource that can't be double-booked, with its own schedule and blocked time.
PhorestPartial
Services can be tied to rooms or machines with capacity limits; blocking one out isn't documented.
ZenotiYes
Bookings check room and equipment availability, and a machine can be switched off while it's repaired.
MindbodyPartial
Rooms and resources on its Core and Growth plans; a resource can be switched off, not blocked for a date.
ClinikoNo
Cliniko's booking help and API have no room or equipment resource.
Instagram DMs beside the calendar
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: messages sit in the booking panel, and rules answer the classics, tapped or typed, on a countdown the desk can stop.
TimelyNo
Instagram gets a Book Now button; the inbox holds SMS replies.
KitombaNo
Instagram gets Book Now buttons; the inbox holds SMS replies to reminders.
FreshaComing
Client chat runs in the Fresha app, and Fresha lists Instagram messaging as coming.
PhorestNo
The inbox covers SMS and WhatsApp; Instagram is used for Book Now buttons.
ZenotiNo
The shared inbox covers SMS, WhatsApp and Facebook Messenger.
MindbodyNo
Its AI Concierge works over SMS and web chat; Instagram isn't listed.
ClinikoNo
Email and SMS only, and Cliniko says it has no plans to integrate with Instagram.
Money
Your own card terminal
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: charge your own Windcave terminal from the bill, on the merchant rates you already have.
TimelyTimelyPay
Integrated terminals are TimelyPay's, on Stripe, and in New Zealand they don't take EFTPOS cards.
KitombaKitomba Pay
Kitomba Pay supplies its own terminal; a 2019 guide lists other terminals for its desktop version.
FreshaFresha Payments
Integrated card payments run through Fresha Payments; other card machines are recorded by hand.
PhorestPhorestPay
PhorestPay terminals run on Stripe, and its terminal guides cover Australia, not New Zealand.
ZenotiWindcave
Supports Windcave on your own merchant account, as well as its own Zenoti Payments.
MindbodyMindbody Payments
Integrated payments run through Mindbody Payments on Stripe; other EFTPOS terminals aren't linked.
ClinikoNot linked
Payments on your own terminal are recorded by hand; online payments use your own Stripe account.
Asking for a deposit or balance
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: requested inside the client's app; no pay link goes in a text or email.
TimelyEmail link
An emailed invoice with a pay-online link, for a deposit or the full amount.
KitombaText or email link
A Kitomba Pay link by text or email, for a deposit or a whole invoice.
FreshaText or email link
Deposits requested by email or text, and a payment link texted for a balance.
PhorestDeposits only
Payment links by text or email take a deposit or save a card, not a balance.
ZenotiLink or app
Payment links by text, email or WhatsApp, or payment in its branded app.
MindbodyInvoice email
Invoices can be emailed with a pay-online link, and Mindbody has no dedicated deposit feature.
ClinikoText or email link
Invoice payment links by email or text, or a QR code at the desk.
Store credit a household can share
Morning RoomYes
Credit with expiry dates, shareable across a household.
TimelyPartial
Credit can carry an expiry date; sharing it across a household isn't documented.
KitombaPartial
Account credit is documented for its desktop version; expiry and sharing aren't.
FreshaNo
The client wallet holds gift cards and upfront payments; store credit isn't documented.
PhorestPartial
Account credit is supported; expiry isn't documented, and linked clients don't share a balance.
ZenotiPartial
Prepaid cards work as credit and can expire, but only the holder can use one.
MindbodyPartial
Account credit is supported; expiry isn't documented, and it can't easily move between clients.
ClinikoPartial
Account credit pays later invoices; expiry isn't documented, and moving it between patients is manual.
Xero
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: every night, the day's takings go to your own Xero as one journal, and a day that changes later is put right there. In the platform fee.
TimelyIncluded
Xero and QuickBooks connections on every plan.
KitombaYes
Daily payment totals go to Xero at cash-up, ticked on every plan in its pricing table.
FreshaAdd-on
A daily Xero sync at NZ$19.95 + GST a location a month.
PhorestAdd-on
A nightly Xero sync, optional on salon plans and included on aesthetics plans.
ZenotiYes
Sales sync to Xero through its accounting integration.
MindbodyPartner app
Through Bookkeep, a partner app in its integrations directory.
ClinikoFree
A free built-in connection for invoices and payments.
