Two options artists often weigh are Inky and TattooPro. Both can help you run the business side of tattooing, but they're built from very different starting points - and the one that fits depends on whether you want a general-purpose booking tool or one purpose-built for a freelance tattoo artist.
TattooPro is another tattoo-focused platform - booking, client management and portfolio tools aimed at tattoo artists and shops. Like Tattoo Studio Pro, it's in the right category. The differentiator versus Inky is who it's built for: a shop, or a single artist.
What are the advantages of TattooPro?
- Tattoo-native - booking, consent forms, POS and payments (2.99% + 15¢), staff management and marketing, all assuming a tattoo studio.
- Portfolio treated as important, which is the right instinct for this industry.
- Built for tattoo artists and studios, so less translating than with a salon tool.
How does Inky compare?
Inky is tattoo-first and freelance-first:
- A booking flow built around one artist's clients - placement, size, references, deposit - without studio overhead.
- Client records that hold past pieces, session notes and aftercare, oriented around a relationship, not a roster.
- Portfolio, booking, payments, consent forms and analytics in one place, designed to be run by the person tattooing.
- A calm, gallery-grade interface that doesn't feel like enterprise software.
What are the disadvantages of TattooPro for a freelance artist?
Pricing isn't published - TattooPro gates sign-up behind a "book a demo" flow and leans toward shops with a front desk and POS hardware, so a solo artist can't self-serve a price or start instantly the way they can on Inky's free plan.
Potential downsides of Inky
Inky is newer and tattoo-first, which is also its main limitation: it does not try to be a POS, a retail inventory system, or a multi-staff salon suite. If you run a large shop with a front desk, retail stock, and a dozen chairs, a broader platform may cover more ground. Inky is built for the artist who wants the boring stuff handled so they can get back to tattooing. If you run several artists and need cross-staff scheduling and reporting, a studio-oriented tool may cover more.
Which is better for freelance tattoo artists?
There's no universal winner - it depends on what you'd rather not deal with.
TattooPro may suit artists who want:
- Tattoo-native booking and portfolio
- Built for the tattoo category
- Supports studio-scale needs
Inky may suit artists who want:
- Freelance-first: one artist, one calm tool
- Client 360, deposits, consent forms and analytics together
- A gallery-grade interface you'll actually enjoy using
For a freelance artist who'd rather tattoo than tend to software, Inky takes more of the business off your plate - booking, clients, deposits, portfolio and consent forms in one place, built around how tattooing actually works.
