Vagaro vs. Mindbody – Which is the best choice for salon or spa businesses in 2024?
These two American-based companies offer tough competition in the marketplace, and it may be unclear which is best for you. In this comparison, I’ll give you all the information you need to decide between Vagaro and Mindbody.
Vagaro, headquartered in Dublin, California, was started in 2009 to sway businesses away from pen-and-paper booking with an affordable salon and spa software solution. Vagaro has come a long way since its founding, integrating a whole tool chest of features and a massive client marketplace over the last decade and a half.
Mindbody was initially founded in 1998 as Hardbody Software, and went under that name until its transition to Mindbody in 2001.
Since then, Mindbody has also acquired several companies, including Booker, Classpass, and FitMetrix. The platform’s strengths are its new client acquisition opportunities, integrated marketing, and content monetization capabilities.
Vagaro vs. Mindbody: The Basics
Alright, let’s boil down this Vagaro vs. Mindbody showdown to its core. To put it plainly, I see these two as a battle of “value vs. pedigree.”
If you are a cost-conscious solopreneur or have a small team, you might consider Vagaro an attractive option.
This all-in-one software company has many features to support your salon, spa, or fitness business: POS, online booking, advanced business reporting, email/SMS marketing, and credit card processing, eCommerce, payroll, a website builder, and even video streaming.
Mindbody is a mature piece of beauty, health, fitness, and wellness software whose features are primarily oriented toward fitness and wellness businesses that host classes, teach courses, and offer medically-oriented services that require HIPAA compliance. It also features tools to livestream and sell video courses online.
Mindbody also has a major leg up over the majority of salon and spa management software because it’s available nearly globally. Vagaro is available in the US, Canada, UK, and Australia.
It’s challenging to narrow down what makes each of these software suites special in just a few sentences, so to help you find which one is right for you, let’s take a closer look at these two platforms.
Here is a breakdown of everything you will learn in this Vagaro vs. Mindbody comparison:
Vagaro vs Mindbody
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Vagaro
Mindbody
Overall score
Note
The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average price
Note
Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
Countries
U.S., Canada, Australia, and the UK
Available in 130 countries
Key features
- A client marketplace where they can browse and find your business
- Very comprehensive marketing suite.
- Vagaro branded POS hardware
- Support for classes (as also used by fitness businesses)
- Two-way messaging available (only on Ultimate and Ultimate Plus)
- AI chatbot feature to help with scheduling (only on Ultimate Plus)
- Ability to create a custom branded app and sell classes online (additional costs apply)
- Mindbody Explore Marketplace listing included with all subscriptions
A Double-Click on Each System: Vagaro vs. Mindbody
Let’s cover what these systems are and the pros and cons of each in my Vagaro vs. Mindbody guide.
Vagaro At a Glance
Overall score
Vagaro, headquartered in the US, is one of the most popular salon software options. It is a complete system for salons, spas, barbershops, health, and fitness businesses.
It’s one of the most feature-rich platforms on the market and comes with POS, online appointment scheduling, email/SMS marketing, credit card processing, subscription payments, video streaming, website builder, eCommerce, payroll, hardware, and advanced business reporting just to name a few.
Despite the large amount of built-in features, it’s one of the cheapest platforms on the market. So if you want to spend as little as possible for as much as possible, Vagaro could be the right platform for you.
Pros and Cons
- Rich in features
- Affordable price
- Client marketplace that could help you attract more new clients
- Integrations with other software (QuickBook, Xerox, Facebook, Zoom)
- Pages could load faster, and you may find some glitches as you use it
- Clients need to create a Vagaro account when booking, which some find annoying
- There is a slight learning curve in the beginning, as a lot of features
Mindbody At a Glance
Overall score
The company has been around in some capacity since 1998, when the company was initially founded as Hardbody Software, officially becoming Mindbody in 2001. Since then, Mindbody has exploded in popularity, raised hundreds of millions of dollars, and purchased several other companies, including Booker, Classpass, and FitMetrix. Mindbody is headquartered in San Luis Obispo CA, and is available nearly worldwide.
Mindbody’s strengths lie in its new client acquisition opportunities and integrated marketing and content monetization capabilities.
Just like its sister software, Booker, while Mindbody’s lower-tier plans are relatively affordable, they lack many of the noteworthy features that make Mindbody an attractive option, putting them somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to price-to-feature comparisons.
