Comparison · checked October 3, 2026
StageEngine vs StageCore
Both are built for home stagers and both run in the browser. StageCore is organized around crews and warehouse load lists and has a free plan. StageEngine builds the contract, invoices and card payments into the job itself.
Who wrote this: StageEngine did, so weigh it accordingly. StageCore facts come from its homepage and its own comparison article on October 3, 2026. If something has changed, email hello@stageengine.io and we'll fix it.
The short answer
- Choose StageCore if your days revolve around crews and load lists, you want a permanent free plan to start, or you already invoice from QuickBooks.
- Choose StageEngine if you want invoices, online card payments and contracts with built-in e-signature in the same app as your inventory, with your studio's brand on what clients see.
Side by side
| StageEngine | StageCore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 / $149 / $299 per month by plan; about two months free on annual | Free (25 items, 1 project) · Starter $79 · Growth $149 · Scale $249/mo, less billed yearly |
| Trial | 14 days of Studio Pro, no card | 14 days of Growth, no card, plus the free plan |
| Users | First assistant free on every plan; extras $49/mo | 3 / 10 / unlimited full users by plan, unlimited crew users |
| Tags | QR, phone camera or scan gun · RFID bulk scanning coming soon | Not listed |
| What's free on a date | Yes | Yes |
| Warehouse load lists | Pull list on the job | Yes, a core feature |
| Proposals / estimates | Yes, accepted online | Estimates |
| Contracts | Built-in e-signature, sealed PDF (e-sign on Studio Pro) | E-signature listed; their article says contracts use a DocHub connection |
| Invoicing | Built in (Studio and up) | Through QuickBooks (Growth and up) |
| Online payments | Card and bank · Stripe + 0.5% (Studio Pro) | Not listed |
| Monthly holdover billing | Yes, with autopay on Studio Pro | Extension billing |
| Sell pieces online | Your own shop, one switch per piece (Studio Pro) | Not listed |
| QuickBooks Online | One-way push, hourly (Studio Pro) | Yes (Growth and up) |
| Your brand for clients | Name, logo, web address | Not listed |
| Phone app | Browser only, for now | Browser only |
| AI | Photo fill-in; room renders from your furniture | Photo cataloging; insights |
Where StageCore is stronger
StageCore was built by a staging company around the crew's day: the load list, install, pickup and closeout. It has a permanent free plan for very small inventories, unlimited crew users on paid plans, and a CompanyCam connection for job photos.
Where StageEngine is stronger
StageEngine keeps the money inside the job. Invoices are built in rather than created in QuickBooks, clients pay by card from a link with your logo, and the contract is signed on their phone and sealed as a PDF without a separate signing service. Monthly holdover invoices send themselves, with autopay if the client chooses it. And when a piece is tired, one switch puts it in your own shop under your studio's name, where buyers check out on the spot.
Switching
Send us your inventory export and we'll load it for you, or photograph pieces and StageEngine fills in the details. Try it on one real job during the 14-day trial.
Questions
Is StageEngine or StageCore cheaper?
Both start at $79/month. StageCore has a free plan for up to 25 items and discounts for yearly billing, and caps users and projects by plan. StageEngine is $79, $149 or $299 a month by plan. Prices checked October 3, 2026.
Does StageCore have built-in invoicing?
StageCore's site describes invoicing through its QuickBooks connection, on Growth and up. StageEngine creates and sends invoices itself, and pushes them to QuickBooks Online hourly if you connect it.
Which one takes card payments?
StageEngine takes card payments through your own Stripe account (Stripe processing plus a 0.5% StageEngine fee). Online payments were not listed on StageCore's site as of October 3, 2026.
Does either have a phone app?
Neither has a native app yet; both run in the phone browser.