Comparison
TanVision vs Tan-Link
Last verified
Researched and written by the TanVision team
What Tan-Link offers is taken from its own website and linked where it appears. Seen something change? Tell us and we will correct it.
The short answer
Both run in a web browser. Tan-Link suits a salon that wants bed and timer control or several locations in one system, both listed on its pricing page. TanVision suits a single salon that wants check-in to enforce exposure limits, paperwork and bed-level upgrades, with card payments and monthly auto-pay through its built-in card processing, and session times sent to the beds on T-Max timer controllers.
At a glance
The Tan-Link column is taken from Tan-Link's own website as of October 2026, linked in each cell. Where a page we read says nothing about a point, the cell says so rather than guessing.
| Compared | TanVision | Tan-Link |
|---|---|---|
| Runs in a web browser | Yes, on a counter computer, a tablet or a phone | Described as web-based software on their home page |
| Published price | See our pricing page | Three plans from $129 to $199 a month on their pricing page |
| Bed and timer control | With T-Max timer controllers: the desk sends each session's time to the bed's own timer through a small box TanVision supplies, and Stop clears the time. Other timer brands are not supported yet | Yes, on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Card processing | Yes, built in, on the salon's own merchant account: the till sends the amount to a supported card terminal and records the approval, and the online shop can take payment at checkout | Integrated payments on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Automatic membership billing | Yes. Monthly auto-pay on a card the client saves on the card processor's secure page, charged with the tax on the membership's schedule | EFT recurring billing on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Skin type | Fitzpatrick type on the client record, used to recommend and cap UV time when skin typing is on | A digital Fitzpatrick scale on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Typed time over the limit | Refused with the reason on screen, never trimmed | Not described on the pages cited |
| Lamp hours | Tracked by lamp group, with Change soon and Change now warnings | Lamp-hour tracking on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Clients book online | Not today. Appointments are booked at the desk | Online appointment booking on the Ultimate and Pro plans, per their pricing page |
| Online shop | Yes. Clients pay at checkout where the salon turns that on, or pay at the desk | A branded online shop on the Ultimate and Pro plans, per their pricing page |
| Several locations in one account | Not ready today | Multi-location management on every plan, per their pricing page |
| Tanning excise kept apart from sales tax | Yes, stored per line with the rate used | Not described on the pages cited |
How each one runs
On their home page, Tan-Link lists "Web-Based Software" and "Single or Multiple Locations" among its headline points. As of October 2026, their pricing page also lists backup software access on every plan, described as limited-functionality access to key features if the main site is down.
TanVision also runs in a web browser, on a counter computer, a tablet by the beds or an owner's phone, in a light or a dark theme. Every open desk screen redraws itself when something on the floor changes. TanVision is cloud software and needs a connection; offline running is not something it offers today. Each salon's data is kept apart from every other salon's by the database itself.
Pricing
As of October 2026, their pricing page lists three plans: Essential Salon at $129 a month billed monthly, Ultimate Salon at $179 a month billed monthly, and Pro Salon at $179 a month when paid annually ($2,148 a year) or $199 a month otherwise. The same page says "No contracts, no support add-on" and that live human support is included.
By that page, Essential includes the point of sale with integrated payments and EFT recurring billing, built-in text messaging and marketing, bed control with lamp-hour tracking, reporting, gift cards and inventory. Ultimate adds a branded online shop, online appointment booking and a customer portal. Pro adds 500 texts a month, 24-hour unattended self-service access, kiosk support and custom PDF agreements.
TanVision's price is on our pricing page.
Front desk and check-in
TanVision's desk is a live floor board: a tile or row for each room showing whether it is free, running or needs cleaning, and the time left. Staff scan a keytag or search, pick the package and the room, and type the minutes. The minutes box is never filled in for them.
Before a session starts, check-in checks the paperwork and the limits. A session cannot start without a signed warning statement, a date of birth, and guardian consent for a minor. For UV rooms, TanVision can recommend a session length from the client's skin type and tan build-up, and it refuses a typed time above the limit or above the room's own maximum. The limits follow the salon's own settings, capped at each unit's maximum. More on exposure safety.
On the Tan-Link side, their pricing page lists a digital Fitzpatrick scale to assess each client's skin type, a live bed-availability board, and, on the Pro plan, 24-hour unattended self-service access and kiosk support.
Packages and memberships
TanVision sells session packs and unlimited plans with expiry dates, daily or weekly visit limits and freezing. A package's sessions, price and expiry are locked in at the sale, and every manual correction records who made it and why. The salon decides which package opens which room, and an upgrade is rung up as a sale before the bed starts. See memberships and packages and bed levels and upgrades.
A monthly package in TanVision can bill on auto-pay: the client saves a card on the card processor's secure page, and TanVision charges it each period with the tax, on terms such as a setup fee, a minimum number of payments and a cancellation rule. A declined payment is tried again. Their pricing page lists EFT recurring billing on every Tan-Link plan, and a customer portal on Ultimate and Pro where clients can update billing details and manage memberships, and an account ChatBot on the same plans through which, depending on the salon's settings, clients can freeze or cancel a membership.
Where Tan-Link does more today
If any of these matter to your salon, Tan-Link lists them and TanVision does not offer them today. Each item is from their pricing page as of October 2026.
- Online appointment booking and a customer portal, on the Ultimate and Pro plans.
- An account ChatBot through which, depending on the salon's settings, clients can freeze or cancel a membership, on the Ultimate and Pro plans.
- A self-service kiosk and 24-hour unattended access, on the Pro plan.
- Managing several locations under one account, with backup access if the main site is down.
TanVision does not run several locations from one account today, and it does not support timer brands other than T-Max yet. If your salon depends on either, raise it on a demo.
Switching
TanVision brings your client list, the packages clients still hold and their visit history in from spreadsheets saved as CSV, so a move is three imports plus fresh digital signatures. Keytags come in with the client list, and gift certificates sold before the switch are added by hand. The switching page has the full checklist.
Common questions
- Is Tan-Link cloud-based?
- Tan-Link describes itself as web-based software on their home page. TanVision also runs in a web browser, on a counter computer, a tablet or a phone.
- How much does Tan-Link cost?
- As of October 2026, their pricing page lists Tan-Link's Essential Salon at $129 a month, Ultimate Salon at $179 a month, and Pro Salon at $179 a month paid annually or $199 a month otherwise. TanVision's price is on our pricing page.
- Does TanVision control tanning beds the way Tan-Link does?
- TanVision does, with T-Max timer controllers. Tan-Link lists, on their pricing page, direct bed and timer control on every plan. In TanVision, when a client is checked in, the desk sends the session's minutes to the bed's own timer, through a small box TanVision supplies that sits on the salon's network next to the T-Max controller, and Stop clears the time. TanVision does not support other timer brands yet.
- Does TanVision process cards or run EFT billing like Tan-Link?
- Yes. TanVision has built-in card processing on the salon's own merchant account: the till sends the amount to a supported card terminal, and monthly auto-pay charges a card the client saves on the card processor's secure page, with the tax. Tan-Link lists integrated payments and EFT recurring billing on every plan on their pricing page.
- Can I move from Tan-Link to TanVision?
- Yes. TanVision imports your client list, open packages and visit history from spreadsheets saved as CSV, and unspent gift certificates are added by hand. The switching page walks through it.