Pros and Cons
- Enhanced new client acquisition opportunities through MindBody Marketplace
- Integrated payments though MindBody Payments (US & Canada only)
- Integrated email marketing suite (on Accelerate, Ultimate, and Ultimate Plus plans)
- Ability to monetize educational classes and content
- No free trial
- Must commit to a minimum 12-month contract before ever using the software
- Stateside customer support only available to Ultimate and Ultimate Plus plans
- App interface and menus are clunky and outdated
How Do They Compare? Strengths and Weaknesses
Vagaro stands out for its balance of simplicity and affordability, and its broad feature set. For the price, there isn’t another software suite that offers anything close to the number of features Vagaro does, which makes Mindbody look far less attractive in this comparison if I’m being honest.
Both Vagaro and Mindbody offer excellent client marketplaces to help gain new client acquisition opportunities and boost revenue. Vagaro advertises that 35 million appointments per year are booked through their marketplace, while Mindbody claims over 93 million appointments and classes were booked through the Mindbody Marketplace in 2022.
I much prefer Vagaro’s app and interface to Mindbody’s.
Vagaro is the newer software, and it genuinely feels like it when comparing the apps side by side. Mindbody‘s app interface feels a bit old-school and clunky, more reminiscent of a spreadsheet app designed for accountants than a piece of salon software for creatives.
Mindbody has been around far longer than Vagaro and offers mostly the exact same feature set, albeit at a higher price point. Mindbody’s major leg-up over Vagaro is its much wider availability across the globe.
Vagaro vs Mindbody
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Ease of use
Design
Customer service
Pricing
Calendar and appointment management
Online booking
Point of sale and check out
Client data
Client communication
Inventory management
Team Management
Payroll
Marketing support
3rd party integrations
Mobile and tablet apps
Let’s Talk Features: Vagaro vs. Mindbody
Both apps feature some seriously premium features, including a client marketplace, a suite of marketing tools, custom branded apps for your business, and even lending through their capital lending partners.
With Mindbody’s Ultimate and Ultimate Plus subscriptions, you can receive additional features such as two-way messaging and an all-the-rage AI chatbot to help with scheduling – two features Vagaro currently does not have its own version of.
Vagaro has the advantage over Mindbody when it comes to payroll, featuring an all-in-one integrated payroll processing feature that allows you to pay your staff and cut checks via their partnership with Gusto.
Mindbody offers payroll reports that can be manually exported to your payroll processor of choice, but the software cannot directly process payroll from start to finish like Vagaro can.
Vagaro vs Mindbody
Vagaro and Mindbody offer many features. Let's go through what these features are and where they differ.
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Vagaro
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Mindbody
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| Online Booking | Vagaro | Mindbody |
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Website booking widget Note Can you integrate the entire online booking experience directly into your website? |
Note Available on all plans except Starter plan |
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Branding control Note Can you customize the look and feel of the booking experience to fit your brand? |
Note Very limited: Change accent color but all else is Vagaro standard. |
Note Available on all plans except Starter plan |
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No-show protection Note Can you store credit card details and charge deposits to reinforce your cancellation policy? |
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Service customization Note Can clients adapt their service when they book, and can this change the price and duration of the booked appointment? |
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Free from account creation Note Can clients book without having first to create an account with the software? |
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Integrated gift cards Note Can you sell digital gift cards as part of the booking process? |
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| Calendar and Appointment Management | ||
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Customize notification messages Note Can you change the text sent to your clients as part of appointment reminders and other messages? |
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Customize notification timings Note Can you change when reminders and other messages go out to your clients? |
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| Client waitlist management | ||
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Rooms and resource scheduling Note Can you manage equipment, rooms, and other resources required to complete a service? |
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Repeat appointments Note Can you schedule clients for recurring appointments? |
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Time block Note Can you block out time on your calendar? |
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Processing time Note Can you allow for double booking of service providers by accepting appointments during service processing time? |
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Duration and price by staff Note Can you adapt the price and time needed for a service based on who is performing the service? |
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Automated check-in Note Can clients check in to their appointments themselves? |
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| Point of Sale/ Check out | ||
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Tablet compatible Note Can you run the POS on any tablet or do you need special hardware? |
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Dedicated POS hardware Note Does the system provider offer hardware to improve the check out expereince? |
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Self check out Note Can clients check out from their appointment themselves? |
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Route payments to renters Note If you have booth renters in your business, can you route payments directly to them? |
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Cards on file Note Can you store credit card details and charge the customer later? |
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Integrated payments Note Does the software offer a first-party payment processing solution? |
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| Client Data & Communication | ||
| SMS Notification | ||
| Email Notificition | ||
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Dedicated business SMS number Note Do you get a business phone number that your messages and notifications are send from? |
