Airstudio vs Pixieset Studio Manager
Airstudio
airstudio.infoPixieset Studio Manager
pixieset.comSide by side
| Figure | Airstudio | Pixieset Studio Manager |
|---|---|---|
| Price from | $200/mo | $12/mo |
| Free plan | — | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | — |
| Open source | — | — |
| Web | Yes | Yes |
| iOS | Yes | Yes |
| Android | Yes | Yes |
| API | — | Yes |
| Plans published | 10 | 6 |
| Spec score · Photography Studio Management Software | 8.4 (#7) | 8.9 (#3) |
| Company | The About page names Angie Buhr and Scott Rodgers as co-founders and lists the corporate address as 2504 Green Bay Road, Evanston, Illinois 60201. | Pixieset describes itself as a profitable, privately owned company founded in 2013 by photographers. |
| Founded | Airstudio co-founder Scott Rodgers’s company blog biography says he co-founded Airstudio in 2020. | 2013 |
| Integrations | The integrations page lists Captura, a separate gallery integration, Twilio-powered SMS, work-account email, Stripe, Google Calendar, ChatGPT, and API endpoints. | Studio Manager offers Google Calendar synchronization, Zoom video-call integration and Google Meet support. |
| Support | The support page offers onboarding pathways, one-on-one support booked via Zoom, and a form for support or feature requests. | Pixieset directs users to its Help & Support Center for assistance. |
Plans
Airstudio
- Premium Plan — up to 10 active users, billed monthly$200 a month
- Premium Plan — 11–25 active users, billed monthly$440 a month
- Premium Plan — 26–50 active users, billed monthly$750 a month
- Premium Plan — 51–99 active users, billed monthly$1,240 a month
- Premium Plan — 100–150 active users, billed monthly$1,875 a month
- Premium Plan — up to 10 active users, billed annually$2,400 a year
- Premium Plan — 11–25 active users, billed annually$5,280 a year
- Premium Plan — 26–50 active users, billed annually$9,000 a year
- Premium Plan — 51–99 active users, billed annually$14,880 a year
- Premium Plan — 100–150 active users, billed annually$22,500 a year
Pixieset Studio Manager
- FreeFree
- FreeFree
- Plus$12 a month
- Plus$12 a month
- Pro$18 a month
- Pro$18 a month
In their own words
Airstudio
Airstudio is an operating system for volume photography studios, combining scheduling, client management, equipment tracking, staff operations, online booking, and billing. It is aimed at school, sports, and senior photography programs. Its advanced scheduling lets clients self-book sessions for one or multiple groups, with upsells and automated marketing tools. Staff features include roles and permissions, schedules, availability and hours tracking, job notifications, and a geolocated time clock. Teams can assign tasks, log progress, and organize tasks into collections with rules and automated notifications. Equipment records cover barcode inventory, employee assignments, repairs, maintenance, and gear required for jobs. A client portal provides schedules, subject-group progress, image exports, file downloads, and contract storage; eSigning is Premium only. The mobile app covers schedules, assignments, staff information, and timesheets, and chat is available on mobile and desktop. Airstudio lists Captura, Twilio-powered SMS, work-account email, Stripe, Google Calendar, ChatGPT, API endpoints, and a separate gallery integration. It is available on Android, iOS, and the web. Pricing is listed from $180/mo (annual); there is no free plan, but a free trial is offered.
Pixieset Studio Manager
Pixieset Studio Manager is a CRM for photographers to manage bookings, payments and client work. Clients can check availability, book sessions and pay through an online booking site. The system supports invoices, contracts, questionnaires and quotes, with options for branded documents. Its Mini Sessions Creator builds a schedule from a chosen date and number of spots. A visual project board groups work by stage and can include client details, documents and sessions. Contact management tracks clients and leads, and customizable forms can be embedded on a website to collect inquiries. Integrations include Google Calendar, Google Meet and Zoom. Payment methods include Pixieset Payments, Stripe, PayPal and manual payment; Pixieset Payments is available in the United States and Canada. Apps for iOS and Android support messaging, booking inquiries, documents and project management. A free plan is available. Plus costs $12 a month when billed annually, or $15/month; Pro costs $18 a month when billed annually, or $24/month.