Comparison · Updated October 4, 2026
Vagaro vs Boulevard for salons and spas
Vagaro
B
Vagaro is booking, point-of-sale and marketing software for salons, spas, barbers, medical spas, gyms and studios, sold from Pleasanton, California since 2009 by founder and chief executive Fred Helou. Card processing is built in through Vagaro Merchant Services, a registered ISO of PNC Bank, N.A., and priced on two published plans: small merchants under $4,000 a month pay 2.6% + $0.10 for swiped, dipped and tapped cards with no monthly fee, and large merchants above that pay 2.29% + $0.19 for $10 a month. Every keyed, online, card-on-file and membership charge is 3.5% + $0.19 on either plan, card-brand FANF and Mastercard location fees pass through, buy-now-pay-later through Affirm costs 6% + $0.30, and surcharging is not allowed. Deposits arrive the next business day after a batch, with same-day and instant payouts at 1.75%. The software is $30 a month for one calendar (currently $23.99 for the first six months) plus $10 a calendar up to seven, month to month with no cancellation fee, and the US marketplace listing is free — Vagaro only takes a 20% cut when you opt into its Fill My Books promotions. The rate card is clear and competitive in person; the weak spots are the keyed rate, a BBB review score of 1.09 out of 5 with recurring complaints of duplicate charges and hardware warranty disputes, and the lack of any way to pass fees on to clients.
Boulevard
B
Boulevard is booking, point-of-sale and client-management software for appointment-based salons, spas, barbershops and medspas, built by Boulevard Labs, Inc. in Los Angeles. Card payments run through its own Boulevard Payments, which uses Adyen for Platforms underneath and is sold only to Boulevard software customers. As of October 2026, Boulevard's pricing page lists plans from $143 to $416 a month per location, depending on tier, billing period and whether you run a salon or a medspa. It says card processing starts at 2.65%, and the exact rate is set in your order. With its Offset surcharge program, the business's share falls to about 1%, because clients pay a 3% credit-card fee. Deposits arrive in about two business days, and Instant Payouts cost 1.75%. The catch is the contract. Boulevard's Main Services Agreement defaults to a 12-month term that renews automatically. If you leave mid-term, you owe the rest of the term, and fees are non-refundable. Software reviewers rate it highly, at 4.6 from 390 reviews on Capterra. However, its small Trustpilot profile is mostly one-star reviews about technical and checkout problems, support and the one-year commitment.
VS
Overview
Vagaro and Boulevard both sell booking, point-of-sale and client-management software to US salons, spas, barbershops and medspas, with card processing built in. Payment Review grades both B, but they are priced for different businesses. As of October 2026, Vagaro costs $30 a month for one calendar ($23.99 for the first six months) plus $10 for each extra calendar, topping out at $90 a month for seven or more people on its pricing calculator. The software is month to month, though the free card reader carries a 12-month processing commitment. Boulevard's cheapest plan, Essentials, costs $159 a month billed monthly, or $143 billed annually, for one location and up to five bookable providers. Premier and Prestige list at $325 and $455 a month per location (cut to $260 and $364 for new customers on a limited-time fall offer), and Boulevard's agreement defaults to a 12-month term that renews automatically. Vagaro publishes a full rate card: 2.6% + 10¢ in person under $4,000 a month, or 2.29% + 19¢ above it for $10 a month, and 3.5% + 19¢ on every online, saved-card and membership payment. Boulevard publishes only a starting rate of 2.65%, without saying which payment types it covers, and sets the exact rate in your order. It does let you pass most of the card cost to clients through its Offset surcharge program, which Vagaro does not allow. Vagaro pays out the next business day and has a free consumer marketplace listing. Boulevard pays out in two business days and has the cleaner BBB record.
Key Takeaways
- ✓Vagaro is far cheaper to run. One person costs $30 a month on Vagaro against $159 on Boulevard Essentials (monthly billing), five people $70 against $159, and ten people $90 against $325 on Boulevard Premier at list price ($260 on a limited-time fall offer for new customers).
- ✓Vagaro's software is month to month with no cancellation fee. Boulevard's Main Services Agreement defaults to 12 months, renews for 12 months unless you give 30 days' notice, and leaves you paying every month of the term if you leave early. One Vagaro catch: taking its free card reader commits you to 12 months of processing or a $150 early cancellation fee, and small merchants who took it pay $10 a month in any month they process under $1,000.
- ✓Vagaro publishes every rate: 2.29% + 19¢ in person above $4,000 a month (2.6% + 10¢ below) and 3.5% + 19¢ on online, card-on-file and membership payments. Boulevard publishes only 'starting at 2.65%', without saying which payment types it covers, and quotes the rest.
- ✓Boulevard lets you pass card costs to clients. With Offset, clients pay a 3% credit-card fee and the business's share falls to a little over 1%. Vagaro does not allow surcharges or convenience fees.
- ✓Vagaro deposits the next business day and lists you free on its consumer marketplace. Boulevard deposits in two business days and offers direct booking through Google and social media rather than a consumer marketplace. Both charge 1.75% for instant payouts.
