Scheduling · head to head
Sawyer vs Vagaro
Sawyer
Scheduling
Class and camp booking software for children activity businesses, with a marketplace that takes up to 30 percent
- From
- $189/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Sawyer the Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.; 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: Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Vagaro covers Online appointment booking.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Sawyer and Vagaro actually diverge.
Identical on both: free tier (No), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).
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 Sawyer
- Class and camp registration
- Memberships and class packs
- Consumer marketplace
- Auto-billing
- Waivers and e-signature
- Multi-location
Only in Vagaro
- Online appointment booking
- Client management
- Point of sale
- Inventory tracking
- Marketing automation
- Payroll management
- Mobile app
- Reporting & analytics
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Sawyer
- A new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first termsnot Vagaro
- An established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run Sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplacenot Vagaro
- A gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one systemnot Vagaro
- A provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for bothnot Vagaro
Vagaro
- Appointment booking and calendar management for salons, spas and fitness studiosnot Sawyer
- Selling services and retail products with integrated card paymentsnot Sawyer
- Marketing to clients by email and text and offering a branded booking appnot Sawyer
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Sawyer
- The Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
- Marketplace commission applies to the order value, not the margin, so low-margin providers can lose money on a marketplace booking.
- Payment processing fees are charged separately by Stripe on top of the subscription and any commission, which the plan comparison does not surface clearly.
- The step from Grow to Scale doubles the monthly cost for account management and integrations rather than for capability most providers need, making the middle tier the only sensible choice for many.
- It is built for consumer activity businesses, so providers who invoice schools, councils or corporate clients will find the billing model a poor fit.
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
Sawyer
$189/month- Launch$undefined/month
- No monthly subscription fee
- 3 percent per transaction
- Marketplace listing required, 30 percent commission on marketplace orders
- Grow$189/month
- 189 USD per month billed annually, 219 monthly
- Marketplace listing optional, 20 percent commission if used
- Advanced scheduling, waitlists, free trials
- Scale$379/month
- 379 USD per month billed annually, 399 monthly
- Marketplace listing optional, 15 percent commission if used
- Dedicated account manager and registration launch support
- Enterprise$undefined/month
- Custom pricing for large multi-site operators
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 Sawyer if
- You need class and camp registration.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want memberships and class packs.
Choose Vagaro if
- You need online appointment booking.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- You also want client management.
Questions people ask
- Is Sawyer or Vagaro better?
- Neither clearly leads. Sawyer starts at $189/month and Vagaro at $25/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Sawyer or Vagaro?
- Sawyer starts at $189/month and Vagaro at $25/month.
- Does Sawyer or Vagaro run on more platforms?
- Sawyer runs on Web, iOS, Android. Vagaro runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
- What is Sawyer best used for?
- Sawyer is most often used for a new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first terms, an established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplace, a gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one system, a provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for both. Of those, a new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first terms and an established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplace are not what Vagaro is typically brought in for.
- What can Sawyer do that Vagaro cannot?
- Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Memberships and class packs, Consumer marketplace, Auto-billing. Vagaro covers Online appointment booking, Client management, Point of sale, Inventory tracking.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Sawyer: Is the Launch plan really free?
No. It has no monthly fee but charges 3 percent per transaction and requires a marketplace listing that takes 30 percent of marketplace orders.
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.
SourceSawyer: Can I use Sawyer without the marketplace?
Yes, on Grow and Scale the listing is optional. On Launch it is required.
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.
SourceSawyer: What does the marketplace commission apply to?
The full order value of bookings originating on hisawyer.com, not to bookings from your own website.
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.
SourceSawyer: Is there a contract?
Monthly plans are month to month with 30 days notice; annual billing saves roughly 5 to 14 percent depending on tier.
Vagaro: Is there a free trial available?
Yes, Vagaro offers a free trial with no payment required upfront.
SourceVagaro: 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.
SourceRelated pages
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