Alternatives · Salons

    Best Vagaro alternatives

    Last reviewed: September 2026

    The best Vagaro alternatives drop the $10 per-calendar charge and include the features Vagaro sells as add-ons. Simple leads the list at $99 to $399 a month with no calendar fees, 2.19% in person and 2.79% online. GlossGenius, Fresha, Square Appointments, Boulevard, Mindbody and Phorest follow.

    Competitor pricing last reviewed September 2026. Published rates change; check the vendor's current pricing page: Vagaro pricing, GlossGenius pricing, Fresha pricing, Square Appointments pricing, Boulevard pricing, Mindbody pricing.

    What pushes salons away from Vagaro?

    Per-calendar pricing and add-on stacking. A 7-calendar salon pays $90 before any extras, then $10 for forms, $10 for the online store, $20 or more for text marketing. On payments, above $4,000 a month Vagaro adds 19¢ to every in-person charge plus a $10 monthly fee.

    How do Vagaro alternatives compare on price and rates?

    SoftwareRankPriceProcessingContract
    Simple#1$99 / $199 / $399 per month (5 / 10 / unlimited users), no calendar fees2.19% in person, 2.79% online, no per-transaction fee; no marketplace feeMonth-to-month
    GlossGenius#2$28 / $56 / $168 per month, unlimited team on Standard2.6% flat; invoices 2.9% + 30¢; no marketplace feeNo contract
    Fresha#3$19.95 (1 member) or $14.95 per team member2.29% + 20¢ in person, 2.79% + 20¢ online; 20% of a new marketplace client's first bookingNo minimum commitment
    Square Appointments#4Free $0, Plus $49, Premium $149 per location; unlimited staff2.6% / 2.5% / 2.4% + 15¢ in person by plan; online 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% to 3.3% + 30¢ on Plus; card on file 3.5% + 15¢No contract
    Boulevard#5$143 / $293 list ($234 promo) / $410 list ($328 promo) per locationNot published; reported 2.65% + 15¢ in person, 3.65% + 15¢ onlineNot published
    Mindbody#6Starter from $79/mo per location; higher tiers quote onlyNot published; estimates 2.75% to 3.5%; 20% of a new app client's first booking, capped at $30Not published
    Phorest#7Quote onlyNot publishedNot published

    For reference, Vagaro publishes $30/mo list ($23.99 promo for 6 months) plus $10 per extra calendar up to 7, and 2.29% + 19¢ plus $10/mo in person at $4K and up.

    The 7 best Vagaro alternatives, ranked

    #1

    Simple

    Our product
    Price
    $99 / $199 / $399 per month (5 / 10 / unlimited users), no calendar fees
    Processing
    2.19% in person, 2.79% online, no per-transaction fee; no marketplace fee
    Contract
    Month-to-month

    Replaces Vagaro's add-on stack with one plan: forms, online store, text and email marketing, loyalty, memberships and gift cards are included. See Simple vs Vagaro.

    Simple is best for salons with several stylists that are paying Vagaro for extra calendars and add-ons.

    Drawback: No branded client app or payroll.

    Source: published by Simple

    #2

    GlossGenius

    Price
    $28 / $56 / $168 per month, unlimited team on Standard
    Processing
    2.6% flat; invoices 2.9% + 30¢; no marketplace fee
    Contract
    No contract

    No calendar fees and one card rate. Forms and time tracking need Gold, and commissions need Platinum.

    GlossGenius is best for solo stylists who want the lowest software bill.

    Drawback: A loyalty program is not listed on the pricing page.

    Source: published by GlossGenius

    #3

    Fresha

    Price
    $19.95 (1 member) or $14.95 per team member
    Processing
    2.29% + 20¢ in person, 2.79% + 20¢ online; 20% of a new marketplace client's first booking
    Contract
    No minimum commitment

    Per-team-member pricing instead of per calendar, and a large consumer marketplace.

    Fresha is best for new salons that want marketplace clients.

    Drawback: 20¢ on every payment, a new-client commission and loyalty at $59.95 a month.

    Source: published by Fresha

    #4

    Square Appointments

    Price
    Free $0, Plus $49, Premium $149 per location; unlimited staff
    Processing
    2.6% / 2.5% / 2.4% + 15¢ in person by plan; online 3.3% + 30¢ on Free, 2.9% to 3.3% + 30¢ on Plus; card on file 3.5% + 15¢
    Contract
    No contract

    Unlimited staff on every plan, so no per-calendar charges. No-show fees and loyalty need Plus. Square's pages conflict on the Plus online rate, so we show the range.

    Square Appointments is best for salons already on Square hardware.

    Drawback: Card on file is 3.5% + 15¢, higher than Vagaro's in-person rate by a wide margin.

    Source: published by Square

    #5

    Boulevard

    Price
    $143 / $293 list ($234 promo) / $410 list ($328 promo) per location
    Processing
    Not published; reported 2.65% + 15¢ in person, 3.65% + 15¢ online
    Contract
    Not published

    Premium booking for luxury salons, with unlimited providers from Premier up.

    Boulevard is best for high-end multi-location salons.

    Drawback: Costs more than Vagaro for most independent salons, and card rates are not published.

    Source: plans published by Boulevard; rates reported by a competitor's blog

    #6

    Mindbody

    Price
    Starter from $79/mo per location; higher tiers quote only
    Processing
    Not published; estimates 2.75% to 3.5%; 20% of a new app client's first booking, capped at $30
    Contract
    Not published

    Unlimited users and no setup fee, built mostly for fitness and wellness studios.

    Mindbody is best for wellness businesses that get clients from the Mindbody app.

    Drawback: Marketing is on Ultimate only, which is quote only.

    Source: published by Mindbody; rates are third-party estimates

    #7

    Phorest

    Price
    Quote only
    Processing
    Not published
    Contract
    Not published

    Salon software sold by quote, with a focus on client retention tools.

    Phorest is best for salons that prefer a guided sales process and a quoted package.

    Drawback: No published pricing to compare against Vagaro.

    Source: Phorest website; no published pricing

    How much does Square Appointments cost?

    Square Appointments pricing is published: Free at $0, Plus at $49 and Premium at $149 per location per month, with unlimited staff. In-person rates step down by plan from 2.6% + 15¢ to 2.4% + 15¢. Card on file is 3.5% + 15¢ on all plans. Square Appointments alternatives make sense if you charge deposits or memberships to a card on file often, since that rate is the highest here.

    For more on Square, see Simple vs Square.

    Which alternative fits your salon?

    Count your calendars and add-ons first. If you pay for three or more, a plan that includes them wins. Then look at the per-payment cents: 19¢, 20¢ and 15¢ add up on an $85 ticket. The salon software guide runs a full 5-stylist example, and studios should read the fitness studio software guide.

    Frequently asked questions

    For salons with several stylists, Simple removes Vagaro's per-calendar fees and includes forms, the online store and marketing, at 2.19% in person and 2.79% online from $99/mo.

    Simple, GlossGenius Standard and Square Appointments do not charge per calendar. Fresha charges $14.95 per team member instead.

    Square publishes Free at $0, Plus at $49 and Premium at $149 per location per month, with unlimited staff. Card on file is 3.5% + 15¢ on all plans.

    Yes. Simple charges 2.19% in person and 2.79% online with no per-transaction fee, and GlossGenius charges a flat 2.6% with no cents fee.

    One plan for every stylist

    No calendar fees, no add-on stack, 2.19% in person and 2.79% online.

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