Home› Compare› Pronto vs Vagaro

Pronto vs Vagaro — free plan, self-hosted, no add-on creep

Vagaro starts at $30/month and scales with every staff member you add. Add text marketing, forms, and a website and you’re paying $100–200/month before card processing. Pronto starts at $0 — and WhatsApp reminders are included in every plan.

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✓ $0 free plan ✓ WhatsApp included ✓ Self-hosted option

TL;DR — which one should you choose?

Choose Pronto if…

✓ You want a free plan with no monthly fee
✓ You want WhatsApp and Telegram notifications — not just SMS
✓ You want a fixed price that doesn’t scale with staff count
✓ You want your data on your own server
✓ You want to avoid add-on costs stacking up

Choose Vagaro if…

→ You want built-in card payment processing and payroll
→ You want a branded mobile app for your business
→ You want POS hardware from a single vendor
→ You need Vagaro’s marketplace for client discovery

Feature by feature comparison

Feature Pronto Vagaro
Base monthly fee$0 free plan$30/mo (1 staff) – $85/mo (7+)
3-person team monthly cost$19/month~$50/month
Per-staff/calendar pricingNo — fixed planYes — price increases per calendar
Commission on bookings0%0%
ContractsNoneNone — month-to-month
WhatsApp notifications✓ Native, included✗ Not available
Telegram notifications✓ Native, included✗ Not available
SMS / text reminders✓ Via Viber✓ Paid add-on (~$10/mo)
Email reminders✓ Included✓ Included
Self-hosted option✓ Docker, MIT✗ Cloud only
Open source✓ MIT license✗ Proprietary
Offline POS✓ PWA offline✗ Requires internet
Client books without account✓ Name + phone⚠️ Vagaro account encouraged
Built-in card processing✗ (external)✓ ~2.75%/transaction
Payroll management✗✓ Paid add-on
Branded mobile app✗✓ Paid add-on
Online forms / intake✗✓ Paid add-on (~$10/mo)
Marketplace listing✗✓ Included in all plans
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Prices based on publicly available information as of May 2026. Verify current rates at vagaro.com/pricing.

What business owners say about Vagaro

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Add-ons stack up quickly

Vagaro’s base plan is affordable, but most businesses need more than the basics. Adding text marketing ($10), intake forms ($10), a check-in app ($10), and cloud storage ($10) adds $40/month before you’ve touched payroll or a branded app. A 3-person team with common add-ons can easily hit $90–130/month. Pronto includes WhatsApp and Telegram notifications in every plan — no add-on required.

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No WhatsApp or Telegram

Vagaro’s text reminders are SMS-only and require a paid add-on. WhatsApp and Telegram are not available. For businesses outside the US — or any business where clients prefer WhatsApp over SMS — this is a real limitation. Pronto includes native WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email automation from the free plan up.

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Pricing scales with every staff member

Each additional bookable calendar on Vagaro increases your monthly bill. A 7-person team hits $85/month just on the subscription — before any add-ons or payment processing fees. Pronto’s Pro plan covers up to 15 staff for $39/month flat, regardless of team size.

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Your data is in their cloud

Vagaro is cloud-only — there is no self-hosted option. If Vagaro changes pricing, experiences downtime, or is acquired, your client history stays in their system. Pronto’s self-hosted version runs on your own server forever, for free. You own your data completely.

Where Vagaro has a real advantage

An honest look at where Vagaro genuinely beats Pronto.

All-in-one with payments and payroll

Vagaro includes built-in card payment processing, a payroll add-on, and physical POS hardware — all from a single vendor. For US-based businesses that want everything under one roof, this simplifies accounting significantly. Pronto’s POS accepts cash, card and transfer but does not process card payments directly.

220,000+ businesses and marketplace listing

Vagaro has over 220,000 businesses on its platform and includes a consumer marketplace listing in every plan. New businesses can benefit from organic discovery. Pronto does not have a marketplace — clients find you through your own channels.

What you actually pay per month

Pronto
Starting at $0/month
  • ✓ Free: $0/month — 1 staff, 100 clients
  • ✓ Starter: $19/month — 3 staff, unlimited clients
  • ✓ Pro: $39/month — 15 staff, unlimited
  • ✓ Agency: $79/month — multiple locations
  • ✓ WhatsApp + Telegram included on all plans
  • ✓ 0% commission, always
  • ✓ Self-hosted: free forever
Start free →
Vagaro
From $30/month
  • → 1 staff: $30/month
  • → 3 staff: ~$50/month
  • → 7+ staff: $85/month
  • → Text marketing: +$10/month (SMS only, no WhatsApp)
  • → Intake forms: +$10/month
  • → Check-in app: +$10/month
  • → Payment processing: ~2.75%/transaction
  • → No free plan — 30-day free trial

Verify current rates at vagaro.com/pricing

Real-world example

A 3-person salon on Vagaro pays ~$50/month for 3 calendars, plus ~$10 for text reminders = $60/month before card processing. The equivalent Pronto Starter plan costs $19/month — with WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email notifications included.

Frequently asked questions

Is Pronto a free alternative to Vagaro?
Yes. Pronto has a free plan with no monthly fee. Vagaro does not offer a free plan — its base plan starts at $30/month for one bookable calendar and scales to $85/month for seven or more staff. Vagaro offers a 30-day free trial with no credit card required.
How much does Vagaro cost per month in 2026?
Vagaro pricing in 2026 is based on the number of bookable calendars: approximately $30/month for 1 staff, $50/month for 3 staff, and $85/month for 7 or more staff. Add-ons such as text marketing, intake forms, check-in app, and website builder each cost an extra $10–20/month. A business using several add-ons can easily pay $100–200/month total.
Does Vagaro charge commission?
No. Vagaro does not charge commission on bookings. The marketplace listing is included in all plans at no extra cost. Payment processing fees of approximately 2.75% per transaction apply when accepting card payments through Vagaro. Pronto also charges zero commission.
Does Pronto have WhatsApp notifications like Vagaro?
Pronto includes native WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email notifications at no extra cost. Vagaro does not offer native WhatsApp or Telegram notifications. Vagaro’s text marketing feature is a paid add-on at approximately $10/month extra, and covers SMS only — not WhatsApp.
Is there a self-hosted alternative to Vagaro?
Yes. Pronto is the only open-source, self-hosted alternative to Vagaro. Install with one command: docker compose up -d. Your client data stays on your own server — no vendor lock-in, no cloud dependency. Pronto is licensed under MIT.
Does Vagaro require long-term contracts?
No. Vagaro operates on a month-to-month basis with no long-term contracts required. You can cancel at any time. Pronto SaaS also has no contracts — cancel anytime. The Pronto self-hosted version is free forever with no subscription of any kind.
Where does Vagaro have an advantage over Pronto?
Vagaro is used by over 220,000 businesses and includes a marketplace listing in all plans. It offers built-in card payment processing, payroll management, a branded mobile app option, and physical POS hardware. For US-based businesses that want an all-in-one tool with payments and payroll included, Vagaro covers more ground out of the box. Pronto does not process card payments directly and does not have a consumer marketplace.
Can I switch from Vagaro to Pronto?
Yes. Export your client list from Vagaro and import it into Pronto’s CRM. Since Vagaro has no long-term contracts, you can switch at the end of any monthly billing cycle. Pronto SaaS at trypronto.app takes minutes to set up, or self-host on your own server with one command.

Ready for a free alternative to Vagaro?

Start free — WhatsApp included, no add-ons, no per-staff fees.

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