Alternatives
Vagaro Alternative for Salons & Spas
Vagaro is an all-in-one booking, marketing and payments platform popular with salons and spas. Enterprise Pay Gateway is narrower by design: payments software — memberships, packages, deposits and a storefront — on your own Stripe account, not a booking calendar. If scheduling is your main need, Vagaro's suite covers more ground; if a clean Stripe-based payments setup is what you're after, that's EPG's focus.
Last updated 29 September 2026
Vagaro at a glance
Vagaro bundles online booking, a calendar, marketing tools, a point-of-sale option and payment processing into one subscription aimed at salons, spas and similar service businesses.
Enterprise Pay Gateway does not include booking or a calendar. It is payments software layered on Stripe: hosted checkout, storefront, memberships, packages, deposits and staff access, with money settling to a Stripe account in the business's own name.
As with most all-in-one suites, Vagaro's payment processing is typically part of the bundled subscription. EPG instead keeps Stripe as the processor of record, billed separately by Stripe, with EPG charging a plan fee plus a platform fee on top.
Vagaro vs Enterprise Pay Gateway
| Vagaro | Enterprise Pay Gateway | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | From $30/mo (1 staff), +$10/mo per additional staff. Currently promoted at $23.99/mo. | From $49/month + a 0.20%–0.75% platform fee, depending on plan and volume |
| Processing | Check with the vendor's own payment processing | Stripe, on your own Stripe account — Stripe's processing fees are billed to you by Stripe, separately from the EPG platform fee |
| Memberships | Check with the vendor | Included — recurring plans, self-serve signup, renewals, pause and cancel |
| Packages | Check with the vendor | Included — prepaid sessions and store credit tracked per customer |
| Deposits | Check with the vendor | Included — charge a deposit on any product or invoice |
| Storefront | Check with the vendor | Included — a public page listing everything you sell, with pay buttons |
| Staff logins | Check with the vendor | Included — owner, manager and staff roles with separate logins |
| Contracts | Check with the vendor | No minimum term on Starter, Growth or Pro |
Competitor pricing as of September 2026, based on published starting prices. Check the competitor's website for current rates.
When Vagaro is the better choice
- You need online booking, a public calendar and appointment reminders as your primary tool — Vagaro is built around that.
- You want marketing features like email/text campaigns bundled with your scheduling software.
- You're comfortable with payments processed as part of the suite rather than on a Stripe account in your own name.
Why Stripe users switch to Enterprise Pay Gateway
- They want a Stripe account in their own business name rather than payments processed inside a bundled suite.
- They want memberships, packages and deposits without paying for booking/marketing features they don't use.
- They want staff to take payments through their own logins without owner-level access to payouts or billing.
- They want a platform fee that comes down as volume grows rather than a flat suite subscription.
Common questions
- Does Enterprise Pay Gateway include a booking calendar like Vagaro?
- No. EPG has no scheduling or appointment calendar. It focuses on payments — checkout, storefront, memberships, packages and deposits — on your own Stripe account.
- What does Vagaro cost?
- From $30/mo for 1 staff member, plus $10/mo per additional staff member; currently promoted at $23.99/mo — check Vagaro's current pricing page.
- How does EPG pricing compare?
- EPG starts at $49/month plus a 0.20%–0.75% platform fee depending on plan, with Stripe's own processing fees billed separately by Stripe.
- Can I sell prepaid packages on EPG?
- Yes, prepaid packages and store credit are available today, with the remaining balance tracked on the customer record.
- Is there a contract if I switch to EPG?
- No minimum term on the Starter, Growth or Pro plans.
- Does EPG replace Vagaro's marketing tools?
- No. EPG includes one-at-a-time customer email for payments, invoices and win-backs, but it is not a marketing/campaign platform.
Related
Third-party features and pricing change often — verify with Vagaro before deciding.