The Vagaro Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Vagaro in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Vagaro
The Insider’s Guide
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and studios
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among salon, spa and studio booking apps, read from Vagaro’s own pages.
Made by Vagaro, Inc. · checked Oct 24, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Vagaro’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Vagaro’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 24, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.6
GPA, above 12 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade
Vagaro is booking and business software for salons, spas, medspas, barbers, fitness studios and wellness practices. It covers the calendar and online booking, checkout with its own card readers, memberships and packages, forms and SOAP notes, inventory, payroll and email marketing, and lists each business on the Vagaro consumer marketplace. The price starts with one bookable calendar and rises with each calendar added.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Vagaro, taken from its own pages and our grades.
No rating for the business app is on record, since the App Store listing found is the client-facing app.
- 1
Best for booking for salons, spas and fitness studios
Vagaro covers booking, checkout, memberships, forms and SOAP notes, payroll and email marketing for salons, spas and studios, and lists you on its consumer marketplace.
- 2
Paid plans start at $23.99 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $30 per month for 1 calendar, after $23.99 a month for the first 6 months.
- 3
You can try it first
30-day free trial
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Online booking and calendar
Clients book through Vagaro's marketplace, a website widget, Google, Apple Maps, Instagram, Facebook or Alexa, with waitlists, classes and resource scheduling.
- 6
Checkout and card readers
Take Apple Pay, Google Pay and cards on Vagaro's own readers and terminals, offer Affirm pay-later plans, and sell memberships, packages and gift certificates.
- 7
Forms and SOAP notes
Intake forms and SOAP notes sit on each client profile, which also tracks history, retention and loyalty points.
- 8
A 2.6 GPA, above 12 of 15
That is against the other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
To replace Vagaro you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
Vagaro at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $30 per month for 1 calendar, after $23.99 a month for the first 6 months
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 30-day free trial
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Vagaro, Inc.
- Category
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking
- Our grade
- 2.6 GPA, good
The report card
Best for booking for salons, spas and fitness studios
Vagaro covers booking, checkout, memberships, forms and SOAP notes, payroll and email marketing for salons, spas and studios, and lists you on its consumer marketplace. The entry price doesn't stay put, though: $23.99 a month lasts 6 months before it's $30, each added calendar is $10, and extras like text marketing and a branded app have no price on the page.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | One calendar is $30 a month after an introductory $23.99 for 6 months, level with this category's cheaper quarter ($29.99). Each added calendar is $10 up to seven, so five people pay $70, but extras like text marketing have no published price. |
| Free plan and trial | C | No free plan, but a 30-day free trial. The listing doesn't say whether it needs a card. |
| Features | B | Booking from its marketplace, Google, Apple Maps and Instagram, classes and resources, checkout with Affirm, memberships, forms and SOAP notes, payroll and multi-location tools. That's the whole booking job, for salons and studios alike. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating for the business app is on record, since the App Store listing found is the client-facing app. You set up services, staff and payments before taking bookings. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web, iPhone and Android, with QuickBooks, Xero, Affirm, Google, Apple Maps, Instagram, Facebook and Salesforce, and APIs and webhooks for multi-location accounts. No desktop app. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Vagaro is for
- Fits if you run a salon, spa or barbershop on one to seven bookable calendars
- Works for studios that run classes alongside appointments in one calendar
Who it is not for
- Watch out: $23.99 a month lasts 6 months, then one calendar is $30 and each added calendar $10, up to seven
- Pricey if you want text marketing, a branded app or a MySite website, as the page sells them à la carte with no price
- Watch out: the free card reader needs Vagaro Merchant Services, whose rates are advertised from 2.2%
- Skip it if you have several locations and want a price up front, as multi-location plans are quoted by sales
Good to know
Good for
- Salons, spas and barbers that want a low entry price
- Fitness and Pilates studios that run classes alongside appointments
- Multi-location brands that need payroll and data in one place
Worth knowing
- The $23.99 price lasts 6 months; after that one calendar costs $30 a month and each added calendar $10, up to seven.
- The pricing page calls its model à la carte but gives no prices for extras such as text marketing, a branded app or a MySite website.
- The free card reader requires signing up for Vagaro Merchant Services, which advertises processing rates from 2.2%.
- Multi-location pricing is quoted by sales, with each location priced by the features chosen for it.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$23.99
A month to start
Vagaro is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $30 per month for 1 calendar, after $23.99 a month for the first 6 months.
The listing doesn't say whether it needs a card.
One location
$30
per month for 1 calendar, plus $10 per added calendar
Advertised at $23.99 a month for the first 6 months. Calendars beyond seven cost nothing extra; 1,000 emails a month and a marketplace listing are included.
Multiple locations
Custom
Features chosen per location, with SSO, data lake exports, a dedicated success manager and data migration, through sales.
Trying it first
30-day free trial
Read from vagaro.com on Oct 24, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Other savings
$23.99 a month for the first 6 months
Vagaro's pricing page shows a one-calendar account at $23.99 a month for the first 6 months, against the regular $30.
Stated on vagaro.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and studios. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: AI features, forms, email campaigns, payroll, inventory, appointment booking, class booking.
That's the whole booking job, for salons and studios alike.
- Online booking and calendar
- Clients book through Vagaro's marketplace, a website widget, Google, Apple Maps, Instagram, Facebook or Alexa, with waitlists, classes and resource scheduling.
