StageEngine

2026 edition · checked October 3, 2026

The best home staging software in 2026, compared honestly

Eight tools that home stagers actually shortlist, with each one's prices and features taken from its own website on the same day. Where a site doesn't mention something, we say "not listed" rather than guess.

Who wrote this: StageEngine makes one of the products below, so read our section with that in mind. We've listed our own weak spots too. Every competitor fact links to the page it came from. Prices change; check the vendor's page before you buy. If something here is out of date, email hello@stageengine.io and we'll correct it.

At a glanceComparison tableEach toolHow to chooseFAQ

At a glance

  • You own your furniture and want inventory, contracts, invoicing, monthly billing and your own shop in one place: StageEngine, from $79/mo; the shop, payments and e-signature are on Studio Pro, $299/mo.
  • You have a very large inventory, want RFID, or need unlimited users: Stageforce, from $49/mo (inventory) or $89/mo (Professional).
  • Your crew works from warehouse load lists and you want a free plan to start: StageCore, free for 25 items, paid from $79/mo.
  • You only need inventory and projects, with unlimited users at one price: Hutch, $149/mo.
  • You want a simple photo-first inventory at one flat price: Stageventory, $99/mo.
  • You run event rentals as well as staging: Goodshuffle Pro, from $39/mo.
  • Your work is design-led, with 3D plans and lead generation: Houzz Pro, from $99/mo.
  • You just need to count stock: Sortly, free for 100 items.

Side by side

"Not listed" means the vendor's site didn't mention it on October 3, 2026. It may exist; ask them. Scroll sideways on a phone.

StageEngineStageforceStageCoreHutchStageventoryGoodshuffle ProHouzz ProSortly
Made forHome stagingHome stagingHome stagingHome stagingHome stagingEvent rentals (has a staging page)Design & constructionGeneral inventory
Starting price$79/mo · Studio Pro $299/mo for payments, e-sign and the shop$49/mo inventory · $89/mo ProfessionalFree (25 items) · $79/mo$149/mo$99/mo$39/moFree · $99/moFree (100 items) · $49/mo
Free trial14 days of Studio Pro, no card30-day money-back guarantee*14 days of Growth, no cardNo trial; 90-day money-back14 days, no card7 or 14 days*30 days14 days, card required
Inventory with photosYesYesYesYesYesYesProduct library, not warehouse stockYes
Tags & scanningQR tags, phone camera or scan gun · RFID bulk scanning coming soonQR, barcode and RFIDNot listedQR (RFID "not yet")BarcodeBarcode (paid add-on)Not listedQR and barcode
Warehouse locationsYesYesYes, plus load listsNot listedYesPull sheetsNot listedFolders
What's free on a dateYesYesYes"Coming back in time"Status onlyYesNot listedCheck-in/out
ProposalsYes, accepted onlineYes (not on Inventory plan)EstimatesNot listedYesYesYesNot listed
Contracts & e-signatureBuilt in, sealed PDF (e-sign on Studio Pro)E-sign on proposalsListed; via DocHub per their articleNot listedNot listedYesPro plan and upNot listed
InvoicingYesYes (not on Inventory plan)Through QuickBooksNot listedYesYesYesNot listed
Online paymentsCard and bank · Stripe + 0.5% (Studio Pro)Yes · Stripe + 1%Not listedNot listedNot listedYesYesNot listed
Monthly holdover billingYes (Studio up); autopay on Studio ProNot listedExtension billingNot listedNot listedNot listedNot listedNot listed
QuickBooks OnlineOne-way push, hourly (Studio Pro)Not listedYes (Growth and up)Not listedNot listedPaid add-onYesPremium and up
Native phone appNot yet (runs in the browser)iOSBrowser onlyNot listedBrowser onlyBrowser onlyiOS and AndroidiOS and Android
AIFills in pieces from a photo; room renders from your own furnitureFills in items from a photoPhoto catalogingNot listedCataloging, proposal lettersSearch, route planningPhotoreal renders, room scanNot checked
Your branding for clientsName, logo and web addressNot listedNot listedNot listedNot listedPartlyBranded invoicesNot listed
TeamFirst assistant free on every plan; extras $49/moUnlimited users3 / 10 / unlimited users by planUnlimitedYou + 2; extras $19/moExtra seats $19–49/mo$50/mo per extra user2–8 users by plan
Sell pieces onlineYour own shop: one switch per piece, buyers check out (Studio Pro)StorefrontNot listedNot listedPublic catalogNot listedNot listedNot listed

* Stageforce's pricing page offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, while its FAQ says plans come with a 30-day trial. Goodshuffle's pricing page says 7 days; its home staging page says 14.

