Vagaro's $30/mo doesn't include what your studio actually needs
Vagaro was built for salons and spas — fitness studios are an afterthought. Once you add the features studios need, costs reach $110–$310/mo. Punchpass is purpose-built for class-based studios at $59–$149/mo, all-inclusive.
Punchpass vs Vagaro at a Glance
Punchpass
- ✓ $59–$149/mo — all features included, no add-ons
- ✓ Purpose-built for class-based fitness studios
- ✓ Native Zoom integration on all plans
- ✓ Unlimited instructors — no per-calendar fees
- ✓ Mailchimp and MailerLite integrations
- ✓ Flexible booking — accounts optional or required, your choice
Vagaro
- • $30/mo base — but $110–$310/mo with studio add-ons
- • Built for salons/spas — studios are a secondary market
- • Zoom integration sunset May 2025 — $10/mo for replacement
- • $10/mo per additional instructor calendar
- • No Mailchimp/MailerLite — basic 1,000 emails/mo only
- • Clients must create a Vagaro account to book
Ratings from Capterra
Eight Reasons Studios Choose Punchpass Over Vagaro
Purpose-built for studios — not adapted salon software
Vagaro was designed for salons and spas. Fitness studios are a secondary market. That means you're navigating features built for appointment-based workflows — SOAP notes, barcode scanning, commission tracking — when all you need is class scheduling, attendance, and member management. Punchpass was built from day one for class-based fitness and wellness studios.
The real cost isn't $30/mo — it's $110–$310/mo
Vagaro's $30/mo base price looks affordable until you add what studios actually need: QuickBooks integration ($30/mo), website builder ($20/mo), and live streaming ($10/mo) — that's $110/mo before per-calendar charges. Need more than 1,000 email sends per month? That's another $20 per batch of credits. Add the branded app ($200/mo) and you're approaching $310/mo. Plus $10/mo per additional instructor calendar. Punchpass is $59–$149/mo with everything included — no add-ons, no per-instructor fees.
Zoom integration included — Vagaro dropped theirs
Vagaro sunset their Zoom integration in May 2025, replacing it with a proprietary live streaming tool at $10/mo extra. Streaming video is hard — so we let the experts handle it. Everyone already knows how to use Zoom, it's a robust and reliable platform, and Punchpass includes native Zoom integration on all plans at no extra cost.
Flexible booking — on your terms
With Vagaro, every client must create a Vagaro account before they can book. No exceptions. Punchpass gives you the flexibility to decide how booking works for your studio. Want frictionless booking with no account required? Done. Want to require an account and an active pass to book? You can do that too. You can even require an account and active pass for regular classes while keeping intro or trial classes open to anyone. It's your studio — you should control the booking experience.
Unlimited instructors on every plan
Vagaro charges $10/mo per additional calendar — each instructor or room needs their own. A studio with 7 instructors pays $90/mo for the base subscription alone, before any add-ons. Punchpass includes unlimited users on all plans. Add instructors as your studio grows without watching your bill climb.
Better ease of use and support quality
On Capterra, Punchpass scores 4.8/5 for Ease of Use compared to Vagaro's 4.6/5 — and 4.9/5 for Customer Service compared to Vagaro's 4.6/5. That support gap matters: despite Vagaro offering 24/7 phone support, users describe it as "unhelpful at best and argumentative at worst." Punchpass provides responsive, personal support from people who understand studios.
Email marketing that works with the tools you already use
Punchpass integrates natively with Mailchimp and MailerLite — the email platforms studios actually use. Vagaro offers basic built-in email limited to 1,000 sends per month, and if you need more, you'll pay $20 for an additional 7,500 credits — yet another add-on in a platform full of them. There are no external email integrations either, so if you want to use a real email marketing tool, Vagaro boxes you in.
Features designed for how studios actually work
Punchpass includes standing reservations (auto-book your regulars into weekly classes), VIP early access (give loyal members priority booking), and Paylinks (send direct payment links to clients). These are studio-specific features that Vagaro doesn't offer — because Vagaro's roadmap is driven by salon and spa needs, not yours.