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| Two way SMS communication |
Note Included in Mindbody’s Ultimate software package. Optional add-on for lower-tier plans. |
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Forms Note Can you create intake forms, store SOAP notes, and have clients sign your forms? |
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Client notes Note Can you store notes about clients on their profile? |
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Client files and images Note Can you store files and image on in the client’s profile? |
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| Inventory and Product Types | ||
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Inventory tracking Note Will the system keep track of stock levels, notify you when it’s time to re-order? |
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Purchase orders Note Can the system create automatic purchase orders for you? |
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| Retail | ||
| Memberships | ||
| Packages | ||
| Gift cards | ||
| Team Support & Payroll | ||
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Fully integrated payroll Note Can you run payroll and cut paychecks directly through the software? |
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3rd party payroll integration Note Does the software allow you integrate and share data with a 3rd party payroll solution (e.g. Gusto, ADP, Paychex, etc)? |
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| Payroll reports | ||
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Commission support Note Can you track and report on commission for service, retail, and other product types? |
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Multi-location support Note Does the system have specific support for businesses with multiple locations |
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Booth renter support Note Can the system help with rent collection, payments, and other booth renter management tasks. |
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| Marketing Support | ||
| Email marketing | ||
| SMS marketing | ||
| Website builder | ||
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Client marketplace Note Does it offer a platform where potential clients can browse businesses using the software? |
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Add-on offers Note Can you promote service add-ons/upsells as part of the online booking flow? |
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| Cloud & Mobile App Access | ||
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Full-featured mobile app Note Can you access all software features in the mobile app? |
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| Web browser | ||
| iPad | ||
| iPhone | ||
| Android | ||
Integrating with Other Platforms for Additional Features
When it comes to integration with other platforms, both Vagaro and Mindbody offer a ton of options. Consider which integrations are most valuable for your growing business.
Vagaro vs Mindbody
These platforms both offer third-party integration.
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Vagaro
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Mindbody
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Custom integrations Note Does the platform allow you to create new integrations to support your business-specific needs? |
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Native integrations Note Built-in integrations that you can activate as needed |
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Full list available in the Mindbody Partner Store. |
Pricing: Vagaro vs. Mindbody
Vagaro has a clear edge over Mindbody when it comes to price.
Vagaro provides a low entry price and a free trial, whereas Mindbody not only starts at a higher price point, but also offers no trial and requires a 12-month contract.
Just like its sister software, Booker, Mindbody’s lower-tier plans are relatively affordable, but they lack many of the noteworthy features that make either software an attractive option. For the best experience, businesses will have to shell out for Mindbody’s Ultimate or Ultimate Plus plans.
For the full range of salon and spa software pricing options, read my top salon software for 2024.
Vagaro vs Mindbody Pricing
Vagaro is more attractively priced than Mindbody and offers more features for the price.
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Vagaro |
Mindbody |
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| Average Price | ||
| Trial Options | ||
| Minimum contract length | ||
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Plans
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| Plans | ||
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Add-ons
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| Add-ons | ||
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Credit card fees
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| Credit card fees | ||
What Do Users Think of These Platforms?
You’ve read what I think. Now, let’s look at the reviews.
Vagaro vs Mindbody
Let's compare scores for these systems on the major user review sites.
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Vagaro |
Mindbody |
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What Alternatives Should You Consider?
While Vagaro or Mindbody are two popular pieces of salon and spa software, here are a couple of other great options that should be on your radar before you make your final decision.
Mangomint is the highest-rated software for salons and spas. If you have a team and you want the best customer service in the industry, I highly recommend you give them a try.
Booker is Mindbody’s sister software and offers a much more streamlined experience for salons, with most of the benefits of Mindbody already built in.
Mangomint vs Booker
A quick comparison of the two Vagaro and Mindbody alternatives.
Mangomint
Booker
Overall score
Note
The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average price
Note
Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
Countries
U.S. and Canada
Available almost worldwide
Key features
- Modern, intuitive, and easy to use
- Smart automations that help cut down on time spent managing business operations
- Open data ownership and no contracts (you’re not locked into anything)
- Can integrate with any other platform who allows for integrations
- Highest-rated customer service on the market
- Two-way messaging available (only on Ultimate and Ultimate Plus)
- AI chatbot feature to help with scheduling (only on Ultimate Plus)
- Integrated payments through MindBody Payments (US & Canada only)
- Mindbody Explore Marketplace listing included with all subscriptions
Conclusion
I hope this comparison between Vagaro vs. Mindbody has been insightful in your quest for the perfect salon and spa software!
For a look at all the best software alternatives, please read my list of the best salon and spa software right now.
