Comparison
SalonBook vs Vagaro (2026): Pricing, Fees & Features Compared
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Vagaro is an all-in-one salon, spa and fitness platform priced per bookable calendar: $30/mo for one calendar, $10/mo for each additional calendar, with features such as a website builder, text marketing, forms and a branded app sold as separate add-ons. SalonBook is a salon booking and business platform with flat plans: Free, Pro at $39/mo for up to 3 staff, and Enterprise at $89/mo for unlimited staff, with the website, forms, reminders and custom domain included in Pro.
Vagaro's base price, promotional rate, trial length, processing rates, MySite price and 24/7 support were verified on vagaro.com on September 6, 2026. Prices for accounts with 2 or more calendars and for most add-ons come from third-party pricing roundups and are marked as such below. SalonBook prices are our own published plans as of the same date.
The short version: Vagaro wins on solo price, trial length and support hours. SalonBook wins on flat, predictable pricing, zero commissions, annual billing, and a website with custom domain included rather than sold as a $30/mo add-on.
Feature comparison
| Feature | SalonBook | Vagaro |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes: $0/mo for 1 staff and 5 services, with online booking, calendar, client list, email confirmations and a public website with theme studio (better) | None; the single plan starts at $30/mo per bookable calendar |
| Solo paid plan | Pro $39/mo, or $348/yr (~$29/mo billed annually) | $30/mo, or $23.99/mo promotional rate for the first 6 months (better) |
| Annual billing | Yes: Pro $348/yr (~$29/mo), Enterprise $828/yr (~$69/mo) (better) | Not offered |
| Price for 3 staffTie | Pro $39/mo or ~$29/mo billed annually (covers up to 3 staff) | $30/mo base plus $10/mo per additional calendar; third-party pricing roundups list 3 calendars at about $50/mo (tier totals are not shown on Vagaro's own page) |
| Price for 6+ staffTie | Enterprise $89/mo or $828/yr (~$69/mo), unlimited staff | Per-calendar pricing continues at +$10/mo per calendar; third-party roundups list about $80/mo for 6 and $90/mo for 7 or more; multi-location via sales |
| Free trial | 14 days, no contract | 30 days (excludes email/text marketing and the branded app) (better) |
| ContractTie | None; cancel anytime, no setup fee | None; cancel anytime, no fee |
| Marketplace / new-client commissionTie | None. SalonBook has no marketplace, so there are no commission, per-booking or per-client fees | No commission on standard Vagaro marketplace bookings; the optional Fill My Books program charges 20% per new-customer booking and 5% per existing-customer booking |
| Payment processingTie | Use Stripe, Square or PayPal at their published rates; SalonBook adds no markup | Merchants under $4K/mo: 2.6% + 10 cents; over $4K/mo: 2.29% + 19 cents plus $10/mo; keyed 3.5% + 19 cents; online rate not published |
| Online bookingTie | Included on every plan, including Free | Included; third-party reviewers note clients must create a Vagaro account to book |
| Deposits and no-show feesTie | Pro: deposits plus cancellation and no-show fees | Not verified on official pages; third-party reviewers report deposits require the paid Online Cart add-on |
| WaitlistTie | Pro: waitlist with auto-book when a slot opens | Not verified in our September 2026 review |
| SMS reminders and text marketingTie | Pro: SMS + email reminders at 24h and 1h, plus follow-ups | Reminder details not verified; Text Marketing is a $20/mo add-on according to third-party pricing roundups and is excluded from the trial |
| Intake and consent formsTie | Pro: intake and consent forms with e-signature | Forms add-on, $10/mo according to third-party pricing roundups |
| Loyalty, memberships and gift cardsTie | Pro: loyalty, referrals, gift certificates and memberships included | Not verified in our September 2026 review |
| Branded website | Included on Free (public website + theme studio); Pro adds all 10 templates and custom CSS (better) | MySite website builder add-on: $30/mo ($23.99/mo promotional rate) |
| Custom domain | Pro: custom domain with automatic SSL, no add-on (better) | Supported, through the MySite add-on at $30/mo |
| Support | In-app chat + email (support@ocmpro.com); replies within 24 hours | Phone, email and live chat, 24/7 (better) |
Green cells mark the stronger option for that row. Rows marked "Tie" are effectively equivalent.