Each tool, in detail

1. StageEngine (ours)

Tracker $79 (inventory and jobs) · Studio $149 (your brand, contracts, invoices, monthly billing) · Studio Pro $299 (payments, e-signature, your shop, QuickBooks) · about two months free on annual · 14-day trial of Studio Pro, no card · pricing

Built for stagers and designers who own their furniture. Every piece is photographed and tagged with its landed cost, you can see what's free for an install date before you quote, and the same job then produces the quote, the contract your client signs on their phone, and the invoices. Clients pay by card or bank to your own Stripe account, and if a house sits, each month's invoice goes out on its own with optional autopay. Any piece can be flipped to For sale with one switch and it appears in your own shop, under your studio's name, where buyers check out on the spot or send a request.

Good at

  • Inventory, contracts, invoicing and payments on one job record
  • Your own resale shop, one switch per piece
  • Monthly holdover billing with autopay
  • Your studio's name and logo on everything clients see
  • Room renders built from furniture you actually own
  • We load your existing inventory for you

Weaker at

  • Newer than most tools here, with fewer users and reviews
  • No native phone app yet; it runs in the browser
  • RFID bulk scanning is coming soon, not here yet
  • Payments, e-signature, the shop and QuickBooks need Studio Pro
  • First assistant free, then $49/mo each
  • QuickBooks is a one-way push only

Best for: owner-run staging businesses that want the whole job, from quote to final payment, plus resale, in one place.

2. Stageforce

From $49/mo (Inventory Essentials) or $89/mo (Professional), rising with tagged items · pricing page · checked Oct 3, 2026

The longest-established tool built for stagers, from The Stagency in Carlsbad, California. It has the widest tagging options, including RFID tags and scanners sold in its store, an iOS app, and a storefront that turns each staging into an online shop. Professional includes inventory, proposals and invoicing; the cheaper plans split inventory from proposals and invoicing.

Good at

  • QR, barcode and RFID tagging
  • Unlimited users on every plan
  • Selling staged pieces online
  • Native iOS app
  • Invoicing from $89/mo

Weaker at

  • Price rises with tagged inventory, up to $289/mo
  • 1% platform fee on card payments, on top of Stripe's
  • Recurring billing and QuickBooks not listed

Best for: larger inventories, RFID, and big teams. StageEngine vs Stageforce

3. StageCore

Free for 25 items · Starter $79, Growth $149, Scale $249/mo (less billed yearly) · site · checked Oct 3, 2026

Built by a staging company around the job: estimate and contract, room design, the warehouse load list, install, pickup and closeout. It shows what's available on the install date, lists extension billing, and connects to QuickBooks on Growth and up, which is also where its invoicing happens.

Good at

  • Warehouse load lists for install crews
  • A permanent free plan to try it
  • Unlimited crew users on paid plans

Weaker at

  • Invoices go through QuickBooks rather than being built in
  • Users and projects are capped by plan
  • Online card payments and tagging not listed

Best for: teams whose day revolves around load lists and crews. StageEngine vs StageCore

4. Hutch

$149/mo or $1,499/yr · up to 10,000 items · site · checked Oct 3, 2026

Inventory and project management for staging businesses, with client records, at one price that includes unlimited projects, clients and team members. The annual plan includes a white-glove import of your inventory. Its site doesn't list proposals, contracts, invoicing or payments.

Good at

  • One simple price, unlimited team
  • 90-day money-back guarantee
  • Choosing furniture a room at a time

Weaker at

  • No free trial
  • Contracts, invoicing and payments not listed, so you'd need other tools
  • No RFID yet

Best for: teams that already handle contracts and billing elsewhere. StageEngine vs Hutch

5. Stageventory

$99/mo, one plan · you plus 2 seats, extra seats $19/mo · 14-day trial, no card · site · checked Oct 3, 2026

Photo-first inventory for stagers that runs in the browser. AI names and sorts pieces from photos, a visual room planner lays out projects, and it creates proposals and invoices. Contracts, e-signature and online payments aren't listed.

Good at

  • Fast photo cataloging
  • One flat price
  • Shareable public catalog of available pieces

Weaker at

  • Contracts and card payments not listed
  • Availability is by status rather than by date

Best for: stagers who mainly want a visual inventory.

6. Goodshuffle Pro

Lite $39/mo · Standard $139/mo ($99/mo billed yearly) · add-ons extra · pricing page · checked Oct 3, 2026

Rental software made for the event industry, with a page for home stagers. It's strong on quotes, contracts, payments and conflict-free scheduling, and clients can sign and pay from one link. Barcode scanning, QuickBooks and extra users are paid add-ons.

Good at

  • Quote, sign and pay from one link
  • Availability down to the minute
  • Low starting price

Weaker at

  • Built for events, so holdover months and de-stages aren't its focus
  • Add-ons raise the real monthly cost
  • US and Canada only

Best for: businesses that run event rentals alongside staging.