Vagaro
Vagaro suits solo professionals, booth renters and small or mid-size salons, spas and studios that want low, predictable software costs, no software contract, next-day deposits and free exposure on a consumer marketplace. It also suits businesses that take most payments in person. Model your online deposits, cards on file and memberships at 3.5% + 19¢ first, because Vagaro does not let you pass that cost on, and read the 12-month processing commitment and $150 early cancellation fee attached to the free card reader before you take it.
Boulevard
Boulevard suits established salons, spas and medspas, especially multi-location groups and salons with independent stylists who need their own deposits, that can carry $159 to $455 a month per location at list price and are prepared to sign up for a year. It also suits businesses that want to pass card costs to clients through Offset where surcharging is legal. Get the processing rate, any per-transaction fee, the chargeback fee and the term in writing on your order form.
The Verdict
It Depends on Your Needs
Why?
Payment Review grades both B, and the right choice depends on the size of the business and how it wants to buy. Vagaro is the better choice for most solo professionals, booth renters and small to mid-size salons. Its software costs $30 to $90 a month against Boulevard's $159 to $455 per location at list price, it is month to month, it publishes every rate, it deposits the next business day and it lists you free on a consumer marketplace. Its weak points are the 3.5% + 19¢ charged on every online, saved-card and membership payment, which it does not let you pass on, a BBB customer-review average of 1.08 out of 5, and a 12-month commitment attached to its free card reader. Boulevard is the better fit for established salons, spas and medspas, especially multi-location groups and salons with independent stylists, that value its software and can sign a 12-month agreement. Its Offset program can cut the business's card cost to about 1% where surcharging is legal, and it has the cleaner BBB record. It publishes only a starting card rate, so get the full rate schedule in writing.
Feature by feature
Detailed Comparison
Filter Options
Software pricing (US, monthly billing, as of October 2026)
| Feature | Vagaro | Boulevard |
|---|---|---|
| One person or one calendar | $30 a month ($23.99 for the first six months) Winner | $159 a month (Essentials; $143 billed annually) |
| Vagaro's pricing page shows $30 struck through to $23.99 a month for the first six months, with one calendar license included. Boulevard Essentials covers one location and up to five bookable providers; its annual price is $143 a month. Boulevard's booking deposits are built into every plan. On Vagaro, online deposits, cancellation fees and online sales need the $10-a-month Online Shopping Cart add-on. | ||
| Five bookable staff | $70 a month Winner | $159 a month (Essentials) |
| Vagaro charges $10 a month for each extra calendar on top of the $30 base. Boulevard Essentials includes up to five bookable providers at one location; a sixth needs Premier. | ||
| Ten or more staff | $90 a month on its calculator Winner | $325 a month per location (Premier) |
| Sources conflict on Vagaro's cap. Its rendered pricing calculator shows $90 a month for seven or more people ($83.99 for the first six months), but its help centre says one calendar license is included and each additional calendar is $10 for up to seven licenses, after which further staff are free, which reads as $100. Either way the gap is large. Boulevard Premier adds unlimited professionals and multi-location tools at $325 a month per location billed monthly ($293 billed annually). As of 4 October 2026 Boulevard is offering new customers a limited-time fall price of $260 monthly ($234 annually). Prestige lists at $455 monthly ($364 on the fall offer). Medspa plans list at $199, $455 and $520 a month billed monthly. | ||
| Forms, waivers and charting | $10 a month add-on Winner | From $65 a month per location; included in Prestige |
| Both include memberships, packages, gift cards, inventory, waitlists and loyalty in every plan. Vagaro's base plan includes SOAP notes; its Forms add-on is $10 a month. Boulevard's medspa plans include forms and charting. E-prescribing costs $40 a month per doctor plus $5 per medical assistant on Vagaro, and $45 per prescriber on Boulevard. | ||
One person or one calendar
Vagaro
$30 a month ($23.99 for the first six months)
Winner
Boulevard
$159 a month (Essentials; $143 billed annually)
Vagaro's pricing page shows $30 struck through to $23.99 a month for the first six months, with one calendar license included. Boulevard Essentials covers one location and up to five bookable providers; its annual price is $143 a month. Boulevard's booking deposits are built into every plan. On Vagaro, online deposits, cancellation fees and online sales need the $10-a-month Online Shopping Cart add-on.
Five bookable staff
Vagaro
$70 a month
Winner
Boulevard
$159 a month (Essentials)
Vagaro charges $10 a month for each extra calendar on top of the $30 base. Boulevard Essentials includes up to five bookable providers at one location; a sixth needs Premier.
Ten or more staff
Vagaro
$90 a month on its calculator
Winner
Boulevard
$325 a month per location (Premier)
Sources conflict on Vagaro's cap. Its rendered pricing calculator shows $90 a month for seven or more people ($83.99 for the first six months), but its help centre says one calendar license is included and each additional calendar is $10 for up to seven licenses, after which further staff are free, which reads as $100. Either way the gap is large. Boulevard Premier adds unlimited professionals and multi-location tools at $325 a month per location billed monthly ($293 billed annually). As of 4 October 2026 Boulevard is offering new customers a limited-time fall price of $260 monthly ($234 annually). Prestige lists at $455 monthly ($364 on the fall offer). Medspa plans list at $199, $455 and $520 a month billed monthly.
