Mindbody Review 2026: Do the Marketplace Fees Pay Off?
Mindbody offers deep features for salons and studios—but costs and complexity bite.
2/5/2026•BY STAFF
Mindbody offers deep features for salons and studios—but costs and complexity bite.
Discover if Jane's clinical-first software is the right foundation for your medspa in our latest deep-dive review.
With so many salon software options available, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Vagaro and GlossGenius are two widely used options among salons, spas, and beauty businesses, each offering a strong set of core tools but with different strengths and limitations. Looking at how they compare across everyday needs like scheduling, client management, and ease of use can make it easier to see which platform aligns better with your business.
Vagaro follows a modular pricing model that starts at $23.99 (£20) per month for a single user. As additional staff or service providers are added, pricing increases on a per-calendar basis, with a cap that prevents costs from scaling indefinitely. This approach is intended to support businesses as they grow, without requiring an immediate jump to a higher tier.
Pricing structure
At its core, the standard Vagaro plan includes a wide range of features aimed at covering everyday salon and spa operations. Most businesses will find that the essentials for scheduling, client management, and online booking are included without needing immediate add-ons.
Core business features:
Beyond scheduling, Vagaro also bundles tools for marketing, reporting, and revenue management. These features are designed to reduce the need for third-party tools, though their depth may vary depending on how advanced a business’s needs are.
Marketing, sales, and support tools:
Beyond the base subscription, Vagaro relies on an à la carte model rather than forcing businesses into higher-priced bundled tiers. Instead of upgrading plans to access additional tools, businesses can selectively add features based on what they actually need. This structure gives operators more control over monthly costs, particularly as their workflows become more specialized or complex.
Payments & Commerce
Features focused on accepting payments and selling beyond basic appointments.
Marketing & Client Engagement
Add-ons aimed at increasing visibility, communication, and repeat visits.
Operations & Front-Desk Tools
Designed to support in-location workflows and day-to-day management.
Website & Online Presence
Tools for businesses that want more control over their booking experience and branding.
Vagaro MySite (website builder): $20/month
Reporting, Accounting & Back-Office
Add-ons that support deeper financial tracking and integrations.
Vagaro separates its payment processing pricing based on monthly transaction volume. Businesses processing less than $4,000 per month fall under the Small Merchant category, while those exceeding that threshold are classified as Large Merchants. Rates vary slightly by transaction type, with lower percentage fees available at higher volumes.
Small merchants
Under $4,000 in monthly processing volume
Large merchants
Over $4,000 in monthly processing volume
GlossGenius takes a more traditional tiered approach to pricing, offering three plans that bundle features together rather than allowing businesses to add tools individually. Each plan is available at a lower rate when billed annually, with higher month-to-month pricing for businesses that prefer flexibility.
GlossGenius pricing overview
Annual billing (billed upfront)
Monthly billing
From a value perspective, GlossGenius is competitively priced, particularly at the entry level. The Standard plan includes many of the core tools solo providers need to manage bookings, accept payments, and communicate with clients, making it an accessible option for independent professionals or small teams just getting started.
Standard Plan features
(Entry-level tools included in all plans)
As businesses grow, however, access to more advanced staff and operational tools often requires moving up to higher tiers. Features related to employee management, expanded permissions, and more complex workflows are typically gated behind the Gold or Platinum plans, which can significantly increase monthly costs.
Gold Plan features
(Standard features, plus advanced tools)
Platinum Plan features
(All Gold features, plus tools for larger teams)
This bundled structure simplifies decision-making but offers less flexibility for businesses that only need a handful of advanced features rather than a full upgrade.
GlossGenius uses a flat processing rate for most transactions, meaning you pay the same percentage no matter how the card is used — whether it’s swiped, tapped, keyed in, or stored on file. This consistency makes it easier to predict costs month to month.
Standard transaction fees
Flat 2.6% processing fee on all card payments
Optional payment methods
Invoices: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction
Buy Now, Pay Later (BNPL): 6% + $0.30 per transaction
Payout timing and optional costs
24/7 booking via website, social, or maps, with waitlists, reminders, and optional client app.
24/7 booking without logins via site or social, with waitlists and tiered advanced features.
Built-in Marketplace helps businesses get found, showcase services, and take bookings from new clients.
No internal marketplace; relies on social, web, and marketing tools to attract clients.
Built-in processing with tiered rates, plus an optional POS system for in-person checkout, inventory tracking, and advanced payment features.
Flat processing rate on card sales with an integrated POS for in-person payments, retail sales, and inventory management.
Full calendar with staff/resource scheduling, waitlists, buffers, and sync options.
Core calendar with basic scheduling and waitlist; advanced controls available on higher tiers.
Automated appointment reminders, confirmations, and follow‑ups help reduce no‑shows, with customizable messaging and scheduling.
Built‑in automated reminders and confirmations via email/SMS, plus optional text credits for expanded messaging control.
Client profiles with visit history, notes, preferences, loyalty tracking, and reusable forms for deeper customer context.
Centralized client records with history, notes, retail tracking, and customizable forms; some advanced management tools require higher tiers.
Built-in business and performance reporting with dashboards and exports to help track sales, appointments, staff performance, and more.
Core reporting tools with insights on sales, bookings, and client trends; more advanced analytics and team scorecards available at higher plans.
Inventory tracking, retail sales, and product management built into platform, with tools to monitor stock and sales performance.
Integrated inventory and retail management tied to POS and client profiles; basic tools included, with deeper tracking tied to plan level.
Includes customer loyalty programs, automated marketing, and repeat-client incentives to strengthen long-term relationships.
Built‑in automated reminders and confirmations via email/SMS, plus optional text credits for expanded messaging control.
Includes email marketing credits, automated promotions, marketplace deals, and optional add-ons like text marketing and enhanced website features.
Built-in email/SMS campaigns, client segmentation, and promotional tools; some advanced marketing features (e.g., higher text credits) tied to higher-tier plans.
Customizable booking widgets and calendar views; optional branded mobile app and enhanced website tools available as add-ons.
Visually polished, customizable booking pages and brand-focused layouts; deeper design control and marketing elements expand on higher plans.
Vagaro and GlossGenius both cover the core needs of salons, spas, and beauty professionals, but they approach the problem from different angles. The stronger choice largely depends on how much flexibility, scale, and control a business needs as it grows.
Vagaro stands out for its breadth and modularity. It offers a wide range of tools across booking, payments, POS, marketing, reporting, and client discovery, with many advanced capabilities available from the start or as optional add-ons. The built-in Marketplace, deeper scheduling controls, and scalable calendar-based pricing make it particularly well suited for multi-provider businesses, locations with front-desk complexity, or operators who want the freedom to customize their software stack over time.
GlossGenius, by contrast, prioritizes simplicity, polish, and predictability. Its bundled pricing, flat payment processing rates, and streamlined booking experience make it an attractive option for solo professionals and small teams who want an elegant, low-friction system without managing add-ons or variable costs. While some advanced tools are gated behind higher tiers, the platform delivers a cohesive experience that minimizes setup and ongoing configuration.
In short, a clear “winner” doesn’t emerge across the board — but clear use cases do.
Vagaro
Favors growing or operationally complex businesses that value flexibility and discovery
GlossGenius
Best for professionals who want an intuitive, design-forward platform with straightforward pricing.
The better choice ultimately comes down to whether you prioritize scalability and customization, or simplicity and ease of use.