Clients
Client app in your brand
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: a web app in your clinic's name that clients add to their home screen, with bookings, wallet, points and in-app payments. NZ$49 + GST a month.
TimelyWeb login
No app in your brand; clients can save a web login to their phone's home screen.
KitombaBooking site
A booking website in your brand with a client login, and no app.
FreshaNo
Clients book through Fresha's own app, website or links, with a Fresha account.
PhorestYes
An app in your brand, included on top plans and an extra on lower ones.
ZenotiYes
An app in your name on the App Store and Google Play; the price isn't published.
MindbodyPaid add-on
A branded app on its Core and Growth plans; the price isn't published.
ClinikoNo
No app for clients, branded or otherwise.
Consent forms
Optional, off until you ask for it, and in the signing kiosk's price.
Consent signed at the desk
Morning RoomYes
In the platform fee, on any number of tablets, filed under the client with the version they saw.
TimelyYes
Clients sign in the Timely Consult app on an iPad or iPhone; saving forms to records needs Elevate or above.
KitombaYes
Signed on any device in client mode, on its Grow and Pro plans.
FreshaYes
Clients sign on the clinic's device in client mode, on both plans.
PhorestYes
Clients sign on a tablet in the PhorestGo app, though not on its cheapest salon plan.
ZenotiYes
Clients sign consent forms on its iPad kiosk when booking or checking in.
MindbodyEmailed
Forms with e-signatures are emailed, and Mindbody says they aren't available in tablet mode.
ClinikoYes
Clients sign in a browser on a clinic iPad, or from a text, email or QR code.
Consent forms you build, tied to each treatment
Morning RoomYes
Statements to initial, health questions, information sheets and signatures, linked to treatments, re-signed after the months you set, every version kept.
TimelyInnovate for auto-send
Consult builds forms with yes/no questions and signatures; auto-sending for chosen services needs Innovate (from NZ$79 + GST a month), with no re-sign period.
KitombaBuilder, added by hand
On Grow and Pro plans admins build forms with questions, choices and client or staff signatures, but staff add them to each appointment by hand.
FreshaYes, all plans
Forms with tick boxes, yes or no, and a signature can be linked to services and sent at booking, every time or only once.
PhorestComplete Advantage up
Forms you build link to services, send automatically before visits, renew each visit or after a set period, and take staff signatures.
ZenotiYes
Drag-and-drop forms with signatures attach to services, go out with booking emails, expire after a set number of days and take reviewer signatures.
MindbodyAll plans
Forms with questions, initialled statements and a client signature, sent for chosen services, re-signed after a set period or every booking.
ClinikoBuild and auto-send
Forms with ticks, required questions and patient signatures go out with booking confirmations for chosen appointment types; no re-sign schedule or practitioner signature.
A supplier's form turned into a digital one
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: upload a supplier's blank form and Claude reads it into a draft you check and save.
TimelyNot yet
Timely's help says uploading your own forms is planned but not yet available; a PDF can only be attached to client documents.
KitombaUpload to card only
Forms are built field by field or copied from another form; an existing PDF can only be uploaded to a client card as a document.
FreshaBuild only
Forms are built section by section in Settings; neither the help centre nor the feature list offers uploading a PDF or Word form to convert.
PhorestBuild or template
A new form starts blank or from Phorest's template library; its help describes no way to upload a PDF or Word form.
ZenotiBuilder or HTML
Forms are made in the builder or uploaded as coded HTML; no PDF or Word conversion is documented, and Zenoti charges for form change requests.
MindbodyFile upload only
Forms are built question by question; a PDF or Word file can only be uploaded to a client's Documents screen as a file.
ClinikoPDF or photo
Upload a PDF or image, even handwritten, and Cliniko reads it into an editable template with questions, checkboxes and signatures; Word needs saving as PDF.
Answers that flag the practitioner
Morning RoomYes
Answers you mark, like Yes to pregnancy, are flagged on the booking with your note, and shown first when the form is opened before treatment.
TimelyRead the form
Staff open each submitted form from the client's Documents tab; the only alert is a free-text field someone types in by hand.
KitombaCard alerts only
Form answers are not flagged; a filled-in alert field on the client card, such as allergies, shows an alert icon on their appointments.
FreshaManual alerts only
Answers are not flagged; staff alerts on a client profile are typed in by hand, and staff open each completed form to read it.
