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Software · head to head

Vagaro vs Acuity Scheduling

Vagaro logo

Vagaro

Software

All-in-one salon, spa & fitness software

From
$25/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Software

Scheduling made simple

From
$16/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Vagaro the $23.99 per month entry price covers one location and one bookable calendar, so every extra staff calendar adds cost; Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only
  • They diverge on capability: Vagaro covers Online appointment booking, Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Vagaro and Acuity Scheduling actually diverge.

Attributes where Vagaro and Acuity Scheduling differ
AttributeVagaroAcuity Scheduling
Starting price$25/month$16/month
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb
Founded20092003

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

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 Vagaro

  • Online appointment booking
  • Client management
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory tracking
  • Marketing automation
  • Payroll management
  • Mobile app
  • Reporting & analytics

Only in Acuity Scheduling

  • Online booking
  • Appointment types
  • Calendar sync
  • Payment processing
  • Email reminders
  • Client self-scheduling
  • Packages & memberships
  • Timezone detection

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Stripe
  • PCI DSS
  • SSL encryption

What people use each for

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

Vagaro

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

Acuity Scheduling

  • Client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversionnot Vagaro
  • HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Vagaro
  • Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Vagaro
  • Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Vagaro

Where each one falls short

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

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

Acuity Scheduling

  • Starter tier limited to 1 calendar only
  • SMS/text reminders, memberships, and gift certificates require Standard or Premium tier
  • HIPAA compliance (BAA signature) exclusive to Premium tier at $49/month
  • Custom API and CSS access, and Acuity branding removal require Premium tier

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Acuity Scheduling

$16/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Vagaro if

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

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

  • You need online booking.
  • You also want appointment types.
Acuity Scheduling review

Questions people ask

Is Vagaro or Acuity Scheduling better?
Neither clearly leads. Vagaro starts at $25/month and Acuity Scheduling at $16/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Vagaro or Acuity Scheduling?
Vagaro starts at $25/month and Acuity Scheduling at $16/month.
Does Vagaro or Acuity Scheduling run on more platforms?
Vagaro runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Acuity Scheduling runs on Web.
What is Vagaro best used for?
Vagaro is most often used for appointment booking and calendar management for salons, spas and fitness studios, selling services and retail products with integrated card payments, marketing to clients by email and text and offering a branded booking app. Of those, appointment booking and calendar management for salons, spas and fitness studios and selling services and retail products with integrated card payments are not what Acuity Scheduling is typically brought in for.
What can Vagaro do that Acuity Scheduling cannot?
Vagaro covers Online appointment booking, Client management, Point of sale, Inventory tracking. Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Both handle Google Calendar, Stripe, PCI DSS, SSL encryption.
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