When clients visit your salon and spa, it’s easy to deliver an excellent customer experience if you’re tuned in to their needs. Outside the four walls of your business, however, things get a little trickier.

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If you want to wow your clientele and keep them engaged beyond their in-person appointments, you’ll need salon software that integrates with your salon or spa – helping you manage appointment bookings, process payments, provide outstanding customer service, and encourage future bookings.

In this article, we put three popular salon and spa software options to the test – Vagaro vs. Mangomint vs. GlossGenius. Using our guide below, you can select the best platform for your needs, scale your business, and build a loyal clientele that’s eager to do business with you.

Who Is Vagaro Best For?

Launched in 2009 and headquartered in Dublin, California, Vagaro is a popular option for salons and spas of all sizes, from independent professionals to large establishments. While Vagaro caters to various industries, it is primarily tailored to salons, spas, and fitness businesses.

Vagaro offers the flexibility to deploy the software from the cloud, on-site, or via a hybrid version. The platform is well-suited to anyone who needs online booking, POS (point of sale) solutions, automated marketing, client management, and inventory management.

The platform offers reporting tools and a mobile app for salon management on the go and efficient client scheduling. It also integrates with third-party platforms like Facebook, Google Calendar, and QuickBooks for seamless social posting, scheduling, and financial management.

Advantages of Using Vagaro

Startups and solo professionals may find Vagaro to be a user-friendly platform with robust features to manage their businesses. Below are some of the key advantages of using Vagaro:

• The platform is reasonably priced, making it accessible for newer small businesses that are still building their clientele.
• Users can create a Vagaro-hosted website tailored to their businesses, with staff biographies, brand assets, hours of operation, service offerings, and other personalization.
• Clients can book appointments with their preferred providers on your website or through the mobile app, branded to your business.
• Built-in automation handles appointment reminders via email or SMS, helping you keep in touch with clients and reduce no-shows.
• Client management tools keep track of client histories so you can view their favorite services at a glance. Easily promote your services and special offers to previous clients with included email marketing tools.
• Attendance and payroll processing tools make it easy to manage team members and ensure timely payments.
• POS features allow for the sale of gift certificates, packages, and products online and through the mobile app.

Disadvantages of Using Vagaro

Some users report having problems with payment processing, a complex checkout process, glitches, and downtime. Others say certain features could use some refinement, including its SMS messaging and loyalty program solutions, which may lack customization.

While Vagaro’s affordable price tag is attractive for new businesses, the scalable pricing and single-calendar model could prove to be a costly drawback for growing businesses as they add team members.

The base price does not include add-ons that may be vital to your success, either. For instance, text marketing is an add-on feature that starts at $20 per month. Other a la carte add-ons like the website builder, custom forms,  and branded mobile app are an additional cost, too. When you add everything up, Vagaro might be pricier than growing businesses can afford.

Vagaro Pricing

Vagaro offers a free trial; paid plans start at $25 per month with optional add-ons available.

Vagaro Reviews

• G2: 4.3/5 from 88 user reviews
• Capterra: 4.7/5 from +3,000 reviews

Who Is Mangomint Best For?

For salons or spas that are more well-established, Mangomint offers robust spa software for growing operations – from 10-person teams to large businesses.

Right out of the gate, the Essentials plan includes most of the features of the Standard and Unlimited plans, with the exception of memberships and automatic billing. The simple pricing structure makes it easy to get up and running with plenty of features, including online scheduling, email marketing, client management tools, inventory management, payment processing, and more.

Advantages of Using Mangomint

When comparing Vagaro vs. Mangomint, you may gravitate toward Mangomint if you have a larger team or plan to add more staff members in the near future. Below are some of the key advantages of using Mangomint:

• Online scheduling enables clients to book appointments with ease, while salons and spas can keep track of appointments from a centralized dashboard.
• Administrators can control access to various functions for different team members and enable check-in and check-out processes to keep track of professionals’ time on the clock.
• Automated notifications via SMS or email about new bookings, cancellations, and upcoming appointments ensure clients and pros stay in the loop.
• Client management tools track clients’ appointment histories, preferred services, and communications, plus personalized details like client birthdays, allergies, and social media handles.
• With Mangomint, salons and spas can integrate with Shopify, Mailchimp, Gift Up, and other third-party apps.
• Create team member accounts for up to 10 staff members with the Essentials plan, up to 20 with the Standard plan, or unlimited providers with the Unlimited plan. Team management tools enable owners to track work shifts, monitor time off requests, and update access permissions for individual providers. Meanwhile, providers can manage their own appointments and clients from their own devices with the mobile app.

Disadvantages of Using Mangomint

If your salon or spa is in its infancy, Mangomint might be more app than you need. Because the software is aimed at small and growing teams, its pricing can be prohibitive for solo professionals who are just getting started with a client base.

Some Mangomint users report freezing, long checkouts, scanning problems, a lack of integrations, and other problems. Others mention that in addition to the higher costs of Mangomint overall, the add-ons can make the price tag increase even more. For instance, if you want integrated forms, it’s another $50 per month, and two-way texting adds $75 per month – each with another $25 per month for extra locations.

Mangomint Pricing

Mangomint offers a free trial, with the Essentials plan starting at $165 per month, excluding any add-ons.

Mangomint pricing plans:

• Essentials: $165 per month (best for small teams)
• Standard: $245 per month (best for busy salons & spas)
• Unlimited: $375 per month (best for large businesses)

Mangomint Reviews

• G2: 4.8/5 from 30 reviews
• Capterra: 4.9/5 from 83 reviews

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Who Is GlossGenius Best For?

