Plan your launch by timing your Growth upgrade to arrive before, not after, you hit 100 clients
You plan a salon launch around Waya's Free plan cap by estimating your weekly enrollment rate, calculating when that pace will hit 100 clients, and scheduling your move to the Growth plan (85 SAR/mo) a week or two ahead of that date — not after new sign-ups have already stopped counting.
The Free plan is 0 SAR forever for up to 100 customers and 100 messages a month; at 100 clients or 100 messages, it stops adding new ones, but everyone already enrolled keeps their card and history. Nobody gets locked out — the cap only pauses growth, which is exactly why timing the upgrade matters.
Estimating your fill-up speed
A single-branch salon launching with a front-desk QR poster and a mention at checkout typically enrolls somewhere between 4 and 10 new clients a week in the first couple of months, depending on foot traffic and how consistently staff mention the card. At 8 new clients a week, the 100-client cap fills in about 12-13 weeks; at 4 a week, closer to 25 weeks.
| New clients per week | Weeks to reach 100 |
|---|---|
| 4 | 25 |
| 8 | 12-13 |
| 12 | 8-9 |
What to watch on the dashboard as you approach 100
Check your enrolled-client count weekly once you pass 60-70, since enrollment pace often accelerates once staff build the habit of mentioning the card. A salon that hits 100 clients faster than planned risks a gap where walk-ins can't be added until the Growth upgrade completes — plan the upgrade at 80-85 enrolled, not at 99.
- Track weekly enrollment count once you pass 60% of the cap
- Budget a buffer — upgrade at 80-85 clients, not 99
- Growth adds unlimited clients, up to 10 cards, and points/balance/discount types
- The upgrade takes effect immediately — no waiting period once you switch plans
Messages fill up faster than clients for an active salon
The 100-message cap can bind before the 100-client cap does, especially once welcome, stamp, reward, and win-back triggers are all active simultaneously. A salon with 60 enrolled clients sending an average of 2 messages each per month (welcome plus one trigger) already uses 120 messages, exceeding Free's monthly allowance well before hitting the client ceiling.
If messages run out first, a top-up from the in-app Store (500 messages for 5 SAR) buys short-term room, but a salon consistently exceeding 100 messages a month is a clearer signal to move to Growth's 5,000-message allowance than to keep buying small top-ups. See the message budget math for a full trigger-by-trigger breakdown.
A five-step launch-and-upgrade plan
Sequencing the upgrade correctly avoids both wasted spend (upgrading too early, before you need the capacity) and lost enrollments (upgrading too late, after the cap has already started blocking new clients).
- Step 1: launch on Free
Start with the 0 SAR plan and your realistic weekly enrollment estimate.
- Step 2: track weekly enrollment
Log new clients per week for the first 3-4 weeks to refine your fill-up estimate.
- Step 3: project your 100-client date
Divide the remaining slots by your weekly rate to get a target week.
- Step 4: schedule the Growth upgrade early
Plan to switch at around 80-85 enrolled clients, not at the ceiling itself.
- Step 5: watch messages in parallel
If message volume looks likely to hit 100/month before clients hit 100, move up the upgrade timeline.
Why this matters more for a launch than for an established salon
An established salon that's been below 100 clients for years may simply stay on Free indefinitely with no downside. The planning problem above is specific to active growth — a new salon, a second location, or a marketing push that's about to accelerate enrollment past what Free can absorb. See the salon loyalty program guide for the full one-week launch sequence this cap-planning slots into.
Frequently asked questions
How do I plan my salon launch around a 100-client free plan cap?
Estimate your weekly enrollment rate, project when that pace hits 100 clients, and schedule your Growth-plan upgrade a week or two before that date — around 80-85 enrolled clients rather than waiting for the ceiling itself.
What happens to clients already enrolled once the Free plan hits 100?
Nothing — everyone already enrolled keeps their card, history, and messages. The cap only stops the Free plan from adding new customers beyond 100; it doesn't remove or lock out existing ones.
Can messages run out before clients hit 100?
Yes, often. An active salon running welcome, stamp, reward, and win-back triggers can exceed 100 messages a month with well under 100 enrolled clients, since each client can generate multiple messages.
How fast do salons typically fill the 100-client cap?
At a typical 4-10 new clients a week from front-desk enrollment, most single-branch salons fill the cap somewhere between 10 and 25 weeks, depending on foot traffic and how consistently staff mention the card.
What does upgrading to Growth actually unlock?
Unlimited clients, up to 10 cards per program, points/balance/discount card types beyond the Free plan's single stamp card, advanced analytics, and campaigns — for 85 SAR a month or 867 SAR a year.