SupaDay vs Vagaro for Spas: Which Is Better?

Short answer: SupaDay is the better fit for most day spas because it includes SMS reminders, commission tracking, recurring bookings, staff scheduling, and POS on the Grow plan at $14/user/month — capped at $99/month. Vagaro's base price looks similar, but SMS marketing ($20/month) and website builder ($20/month) push the real cost $40-50 higher.

Spas run on appointments. Clients book 60-90 minute treatments weeks in advance, expect a smooth booking experience, and come back on a regular schedule. The software that runs your spa should make all of that seamless — not charge you extra every time you want to send a reminder or check your commission reports.

Both SupaDay and Vagaro can run a spa. The difference is what's included in the price.

Head-to-head comparison

Pricing breakdown

Here's what a 5-therapist day spa actually pays:

SupaDay Grow:

• 5 therapists x $14/month = $70/month
• SMS included (500/month)
• Commission tracking included
• Staff scheduling included
• Recurring bookings included
• Total: $70/month

Vagaro:

• Base: $30/month + 4 extra calendars x $10 = $70/month
• SMS marketing: +$20/month
• Website builder: +$20/month
• Total: $110/month

Same team. $40/month difference. That's $480/year going to add-ons for features SupaDay includes by default.

Where SupaDay wins

SMS is included, not an add-on

This is the biggest difference for spas. A missed 90-minute deep tissue appointment is hard to fill on short notice. That's $100-150 in lost revenue from one no-show.

SupaDay includes 500 SMS credits on Grow and 2,000 on Business. Appointment reminders, confirmation texts, and marketing messages all come from the same pool. "Time for your monthly facial" rebooking texts? Included. "20% off hot stone massage this Thursday" promotions? Included.

Vagaro includes basic appointment confirmations but charges $20/month extra for SMS marketing campaigns. Every "we miss you" text, every seasonal promotion, every rebooking nudge — that's the add-on tier.

Recurring appointments for regulars

Spa clients are creatures of habit. Monthly massages. Biweekly facials. Quarterly body treatments. SupaDay's recurring appointments let you set the pattern once — every 2 weeks, every month, first Tuesday of each month — and the system books the series automatically.

Both platforms support this. No difference in capability. But SupaDay includes it alongside SMS and commissions at $14/user, while Vagaro's total bill is higher once you add the features spas actually need.

Commission tracking with full audit trail

Both SupaDay and Vagaro include commission tracking. SupaDay lets you set a flat rate per therapist or customize per treatment — massage, facial, body wrap, and add-on services can each have different commission rates. Tips are tracked separately for card and cash, with reports ready for payroll.

Where SupaDay pulls ahead: the audit trail. Every appointment change is logged — who modified it, when, and what changed. If a therapist's commission report looks off and you need to trace what happened, the audit trail shows the full history. Vagaro doesn't offer this.

Review management on Business plan

Spas live and die by reviews. A steady stream of 5-star Google ratings is your best marketing — better than any ad.

SupaDay's review management (Business plan) sends review requests automatically after appointments. Set the delay — 4 hours, 24 hours, or 48 hours — and the system handles it. You see how many requests went out, the response rate, and your average rating from one dashboard.

Vagaro also has review features on its base plan. This one's close to even, though SupaDay's automation is fully hands-off once configured.

Where Vagaro wins

Marketplace

Vagaro has a consumer marketplace where clients search for spas by location and service. If you're a newer spa actively building a client base, that marketplace traffic has real value.

SupaDay's marketplace is coming soon but isn't live yet. For now, your clients find you through Google, Instagram, referrals, and your own marketing.

More integrations

Vagaro connects with more third-party tools — payroll services, branded apps, and a wider ecosystem. If your spa needs deep integrations with specific software, Vagaro has more options today.

Longer track record

Vagaro has been around longer with a larger user base. More tutorials, more community support, more institutional knowledge. For spa owners who value an established platform, that matters.

Where they're equal

Both platforms handle the spa basics well:

• Online booking — clients pick their therapist, choose their treatment, and book 24/7
• Calendar management — day, week, month views with drag-and-drop
• Staff scheduling — therapists manage their hours and time off
• POS checkout — card, cash, gift card, split payments, tip handling

These are table stakes. Every modern spa platform does them.

Which one should you pick?

Pick SupaDay if:

• You want SMS reminders and marketing included, not billed separately
• Commission tracking and payroll-ready reports matter
• You want a monthly cap so your bill never surprises you
• You want an audit trail for every appointment change
• Your spa runs on recurring appointments and rebooking

Pick Vagaro if:

• You want a marketplace to bring in new clients
• You need specific third-party integrations
• You prefer a larger established ecosystem

The bottom line

Vagaro and SupaDay both run spas. The features are similar. The difference is the bill — SupaDay includes SMS, commissions, scheduling, and audit trail at $14/user/month with a $99 cap, while Vagaro charges $20/month extra for SMS and $20/month for a website on top of the base price. For most day spas, that $40-50/month in add-on savings is reason enough to switch. See how SupaDay works for spas →. For a full breakdown, check the comparison page →.