Pricing: Punchpass vs Vagaro
Vagaro's $30/mo base price doesn't tell the full story. Here's what studios actually pay when you factor in the add-ons and per-calendar charges most studios need.
| Punchpass | Vagaro | |
|---|---|---|
| Base price | $59–$149/mo | $30/mo (1 calendar) |
| Additional instructors | Unlimited — included | +$10/mo per calendar |
| Virtual classes (Zoom) | Included on all plans | Zoom dropped — $10/mo for live stream |
| Email marketing integrations | Mailchimp, MailerLite | None — basic 1,000 emails/mo |
| Client account required | Flexible — your choice | Yes — Vagaro account required |
| Capterra rating | 4.8/5 (177 reviews) | 4.7/5 (3,463 reviews) |
Ready to switch?
Try Punchpass for 14 days, on us. No credit card required.
Charlotte
Movement Designed to Feel Good
Within one week of having invested in Punchpass I’ve gained hours back into my life that was previously spent doing boring admin stuff. I am SO THANKFUL! User-friendly and thorough -- ❤️ loving it so far.
Martin Guyer
Momentum Movement
Easy to navigate platform for the customer and administrators! Awesome tech support and tutorials.
Rene
Challenge Aerial
The Punchpass platform is very user friendly and the Punchpass team is incredibly responsive and helpful. I feel like they know us, they understand our business needs, and they work every day to try to help us become more successful.
Leah
Forever Wild Yoga
We love using Punchpass for our yoga studio! The tech support has been great and the flexibility of the software has been perfect for our yoga studio!
David Morley
Founder, Hamilton Yoga
Australia
Since switching from another platform a few years ago, I've never looked back since using Punchpass. Simple to use and always being developed, Punchpass is a great management system. Coupled with Stripe, payments are made easy for clients.
Jurian Hughes
Owner, Studio Jurian Hughes
USA
I’m so glad a friend recommended Punchpass to me four years ago. They’re reliable, helpful, easy to manage, affordable. I couldn’t run my online yoga business without them.
Martina
Owner, Inside Out Wellness
Ireland
Straight forward and easy to use. Brilliant support and such a quick response with solutions to any issues I may have. Would highly recommend Punchpass for any studio or gym.
Rachel Baker
Owner / Instructor, Rebels & Dreamers Pilates Studio
Nelson, New Zealand
Punchpass is such a great booking system! The team are always there to assist when needed and are very helpful. Highly recommend. I get a lot of great client feedback about how simple it is to book and use the app :)
John Gagnon
Teacher, JOY / Journey Om Yoga
Salem, NH
Easy registration for classes for both students and teachers. Built-in email reminders are wonderful for when life gets busy, and time gets away from us!
Carol Angelo
Owner/instructor, Zumba with Carol Angelo
United States
I can’t say enough about this service. So much thought has gone into making this site easy to navigate. As a small business owner, this service is affordable and has changed how I keep track of my clients. Amazing customer service.
Claymates
Founder, Claymates Ceramics Studio
Canada
I have had a great experience with Punchpass! There is not a lot of software that works for my type of business (community pottery studio), and Punchpass has made class management so much easier for me.
Kelly Peckholdt
Owner, Positions Dance Studio & Babylon Barre
New York, USA
We've found Punch Pass to be very user friendly both for staff and clients. It has many helpful features for a great price in comparison to their competitors. Their tech support & customer service is always very responsive, too!
Katie Moore
Katie Moore Fitness
Best solution for studios & instructors! I’ve tried them all. Punch Pass is affordable, easy to set up, intuitive, customizable & easy to use for customers! I would definitely recommend PP to Zumba, yoga, or any group fitness instructors.
Is Punchpass right for your studio?
Punchpass is a great fit if you...
