Compare tanning salon apps
AppBuild.diy compared with 4 providers and the option to vibe code your own app: prices, fees, contracts and whether you get your own branded app.
Best for: tanning salons businesses that want their own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans.
Your business. Your own app.
A look inside AppBuild: beauty app home, appointment booking example, loyalty rewards example, push notification example.
See tanning salons apps
Providers in this comparison
Sunlync (Sunlync Pro)Vertical tanning salon software
Tan-LinkVertical tanning salon software
VagaroSalon software (lists "Tanning" vertical) + marketplace
FreshaBooking software + consumer marketplace (tanning fit not verified on pricing page)
- Vibe coding
Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools
Price and features at a glance
| Provider | Type | Starting price (as published) | Your own branded app | Order / booking fees | Contract / trial |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 AppBuild.diy | Branded app builder for local businesses | Free (up to 10 users); $49/month or $299/year; $99/month or $499/year | Yes — App Store, Google Play and web | 0% AppBuild commission on paid plans; Stripe card fees apply | No contract; free plan |
| Vibe coding | Build from scratch with Lovable, Claude, Base44 or similar tools | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. | Bespoke branding and features; store packaging and submission require additional setup | Depends on your chosen payment provider and services; processing fees still apply | Depends on the tools and services you choose; free tiers may have limits |
| Sunlync (Sunlync Pro) | Vertical tanning salon software | "Starting at $150 for a single location" (billing period not stated) | Not stated (site mentions "API client portals", no client app) | Not stated | Not stated |
| Tan-Link | Vertical tanning salon software | $129/mo flat rate (third-party: capterra.com); tiers $129/$179/$199 (third-party: toolradar.com) | Not stated | Not stated | No free plan (third-party) |
| Vagaro | Salon software (lists "Tanning" vertical) + marketplace | UK £20/mo one location; US $30/mo (third-party: koalendar.com) | Add-on (third-party: koalendar.com cites $100/mo) | Not stated | Cancel anytime; 30-day free trial |
| Fresha | Booking software + consumer marketplace (tanning fit not verified on pricing page) | UK Independent £14.95/mo; Team £9.95 per team member/mo (ex VAT) | Shared | 20% one-time marketplace new-client commission, minimum £4 (UK) | No minimum commitment; 7-day trial |
How AppBuild differs
- vs Sunlync: Sunlync starts at $150 per location and does not mention a client app; AppBuild gives the salon a branded app with stamp cards and push.
- vs Tan-Link: Tan-Link starts at $129/mo (third-party); AppBuild starts free and Pro is $49/mo.
- vs Vagaro: Vagaro's branded app is an add-on; included on AppBuild.
- vs Fresha: Fresha charges 20% on marketplace new clients; AppBuild 0%.
Where AppBuild is strong
- Your own branded app on the App Store, Google Play and the web, starting free with every feature for up to 10 users.
- Flat monthly price, not per staff member or per booking.
- Works alongside Square Appointments and Acuity if you already use them.
Where others may suit you better
- Lighter on salon back-office tools such as payroll, staff commission and stock control.
- No marketplace listing to bring in new clients.
Key features by provider
| Provider | Market | Key features | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunlync (Sunlync Pro) | US (USD; markets not stated) | Booking, POS, packages, memberships, EFT plans, multi-location, marketing automation | sunlync.com |
| Tan-Link | US | Booking, POS, employee and inventory management (third-party) | capterra.com |
| Vagaro | US, UK | Booking, forms, MySite, reports | vagaro.com |
| Fresha | UK, US | Booking, payments, marketplace | fresha.com |
| Vibe coding | Depends on your chosen tools | Full design freedom. Ordering, bookings, loyalty, permissions and integrations must be built, tested and maintained. Native push, certificates and store submissions need additional technical work or a service such as AppBuild. | lovable.dev, claude.com, base44.com |
Gaps in published data: Sunlync billing period, trial and contract not stated; Tan-Link pricing third-party only; DaySmart (formerly Salon Iris) tanning page did not list tanning features or pricing, so excluded. No UK-specific tanning software verified.
Build from scratch with AI, or start with AppBuild?
Lovable, Claude, Base44 and similar tools are a genuine alternative in any industry. A bespoke build gives you more control over the design and business logic. AppBuild offers a shorter route to launch for supported business needs, with ready-made capabilities you can add without building each one yourself.
| Consideration | AppBuild.diy | Vibe coding |
|---|---|---|
| Time to market | Start with ready-made pages and features; configure your content and services. Store review still takes time. | A prototype can be quick; production testing, payments, permissions and store preparation add work. |
| Costs | Published plan price, plus applicable payment processing, store-account and third-party service costs. | Variable: AI subscriptions / credits, plus hosting, database and any paid services as usage grows. Free allowances may apply; not a fixed all-in price. |
| Flexibility & ease of use | Add supported capabilities such as loyalty, bookings and ordering through the builder; less freedom than a fully custom product. | Bespoke layouts and logic; each new capability needs implementation, testing and ongoing maintenance. |
| Push & app stores | AppBuild provides push and app infrastructure, subject to setup requirements and store approval. | Native push certificates, signing and store submissions are technical work, not automatically solved by generating a website. |
| Ongoing responsibility | Shared business-app framework and managed infrastructure; you manage your business content and settings. | You are responsible for security, data access, updates and the services behind your app. |
These approaches can work together: build your bespoke experience with AI, then use AppBuild to wrap your app and add supported native capabilities such as push notifications. Wrapping does not automatically add AppBuild’s business features to your custom app.
Tool pricing and allowances vary: Lovable pricing · Claude pricing · Base44 pricing. Check the services your project actually needs.
AppBuild pricing
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0/month | Up to 10 app users. Your own app on iPhone, Android and the web. |
| Business | $49/month or $299/year | Up to 1,000 app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
| Business Pro | $99/month or $499/year | Unlimited app users. 0% AppBuild commission on orders. |
Card processing fees are charged by Stripe on top of any plan and are not set by AppBuild. Full details on the pricing page.
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Last checked 7 October 2026. Competitor prices come from their own public pages, linked below each table. Where a price isn't published we say so. Spotted something out of date? Tell us via support.