Article
CO:CREATE vs Venue Ink: Tattoo Booking Apps Compared
Your books. Your rates. Your cut. How CO:CREATE and Venue Ink compare.
Prices checked October 2026
CO:CREATE vs Venue Ink: the short version
Both apps are free for Artists to start, and on both the Client pays the booking fee. CO:CREATE charges Clients a $10 booking fee plus 3% card processing, with no commission on your work. Venue Ink charges Clients 10% of every deposit and payment on its free plan. CO:CREATE also includes public Artist discovery. Venue Ink has real strengths too, covered below.
No commission
Artists keep their full rate. CO:CREATE is free for Artists.
You get found
Clients can search for Artists by location and style.
Built with, by and for Artists
Working tattoo Artists are on our team, and every decision is made with and for Artists.
Pricing, side by side
Prices checked October 2026, from each company's own website.
CO:CREATE
$0 for Artists
No commission, no subscription.
Clients pay $10 once per Booking Request, plus 3% card processing on every payment.
Public Artist discovery.
Pay over time with Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm.
Venue Ink
$0 or $50/mo
Free plan: Clients pay 10% of every deposit and payment.
Pro plan: Clients pay 5%.
Artists can cover or split the fee.
Instant payouts for a small fee.
How the fees compare
On a $200 deposit, a Client pays about $16 with CO:CREATE and $20 on Venue's free plan. On Venue's $50/mo Pro plan the fee drops to 5%, about $10. On a $1,500 tattoo paid in one payment, it's about $55 with us, $150 on Venue's free plan and $75 on Pro. Our $10 is charged once per Booking Request, while Venue's percentage is charged on every payment.
Where CO:CREATE stands out
Public Artist discovery. Clients search by location and style. Venue Ink does not describe a public directory on its website.
Lower Client fees on bigger payments. Our $10 is charged once per Booking Request, not on every payment.
A team of working tattoo Artists. Every decision, from product to marketing to support, is made with and for Artists.
Feature comparison
Based on each company's own website, checked October 2026.
CO:CREATE | Venue Ink | |
|---|---|---|
Cost to Artist | $0. No commission. | $0 on the free plan, or $50/mo for Pro |
Client fee | $10 once per Booking Request, plus 3% card processing on every payment | 10% of every deposit and payment (5% on Pro) |
Artist can cover or split the fee | Coming soon | Yes |
Pay over time | Klarna, Afterpay or Affirm. You are paid in full upfront. | Affirm (Klarna per its App Store listing) |
Payouts | 1 to 3 business days via Stripe | 1 to 2 business days, instant for a small fee |
Public Artist discovery | Yes. Clients search by location and style. | Not described |
| CO:CREATE | Venue Ink | |
|---|---|---|
| Artist cost | $0 | $0 or $50/mo |
| Client fee | $10 + 3% | 10% (5% Pro) |
| Cover the fee | Coming soon | Yes |
| Payouts | 1 to 3 days | 1 to 2 days, instant for a fee |
| Discovery | Yes | Not described |
Where Venue Ink fits better
Instant payouts. Venue Ink offers instant payouts for a small fee. CO:CREATE payouts take 1 to 3 business days.
A lower fee on small payments. On its $50/mo Pro plan, the Client fee drops to 5%, which is cheaper than ours on small deposits.
Cover or split the fee today. Venue Ink lets Artists pay the fee or split it with the Client. That option is coming soon to CO:CREATE.
Common questions
Does CO:CREATE take a commission?
No. Artists keep their full rate. CO:CREATE is free for Artists.
Who pays the fee on CO:CREATE?
Clients pay a $10 booking fee per Booking Request plus 3% card processing. Letting Artists cover or split the fee is coming soon.
Is Venue Ink really free?
There is no subscription on Venue Ink's free plan. Clients pay a 10% fee on deposits and payments, and Venue Ink's Pro plan is $50/mo.
Which is cheaper for Clients, CO:CREATE or Venue Ink?
It depends on the payment size and plan. On a $200 deposit it is about $16 with CO:CREATE and $20 on Venue Ink's free plan. On a $1,500 tattoo paid in one payment it is about $55 with CO:CREATE and $150 on Venue Ink's free plan.
What's the best booking app for a solo tattoo Artist?
It depends on what you value. Choose CO:CREATE for no commission and Artist discovery, and Venue Ink for instant payouts.
Still Have Questions?
Also compare
Weighing other apps? See how CO:CREATE stacks up against Apprentice. Or sign up free and try it yourself.
Made with tattoo Artists, for tattoo Artists. Run your business your way. Clients find you and book you, no middleman.
Made with tattoo Artists, for tattoo Artists. Run your business your way. Clients find you and book you, no middleman.