# Salon Independence vs Beacon

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Salon Independence at none against Beacon's 3. Salon Independence also leads on iOS requirement (11.0 vs 15.6). Beacon's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and update cadence (every 9 days vs every 37 months). On price and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Beacon sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $4.99 per 7 days. Salon Independence asks for nothing beyond the download.

Salon Independence ships an update every 37 months, Beacon every 9 days. The most recent releases landed on October 3, 2026 and November 6, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Salon Independence | Beacon |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[4.9 (514 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-postpartum-support/id6754093355/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **514** |
| Positive reviews | — | 91.3% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | **No** | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 37 months | **Every 9 days** |
| Monetization | — | Freemium |
| Size | 67 MB | 45 MB |
| Requires iOS | **11.0** | 15.6 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone, iPod |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [SALON INDEPENDENCE, LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1329720440) | [Keagan Scott](https://appshunter.io/developer/1846614886) |

## What reviewers say

### Salon Independence

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/salon-independence/id1329720441)

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none


### Beacon

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beacon-postpartum-support/id6754093355)

Connect with other mothers locally and globally, especially during late-night hours. Track your baby's needs, monitor your mood, and access expert resources for postpartum support. Find a private community to share your experiences and receive encouragement.

**Highlights:** Live map of mothers awake now, Private small group matching (Circles), Baby feeding, sleep, and diaper tracking, Mood and wellness tracking, Postpartum journal, Community forum, Expert-backed resources

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Beacon Premium (Weekly) | $4.99 | per 7 days |
| Beacon Premium (Monthly) | $9.99 | per month |
| Beacon Premium (Annual) | $44.99 | per year |


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Salon Independence free?

Salon Independence is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is Beacon free?

Beacon is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Do Salon Independence or Beacon have ads?

Salon Independence shows ads; Beacon does not.

### Which is updated more often, Salon Independence or Beacon?

Salon Independence ships an update every 37 months, and Beacon every 9 days. Most recently, Salon Independence was updated on October 3, 2026 and Beacon on November 6, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*