Wavrr vs Porter: All-in-One Tattoo Booking Suite or a Focused Consent Layer?

If you are comparing Wavrr and Porter, you are probably asking one of two questions. Either "do I need a full booking suite, or just good consent forms?" or "I already like my booking tool, so what is the simplest way to get proper digital waivers?" This guide answers both, fairly, with pricing as listed at the time of writing (October 2026).

The short version: Porter is a tattoo booking and shop management platform that includes consent forms on its higher tiers. Wavrr is a dedicated consent, waiver and ink passport tool that does not do booking at all, and is designed to sit next to whatever booking tool you already use, Porter included.

What Porter is

Porter (getporter.io) is booking and shop software built for tattoo artists and studios. Its focus is the front of the client journey: getting requests in, scheduling, and running the shop. For an up-to-date view of exactly what each tier includes, check Porter's own pricing and feature pages, since software suites change regularly.

On consent specifically, Porter's pricing page at the time of writing lists "Automated liability waivers & consent forms" as part of its Artist Pro and Studio Pro tiers. The entry-level Artist Essentials tier does not list consent forms.

What Wavrr is

Wavrr is digital consent and waiver software for tattoo, piercing and PMU studios. It covers the moment a client signs, plus the records you keep afterwards:

• Custom consent templates with tattoo, piercing and PMU starters, health and medical questions, extra consents and studio fields
• Signing by link (email, Instagram DM, WhatsApp or any channel), by QR code at the front desk, or in person on the artist's phone or tablet
• Optional photo ID upload, and minor and guardian settings with a second signature on the PDF
• Automatic signed PDF and confirmation email to the client, plus a searchable consent history per client
• Ink registration and ink passports per session, with bulk exports for inspections, insurers and audits
• iOS and Android apps, with data hosted in the EU

A few newer features are being rolled out gradually: an AI template builder that drafts a consent template from a description of your studio (you review and edit it), aftercare templates and aftercare records that log inks and needles per appointment, and your business logo on waiver PDFs. If you need any of these on day one, check whether they are live on your account.

Wavrr does not do booking, calendars, deposits or point of sale. That is a deliberate choice, not a gap we are planning to fill.

Pricing compared (as of October 2026)

Wavrr's yearly billing saves about $29 per year on Artist and $79 per year on Studio. Porter's prices above are taken from its public pricing page at the time of writing; always confirm current prices on getporter.io before deciding.

The comparison is not apples to apples, and that is the point. Porter's higher tiers buy you a whole booking and shop suite with consent included. Wavrr buys you only the consent layer, at a fraction of the price.

Feature comparison

Where we are not sure about a Porter detail, we say so instead of guessing. Porter may well cover some of these; the right move is to check its current documentation.

When Porter is the better fit

Porter makes sense if you want one vendor for most of the shop. If you are setting up from scratch, you want booking, scheduling and shop management in a single login, and the Artist Pro or Studio Pro price fits your budget, having consent forms included in the same suite is convenient. Fewer tools means fewer things to connect and fewer bills to track.

It is also a reasonable choice if consent is a "good enough" requirement for you and booking is where you feel most of the pain.

When Wavrr is the better fit

Wavrr makes sense when consent and documentation are the priority, or when you already have a booking setup you are happy with.

• You are on a booking tier without consent forms. If you use Porter Artist Essentials, or another booking tool without waivers, you can add Wavrr for $14.50/mo instead of moving up a tier mainly to get consent forms.
• You want deeper consent records. Ink passports, ink batch numbers, client consent history and bulk exports are the core of what Wavrr does, not an add-on inside a larger suite.
• You book through DMs, a website form or a different tool. Wavrr does not care how the appointment was made. Send the waiver link wherever you talk to clients.
• You run piercing or PMU too. Wavrr has starter templates for tattoo, piercing and PMU.

Running Wavrr next to Porter or any booking tool

Using both is a perfectly normal setup. A typical flow looks like this:

1. The client books and pays a deposit in Porter (or your booking tool of choice).
2. Before the appointment, you send the Wavrr waiver link in the confirmation message, or the client scans the QR code at the front desk.
3. The client fills in health questions, uploads ID if you ask for it, and signs. Wavrr emails them a signed PDF.
4. During or after the session, you log the inks used in an ink passport.
5. If an inspector or insurer asks, you export the records you need.

The two tools do not need to be integrated for this to work. The booking lives in one place; the signed consent and session record live in another. Our guide on booking forms vs consent forms vs ink passports goes deeper into why these documents do different jobs.

A note on regulations

Consent and record-keeping rules for tattooing vary by country, region and city. Neither Wavrr nor Porter can tell you what your local rules require. Check with your local health authority or regulator, and with your insurer or a lawyer if you are unsure, then build your template around those requirements. The minors and guardian consent guide explains the settings Wavrr gives you, but the age thresholds themselves should come from your local rules.

FAQ

Can I use Wavrr with Porter?

Yes. Wavrr works next to any booking tool. Many studios keep booking in one system and send a Wavrr waiver link with the appointment confirmation, or use a QR code at the front desk.

Does Porter include consent forms on every plan?

At the time of writing (October 2026), Porter's pricing page lists consent forms on Artist Pro ($65/mo) and Studio Pro ($250/mo), but not on Artist Essentials ($35/mo). Check getporter.io for current details.

Does Wavrr do booking or deposits?

No. Wavrr is focused on consent forms, waivers, ink passports and records. Use a dedicated booking tool for scheduling and deposits.

How much does Wavrr cost?

As of October 2026, new accounts get 3 consent forms free with full features and no card. Artist is $14.50/mo and Studio is $39.50/mo, both with unlimited consent forms. See pricing for current details.

Which is cheaper for consent forms alone?

If you only need consent forms, Wavrr Artist at $14.50/mo is lower than Porter's cheapest tier that lists consent forms ($65/mo, as of October 2026). If you also need a booking suite, compare total cost across your whole stack rather than one line item.

Where is Wavrr data stored?

Wavrr hosts data in the EU. Your studio is the controller of client data and Wavrr acts as processor. See where Wavrr stores your data.

Related guides

• Wavrr as a Porter alternativeA side-by-side look at Wavrr and Porter for tattoo consent forms.
• All Wavrr comparisonsSee how Wavrr compares to booking suites, form builders and waiver platforms.
• Digital consent formsReady-made tattoo, piercing and PMU templates you can adapt to your studio.
• Wavrr pricingThe free plan, Artist and Studio, side by side.