PhorestStaff read it
Submitted forms wait under Submitted For Review for staff to read; no answer is flagged, and note pop-ups are typed by hand.
ZenotiMedical record only
Chosen allergies, medications and conditions captured by medical record form fields show automatically under Critical Alerts atop the patient's medical record.
MindbodyNo
Answers are not flagged; staff open each submitted form, and Mindbody says it cannot notify staff even when a form is completed.
ClinikoNo flags
Staff read the completed form; answers can update profile fields, but medical alerts are typed in by hand and no answer raises a flag.
Aftercare and retail
Optional, off until you ask for it, and in the platform fee. The Shop comes with the client app.
Products on the treatment's bill, off the shelf
Morning RoomYes
Picked or scanned onto the visit's bill and paid in the same terminal tap; a sale takes it off the shelf, an undo puts it back.
TimelyYes
Products go on the appointment's sale, stock comes off when it's completed and goes back on a void or refund, and barcodes scan at checkout.
KitombaYes
Products join the appointment's invoice by barcode scan or search and come off stock, on every plan; deleting an invoice won't necessarily restock them.
FreshaYes
Products join the appointment's checkout, a barcode scanner adds them, sales take tracked stock off, and voiding a sale puts it back.
PhorestYes
Products go on the appointment's checkout by barcode scan or search, sales take stock off, and refunds put it back.
ZenotiYes
Products go on the appointment's invoice by barcode scan or search, sales take stock off, and returns restock only if that setting is on.
MindbodyYes
Products join the appointment's sale at checkout and can be scanned by barcode; a sale takes stock off, and a return can add it back.
ClinikoYes
Products go on the appointment's invoice, scanned by barcode, and come off stock; reversing the invoice puts them back, archiving it doesn't.
Deliveries and stocktakes
Morning RoomYes
Deliveries at cost, counts that record why the shelf differs, including use in treatment, each size's history, and a low-or-out list ready to reorder from.
TimelyNo count tool
Adjustments with a reason, a product history and low-stock alerts, but no stocktake feature: counts are checked against a printed report.
KitombaYes
Check-ins, phone stocktakes, internal-use checkouts and a per-item trace report; min and max levels drive orders, but no low-stock alert is documented.
FreshaYes
Stock received at unit cost, full or partial stocktakes, removals with a reason, a stock history per product and low-stock alerts, on both plans.
PhorestYes
Stocktakes with a reconciliation report, professional use deducted per appointment, a history per product and low-stock email alerts; damage reasons aren't documented.
ZenotiYes
Deliveries received at cost, stock audits, adjustments with your own reasons, treatment use deducted, per-product history and low-stock alerts to chosen staff.
MindbodyYes
Deliveries, full stock counts and adjustments with a note are logged in a change history; low stock shows in a report filter, not an alert.
ClinikoPartial
Deliveries go in as expenses and adjustments carry a reason, logged on the product, but there's no stocktake tool or low-stock alert.
An aftercare shop in your client app
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: a Shop in your own app. Collect at the next visit on that visit's bill, or pay in the app; stock is held once ordered.
TimelyNo
Products can't be sold on its booking site; the Shopify sync ended in April 2025, and Timely has no plans for its own web store.
KitombaOutside store
No shop of its own; the booking site's Buy Products button can link to an outside store like Support Your Salon.
FreshaFresha store
A free store in Fresha's marketplace and by link; clients pay online at order (2.49% + NZ$0.30), then collect or have it delivered.
PhorestWeb store
A web Online Store on every Australian plan, paid at order through PhorestPay for a 5% + GST fee; the branded app doesn't sell products.
ZenotiVia Shopify
Its app and booking site don't list retail themselves; they link to a Shopify store you pay for separately, paid at Shopify's checkout.
MindbodyWeb store only
Clients buy and pay on its web store; products can't be bought in the branded app or the Mindbody app, which can only link out.
ClinikoNo
No online shop and no client app; products are sold only when staff add them to an invoice.
Terms and trust
Published pricing
Morning RoomYes
NZ$99 + GST a clinic and NZ$50 + GST a therapist, a month, on our pricing page.
TimelyYes
NZ$42 to NZ$79 + GST a month for the first staff member by plan, less for each extra, and a flat fee from eight.
KitombaQuote only
Software is priced by quote; Kitomba Pay's card fees are published.
