Vagaro vs Booksy: 2026 Review & Side-by-Side Comparison

Key Takeaways

Vagaro works well for beauty, wellness, and fitness businesses that want control over their bookings and brand.

Booksy suits barbers, salons, and solo operators that rely on marketplace visibility to attract new clients.

Pabau is an all-in-one practice management system for medical and aesthetic clinics.

Vagaro and Booksy are booking-first platforms, while Pabau supports end-to-end clinical workflows.

The choice between Vagaro and Booksy comes down to control versus exposure.

Vagaro gives you ownership over scheduling and branding. Booksy trades that control for marketplace visibility and faster client discovery.

This Vagaro vs Booksy guide covers features, pricing, and what to consider when choosing between them. It also introduces Pabau as an all-in-one alternative.

Who is Vagaro best for?

Vagaro works best for beauty, wellness, and fitness businesses that want control over their setup.

It suits teams that rely on their own website and social channels for bookings, rather than marketplace exposure.

Scheduling, payments, and client management are built in, without giving up revenue to commissions.

Who is Booksy best for?

Booksy suits businesses looking for salon software designed to attract new clients.

Clients discover and book services through the marketplace, without relying on brand recognition.

This model works well for barbers, salons, and small teams focused on demand generation.

If you’re weighing marketplace-led platforms, see how Booksy compares to Fresha.

Pabau: An Alternative

Pabau is an all-in-one practice management platform for medi-aesthetic clinics.

Unlike Vagaro and Booksy, which centre on booking and discovery, Pabau is designed to support the full care journey. That includes documentation, compliance, follow-up, and long-term patient retention.

Pabau includes:

• Consultations, treatment notes, consent forms, medical history, and before-and-after photos
• Intake forms linked to the booked treatment
• Automated pre- and post-care, reminders, and follow-ups
• Patient messaging, recalls, and review requests

The platform also supports larger teams and multi-location clinics. Shared records, role-based access, and consistent oversight make growth easier to manage.

Seeing Pabau in action is the quickest way to judge it as an alternative to Vagaro and Booksy. Book a demo, and we’ll walk you through it.

Price

Pricing is where Vagaro and Booksy start to diverge. Both are booking-first platforms, but costs scale in different ways.

Vagaro

• Starting price: From $23.99 per month for one bookable calendar.
• How pricing scales: Additional calendars and premium features are added as paid extras.
• Revenue model: No booking commission. Standard payment processing and card fees apply.

Booksy

• Starting price: $29.99 per month, plus $20 per additional team member.
• How pricing scales: Flat feature set, with costs increasing as staff members are added.
• Revenue model: No booking fees by default, with optional commissions tied to paid marketplace promotion.

Pabau

Vagaro and Booksy both price around booking features. Costs are shaped by calendars, team size, and marketplace options.

Pabau uses per-user subscription pricing, starting from $69 per user per month. Core clinical and operational tools are included as standard.

For clinics that want everything in one system, this keeps pricing predictable as workflows become more complex.

You can find full pricing details on Pabau’s pricing page. 

Ease of use

Both Vagaro and Booksy are designed to be easy to adopt in beauty and wellness businesses, but their strengths differ. 

Vagaro is more intuitive for owners managing daily operations. For clients, Booksy keeps online booking simple through its marketplace.

Vagaro

Source: Vagaro 

• Owner value: Scheduling, payments, Point of Sale (POS), and marketing tools under one account.
• Team value: Booking, reminders, and checkout are efficient once configured.
• Consideration: Setup and deeper customization take time.

Booksy

Source: Booksy

• Client value: Simple self-service booking and fast appointment discovery.
• Owner value: Built-in customer management and scheduling.
• Consideration: Limited flexibility for more complex workflows.

Pabau

Vagaro and Booksy are easy to get started with, but their simplicity is tied to booking-led use. Pabau suits clinics with busier workflows, where staff need everything in one place.

Once configured, teams work across appointments, records, forms, and follow-ups without switching systems. User reviews say this removes unnecessary repetition in day-to-day work.

“The best thing for me with Pabau is that all of these separate functionalities are integrated into one system. Having all of that integrated into a chronological system takes away so much of the brain power from the clinician.”

Dr Jordan Faulkner

Allo Aesthetics

Customer support

Customer support affects onboarding speed, issue resolution, and how confidently teams use the system.

Here’s how Vagaro vs Booksy compare when it comes to support.

Vagaro

• Multiple support channels: Phone, email, and chat support depending on region and plan.
• Self-serve first: Help articles, videos, and automated tools handle most setup and troubleshooting.
• Optional training: One-to-one training and customization support are available as paid add-ons.