Beyond your exploration of Vagaro vs. Mangomint, there’s a third option to consider: GlossGenius. With transparent, all-in-one pricing and a wide range of included features, GlossGenius has become a favorite among salon and spa professionals. The New York City-based software company, launched in 2017, serves over 40,000 beauty and wellness professionals and oversees upwards of $2 billion in transaction activity per year.

GlossGenius sets itself apart with its beautiful user interface, ease of scheduling, range of features, and affordability. Because GlossGenius includes essentials like a custom website and built-in marketing tools, it’s a preferred solution among seasoned and up-and-coming beauty and wellness professionals alike.

Advantages of Using GlossGenius

Don’t be surprised if your clients become loyal advocates for your brand after using GlossGenius. Here are some of the advantages of GlossGenius over Vagaro and Mangomint:

• Easy online booking, automated appointment reminders and confirmations, and in-app notifications create an exceptional experience for clients. GlossGenius becomes your personal assistant so you can focus on doing the work you love instead of spending hours on administrative tasks.
• GlossGenius includes a custom, beautifully designed website at no additional charge.
• The all-in-one pricing means you will not pay extra for features that other platforms consider “add-ons,” such as email and text marketing, social media templates, and POS tools.
• GlossGenius also offers a Gold plan at just $48 per month that also enables more features like client waitlists, multiple team members, a 50% card reader discount, waivers, and commission reports with calculations. Compared with Vagaro and Mangomint, GlossGenius offers more included features at a lower cost.
• Real-time reporting and analytics tools help you identify strengths and opportunities to improve your operations.
• With GlossGenius, many professionals report a 90% rebooking rate and 30% growth within 12 months of using the platform.
• Flat-rate, industry-low payment processing fees of 2.6% help to contain costs and keep costs predictable.
• Staff management tools facilitate collaboration among your staff members, making it easy to delegate roles and customize permissions.

Disadvantages of Using GlossGenius

For small teams and independent professionals, GlossGenius is an ideal solution. But, if you have a large team or multiple locations, you may find the software currently has its limitations. At the same time, GlossGenius is continually rolling out new features aimed at helping everyone from solo entrepreneurs to large enterprises utilize the platform.

Other potential roadblocks could arise for anyone who prefers to build a fully customized website rather than use GlossGenius’ built-in web design tools. But, in working with thousands of different clients, we have found that many users enjoy getting up and running quickly instead of spending months in web development.

Weigh the pros and cons of GlossGenius, and you may find that its drawbacks are advantages in disguise.

GlossGenius Pricing

GlossGenius offers a free trial, with paid plans starting at $24 per month with no hidden fees.

• Standard: $24 per month (for individuals and professionals)
• Gold: $48 per month (for growing salons & spas)

GlossGenius Reviews

• G2: 5/5
• Capterra: 4.6/5

Which Is Better for Appointments?

Vagaro

Using Vagaro, salons can show open time slots for the day, week, or month. Clients may book their preferred times using either the app or the website. Vagaro also sends SMS and email notifications to confirm upcoming appointments.

Mangomint

Uncluttered and intuitive, Mangomint uses color coding for at-a-glance views of appointment statuses. Single-screen scheduling and checkout reduces errors and confusion during the booking and checkout process. Mangomint also automatically sends appointment confirmations, reminders, and cancellation notifications via email and SMS.

GlossGenius

GlossGenius stands above the rest with quick, easy, stylish online bookings on the app or desktop. Contact syncing makes it easy to communicate with clients and ensure timely notifications about appointments, reminders, and cancellations.

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Which Has a Better POS System?

Vagaro

With its integrated POS feature, Vagaro enables the sales of gift certificates, products, and packages. Clients can tip, sign, and pay on the dual screen, which itemizes clients’ purchases.

Mangomint

Mangomint offers a sleek front-desk display, a Bluetooth credit card reader, and self-checkout features that put payment control into clients’ hands. The platform also allows for deposits or full payments upfront, reducing no-shows and cancellations.

GlossGenius

GlossGenius offers the most comprehensive POS solution for salons and spas. A stunning user interface, personalized card reader, intuitive navigation, effortless online client booking, contactless payment options, and efficient inventory management make GlossGenius the POS of choice for modern salons and spas.

Which Is Best for Client Management?

While Vagaro and Mangomint offer robust client management tools, they do not compare with GlossGenius’ range of features.

The platform creates a positive client experience with instant replies to client texts, plus back-end features to track booking histories, pronouns, analytics, and client notes from a unified dashboard. GlossGenius users see consistent rebookings – the key to success and growth in the salon and spa industry.

Which Is Best for Marketing Your Business?

We also like GlossGenius the best for marketing and client outreach, with included tools like a website, unlimited email and SMS marketing, and other tools that make it easy to engage with clients. Using GlossGenius’ marketing and social media tools, GlossGenius clients routinely see a 35% increase in rebookings.

• Best G2 rating: GlossGenius
• Best Capterra rating: Mangomint

Conclusion: Who’s the Winner?

GlossGenius is our clear choice as an all-in-one salon management software that’s affordable, feature-rich, and built to scale alongside your business. As you evaluate Vagaro vs. Mangomint vs. GlossGenius, consider the time and cost savings, the growth potential, and the range of features GlossGenius has to offer.

Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!

Consider, too, that GlossGenius offers unparalleled customer support to ensure you’ll have a successful experience using the software — and so will your clients. To learn more and get started, launch your 14-day free trial and see why we’re the top choice for salon and spa management.