Forms, waivers and charting
Vagaro
$10 a month add-on
Winner
Boulevard
From $65 a month per location; included in Prestige
Both include memberships, packages, gift cards, inventory, waitlists and loyalty in every plan. Vagaro's base plan includes SOAP notes; its Forms add-on is $10 a month. Boulevard's medspa plans include forms and charting. E-prescribing costs $40 a month per doctor plus $5 per medical assistant on Vagaro, and $45 per prescriber on Boulevard.
Best For Your Business
Recommendations based on your business type
Solo stylist, barber, esthetician or booth renter
Recommended
Vagaro
Vagaro costs $30 a month ($23.99 for the first six months) with no software contract (the free card reader carries a 12-month processing commitment). Boulevard's cheapest plan is $159 a month billed monthly, or $143 billed annually, on a default 12-month term.
Salon or spa with two to ten staff on a budget
Recommended
Vagaro
Five people cost $70 a month on Vagaro against $159 on Boulevard Essentials, and ten cost $90 against $325 on Boulevard Premier at list price ($260 on a limited-time fall offer). Vagaro also publishes its full rate card, so you can price processing before you sign.
Business that wants new clients from a marketplace
Recommended
Vagaro
Vagaro lists you free on its consumer marketplace and charges 20% of a first-time client's cart only on Fill My Books promotions you switch on. Boulevard has no consumer marketplace; its Google and social booking links send clients to your own booking page.
Salon or medspa that wants to pass card costs to clients
Recommended
Boulevard
Boulevard Offset adds a 3% fee to credit-card payments and cuts the business's share to about 1%, including on online deposits and memberships. Vagaro does not allow surcharges or convenience fees. Check your state's surcharge rules and card-network signage requirements first.
Salon with independent stylists who keep their own takings
Recommended
Boulevard
Boulevard's multi-merchant checkout splits a single card payment into separate deposits for each independent contractor's own merchant account, for an extra 1% on each share. Vagaro's Rent Collection suits the opposite set-up, where the owner collects rent from renters.
Owner who needs takings fast
Recommended
Vagaro
Vagaro deposits the next business day by default and offers same-day or instant payouts for 1.75%, up to $2,500 a day. Boulevard's standard deposit takes two business days, and its instant payouts also cost 1.75%.
Vagaro: Best for 4 use cases
Boulevard: Best for 2 use cases
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about this comparison
For software, yes, by a wide margin. As of October 2026, Vagaro costs $30 a month for one calendar ($23.99 for the first six months) plus $10 for each extra calendar, reaching $90 a month for seven or more people on its pricing calculator (its help centre can be read as $100). Boulevard costs $159 a month for Essentials (one location, up to five providers), and $325 or $455 a month per location for Premier or Prestige, all billed monthly at list price; annual billing saves about 10%, and new customers can get Premier for $260 and Prestige for $364 on a limited-time fall offer as of October 2026. Processing is harder to compare, because Vagaro publishes its rates and Boulevard publishes only a starting rate of 2.65%.
Vagaro charges 2.6% + 10¢ in person if you process under $4,000 a month, or 2.29% + 19¢ above that for $10 a month, and 3.5% + 19¢ on every online, card-on-file and membership payment, plus Visa and Mastercard pass-through fees. Boulevard's pricing page says processing starts at 2.65% without saying which payment types that covers, and your exact rate is written into your order. Boulevard offers volume discounts and asks prospects to bring a current processing statement.
Boulevard's Main Services Agreement defaults to a 12-month term that renews automatically for another 12 months unless you give written notice at least 30 days before it ends. If you leave mid-term you still owe every month of the term. Vagaro's software is month to month with no cancellation fee. The exception is its free card reader: taking it commits you to processing with Vagaro for 12 months, or paying a $150 early cancellation fee, and small merchants who took it pay a $10 monthly rental in any month they process under $1,000.
On Boulevard, yes, through Offset: clients pay a 3% fee on credit-card payments and the business's processing cost falls to a little over 1%. Debit cards are not surcharged, and you are responsible for complying with state law and card-network rules. Vagaro does not allow surcharges or convenience fees; it suggests a cash-discount program instead.
Vagaro. It deposits the next business day after its 3 p.m. Pacific batch, while Boulevard's standard schedule is two business days, so Monday's sales reach your bank on Wednesday. Both offer instant payouts for 1.75% to banks on the RTP or FedNow networks. Vagaro limits instant and same-day payouts to $2,500 a day.
No. Vagaro lists businesses free on its consumer marketplace and app and charges a fee only on bookings from promotions you opt into: 20% for a first-time client and 5% for a returning one on last-minute-opening deals. Boulevard has no consumer marketplace. Clients book through your own Boulevard booking flow, which you can link from Google, Facebook and Instagram.
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