How tattoo studio businesses use SalonBook
Tattoo appointment software has to handle three things most salon tools do badly: a deposit that is taken before the client is in the chair, a consultation that leads to a separate session, and appointments that run four to eight hours. SalonBook covers all three with per-service deposits, a consult service that leads into session bookings, and durations you define with no upper limit that matters for a working day.
A studio sets up in an afternoon. The owner adds each artist, creates a service list that usually includes a consultation, hourly sessions, half-day and full-day sessions and touch-ups, sets deposits per service, uploads the release form, and connects Stripe, Square or PayPal. The booking page is live at ocmpro.com/your-studio the same day.
The consult-then-session flow
Most studios on SalonBook list a consultation as the entry point for custom work. A new client books the consult online, completes the intake form and uploads nothing more than their contact details; reference images are discussed at the consult. When the design and size are agreed, the artist books the session directly from the calendar, the deposit is charged to the card the client saved, and the confirmation states the cancellation policy.
For flash or small pieces where a consult is unnecessary, studios list the service with a fixed duration and a deposit, and the client books it straight from the page.
Deposits that stick
The deposit is collected during booking, not afterwards by request. You choose a fixed amount or a percentage per service, and you decide whether the balance is charged at booking or on completion. If the client cancels inside your policy window or no-shows, SalonBook lets you charge the fee you set, and the client saw that policy before confirming.
When a long session does cancel with notice, the waitlist offers the slot to clients who asked to be notified for that artist, and the first to accept books it, deposit included. Drag-drop rescheduling moves a session to another day in one motion and sends the client an updated confirmation.
Start free, upgrade when you add staff
The Free plan is $0 per month and covers one artist, five services, online booking, a calendar, a client list, email confirmations and a public website with the theme studio. A solo artist offering consults, hourly sessions, half-day, full-day and touch-ups fits exactly.
The Pro plan is $39 per month, or $348 per year (about $29 per month billed annually), for up to three artists with unlimited services and products. Pro adds deposits and no-show fees, SMS reminders, the waitlist with auto-book, the client portal, intake and consent forms with digital signature, loyalty, referrals, gift certificates, memberships, an online shop for aftercare and merch, invoices with tipping, reports, all ten website templates, custom CSS, the embed widget, a custom domain with SSL, and Google Tag Manager and Meta Pixel support.
Enterprise is $89 per month, or $828 per year (about $69 per month annually), for unlimited artists, a JSON data API and headless mode. Paid plans include a 14-day free trial, no contract and no setup fee, and you can cancel at any time.
| Solo artist (Free) | Studio with 3 artists (Pro) | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly cost | $0 | $39, or $29/mo billed annually |
| Artists | 1 | Up to 3, each with own calendar |
| Services | 5 | Unlimited |
| Deposits at booking | Not included | Included, fixed or percentage per service |
| Release forms with signature | Not included | Included |
| Reminders | Email confirmations | SMS and email at 24h and 1h, plus follow-ups |
| Website | ocmpro.com/your-studio | Custom domain with SSL, Lume template, custom CSS |
| Merch and aftercare sales | Not included | Online shop |
SalonBook charges no marketplace commission, no per-booking fee and no per-client acquisition fee. Deposits and payments go through your own Stripe, Square or PayPal account, and only that processor’s card fees apply.
Getting your clients to book online
Tattoo clients find artists on Instagram and decide over days. The booking link needs to be there when they decide, and the deposit needs to be part of the same step.
- Add your SalonBook page as the Book link on your Google Business Profile so a search for your studio shows a booking button beside your reviews.
- Put the consultation booking link in your Instagram bio and every artist’s bio. Posts of healed work can point to the consult or to a flash service.
- Embed the booking widget on your existing studio site so clients book without leaving your portfolio.
- Turn on 24-hour and 1-hour reminders. A text the day before a six-hour session, with the deposit policy restated, is what gets the client in the chair.
From the client portal, clients reschedule or cancel within your policy, view invoices and deposits paid, save a card, complete forms and send a referral link. Referrals suit studios well, because most new clients come from someone showing off a piece.
| Task | DMs and payment apps | SalonBook |
|---|---|---|
| Taking a deposit | Request by message, wait for a screenshot | Collected at booking through your processor |
| Consult to session | Two threads, easy to lose | Consult service, then session booked from the calendar |
| No-show on a long slot | Argue about the deposit | Policy agreed at booking, fee charged |
| Release form | Paper at the counter | Signed online before the session |
| Shop-wide view | Ask each artist | One calendar with every station |
Who SalonBook is for
SalonBook fits a solo artist in a private studio, a three-station shop and a larger studio that needs unlimited artists and an API. Flat pricing means a month of full-day sessions costs the same as a month of touch-ups.
If you book through DMs today, the shift is that clients still find you on Instagram, but the deposit, the release form and the reminder all happen without you typing a message.
Add your artists, set your deposit policy and take your first booked consult today.
Start freeFrequently asked questions
Can I collect a tattoo deposit when the client books?
Yes. On the Pro plan you set a fixed or percentage deposit per service, collected through Stripe, Square or PayPal at booking, with the balance charged at booking or on completion.
How do I handle a consultation before the session?
List the consultation as its own service. New clients book it online, and after the design is agreed the artist books the session from the calendar with the deposit applied.
Can I book a six- or eight-hour session?
Yes. You set the duration of each service, so half-day and full-day sessions block the correct time on the artist’s calendar.
Can clients sign the release form before they arrive?
Yes. Pro plans include intake and consent forms with digital signature, completed online and stored on the client record.
Is SalonBook free for a solo tattoo artist?
Yes. The Free plan is $0 per month for one staff member with five services, online booking, a calendar, a client list, email confirmations and a public website.
Does SalonBook take a commission on deposits or bookings?
No. There is no marketplace commission, no per-booking fee and no per-client acquisition fee. Only your payment processor’s card fees apply.