Corporate massages have steadily grown in popularity in the American workplace.
More and more managers are bringing massage therapists into offices to help their employees relax.
But what if you’re a freelancer?
Let’s say you’re a copywriter in the middle of a long assignment or a web developer deep down a coding rabbit hole.
Perhaps your local massage therapist is booked full and can’t schedule an appointment until a few weeks down the road.
What can you do?
Soothe seeks to solve that problem.
The Soothe App delivers on-demand massages, similar to growing crowd sharing concepts like ridesharing and food delivery.
You may be skeptical about ordering a massage on demand. Fortunately, we’re here to help.
This Soothe app review will answer all of your questions so that you can decide whether it’s a viable option to relieve midday stress and tension.
We’ll also cover whether it’s a reasonable place for freelancing massage therapists to find appointments.
What are the Benefits of Massages?
Generally speaking, a massage is a broad term that involves rubbing, pressing, or manipulating your muscles, ligaments, tendons, or skin.
Some massages offer light pressure, while others like deep tissue massages dig deep into stubborn areas.
If you’ve never had a massage before, you could be missing out on tremendous health benefits.
Massages aren’t just something that feels good.
They offer numerous health benefits and are worth considering as part of your overall healthcare routine.
Various studies have explored the health benefits of massages, finding that they could potentially help treat:
- Anxiety
- Digestive issues
- Headaches
- Fibromyalgia
- Stress-related insomnia
- Myofascial pain
- Soft tissue strains
If you’re someone who deals with these issues during the workday, you may want to consider the Soothe massage app.
Let’s take a closer look at how this on-demand service works.
What is Soothe?
Soothe is an on-demand massage service that brings a high-quality massage experience to you directly.
The company, which launched in 2013, set out to help any person relax anywhere at any time.
It’s the creation of Merlin Kauffman, who founded the company while at Harvard Business School.
Kauffman frequently traveled for work and found it challenging to book massages.
That’s why the app connects clients to certified massage therapists, no matter where they are.
You can find Soothe in more than 70 major cities around the world, in countries including:
- United States
- United Kingdom
- Germany
- Australia
In the United States, you can find the app in major cities such as:
- Austin, TX
- Los Angeles, CA
- Miami, FL
- New York, NY
- Phoenix, AZ
- San Diego, CA
- San Francisco, CA
Soothe therapists offer different massage types, specializing in Swedish, sports, deep tissue, and prenatal massages.
- Swedish Massage — This gentle massage technique involves things like deep, circular movements, coupled with tapping, kneading, and vibrations.
Swedish massages are an excellent option if you’re looking for something relaxing or energizing. - Sports Massage — This type of massage is very similar to a Swedish massage, except it’s intended for people who live an active lifestyle.
Sports massages could help treat and prevent injuries.
If going to the gym is part of your daily routine, this massage technique could help. - Deep Massage — A deep massage is more intense than a Swedish massage.
The strokes are more forceful, targeting connective tissue and deep layers of muscle.
This is useful for those dealing with chronic soreness and pain from injuries and inflammation. - Prenatal Massage — This type of massage is geared explicitly to pregnant mothers.
It’s designed to help them deal with the pain and discomfort that so often comes with pregnancies.
You can book home massages or if you’re traveling, hotel room massages.
Additionally, you can opt to receive couples massages as well.
How Does the Soothe App Work?
To get started with Soothe, you’ll need to download the app on your mobile phone.
The app is available for Android devices in the Google Play Store and Apple devices in the App Store.
Soothe works by delivering massages to you directly, no matter where you are.
Clients can book massages on the mobile app between 8 a.m. and midnight, seven days a week.
This is particularly nice if you’ve had a long day of work and are seeking something like a relaxing 60-minute massage.
You don’t need to provide anything for your massage other than yourself.
When your therapist shows up, he or she will bring everything that you’d find at a standard massage parlor, including:
- A massage table
- Lotions
- Oils
- Fresh linens
- Music
If you’re a therapist working for Soothe, you’re responsible for supplying this equipment.
You’re also responsible for paying for gas and other travel expenses, although you can deduct these from your taxes.
Unfortunately, you’re not allowed to choose a specific masseuse your first time on the app.
Soothe says that it will match you with the highest quality therapists available at your requested time.
However, you do have the choice between a male and a female therapist.
After your first visit, you can request a re-book with a specific therapist.
How Much Does Soothe Cost?
Soothe isn’t the cheapest option in the world, but the cost may not seem as bad when considering you don’t have to travel or can enjoy the massage in your own space rather than at a massage parlor.
The app charges $99 for a 60-minute massage, $139 for a 90-minute massage, and $169 for a 120-minute massage.
This fee does not include gratuity.
The industry standard for massages is about 20%.
You can pay with credit cards or gift cards.
You don’t need to tip in cash, either.
Once in the app, you can rate and tip your masseuse, much like you can with Uber.
One of the other nice things about Soothe is that you can cancel your massage up to an hour before it’s set to begin.
If you cancel with less than an hour to go, the company will charge you a $50 fee.
If you cancel with less than 30 minutes to go, you’ll be charged a $99 fee.
These fees are reduced if you reschedule instead of canceling.
Soothe does not accept insurance in the United States.
However, it encourages clients to submit claims to their insurance companies if they think the visits are covered.
Canadians can send a receipt to their insurance companies to be reimbursed for the cost of the visit.
Who Works on Soothe?
Soothe seeks to deliver the highest-quality massages by working with only certified massage therapists.
The app has a network of more than 11,000 therapists who are all licensed.
The therapists work independently, which provides them with enough flexibility in their schedule to book massages.
The company also vets all of its therapists.
The vetting process ensures that they are not only professional but that they are experts in all four of the offered massage techniques.
Soothe makes it worthwhile for therapists by paying them 3-4 times the national average pay for masseuses.
After taxes, therapists working on the app make roughly $53 per hour.
Remember that as an independent contractor, you’ll need to pay your own taxes on these wages.
If you’re a masseuse looking for more flexibility in your career, the Soothe app could be a good option.
You can update your schedule in an instant.
The company will connect you with clients when you indicate that you’re available.
Soothe also seeks to keep its therapists safe.
The company offers 24/7 phone support.
They require therapists to check in and out of every appointment, helping to ensure their safety.
You’ll need to be a licensed or certified therapist to work for Soothe.
When submitting your application, you’ll need to provide a copy of your current state-issued license or certificate.
Is Soothe Right For You?
The Soothe app could be a useful option for self-employed workers who are looking to bring relief to their living room.
If you have a particularly stressful day, all you need to do is pull up the Soothe app and book a therapist in your area.
We like that you have so many options to choose from when it comes to booking a massage.
And you can trust that your therapist is licensed and trained.
However, you’ll pay a premium for this convenience and professionalism.
With 60-minute massages starting at $99, not including tip, they’re not cheap.
But if it fits into your budget, the Soothe app is worth a shot.
If you’re a therapist looking for more flexibility in your schedule or to earn some side income in addition to your regular clientele, then the app is worth applying for.