- ✓ Run a class-based studio — yoga, Pilates, fitness, dance, martial arts, or wellness
- ✓ Want transparent pricing with no add-on fees or per-instructor charges
- ✓ Run virtual or hybrid classes using Zoom
- ✓ Need Mailchimp or MailerLite integration for email marketing
- ✓ Want flexible booking options — accounts optional or required, on your terms
Vagaro may be better if you...
- • Run a salon, spa, or appointment-based business rather than a class-based studio
- • Need a built-in marketplace to help new clients discover your business
- • Have significant retail product sales and need a hardware POS system
- • Are a solo practitioner looking for $30/mo all-in-one scheduling
- • Need built-in payroll, inventory management, or SOAP notes
Switching is easier than you think
We've helped many studios migrate from Vagaro. The process is quick, painless, and completely free.
Start a free trial
Try Punchpass for 14 days alongside Vagaro. No credit card, no obligation.
We migrate your data
Send us your Vagaro exports and we'll upload your customers, passes, and memberships — usually within 24 hours.
You're up and running
Many studios launch while still in their trial. It's that straightforward.
Frequently Asked Questions
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The core difference is focus. Vagaro was built for salons and spas — fitness studios are a secondary market. Punchpass was built specifically for class-based fitness and wellness studios. That means Punchpass's scheduling, attendance tracking, member management, and integrations are all designed for how studios operate.
The other major difference is pricing transparency. Vagaro's $30/mo base price doesn't include accounting integration, website builder, or live streaming — those are all paid add-ons. Even basic email marketing is capped at 1,000 sends per month, with extra credits at additional cost. Punchpass is $59–$149/mo with all features included on your plan.
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That $30/mo base price is for a single calendar with no add-ons. A typical studio with 3 instructors that needs QuickBooks ($30/mo), website builder ($20/mo), and live streaming ($10/mo) pays $110/mo on Vagaro. Add the branded app ($200/mo) and it's $310/mo.
Punchpass at $59–$149/mo includes unlimited users, native Zoom integration, Mailchimp and MailerLite integrations, and all core features — no add-on fees, no per-instructor charges. For most studios, Punchpass is actually the more affordable option once you compare total cost.
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Yes. Vagaro retired their Zoom integration in May 2025, replacing it with a proprietary live streaming tool that costs $10/mo extra. Punchpass includes deep, native Zoom integration on all plans at no extra cost — including automatic Zoom link generation, attendance syncing, and support for hybrid classes.
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Punchpass is month to month. No contracts, no commitments. You can upgrade, downgrade, or cancel anytime — and you won't be billed again once your current month ends.
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Absolutely. Start a free 14-day trial — no credit card required. You can run Punchpass alongside Vagaro to compare the experience firsthand.
Many studios get fully set up during the trial period. Add your classes, test client bookings, and explore the reporting before making any changes to your Vagaro subscription.
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We've helped many studios migrate from other platforms and we make it as painless as possible. Export your client data from Vagaro and we can upload it for you — we don't charge for data migration.
We'll help you transfer customer information and any active passes or memberships. Most studios are up and running quickly, often while still in the free trial.
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Not unless you want them to — and that's a key difference. Vagaro requires clients to create a Vagaro account before they can book online, with no way around it. With Punchpass, you choose: allow frictionless booking with no account, or require an account and active pass if that works better for your studio. You can even keep intro classes open while requiring accounts for regular classes.
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No. With Punchpass, you connect your own Stripe account and pay standard Stripe processing rates — we don't add any markup. Vagaro uses their own built-in payment processing at 2.75% per card-present transaction, with additional monthly fees for merchants processing over $4K/mo.
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Yes — Vagaro's marketplace with 250K+ businesses is a genuine differentiator that Punchpass doesn't replicate. However, the marketplace primarily benefits salons and spas where consumers search for services by type and location. Most fitness studio clients come through referrals, social media, local marketing, and your website — not a software marketplace.
If the Vagaro marketplace is a significant source of your new clients, that's worth weighing. But many studios find they're paying for a marketplace they barely use while dealing with add-on fees and a salon-first interface that doesn't serve them well.
See how Punchpass can work for your studio
