Salons, barbershops, spas, med spas, nail studios — beauty and wellness businesses run on tight per-service margins. When a $150 color and cut generates $4.35 in processing fees, and you're doing 25 of those a week, you're giving away over $5,600 a year on one service.
Multiply that across everything your team does in a day and the number gets uncomfortable fast.
Dual pricing is the natural fit for salons and spas. Your service menu already has prices listed, on your website, on the mirror, on the booking app. You display both a cash price and a card price. Clients see both before they pay and pick the option that works for them.
That $2.25 difference is invisible to most clients. But across every appointment, every day, every week, it adds up to thousands of dollars a year that stays in your business.
The conversation at checkout is simple. Your receptionist doesn't have to explain anything, the prices are posted. Most clients tap their card and move on without a second thought. The ones who prefer to pay cash get a small benefit for doing so.
Menu prices change with the cost of products, rent increases, and experience. Adding a cash/card price difference is just another update, one that actually puts money back in your pocket.
The dual pricing applies to the service charge, not the tip. Your stylists still get tipped the same way they always have. This is the number one question salon owners ask, and the answer is simple: tips stay exactly the same.
Most of your business comes from regulars who visit every 4-6 weeks. After their first visit under dual pricing, the process is familiar. There's nothing new to explain the second time.
| Monthly Card Volume | Current Fees (at 2.9%) | Monthly Savings | Annual Savings |
|---|---|---|---|
| $15,000 | $435 | ~$413 | ~$4,960 |
| $30,000 | $870 | ~$827 | ~$9,920 |
| $50,000 | $1,450 | ~$1,378 | ~$16,530 |
That $10,000-$16,000 in annual savings? That's a new styling station. That's a product line launch. That's breathing room.
The QD4 fits perfectly at a salon checkout counter. Small footprint, touchscreen, built-in printer. Handles dual pricing automatically, clients see both prices on screen, tap or swipe, done. Most salons qualify for one at no upfront cost.
See If You Qualify for a Free Terminal →If your stylists handle their own checkout at the chair, TouchPay turns their phone into a terminal. Client taps their card to the stylist's phone, payment processed. No running to the front desk between clients. $9.95/month + $0.05 per transaction + $29.95 one-time setup, per phone.
TouchPay handles payments but doesn't support dual pricing, use it as a convenience add-on alongside your front desk terminal.
Learn More →Your booking and scheduling software stays exactly the same. The terminal handles the card payment separately. Your booking system manages appointments, client records, and product inventory. They don't need to talk to each other, your front desk just runs the card on the terminal instead of through the booking system's built-in processing (which is usually charging you more anyway).
For the physical menu at the counter, yes, but it's a one-time update. For your website, a simple note like "card prices shown, cash discount available in-store" covers it. Most salons use a chalkboard or printed menu that's easy to update.
Gift cards are redeemed at face value, no surcharge when redeeming. The dual pricing applies when the gift card is purchased by credit card. Packages and prepaid deals work the same way: dual pricing on the purchase transaction.
I have a six-chair salon doing about $35K a month in cards. George set us up with a QD4 and dual pricing in three days. My clients haven't said a word. I'm keeping an extra $900 a month.