pro-business
Best Booking Software for PMU and Microblading Artists in 2026
PMU is a two-visit service with a screening, a patch test, a big non-refundable deposit, and a touch-up window that has rules. Here is what PMU and microblading artists need from booking software, what the big platforms charge on those deposits, and which one fits.
PMU is not a single appointment. It is a screening, sometimes a patch test, a big non-refundable deposit, a procedure, and a touch-up window with rules of its own. Then a healed photo months later.
You can see what the work needs by reading PMU artists' own policies. Here is what they say, where the big platforms cost the most, and who each one fits.
What PMU Artists Actually Need, in Their Own Words
A deposit large enough to hold the day. A Durham studio requires "$500 non refundable deposit due at booking," and states that "if you reschedule please note there will be a forfeiture of the deposit for holding the initial requested date and a new deposit will be required." Source: Durham Brows. A Seattle studio asks for $100, and another studio explains why: it is "non-refundable as we are reserving a large time slot especially for you." Source: Indiglo Med Spa consent form. A Utah studio takes $50 and adds: "No reservation is secure until the deposit is received." Source: Desert Bloom Beauty policies.
A screening before the first appointment. "We require a consultation, medical screening, and a 24-hour patch test before taking new clients. We do not take walk in appointments for new clients." Source: Hello Beautiful Studio consent form. The Durham studio lists what disqualifies a client: fillers within four weeks, Accutane in the past six months, a cold or flu, and more. Another studio requires a photo of any existing permanent makeup for approval before booking. Source: Desert Bloom Beauty policies.
A two-visit structure with a touch-up window that has a price. The Seattle studio writes: "Complimentary touch-ups rescheduled after 8 weeks are subject to a $50 fee; after 16 weeks, the cost is $100." Source: In Bloom Seattle. Desert Bloom warns that missing the 6-week follow-up means the touch-up "will be pushed back far beyond the 10 week mark."
A no-show rule with teeth. In Bloom: "No-shows will be charged 50% of the service cost to the card on file." A Rhode Island studio: "We require a credit card on file to secure your appointment... We charge 50% of your service if you do not cancel within 24 hours." Source: Enhanced Beauty Ink policies.
If your booking software cannot hold a deposit, show contraindications before the client confirms, and keep photos across two visits, it is a calendar, not a PMU tool.
Where the Big Platforms Let PMU Artists Down
Big deposits cost real money to take
PaymentReview (September 2026) reports that Vagaro treats every online payment as keyed-in at 3.5% plus $0.19, including booking deposits and prepayments. A $500 deposit costs $17.50 plus $0.19 to take, or $17.69. GlossGenius charges 2.6% on card payments on every tier (DoTheBeauty, June 21, 2026), which is $13 on the same deposit.
Disputes cost you even when you win
StyleSeat's own public reply on Trustpilot says its $20 dispute fee is non-refundable, "even if you already refunded the client or if the dispute is later resolved in your favor." With a deposit policy this firm, disputes are part of the job.
A commission on the appointment that carries the revenue
PMU packages usually include a complimentary touch-up. That means the first appointment carries most of the revenue, and the first appointment is exactly what a marketplace charges on. StyleSeat states it "applies a 30% fee on the first appointment booked through the platform's Growth Features," capped at $50 per AppointmentKit (December 5, 2025). Booksy's Boost is reported at about 30% (SlotCut, April 8, 2026) with a $100 ceiling per client (Heylilo, June 29, 2026).
Consent and health forms live somewhere else
The consent form at Hello Beautiful Studio covers deposit terms, arrival rules, a guarantee, a consultation requirement, and a medical history with a list of conditions. That is a legal document more than a booking feature, and platforms handle it inconsistently.
What This Looks Like in Real Numbers
Say you book two new clients this month for a $650 brow service, each with a $100 deposit and an included touch-up.
StyleSeat: $35 subscription + 30% capped at $50 per client ($100) = $135 for the month, before card processing.
Primzy: $40 flat. Bookings from your own shared link carry 0% commission. Total: $40, before card processing.
Card processing is charged on any platform, ours included, so compare that rate too. And note the honest trade: Primzy does not have a live client marketplace yet, so those two clients would need to find you another way.