Booksy

• 24/7 live chat: In-app and web chat available for account and booking issues.
• Email support: Used mainly for non-urgent requests.
• Help center–led: FAQs and guides cover most common problems, with response quality varying by region.

Pabau

Vagaro and Booksy centre support around setup and ongoing account use.

Pabau takes a more hands-on approach, with support designed around clinic operations and long-term adoption. That includes:

• Global support available 21 hours a day
• Assisted chat
• Video support
• Structured onboarding
• An extensive knowledge base

The result is less trial-and-error during setup, and more confidence as teams grow, add services, or scale across locations.

Integrations

Integrations reduce manual data entry by syncing booking software with other tools.

Vagaro relies more on third-party integrations, while Booksy keeps most functionality in-platform.

Vagaro

• Accounting: QuickBooks Online and Xero syncing on higher plans.
• Marketing: Instagram, Facebook, Birdeye, plus a native website builder for online booking.
• Calendars and productivity: Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Zoom.
• Ecosystem: 50+ native and third-party integrations, with advanced options gated by plan.

Booksy

• Calendar imports: Google and Apple Calendar syncing to prevent conflicts.
• Payments: Built-in processing with limited external accounting sync.
• Client data: Spreadsheet uploads and basic social connections.
• Ecosystem: Smaller integration set, with most functionality handled inside the platform.

Pabau

Vagaro and Booksy focus on general business integrations.

Pabau extends this with clinic-specific connections that support medical workflows.

• Payments and accounting: Stripe and Xero.
• Prescriptions and pharmacies: Cloud Rx, SignatureRx, Pharmacierge.
• Diagnostics and labs: The Doctor’s Laboratory.
• AI and communication: Linda AI, Reserve with Google, patient messaging tools.

For a complete view, see the Pabau integrations page. It outlines how clinical, operational, and business tools connect in one system.

Clinic-grade documentation 

Clinic-grade documentation goes beyond forms.

It provides structured medical records for notes, histories, consents, and risk factors. This supports accuracy, audits, and regulated care.

Vagaro

Source: Vagaro

• Custom intake forms: Waivers and questionnaires for services.
• Clinical notes: Structured charting, including SOAP-style notes and treatment records.
• Patient records: Medical history and allergy tracking within the client profile.

Booksy

• Pre-booking forms: Simple intake questions before appointments.
• Basic notes: Free-text notes per client.
• No Electronic Medical Record (EMR) capability: No structured medical fields or patient history.

Pabau

Booksy focuses on appointment-level notes and forms. Vagaro extends that with clinical records in the client profile. 

Pabau goes further with structured, audit-ready documentation across teams, including:

• Structured EMRs and patient histories
• Role-based access controls
• Audit logs and activity tracking
• Secure storage of protected health information (PHI)

For US clinics, these safeguards support HIPAA requirements around access control, record integrity, and patient data protection.

Client journey automation

Client journey automation isn’t limited to reminders. It also covers consent, aftercare, and follow-ups tied to the appointment.

Here’s how Vagaro versus Booksy support these touchpoints.

Vagaro

• Automated reminders: Email, SMS, and push notifications for confirmations and attendance.
• Appointment status updates: Client confirmations update bookings automatically.
• Post-appointment messages: Thank-you emails and basic follow-ups.
• Marketing add-ons: Campaigns, re-sends, and waitlists available on higher plans.

Booksy

• Unlimited appointment reminders: Automated texts and emails tied to bookings.
• Attendance controls: Deposits and confirmations to reduce no-shows.
• Client segmentation: Tags for targeted messages and promotions.
• Retention and marketing tools: Packages, stamps, and waitlist notifications.

Pabau

Vagaro and Booksy automate communication around appointments.

Pabau automates the wider care journey, with messages triggered by the treatment itself.

Pre-care instructions, consent forms, aftercare, and follow-ups can all be sent automatically based on the service booked, without manual chasing.

Expert picks: What to read next

Exploring options beyond booking tools? See how leading medical spa scheduling software compares across features, pricing, and use cases.

Curious where practice software is heading next? Take a look at AI practice management tools clinics are starting to adopt.

Struggling with consistency around treatments and follow-ups? Check out how automated pre- and aftercare emails support safer, more efficient workflows.

Reporting & analytics

Good reporting makes it easier to spot trends and gaps in performance. Vagaro and Booksy both offer solid visibility, but they focus on different metrics.

Vagaro

Source: Vagaro

• Sales reporting: Revenue by service, product, gift cards, tips, and top performers.
• Client and staff insights: Retention, spend, hours worked, commissions, and productivity.
• Marketing and payroll: Campaign tracking and automated payroll reports.
• Multi-location support: Reports available across locations and devices.

