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The Vagaro alternative built only for tattoo studios

Vagaro is built for salons, spas, and barbershops as one generic platform. NoirHQ is built for one thing: running a tattoo studio, with the deposit, design, and payroll workflows tattoo artists actually need.

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To be fair to Vagaro: Vagaro is a solid, mature platform if you run a hair salon, spa, or nail studio with standardized service menus.

Where it falls short for tattoo studios: Tattoo studios end up bending generic "service" and "class" booking objects into something that was never designed for design approvals, deposit-based custom quotes, or guest artist commission splits.

Feature-by-feature

NoirHQ vs Vagaro

Vagaro is general salon, spa, and wellness booking software. Here's how the two compare on the workflows that matter specifically for running a tattoo studio.

Feature
NoirHQ
Vagaro
Built specifically for tattoo studios
✓ Yes
✕ No — general salon/spa/wellness
Deposit / booking platform fee
✓ Flat monthly, $0 transaction fee
✕ Processing fees on card payments
Design approval workflow
✓ Kanban board, client sign-off on record
✕ Not built-in
Guest artist commission/payroll splits
✓ Automated per-session
✕ Manual workaround required
30-day aftercare SMS sequence
✓ Automated (Day 1, 3, 7, 14, 30)
✕ Basic reminders only
Role-based access (Owner / Front Desk / Artist)
✓ Native RBAC tiers
✕ Limited staff permission levels
Client tattoo history & allergy flags
✓ Built-in CRM fields
✕ Generic client notes
General salon/spa features (nails, hair, massage)
✕ Not included — tattoo-only focus
✓ Yes
Market maturity / app marketplace
✕ Newer, tattoo-first platform
✓ Established, large marketplace
Common questions

NoirHQ vs Vagaro, answered

Is NoirHQ cheaper than Vagaro?

NoirHQ runs flat monthly pricing with zero platform transaction fees on deposits. Vagaro pricing varies by add-ons and typically includes payment processing fees on top of the subscription. Compare your actual booking volume against both to see total cost.

Can I move my client list from Vagaro to NoirHQ?

Yes. NoirHQ supports direct import from Vagaro, Fresha, Square, and Booksy, including client history and contact details.

Does Vagaro handle guest artist payroll splits?

Vagaro is built around a generic staff/service model and does not have tattoo-specific guest artist commission tracking out of the box. NoirHQ calculates house-cut vs. artist payout automatically per booking.

Should I switch if I run a mixed salon and tattoo studio?

If tattooing is a small part of a broader salon business, Vagaro's breadth may suit you better. If tattooing is the core business, NoirHQ's tattoo-specific workflows will likely save more time.

Switch from Vagaro
in under 30 minutes

Import your client list from Vagaro and go live with a tattoo-specific booking flow today.

Start your 7-day free trial →See all features

No credit card  ·  Cancel anytime  ·  Full access during trial