The main event · Reviewed March 2026
Vagaro runs spas. LVL2 runs tattoo shops.
Vagaro is a salon, spa, and fitness scheduler — $23.99/mo plus $10–$100+ in add-ons for forms, text marketing, and a branded app. LVL2 includes every feature at every tier, plus SMS booking, stencil generation, flash workflow, convention mode, the LVL2 Bot, Ink Studio, and 50+ tattoo tools Vagaro was never built to have.
Vagaro public pricing & pages + LVL2 repo-verified data
TALE OF THE TAPE
Round by round, side by side.
Reviewed March 2026 · Vagaro details from public pricing & product pages · LVL2 rows repo-verified
THE DECIDING ROUNDS
Where the fight is actually won.
Death by add-ons
Vagaro starts at $23.99/mo. Then forms are $10/mo, text marketing $20/mo, a branded app $100/mo, a website $20/mo. The price you see is never the price you pay. LVL2 includes everything.
Spa software, not tattoo software
Vagaro serves 220,000 salon, spa, and fitness pros. They added a tattoo page, but the platform was built for facials and haircuts. No stencil tools, no flash workflow, no convention mode.
Generic AI vs tattoo AI
Vagaro's AI writes service descriptions and generates forms. LVL2's AI books appointments via text, generates tattoo concepts, creates stencils, and LVL2b0t is trained on tattooing and art theory.
GIVING VAGARO ITS DUE
Where Vagaro takes the round.
Vagaro is a well-established platform with 220,000 professionals. If you run a salon or spa alongside your tattoo work, its broad beauty-and-wellness feature set is useful. The POS works, the booking calendar works, intake forms are available (as an add-on), and there's payroll for studios with employees.
But if you're a tattoo artist, you're paying for a platform built for a different industry — and nickel-and-dimed for features that should be included. LVL2 gives you the same booking simplicity with everything included, plus 50+ tattoo-specific tools Vagaro was never designed to have.
PURSE & FEES
More features. Less money. No commissions.
LVL2
Starter: Free forever · 9.8% booking fee on client-paid deposits only
Pro: $39/mo + 4.5% on client deposits only
Studio: Custom operator plan · zero LVL2 booking fees
Every feature on this page is included at every tier. No add-on fees. Deposits run through Stripe.
Vagaro
Base: $23.99/mo (1 calendar) – $83.99/mo (7+)
Add-ons: Forms +$10 · Text +$20 · Branded app +$100 · Website +$20
Processing: 2.2%–3.5% + $0.10–$0.19 per transaction
Stacked add-ons push a real setup past $100–$170+/mo — for a spa scheduler.
FAQ
Common questions.
Is LVL2 or Vagaro better for tattoo artists?
LVL2. Vagaro is a salon/spa/fitness platform that added a tattoo page. It has intake forms (as a $10/mo add-on) and basic photo uploads, but no stencil generation, no flash workflow, no convention mode, no SMS booking, no LVL2 Bot, no Ink Studio. LVL2 has all of those plus 50+ more features at a lower total price.
How much does Vagaro really cost?
Vagaro starts at $23.99/mo. But forms cost $10/mo extra, text marketing $20/mo, a branded app $100/mo, a website $20/mo. Total can easily reach $100–$170+/mo. LVL2 Starter is free forever for artists.
Does Vagaro have tattoo-specific features?
Vagaro has a tattoo shop page with intake forms and photo uploads. But no stencil generation, no flash sheet workflow, no convention mode, no SMS booking bot, no tattoo-trained AI, no Ink Studio, no flash marketplace. It's a salon scheduler with a tattoo section.
Does LVL2 handle expense tracking and taxes?
Yes. Built-in expense tracking with categories, receipt uploads, and tax reports. Vagaro requires a $30–$40/mo QuickBooks or Xero integration add-on for accounting. LVL2 handles it natively.
Who built LVL2?
A tattoo artist who still tattoos every single day. Not a spa software company.