Comparison · checked October 3, 2026
StageEngine vs Stageforce
Both are built for home stagers, and both cover inventory, tagging, proposals, invoicing, card payments and selling pieces online. StageEngine adds contracts with built-in e-signature, bank payments, monthly holdover billing with autopay, QuickBooks and your studio's brand on everything, all on the same job as the furniture.
Who wrote this: StageEngine did, so weigh it accordingly. Stageforce facts come from its pricing page and FAQ on October 3, 2026. If something has changed, email hello@stageengine.io and we'll fix it.
The short answer
- Choose StageEngine if you want the whole job in one place: inventory, quotes, contracts your client signs on their phone, invoices, card and bank payments, monthly holdover billing with autopay, and your own shop for reselling pieces, with your studio's name on everything your client and your buyers see.
- Choose Stageforce if you need RFID tagging right now, unlimited users at no extra cost, or a native iOS app today.
Side by side
| StageEngine | Stageforce | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $79 / $149 / $299 per month by plan, not by item count; about two months free on annual | $49–$249 (inventory) or $89–$289 (Professional), by tagged items |
| Trial | 14 days of Studio Pro, no card | 30-day money-back guarantee (FAQ also mentions a 30-day trial) |
| Users | First assistant free on every plan; extras $49/mo, each with their own permissions | Unlimited on every plan |
| Tags | QR, phone camera or scan gun · RFID bulk scanning coming soon | QR, barcode and RFID |
| What's free on a date | Yes | Yes |
| Proposals | Yes, accepted online | Yes (Professional and Project plans) |
| Contracts | Written from the job; built-in e-signature and sealed PDF (e-sign on Studio Pro) | E-signature on proposals |
| Invoicing | Yes (Studio and up) | Yes (not on Inventory plan) |
| Online payments | Card and bank · Stripe + 0.5% (Studio Pro) | Card · Stripe + 1% |
| Monthly holdover billing | Yes, with autopay on Studio Pro | Not listed |
| QuickBooks Online | One-way push, hourly (Studio Pro) | Not listed |
| Your brand for clients | Name, logo, web address | Not listed |
| Phone app | Browser only, for now | iOS |
| AI | Photo fill-in; room renders from your furniture | Photo fill-in ("Insite") |
| Sell pieces online | Your own shop under your studio's name: one switch per piece, buyers check out or send a request (Studio Pro) | Every stage is an online store (Professional and Inventory plans) |
| Getting started | We load your existing inventory for you | Data export goes through support |
What both do
Photo inventory with tags, warehouse locations, what's free on a date, proposals, invoicing, online card payments, AI that fills in a piece from its photo, team permissions, and selling pieces online.
What StageEngine adds
In StageEngine, the job holds everything. The quote your client accepts becomes the contract, written from the job and signed on their phone, then sealed as a PDF. The deposit and balance invoices come from the same job, clients pay by card or bank, and if the house sits, each month's invoice sends itself, with autopay if your client chooses it. Your studio's name and logo are on every page your clients and buyers see, QuickBooks Online stays up to date every hour, and the AI Designer renders rooms from furniture you actually own.
Your shop works the same way: flip any piece to For sale and it's in your shop under your studio's name, at one link for your bio, your website or a text. Buyers check out on the spot or send a request, and the money goes to your own Stripe account. Pricing doesn't climb as your inventory grows, and the card fee is half of Stageforce's listed 1%.
Where Stageforce is still ahead
Stageforce has been around longer and has more stagers using it. It supports RFID tags and scanners today (StageEngine's RFID bulk scanning is coming soon), includes unlimited users on every plan, and has a native iOS app, which StageEngine doesn't have yet.
Switching
Send us your inventory export and we'll load it for you, or photograph pieces and StageEngine fills in the details, up to fifty photos at a time. Try it with one real job during the 14-day trial before you move everything.
Questions
Is StageEngine cheaper than Stageforce?
It depends on your inventory and the features you need. Stageforce starts at $49/month for inventory only and $89/month for Professional, rising with tagged items up to $289. StageEngine is $79, $149 or $299 by plan, not by item count. Card fees are 1% at Stageforce and 0.5% at StageEngine, on top of Stripe's processing.
Does Stageforce do monthly holdover billing?
It wasn't listed on Stageforce's site as of October 3, 2026. StageEngine sends each month's invoice on the bill date and lets clients choose autopay.
Can I sell staging furniture online with either one?
Yes. In StageEngine (Studio Pro), flip a piece to For sale and it appears in your own shop under your studio's name; buyers check out on the spot or send a request. Stageforce turns each staging into an online store on its Professional and Inventory plans.
Which one has RFID?
Stageforce supports RFID today. StageEngine uses QR tags with a phone camera or a USB or Bluetooth scan gun, and RFID bulk scanning (reading a whole truckload of tagged pieces at once) is coming soon.
Which one has a phone app?
Stageforce has a native iOS app. StageEngine runs in your phone's browser and can be added to the home screen.