7. Houzz Pro

Free plan · Design $99, Pro $199, Teams from $399/mo · 30-day trial, then an annual subscription · pricing page · checked Oct 3, 2026

Business software for design and construction pros, with a page aimed at home stagers. It covers clients, proposals, invoices, online payments and contracts (Pro and up), plus 3D floor plans, AI renders and lead generation. Its "inventory" is a product library built from web images, not a record of furniture in your warehouse.

Good at

  • 3D plans, mood boards and AI renders
  • Native iOS and Android apps
  • Marketing and leads through Houzz

Weaker at

  • No warehouse inventory or date availability listed
  • Contracts need the $199 Pro plan
  • $50/mo for each extra user

Best for: design-led stagers who rent from others rather than own a warehouse.

8. Sortly

Free for 100 items · Advanced $49, Ultra $149, Premium $299/mo (yearly discounts) · 14-day trial, card required · pricing page · checked Oct 3, 2026

General inventory software with good phone apps, QR and barcode labels, folders for locations and check-in/check-out. It isn't built for staging, so there are no proposals, contracts or client invoices, and item counts are capped by plan.

Good at

  • Polished iOS and Android apps
  • Easy labels and scanning
  • Free tier for small counts

Weaker at

  • Nothing for contracts, invoices or client billing
  • Item and user caps by plan

Best for: counting and finding stock, alongside other tools for the business side.

How to choose

Start with the part of the business that costs you the most today.

  • Furniture you can't find or double-book. You need date-based availability and tags you'll actually scan. Every staging-specific tool above covers inventory; check how each one answers "what's free on the 14th?"
  • Contracts and bills typed by hand. Look for contracts, invoices and payments that come from the job itself. Fewer tools here do all three without a second product.
  • Holdover months nobody billed. Only StageEngine and StageCore list recurring or extension billing.
  • Tired pieces taking up shelf space. StageEngine and Stageforce both let you sell pieces online from your own storefront; Stageventory has a public catalog of available pieces.
  • A crew that needs a list on install day. StageCore's load lists and Stageforce's tagging are strong here.
  • Total cost. Check which plan the features you need sit on, then add the platform fee on card payments (0.5% at StageEngine, 1% at Stageforce), per-user charges, and any add-ons.

Most tools here have a trial or a money-back guarantee. Try two with your real inventory and one real job before you move everything over.

Questions stagers ask

What is the best software for a home staging business?

It depends on what you need in one place. For stagers who own their furniture and want inventory, contracts with e-signature, invoicing, card payments, monthly holdover billing and their own resale shop together, StageEngine covers all of them (plans from $79/month; payments, e-signature and the shop are on Studio Pro at $299/month). Stageforce suits large inventories and RFID, StageCore suits crews working from load lists, and Hutch suits teams that only need inventory and projects.

How much does home staging software cost?

Staging-specific tools start between $49 and $149 a month as of October 2026: Stageforce from $49 (Inventory Essentials) or $89 (Professional), StageEngine and StageCore from $79, Stageventory $99, and Hutch $149. StageCore and Sortly also have limited free plans.

Can I use a spreadsheet instead?

Many stagers start with one. It stops working when furniture is moving between several jobs at once, because a spreadsheet can't tell you what's free on a future install date, and contracts and invoices still have to be typed separately.

Which home staging software has built-in e-signature?

StageEngine and Goodshuffle Pro list built-in contract signing, Houzz Pro includes contracts on its Pro plan, Stageforce lists e-signature on proposals, and StageCore lists e-signature while its own comparison article says contracts use a DocHub connection.

Which one bills monthly holdovers automatically?

StageEngine creates and sends each month's invoice on the bill date and lets clients choose autopay. StageCore lists extension billing. The others didn't list recurring billing on their sites as of October 3, 2026.

Which staging software lets me sell furniture online?

StageEngine (Studio Pro) gives you your own shop: flip a piece to For sale and buyers can check out on the spot or send a request, with payments going to your own Stripe account. Stageforce turns each staging into an online store on its Professional and Inventory plans. Stageventory has a shareable public catalog of available pieces.

Is there staging software with a native phone app?

Stageforce has an iOS app, and Houzz Pro and Sortly have iOS and Android apps. StageEngine, StageCore, Stageventory and Goodshuffle Pro run in the phone's browser and can be added to the home screen.

How did you check these facts?

On October 3, 2026 we read each vendor's own pricing and feature pages. We didn't use review-site ratings because we couldn't verify them. Anything a vendor's site doesn't mention is marked "not listed".

Try StageEngine with your own inventory.

Fourteen days free, no credit card. Photograph a few pieces, add one job, and send a contract and an invoice from it.

Start your free trial

vs Stageforcevs StageCorevs HutchInventory softwareInvoicingContracts