FreshaYes
NZ$44.95 + GST a month for one person, or NZ$29.95 + GST a team member.
PhorestQuote only
Every plan is priced by quote.
ZenotiQuote only
Plans are priced by quote.
MindbodyIn A$
From A$89 a location a month on its Australian site.
ClinikoYes
By number of practitioners, from NZ$49 a month for one.
Card fees at your own rates
Morning RoomYour rates
Your own Windcave agreement, or your bank's terminal with payments recorded by hand. None of it reaches us. Windcave doesn't publish its rates, so ask it for a quote.
Timely2.49% + 5¢
TimelyPay is 2.49% + 5¢ in person and 2.90% + 30¢ online, in NZD. Online payments can also run through your own Windcave or Stripe account.
Kitomba1.7%
Kitomba Pay is 1.7% in person with EFTPOS free, and 2.7% + 30¢ online, GST included. Kitomba also works with other EFTPOS providers.
Fresha2.49% + 30¢
Fresha Payments is 2.49% + NZ$0.30 in person and online, plus GST. Deposits, no-show and cancellation fees need it.
PhorestNot published
PhorestPay runs on Stripe, and its rates aren't published.
ZenotiYour rates
Supports Windcave on your own account in New Zealand, for terminals and online payments, as well as its own Zenoti Payments.
MindbodyMindbody Payments
Integrated payments run through Mindbody Payments, at a rate set by your plan that isn't published.
ClinikoYour Stripe
Online payments use your own Stripe account (2.65% + NZ$0.30 for NZ cards); in-person payments are recorded by hand.
Client records kept in Australia
Morning RoomSydney
Hosted in Sydney, Australia (AWS ap-southeast-2); sign-in runs on Google's Firebase.
TimelyUS and Australia
Its privacy policy says data is hosted in the US and Australia, without saying which for NZ.
KitombaNot stated
Kitomba names AWS as its host but doesn't say where NZ clinics' data is kept.
FreshaUnited States
Fresha lists AWS in the United States as its cloud provider.
PhorestEU or US
Stored on AWS in the EU or the US, depending on where the business is.
ZenotiSome in Sydney
Some server groups are in Sydney, but Zenoti doesn't say which serve NZ clinics.
MindbodyUS and UK
Its privacy policy says data is stored where it has facilities: the US and the UK.
ClinikoAustralia
New Zealand accounts are hosted in Australia.
Month-to-month terms
Morning RoomYes
Cancel any month, and we export your clients, history and balances in open formats within 10 days.
TimelyYes
No contract and billed monthly; support exports your data on request.
KitombaNot published
Its terms mention a contract period, but the length isn't published.
FreshaYes
No minimum term on 30 days' notice, and 30 days to export after leaving.
Phorest12-month term
Australian terms run for a year, then monthly on a month's notice.
ZenotiYearly renewal
Renews a year at a time unless cancelled with 60 days' notice.
Mindbody90 days first
A 90-day first term by default, then monthly on 30 days' notice.
ClinikoYes
No minimum term, and your data can be exported any time.
Where others are ahead today
Kept in on purpose. If one of these decides it for you, better to know now.
Clients book online, instantly
Morning RoomRequest only
Clients ask for a time and the desk confirms it.
TimelyYes
Online bookings confirm instantly or wait for approval, your choice.
KitombaMostly requests
Online bookings arrive as requests the salon accepts; Fully Booked's texted gap offers, rolling out since September 2026, confirm instantly once paid.
FreshaYes
Clients book live times through Fresha, your links, Instagram or Google.
PhorestYes
Online bookings confirm once any deposit is paid.
ZenotiYes
Clients book online, in its app or through Google, with instant confirmation.
MindbodyYes
Clients book through your booking site, website widgets or the Mindbody app.
ClinikoYes
Online bookings go straight into the calendar.
Email and SMS campaigns
Morning RoomOn the way
On the way: email campaigns to clients who opted in, chosen by visit, treatment or purchase. Text campaigns come later.
TimelyYes
SMS campaigns on Elevate and Innovate; email campaigns through Mailchimp.
KitombaYes
SMS and email campaigns and automated messages on every plan.
FreshaYes
Email and text campaigns and automations, charged per message past the allowance.
PhorestYes
SMS and email campaigns and automations on every Australian plan.
ZenotiYes
Automated email and SMS campaigns; messages are billed by usage, with optional base packs.
