Boulevard vs. Vagaro

When choosing business management software for the beauty and wellness sector, you might find yourself comparing Boulevard and Vagaro for their payment processing capabilities. This article will explain what each platform offers and compare their respective features and pricing. The goal is to provide the information you need to decide which option is the best fit for your business.

A quick overview on Boulevard and Vagaro

What is Boulevard?

Boulevard is a client experience platform for appointment-based self-care businesses like medspas, salons, and barbershops. It provides software solutions for scheduling, client management, payments, and marketing.

The platform features a proprietary system called Precision Scheduling™ and a point-of-sale system designed specifically for the beauty and wellness industry. It also offers dedicated solutions for multi-location businesses, franchises, and enterprises.

What is Vagaro?

Vagaro provides business management software for the beauty, wellness, and fitness sectors. The platform offers a suite of tools for operations, including online booking, payment processing, marketing, and customer management.

Its marketplace provides businesses with access to a large customer base, and it offers live streaming capabilities for classes and consultations. The pricing structure is based on the number of bookable calendars, with no long-term contracts or fees for setup or cancellation.

Features of Boulevard and Vagaro

Boulevard features

Boulevard offers a suite of integrated tools designed for the operational needs of self-care businesses.

• Precision Scheduling™: A proprietary system that provides clients with a modern self-booking experience while optimizing the business’s calendar.
• All-in-one POS: A point-of-sale system designed specifically for beauty and wellness brands, rather than generic storefronts or cafes.
• Built-in marketing and loyalty programs: The platform includes integrated tools for marketing, client messaging, memberships, and loyalty programs to drive retention.
• Client management: Businesses can manage detailed client profiles and use digital forms and charts for client records, which is particularly useful for services like medspas.

Vagaro features

Vagaro provides a platform with a variety of tools designed to streamline business operations and enhance the client experience. Its features include:

• Online Marketplace: A platform where clients can discover and book services from a wide range of beauty, wellness, and fitness businesses.
• Flexible Booking Options: The platform supports booking for services delivered at the business, at the client's location, or through virtual live streams.
• Automated Notifications: The system sends automatic reminders and confirmations for appointments.
• Memberships and Packages: Businesses can sell recurring memberships, packages, and gift certificates directly through the platform.

Comparing Boulevard, Vagaro and Portrait Care's features

Why choose one over the other?

• For a specialized, premium experience: You might choose Boulevard if you operate a high-end or multi-location self-care business like a medspa or salon and prefer an all-inclusive software package. Its features, such as the proprietary Precision Scheduling™ and a POS system designed specifically for wellness, are bundled into comprehensive tiers. This contrasts with Vagaro's à la carte model and broader industry focus that also includes fitness.
• For sophisticated, growing operations: Boulevard is built with larger, more complex businesses in mind, offering dedicated solutions for franchises and a bespoke Enterprise plan. If your business requires advanced, integrated tools for client management, marketing, and reporting without managing numerous add-ons, Boulevard’s tiered structure provides a more streamlined solution.

• For affordability and flexibility: Vagaro is the more economical and flexible choice, particularly for solo practitioners or smaller businesses, with plans starting at $23.99 per month for one user. Its model allows you to add premium features like live streaming or advanced forms as needed, offering greater cost control compared to Boulevard's higher-priced, bundled tiers.
• For client acquisition and service variety: If growing your client base is a key goal, Vagaro’s public Marketplace gives your business visibility to millions of potential customers. Furthermore, its support for live-streamed classes and a 30-day free trial makes it a more versatile option for businesses that want to offer virtual services or thoroughly test the platform before committing.

Considering Portrait Care vs Boulevard and Vagaro

• For a comprehensive growth partner, not just a software provider: You would choose Portrait Care because it offers a truly integrated solution tailored specifically for medical aesthetics. Unlike competitors that charge significant monthly fees or rely on a complex à la carte model, Portrait Care provides an all-in-one platform that is free to get started with, combining core EHR functionality with essential services and access to national pricing power for up to 60%+ savings on supplies. This unique model empowers your clinic to operate more efficiently and profitably from day one, without the high initial costs or feature limitations of other systems.

What are the customers saying?

Boulevard reviews

User feedback on the platform for self-care businesses often discusses its feature set, with some reviews noting missing capabilities, integration challenges, and issues related to payments and reporting. Check out more Boulevard reviews here.

Vagaro reviews

User feedback on Vagaro points to issues with payment processing, the onboarding process for new businesses, software performance, and customer service. Check out more Vagaro reviews here.

Portrait Care reviews

Our clients often praise our integrated platform for helping them achieve financial freedom and a better work-life balance. A key benefit they find useful is our robust electronic health record (EHR) platform, which is available as a freemium service—the core functionality is free, with optional premium add-ons for enhanced features.

Some advanced add-ons are even included at no extra cost for users in higher membership tiers, and it's free to get started unlike other software in the space. Want to see for yourself? Check us out here.

Boulevard, Vagaro, or Portrait Care: Which is the best platform for you?

Ultimately, the best platform for your business depends on your specific needs, and both Boulevard and Vagaro offer strong features for managing a self-care practice. However, for those in the medical wellness space looking for more than just software, we recommend Portrait Care. It stands out by providing a truly comprehensive partnership that combines technology, essential services, and significant supply savings to help your clinic thrive independently.