Simple Salon vs Vagaro
A Vagaro Alternative With No Add-On Pricing Surprises
Everything you need to run your salon is included: reports, digital forms, marketing automation, and more, without stacking paid add-ons to get the features that matter.
No contracts · No card required · Cancel anytime
Forms and marketing included
Vagaro's A$45/month entry price looks appealing, but digital forms and text marketing are separate paid add-ons at A$15/month each. Simple Salon's Pro plan includes both from day one.
Free data export, anytime
Some providers lock your client list behind a paywall, or charge to export your own data. Simple Salon keeps your clients, bookings and reports yours: export anytime, at no cost, no lock-in.
40+ reports on every plan
Simple Salon includes 40+ reports with every plan, covering rebooking rates, revenue by service and staff, KPI dashboards and loyalty activity, at no extra cost.
Why Salon Owners Are Switching From Vagaro
Simple Salon is a Vagaro alternative that includes reporting, digital forms, and marketing in one flat monthly subscription, with no add-ons to buy separately. Simple Salon charges one flat monthly subscription with no lock-in contracts and no new client fees, so the price you see is the price for a working salon setup. Vagaro is a feature-rich platform, but its pricing model is built around add-ons: the entry price looks low until you start adding the tools most salons actually need.
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Digital forms and text marketing are extras that layer on top of the base subscription at A$15/month each, so the real monthly cost for a working salon setup is higher than the advertised starting price. For salon owners who want a clear, predictable bill and don't want to manage a menu of optional modules, Simple Salon, a Vagaro alternative, bundles the core tools into every plan.
The real cost: Vagaro vs Simple Salon
| Feature / Cost (AUD) | Simple Salon | Vagaro |
|---|---|---|
| Base monthly price | From A$25/mo (Starter) | A$45/mo + add-ons |
| Realistic monthly cost | A$45/operator/mo (Pro) | A$75/mo with add-ons |
| Reporting | Included: 40+ salon reports | Included |
| Digital forms | Included | Add-on, A$15/mo |
| Text marketing | Included (Smart Send) | Add-on, from A$15/mo |
| SMS reminders | 200 SMS/operator/mo included on Pro | Available (pricing varies) |
| AI chatbot can book appointments | N/A | No, sends booking link only |
| Memberships & packages | Included | Available |
| Loyalty points | Included | Available |
| BYO payment processor | Yes (Tyro, Stripe, Worldline, PIN, Mercury, KPay) | Limited |
| BNPL (Afterpay, ZipPay) | Supported | Not standard |
| Setup complexity | Low | High |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
• Vagaro pricing: vagaro.com/en-au/pro/pricing and Vagaro support, 'Vagaro Plans, Pricing, and Premium Features', Australian price book, verified 23 August 2026 • Simple Salon pricing: simplesalon.com/pricing, verified 23 August 2026 • All prices on this page are AUD and exclude GST
The Entry Price Isn't the Real Price
Vagaro starts at A$45/month, which is attractive, until you realise that digital forms and text marketing are separate paid add-ons at A$15/month each. A salon that needs both is at A$75/month before adding modules like the online shopping cart at A$15/month or the MySite website builder at A$30/month. Simple Salon's Pro plan at A$45 per operator per month includes forms, marketing and 40+ reports out of the box. You know what you're paying before you sign up.
The AI Chatbot Can't Actually Book Appointments
Vagaro's AI Chatbot Connect is marketed as a client-facing tool, but there's an important limitation in how it works: the chatbot cannot view your calendar or book appointments directly. When a client asks to book, the chatbot sends them a link to complete the booking themselves (vagaro.com support docs, December 2024). If you're evaluating tools based on automated booking capability, that distinction matters.
40+ Reports Included on Every Plan
Simple Salon includes 40+ reports with every plan, covering rebooking rates, revenue by service and staff, KPI dashboards, benchmarking, retail vs. service performance, loyalty points activity, and more. Knowing your numbers shouldn't cost extra.
A Simpler Setup That Doesn't Require a Degree in the Platform
Vagaro is powerful, but its breadth of features and modular structure means a longer setup curve. Simple Salon gets salons operational quickly. Appointments, POS, client management, online booking, and marketing all work together without a complex configuration process.
Fewer Wasted Gaps Between Your Appointments
When a client books online, Simple Salon can offer them the times right beside your existing appointments, either straight after one finishes or just before the next one starts. Your day then stays in bigger working blocks instead of breaking up into short gaps that are too small to fill.
Your data is yours, always
Some providers make it hard to leave, locking your client list and history behind a paywall, charging you to export your own data, or tying you into long contracts and other strange rules. We don’t play those games. With Simple Salon your clients, bookings and reports are always yours: export everything anytime, at no cost, with no lock-in. If you ever move on, you take it all with you.
Switching
Moving from Vagaro takes a day, not a month
1
Export your data
Download your clients, services and history from Vagaro. We’ll show you exactly where the buttons are.
2
We import it for you
Our team helps bring your client list and appointments across. Once we have your files, most salons are up and running within a day.
3
Keep taking bookings
Share your new booking link on your socials and your book keeps filling, now with no commission on new clients.
All the Tools. One Predictable Monthly Price.
Start a free trial and see everything this salon software includes, no add-ons required to run a complete salon.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Why is Vagaro's real monthly cost higher than its advertised price?
Vagaro's base subscription covers core appointment booking and reporting, but several features that salons use day-to-day are sold as separate add-ons: digital forms at A$15/month, a text marketing plan from A$15/month, the online shopping cart at A$15/month and the MySite website builder at A$30/month. A single-calendar account that adds forms and text marketing is at A$75/month (based on vagaro.com/en-au/pro/pricing and Vagaro's 'Vagaro Plans, Pricing, and Premium Features' Australian price book, verified 23 August 2026).
Does Simple Salon charge extra for reports or marketing tools?
No. Reporting (40+ reports), Smart Send marketing automation, digital forms, memberships, loyalty points, and gift vouchers are all included in Simple Salon's Pro and Max plans without additional monthly fees.
Can Vagaro's AI chatbot book appointments directly?
Not directly. Vagaro's AI Chatbot Connect can answer FAQs and send clients a link to book, but it cannot access your calendar or create bookings itself (vagaro.com support docs, December 2024). Clients still need to complete the booking on their own.
Is Simple Salon easier to set up than Vagaro?
Most users find Simple Salon faster to get running. It's designed specifically for hair and beauty businesses, so you're not navigating features built for fitness studios or medical practices. Everything in the interface is relevant to a salon operation.
Does Simple Salon support online bookings from Google and social media?
Yes. Simple Salon supports Reserve with Google, Facebook booking, and Instagram booking so clients can book from wherever they find you.
Both platforms have free trials: what's the difference?
Both Vagaro and Simple Salon offer free trials. The key difference is what you discover during the trial: with Vagaro, you may find that the features you need require paying for add-ons, whereas Simple Salon includes its full core feature set in the trial.