MindbodyGrowth plan
Automated email and text campaigns on its Growth plan.
ClinikoGroup messages
Group texts and emails and automatic follow-ups, but no scheduled campaigns.
AI that answers clients
Morning RoomYour templates
On the way: AI match answers typed Instagram questions with templates you wrote, only when it's sure. It doesn't book, and no message is sent to an AI service.
TimelyNo
Its AI helps staff write texts; no AI replies to clients are documented.
KitombaNo
A paid partner, REACH.ai, sends AI marketing messages; no AI replies to clients are documented.
FreshaAdd-on
AI Concierge answers calls and client chats, at NZ$249.95 + GST a location a month.
PhorestAdd-on
Front Desk AI answers SMS and WhatsApp and books appointments.
ZenotiAI Plus
AI receptionist and chat agents, on its AI Plus package.
MindbodyNot in NZ
AI Concierge answers and books over SMS and web chat; its July 2026 launch didn't include New Zealand.
ClinikoNo
No built-in AI; AI receptionists come from other companies' connected apps.
More than one location
Morning RoomNot yet
One site per clinic today.
TimelyYes
Every plan supports multiple locations.
KitombaEnterprise
Its Enterprise plan runs several sites with shared client records.
FreshaYes
Both plans support multiple locations.
PhorestYes
Multi-location support on every Australian plan.
ZenotiYes
Built for single sites through to franchises.
MindbodyYes
Multi-location management, priced per location.
ClinikoYes
Unlimited locations on every plan.
A marketplace that finds new clients
Morning RoomNo
We don't run a marketplace.
TimelyNo
Timely says it has no marketplace and charges no commission.
KitombaNo
No marketplace; clients reach your own booking site.
FreshaYes
A consumer marketplace, charging 20% of a new client's first booking.
PhorestNo
Phorest runs no consumer marketplace.
ZenotiNo
No consumer marketplace; Zenoti focuses on booking direct with you.
MindbodyYes
A listing in the Mindbody app, charging 20% of a new client's first purchase.
ClinikoNo
No marketplace of its own; it connects to other booking directories.
Products shipped to the client's door
Morning RoomCollect only
App orders are collected at the clinic. Delivery gets built when a clinic asks for it.
TimelyNo
With no online product sales there is nothing to ship, and Timely says it has no plans for its own eCommerce platform.
KitombaNo
Kitomba doesn't sell products online, so it has no shipping; delivery is left to any outside store the booking site links to.
FreshaFlat rates
Delivery options at flat prices the clinic sets; the clinic ships and marks orders shipped, and no courier link or tracking number is documented.
PhorestShip or collect
Online orders ship for a set delivery charge, free over a chosen spend, or are collected; the clinic books its own courier.
ZenotiVia Shopify
Shipping runs in your Shopify store; Zenoti records the sale and stock change but not shipping or tracking, and no in-clinic pickup.
MindbodyUS couriers
Orders ship only by UPS, FedEx or USPS, which it says some businesses outside the US can use; tracking numbers are typed in, or clients collect in store.
ClinikoNo
No online orders to ship; Cliniko's product features cover invoices and stock levels, with no shipping rates or couriers.
Purchase orders to suppliers
Morning RoomNo
Deliveries are recorded as they arrive; there are no suppliers or purchase orders to raise.
TimelyElevate and up
Suppliers and emailed stock orders on Elevate and Innovate, received against the order to update stock; not on Build.
KitombaYes
Keep suppliers, raise automatic orders from min and max levels or manual ones, send them as CSV or PDF, then check them in.
FreshaYes
Suppliers are kept in Fresha, stock orders are emailed or saved as a PDF, and stock is received against them in full or in part.
PhorestYes
Staff keep suppliers, raise orders at cost price, email or print them, and receive all or part to update stock.
ZenotiYes
Vendors and purchase orders, one vendor each, received in full or part deliveries that add stock, and auto-raised from reorder levels.
MindbodyYes
Suppliers and purchase orders, auto-filled from reorder levels and received into stock; Mindbody doesn't send them, you print a PDF.
ClinikoSuppliers only
Each product can name its supplier, and deliveries are entered as expenses, but there are no purchase orders to raise or receive.
Checked against what each company publishes, from its website and help centre to its terms and announcements, on 1 October 2026. We keep the page each row came from; ask and we'll send it.