Booksy

Source: Booksy

• Dashboard metrics: Revenue trends, occupancy, cancellations, and no-shows.
• Appointments and clients: Busiest hours, new vs returning clients, service summaries.
• Revenue and marketing: Sales by service, staff commissions, and Boost performance.
• Plan-based access: Full reporting on Pro plans, limited stats on Lite.

Pabau

When reporting needs to inform growth decisions, Pabau leads.

Its analytics combine clinical, operational, and financial data in a single view. You have access to:

• 50+ pre-built reports
• Custom reports built from scratch
• Real-time dashboards
• Multi-location reporting

How to Choose the Best Practice Management Software for Your Business

Choosing practice management software comes down to workflow complexity.

In med spas and clinics, booking is only the starting point. Patient access, clinical records, and inventory become the deciding factors.

Electronic Health Records (EHR)

EHR functionality becomes essential once treatments involve risk, repeat visits, or regulatory oversight.

Core EHR requirements:

• Digital medical history and risk factors
• Treatment notes tied to appointments
• Consent stored per procedure
• Audit trails and role-based access

Pabau includes a built-in EMR that links records, notes, and consents to each appointment. Audit trails and role-based access support compliance as teams grow.

Book a demo to explore the full workflow.

Patient portal

A patient portal gives clients a way to manage appointments and access information without relying on staff.

Key capabilities include:

• Secure access to forms and messages
• Appointment booking, rescheduling, and cancellation
• Access to medical information such as history or lab results

Pabau’s client portal covers these functions in one place. Patients book appointments and complete forms before arriving, easing front-of-house workload.

Inventory management

Inventory gaps disrupt treatments and create compliance risk. Key inventory capabilities:

• Real-time stock tracking
• Automatic deductions per treatment
• Batch and expiry tracking
• Low-stock alerts

Pabau’s inventory tools link product usage directly to treatments. Stock levels update automatically, reducing last-minute shortages and treatment delays.

Alternative to Vagaro and Booksy: Pabau

As an alternative to Vagaro and Booksy, Pabau is built for medical and aesthetic clinics where booking is only one part of the workflow.

It supports:

• Clinical documentation and consent
• Treatment records and visual tracking
• Patient follow-ups and ongoing care

In clinics offering regulated or repeat treatments, these functions take priority over calendar features. 

Key features

These are the key features that set Pabau apart when compared with Booksy vs Vagaro.

• Automated pre- and post-care workflows

Pabau automates patient communication around each treatment. 

Prep instructions, aftercare guidance, and follow-ups are sent based on the booked service. This removes manual reminders and keeps instructions consistent.

• Customizable digital forms

Pabau supports digital forms linked to specific treatments, including:

• Intake forms
• Consent forms
• Medical history forms

Submissions update the patient record automatically. Practitioners can review relevant information during the appointment. 

• Guided client journey on iPad

The Pabau GO app supports the in-clinic flow. 

Patients check in, complete forms, and sign consents, while practitioners review notes and record treatments. Visits follow a consistent structure, reducing front-desk admin and variation between staff.

Pricing

Pabau uses per-user subscription pricing, with tiers designed to scale as teams grow.

Where Pabau shines

• End-to-end patient journey: Pabau supports the visit from check-in through to aftercare.
• Clinical and business data in one place: EMR, treatment notes, forms, scheduling, and payments sit in a single record.
• Smarter, automated care: Service-linked forms and messaging support personalised care.

Where Pabau falls short

• Longer onboarding: Teams may need time to get comfortable with the full feature set.
• Some features priced separately: Tools such as Echo AI or Telehealth are offered as add-ons.
• Not suited to booking-only setups: Practices focused purely on appointments may not need this level of functionality.

Customer reviews

“I’ve had a great experience using Pabau for my new aesthetic clinic. The system is incredibly user-friendly and has streamlined everything from bookings to patient records. Their support team is always responsive and helpful, making the whole process stress-free.” –  Jaisyn P., verified G2 reviewer

“It’s a completely comprehensive system – has everything that I need and then some. The support system is fantastic as well.” – Shaye P., verified G2 reviewer

Who Pabau is best for

• Medical and aesthetic clinics: Practices that need EMR, consent, and treatment records.
• Growing or multi-location clinics: Teams scaling beyond basic booking tools.
• Compliance-focused practices: Clinics where records, audits, and consistency matter.

Vagaro vs Booksy vs Pabau: Closing Note

After comparing Vagaro vs Booksy, one thing becomes clear.

Both handle bookings well, but neither is built for clinics managing treatments, records, and long-term patient care. 

That gap becomes more noticeable as teams grow and services become more complex. Pabau is designed to support that next stage.

What’s next?

Book a demo and see what all-in-one clinic management looks like with Pabau.