Quick Comparison
| Platform | Starting Price | Commission Fees | Deposits / No-Show | Client Marketplace |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Primzy | $40/month flat | 0% on shared-link bookings | Deposits at booking; custom service disclaimers | Coming soon |
| StyleSeat | $35/month ($31.50 annual) | 30% on first new client, capped at $50 | Deposits and card-on-file fees | Yes |
| GlossGenius | $24/month annual + 2.6% | None | Deposits and no-show fees | No |
| Vagaro | $30/month plus add-ons | None on base plan; 1% on marketplace bookings | Deposits; online payments at 3.5% + $0.19 | Yes |
| Booksy | $29.99/month per user | About 30% on Boost first bookings | Deposits and reminders | Yes |
| Square Appointments | Free plan; paid from $49/month | None (processing applies) | Deposits and no-show charges on the free plan | No |
#1: Primzy
Best for: Independent PMU and brow artists who want to keep what they earn on every procedure.
What makes Primzy work for PMU artists
Deposits at booking. Clients pay to hold a large time slot, so the day is protected.
Contraindications and aftercare on the booking page. Custom service disclaimers show your health and prep rules for each service before the client confirms. Confirm how any platform handles signed consent forms before you rely on it; many PMU artists keep a dedicated consent tool beside their booking software.
Photos that follow the client. Client photos and persistent notes stay on the profile, so the first session, the touch-up, and the healed result sit together, and the list exports to CSV.
An initial session and a touch-up as separate services. Set each with its own length and price.
A waitlist for cancellations. When a large slot opens up, the next client is notified.
A flat, published price. $40 a month, 0% on shared-link bookings, $5 a month per additional seat. We define this clearly, and we do not change it.
Where we take a share. If you teach a live class, Primzy keeps 20% of class sales.
The honest trade
StyleSeat and Square market card-on-file no-show fees. If charging a fee to a card on file is your top requirement, check the current terms of any platform, ours included. And Primzy's marketplace is not live yet, so keep any that is currently sending you clients while you move your own list to your own link.
Use Primzy if:
- You pay a commission on a first appointment that carries the whole package
- You want your contraindications and aftercare on the page before anyone confirms
- You want photos across two visits on one profile
- You want a platform that invests in your career
#2: GlossGenius
Best for: Solo artists who want a polished setup with deposits and no-show fees.
No new-client commission. The catch: 2.6% on every card payment, and marketing tools on higher tiers.
#3: Square Appointments
Best for: Artists who want a free plan that takes deposits and charges for no-shows.
A free plan for solo providers, per DoTheBeauty (June 29, 2026). The catch: not built for beauty, and no marketplace.
#4: StyleSeat
Best for: Artists who need new-client discovery and card-on-file fees.
Real discovery. The catch: 30% on first appointments, a $20 non-refundable dispute fee, and a $2.35 booking fee charged to your clients.
#5: Vagaro
Best for: Studios with a team who want payroll and inventory.
A low 1% marketplace fee. The catch: add-ons of about $10 each and the 3.5% online rate on deposits.
Free Booking Software for PMU Artists
Square Appointments has a free plan for solo providers. Primzy offers free booking profiles to any student enrolled in an accredited beauty program.
How to Choose
If your biggest issue is protecting a large time slot: Use a deposit collected at booking, and state what happens when a client reschedules.
If your biggest issue is what a big deposit costs to take: Ask any platform what rate applies to online deposits, not only in-person taps.
If your biggest issue is a commission on a package that includes a touch-up: Look at Primzy, GlossGenius, or Square, none of which charge a new-client marketplace commission.
If your biggest issue is consent forms: Check how any platform handles signed forms, and keep a dedicated tool beside it if you need one.
If you need new clients right now: Keep a marketplace for discovery, give every past client your own booking link, and move over as your own list grows.
Primzy is a beauty booking platform, CRM, and career investment community built exclusively for independent beauty professionals. Learn more at primzybeauty.com.
Sources
- Durham Brows; In Bloom Seattle; Enhanced Beauty Ink, "Policies"; Desert Bloom Beauty, "Policies"
- Hello Beautiful Studio, "PMU consent form"; Indiglo Med Spa, "Microblading and PMU forms"
- AppointmentKit, "StyleSeat Pricing (2026)," December 5, 2025; Trustpilot, StyleSeat public replies (2026)
- SlotCut, "Booksy Pricing 2026," April 8, 2026; Heylilo, June 29, 2026
- PaymentReview, Vagaro review (September 2026); PickStack, "Vagaro Pricing 2026," February 23, 2026
- DoTheBeauty, "GlossGenius Pricing 2026," June 21, 2026, and "Square Appointments Pricing 2026," June 29, 2026