Pricing
Pricing side by side
| Scenario | Vagaro | SalonBook |
|---|---|---|
| Solo (1 staff) | $30/mo ($23.99/mo promotional rate for the first 6 months) | $0/mo on Free (1 staff, 5 services), or Pro $39/mo / ~$29/mo billed annually |
| 3 staff | $30 + 2 x $10 = $50/mo according to third-party pricing roundups; tier totals are not shown on Vagaro's own page | Pro $39/mo, or $348/yr (~$29/mo) |
| 6 staff | $30 + 5 x $10 = $80/mo according to third-party pricing roundups | Enterprise $89/mo, or $828/yr (~$69/mo), unlimited staff |
| Plus 10 new marketplace clients at $80 avg ticket | $0 through the standard Vagaro marketplace; 10 x 20% x $80 = $160 if all 10 came through the optional Fill My Books program | $0 commission; SalonBook has no marketplace |
Vagaro's base price excludes several features that SalonBook Pro includes. The MySite website builder is $30/mo ($23.99/mo promotional) on Vagaro's official pricing page, and third-party roundups list Text Marketing at $20/mo, Forms at $10/mo and a branded client app at $100/mo. A 3-calendar Vagaro account with MySite, Text Marketing and Forms would be about $110/mo ($50 + $30 + $20 + $10) against SalonBook Pro at $39/mo. Vagaro remains cheaper for a solo who needs none of those add-ons: $30/mo against SalonBook Pro at $39/mo or ~$29/mo billed annually.
Payment processing is separate for both. Vagaro publishes 2.6% + 10 cents for merchants under $4K/mo and 2.29% + 19 cents plus $10/mo above that. SalonBook connects to Stripe, Square or PayPal and you pay their published rates directly; SalonBook adds no processing markup.
Verdict
Choose SalonBook if…
- You want a free plan to start: SalonBook Free is $0/mo for 1 staff and 5 services, with online booking and a public website. Vagaro has no free tier.
- You want one predictable price for a growing team: SalonBook Enterprise is $89/mo for unlimited staff, while Vagaro adds $10/mo for every additional calendar.
- You never want a commission product attached to your bookings: SalonBook has no marketplace and no Fill My Books-style program.
- You want an annual discount: Vagaro does not offer annual billing; SalonBook Pro is $348/yr (~$29/mo) and Enterprise $828/yr (~$69/mo).
- You want a website, custom domain, forms and SMS reminders in the plan price. Vagaro sells its MySite builder for $30/mo, and third-party roundups list Forms at $10/mo and Text Marketing at $20/mo.
Choose Vagaro if…
- You want 24/7 phone, email and live chat support. SalonBook offers in-app chat and email with replies within 24 hours, not round-the-clock phone support.
- You want a longer evaluation period: Vagaro offers a 30-day trial against 14 days on SalonBook.
- You are a solo who wants the lowest paid entry price: $30/mo ($23.99/mo promotional for 6 months) is less than SalonBook Pro at $39/mo or ~$29/mo billed annually.
- You want a free listing on a consumer marketplace with 0% commission unless you opt into Fill My Books. SalonBook has no marketplace and does not send you clients.
Bottom line: Vagaro is the lower-priced option for a solo who wants marketplace exposure, a long trial and 24/7 support. SalonBook is the lower-priced option once you add a website, forms and text reminders, and for teams that want a flat price with annual billing and no commission programs.
Try SalonBook free for 14 days, no card and no contract.
Start free with SalonBookFrequently asked questions
Is Vagaro free?
No. As of September 6, 2026, vagaro.com/pro/pricing lists a single plan at $30/mo per bookable calendar, with a $23.99/mo promotional rate for the first 6 months and a 30-day free trial. SalonBook offers a permanent Free plan for 1 staff and 5 services.
Does Vagaro charge commission?
Not on standard marketplace bookings. Vagaro charges no commission on bookings from its marketplace, but its optional Fill My Books program charges 20% per new-customer booking and 5% per existing-customer booking. SalonBook has no marketplace and charges no commission on any booking.
Can I use my own domain with Vagaro?
Yes, through Vagaro's MySite website builder, an add-on priced at $30/mo ($23.99/mo promotional) on Vagaro's official pricing page. SalonBook Pro includes a custom domain with automatic SSL in the $39/mo plan price.
How much does Vagaro cost for 3 staff?
Vagaro's page prices one calendar at $30/mo and adds $10/mo per additional calendar; third-party pricing roundups list 3 calendars at about $50/mo, before add-ons and processing. SalonBook Pro covers up to 3 staff for $39/mo or $348/yr (~$29/mo).
Can I switch from Vagaro to SalonBook?
Yes. Export your client list and services from Vagaro as CSV, import or recreate them in SalonBook, and run both systems during a 2-week overlap so existing appointments finish cleanly. Then update your booking links on Google Business Profile and Instagram to point to your SalonBook site.
Which is better for a solo stylist, Vagaro or SalonBook?
Vagaro is cheaper for a solo on a paid plan ($30/mo vs SalonBook Pro at $39/mo) and includes 24/7 support and a 30-day trial. SalonBook costs less if the Free plan covers you (1 staff, 5 services) or if you would otherwise add MySite ($30/mo) for a website, since SalonBook includes the website and custom domain in Pro.
Vagaro is a trademark of its respective owner. SalonBook is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vagaro. Information about Vagaro comes from its public website as of September 6, 2026; please verify current details with the vendor.