- Checkout and card readers
- Take Apple Pay, Google Pay and cards on Vagaro's own readers and terminals, offer Affirm pay-later plans, and sell memberships, packages and gift certificates.
- Forms and SOAP notes
- Intake forms and SOAP notes sit on each client profile, which also tracks history, retention and loyalty points.
- Vera AI assistant
- Vera helps write marketing and service descriptions, answers client messages, and its Fill My Books feature promotes open slots to Vagaro's customer network.
- Payroll and team access
- Vagaro Payroll pays staff and booth renters, tracks hours and time off, and access levels set what each employee can see at each location.
- Multi-location tools
- Sync services, clients, classes, products and pricing across locations, with SSO and SCIM, APIs and webhooks, and exports to Power BI, Salesforce and other tools.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- QuickBooks
- Xero
- Affirm
- Apple Maps
- Salesforce
Vagaro is made by Vagaro, Inc.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
12/15
Other salon, spa and studio booking apps it is graded above
Vagaro's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 12 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 1.
It stands best on value for money (B, above 12 of 15) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $23.99 a month, against a middle price of $49.45 for the category: 2 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 1 tool scores higher and costs less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 16 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Vagaro’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 12 of 15
- CFree plan and trialAbove 4 of 15
- BFeaturesAbove 3 of 15
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 15
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 0 of 15
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 14 salon, spa and studio booking apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Vagaro is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
To replace Vagaro you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox. That is not a weekend's work, with an AI app builder or without one.
It is one of the better ones too: its GPA of 2.6 is higher than 12 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade. It costs $287.88 a year.
What you could make
- Appointment booking, class booking, forms and inventory: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- Newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
- Payroll taxes worked out and filed with the government for you.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, QuickBooks, Xero and Affirm among them.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- Hooks into the device itself: widgets.
- What a company asks for before it lets staff use something: single sign-on and SCIM.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Vagaro’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
GlossGenius, Fresha, Booksy, Mindbody and Boulevard
The 5 tools Vagaro is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
GlossGenius
Free trial · from $24/mo
Booking, payments and marketing for salons, spas and medspas.
- Vagaro also covers inventory and class booking.
- GlossGenius also covers clinical notes, sMS marketing and review collection.
- 3.0GPA
Fresha
Free trial · from $19.95/mo
Salon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients.
- Vagaro also covers forms, payroll and class booking.
- Fresha also covers shift scheduling and review collection.
- 2.6GPA
Booksy
Free trial · from $29.99/mo
Booking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros.
- Vagaro also covers payroll, inventory and class booking.
- Booksy also covers sMS marketing.
- 2.2GPA
Mindbody
From $79/mo
Studio, gym, spa and salon software with a consumer booking app.
- Vagaro also covers forms, payroll and inventory.
- Mindbody also covers marketing automation and sMS marketing.
- 2.0GPA
Boulevard
From $143/mo
Booking, checkout and marketing for salons, spas and medspas.
- Vagaro also covers payroll, inventory and class booking.
- Boulevard also covers marketing automation and business texting.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
13
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Vagaro free?
No, Vagaro is a paid product, but you can try it first. 30-day free trial.
How much does Vagaro cost?
Vagaro lists 2 plans. One location: $30 per month for 1 calendar, plus $10 per added calendar.
What platforms does Vagaro work on?
Vagaro is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Vagaro offer any discounts?
Vagaro publicly lists the following: $23.99 a month for the first 6 months.
Does Vagaro have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 24, 2026. Vagaro is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Vagaro have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 24, 2026. Vagaro is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Vagaro open source?
Vagaro is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 24, 2026.
What does Vagaro integrate with?
Vagaro's listing names QuickBooks, Xero, Affirm, Google, Apple Maps, Instagram, Facebook and Salesforce.
Who makes Vagaro?
Vagaro is made by Vagaro, Inc.
What are the alternatives to Vagaro?
The closest alternatives to Vagaro in our directory are GlossGenius, Fresha, Booksy, Mindbody and Boulevard.
How does Vagaro compare with other salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Vagaro's GPA of 2.6 is higher than 12 of the 15 other salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, and level with 1.
Is Vagaro good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Vagaro B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $23.99 a month, against a middle price of $49.45 for the category: 2 of the 13 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Vagaro?
To replace Vagaro you would be making newsletters sent to thousands of people that still reach the inbox.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Vagaro’s own pages on Oct 24, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 24, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Vagaro's own pages on 24 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Vagaro, Inc. Prices change, so check vagaro.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Vagaro, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/vagaro
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Vagaro: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 24, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/vagaro
Know someone choosing between salon, spa and studio booking apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/vagaro/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded salon, spa and studio booking apps after Vagaro, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Salon, Spa & Studio Booking Insider's GuideEvery one of the 16 salon, spa and studio booking apps we grade, compared
- Square Appointments Insider's GuideBooking, point of sale and payments for appointment businesses3.2 GPA
- Fresha Insider's GuideSalon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients3.0 GPA
- Booksy Insider's GuideBooking app and marketplace for barbers, salons and beauty pros2.6 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Vagaro’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Vagaro is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Vagaro, Inc. Prices and plans change: check vagaro.com before you buy.