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Beauty · head to head

Salon Ultimate vs Vagaro

Salon Ultimate logo

Salon Ultimate

Beauty

Complete salon management made simple

From
$69/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vagaro logo

Vagaro

Scheduling

All-in-one salon, spa & fitness software

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Salon Ultimate no per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing; Vagaro the $23.99 per month entry price covers one location and one bookable calendar, so every extra staff calendar adds cost
  • They diverge on capability: Salon Ultimate covers Appointment scheduling, Vagaro covers Online appointment booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Salon Ultimate and Vagaro actually diverge.

Attributes where Salon Ultimate and Vagaro differ
AttributeSalon UltimateVagaro
Starting price$69/month$25/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
CategoryBeautyScheduling
Founded20082009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Salon Ultimate

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Client database
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Online booking
  • Email marketing
  • QuickBooks
  • Web support

Only in Vagaro

  • Online appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Payroll management
  • Mobile app
  • Quickbooks
  • Xero

Both cover

  • Point of sale
  • Reporting & analytics
  • Stripe
  • Square
  • Mailchimp
  • PCI DSS
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Salon Ultimate

  • Appointment managementnot Vagaro
  • Client retentionnot Vagaro
  • Inventory controlnot Vagaro
  • Business reportingnot Vagaro

Vagaro

  • Appointment booking and calendar management for salons, spas and fitness studiosnot Salon Ultimate
  • Selling services and retail products with integrated card paymentsnot Salon Ultimate
  • Marketing to clients by email and text and offering a branded booking appnot Salon Ultimate

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Salon Ultimate

  • No per-seat pricing model, only per-location billing
  • Pricing applies per salon location, not per user

Vagaro

  • The $23.99 per month entry price covers one location and one bookable calendar, so every extra staff calendar adds cost
  • The free trial excludes email marketing, text marketing and the branded app
  • Text and email marketing pricing is not published on the pricing page and requires contacting sales
  • Card processing is sold separately through Vagaro Merchant Services, with the free card reader tied to signing up for it

Pricing, plan by plan

Salon Ultimate

$69/month
  • BookedBy on Clover$69/month
    • Software and hardware included
  • Single Store$159/month
    • Advanced features for single location
  • Multi-Store$199/month
    • Multi-location management

Vagaro

$25/month
  • Single User$25/month
    • Online booking
    • Client management
    • Calendar management
  • 2-3 Users$45/month
    • Everything in Single User
    • Multiple staff calendars
    • Staff permissions
  • 4-6 Users$75/month
    • Everything in 2-3 Users
    • Inventory management
    • Payroll reports
  • 7+ Users$85/month
    • Everything in 4-6 Users
    • Enterprise features
    • Priority support

Which should you pick?

Choose Salon Ultimate if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client database.
Salon Ultimate review

Choose Vagaro if

  • You need online appointment booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want client management.
Vagaro review

Questions people ask

Is Salon Ultimate or Vagaro better?
Neither clearly leads. Salon Ultimate starts at $69/month and Vagaro at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Salon Ultimate or Vagaro?
Salon Ultimate starts at $69/month and Vagaro at $25/month.
Does Salon Ultimate or Vagaro run on more platforms?
Salon Ultimate runs on Web, Ios, Android. Vagaro runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
What is Salon Ultimate best used for?
Salon Ultimate is most often used for appointment management, client retention, inventory control, business reporting. Of those, appointment management and client retention are not what Vagaro is typically brought in for.
What can Salon Ultimate do that Vagaro cannot?
Salon Ultimate covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Inventory management, Staff scheduling. Vagaro covers Online appointment booking, Client management, Inventory tracking, Marketing automation. Both handle Point of sale, Reporting & analytics, Stripe, Square.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Salon Ultimate: How much does SalonUltimate cost?

SalonUltimate offers three subscription tiers billed monthly per location: BookedBy on Clover at $69/month, Single Store at $159/month for individual salons, and Multi-Store at $199/month for businesses managing multiple locations.

Source
Vagaro: What is the base monthly cost for the Vagaro platform?

The base plan starts at 23.99 dollars per month with an additional 10 dollars per calendar up to 7 calendars. For 7 or more calendars, the cost is 83.99 dollars per month.

Source
Salon Ultimate: What features are included in all SalonUltimate plans?

All SalonUltimate plans include online booking, check-in and check-out capabilities, employee scheduling, customer management, service and pricing administration, inventory tracking, standard reporting, email and SMS marketing, unlimited support and training.

Source
Vagaro: What payment processing rates apply?

Payment processing rates are as low as 2.2 percent, with a promotional offer showing the base plan at 23.99 dollars per month.

Source
Salon Ultimate: Is there a free trial for SalonUltimate?

No free trial period is mentioned on SalonUltimate's pricing page. Demos are available by contacting sales at [email protected] or calling +1 (855) 466-9332.

Source
Vagaro: Does the platform require a long-term contract?

No, there are no long-term contracts required. Users can choose to add premium features as needed without commitment.

Source
Salon Ultimate: What is the difference between BookedBy on Clover and SalonUltimate Single Store plans?

BookedBy on Clover at $69/month includes software and hardware shipped to your business. SalonUltimate Single Store at $159/month is designed for individual salon locations seeking advanced features with no hardware included.

Source
Vagaro: Is there a free trial available?

Yes, Vagaro offers a free trial with no payment required upfront.

Source
Vagaro: What is included in the base plan?

The base plan includes data migration from other platforms, customizable scheduling with waitlist and resource management, free marketplace listing with unlimited deals and bookings, automated appointment notifications, online booking across multiple platforms, business and employee widgets, advanced reporting, loyalty program management, 1,000 free email messages per month, invoicing, memberships, packages, gift certificates, and around-the-clock support with complimentary training.

Source
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