What is TattooClaw?

TattooClaw is the first AI-native management platform built exclusively for tattoo studios, piercing shops, and body art businesses. It runs as a private AI agent on your machine — connected to WhatsApp, Instagram DMs, Discord, or any channel your clients already use.

No more missed DMs. No more double-bookings. No more "did you send the aftercare instructions?" — TattooClaw handles it all.

The Problem

Tattoo studios lose thousands of dollars every month to:

• Missed messages — clients DM on Instagram at 2am, nobody replies, they book elsewhere
• No-shows — no automated reminders, no deposit enforcement
• Admin overhead — artists spend hours on booking, rescheduling, and aftercare follow-ups instead of tattooing
• Walk-in chaos — no queue system, no wait time estimates, frustrated clients leaving
• Scattered tools — one app for booking, another for payments, spreadsheets for inventory, notes app for client history
• Zero client retention — no follow-up, no loyalty program, no way to bring clients back

The Solution

TattooClaw replaces all of that with a single AI agent that:

• Answers client messages 24/7 on WhatsApp, Instagram, SMS, Discord, or any channel
• Books appointments based on artist availability, style specialty, and studio hours
• Collects deposits and enforces cancellation policies automatically
• Sends digital consent forms before appointments
• Delivers aftercare instructions via WhatsApp after every session
• Manages walk-in queues with real-time wait estimates
• Tracks inventory — ink, needles, gloves, machines — and alerts when stock is low
• Runs your client CRM — session history, allergies, preferences, photos, notes
• Generates analytics — revenue per artist, booking rates, no-show rates, peak hours

Features

Appointment & Booking Management

• AI-powered booking — clients message "I want a sleeve, available Saturdays" and TattooClaw handles the rest
• Artist matching — routes clients to the right artist based on style (traditional, realism, blackwork, Japanese, neo-traditional, fine line, watercolor, geometric, dotwork, tribal)
• Multi-session planning — large pieces automatically scheduled across sessions with healing time between
• Calendar sync — integrates with Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook
• Cancellation & rescheduling — clients can reschedule via chat with policy enforcement
• Waitlist management — automatic notifications when cancellation slots open
• Consultation booking — separate flow for design consultations vs tattoo sessions

Walk-In Queue Management

• Digital queue — walk-ins check in via QR code or message
• Real-time wait estimates — "You're 3rd in line, estimated wait: 45 minutes"
• Artist availability display — shows which artists are free and their specialties
• Queue notifications — "Your artist is ready! Head to station 3"
• Flash day management — special queue rules for flash events

Client CRM & History

• Complete session history — dates, pieces, placement, duration, pricing
• Photo portfolio per client — healed photos, fresh photos, design references
• Medical notes — allergies, skin conditions, medications, previous reactions
• Client preferences — preferred artist, music taste, pain management notes, numbing cream preferences
• Consent form archive — digitally signed forms stored per session
• Birthday & anniversary reminders — automated outreach for client retention
• VIP tagging — priority booking and perks for repeat clients
• Referral tracking — who referred whom, reward triggers

Deposit & Payment Management

• Automated deposit collection — configurable amounts (flat fee or percentage)
• Payment links via chat — Stripe, Square, PayPal integration
• Cancellation policy enforcement — non-refundable deposit rules
• Session pricing quotes — AI-estimated pricing based on size, detail, placement, and artist rate
• Split payment support — multiple payment methods per session
• Tip management — digital tipping after sessions
• Revenue tracking per artist — commission calculations, chair rental fees

Consent Forms & Legal

• Digital consent forms — sent via WhatsApp/SMS before appointment
• Age verification — ID upload requirements for minors with guardian consent
• Medical questionnaire — allergies, medications, conditions, pregnancy
• Aftercare acknowledgment — client confirms they understand aftercare instructions
• GDPR/privacy compliance — data retention policies, right-to-delete
• Photo release forms — permission to use photos on social media/portfolio
• Custom form builder — add studio-specific questions and waivers

Aftercare Automation

• Immediate post-session — aftercare instructions sent via chat the moment the session ends
• Day 1-3 check-in — "How's the tattoo feeling? Here's what to watch for..."
• Week 1 follow-up — "Time to switch to unscented lotion. Send us a healed photo!"
• Touch-up scheduling — automatic reminder at 4-6 weeks for touch-up if needed
• Custom aftercare per style — different instructions for color vs black & grey, fine line vs heavy blackwork
• Healing issue triage — AI identifies potential issues from client descriptions and escalates to artist
• Product recommendations — aftercare products your studio sells or recommends

Inventory Management

• Ink tracking — brands, colors, lot numbers, expiration dates
• Needle & cartridge inventory — auto-reorder alerts based on usage rate
• Supply management — gloves, wrap, stencil paper, green soap, barriers
• Machine maintenance logs — service dates, coil/rotary specifics
• Vendor management — preferred suppliers, pricing, order history
• Cost per session tracking — supplies used per tattoo for margin analysis
• Expiration alerts — flagging inks and supplies approaching expiry

Artist Management

• Individual artist calendars — separate availability, time-off, and booking rules
• Style portfolios — each artist's specialties and portfolio links
• Commission tracking — percentage splits, chair rental, product sales
• Performance analytics — bookings, revenue, client satisfaction, no-show rates
• Guest artist support — temporary artist profiles with limited-time booking windows
• Apprentice management — supervised booking, limited styles, mentor assignment
• Artist bio pages — auto-generated from portfolio and booking data

Multi-Location Support

• Centralized dashboard — manage multiple studios from one instance
• Location-specific settings — different hours, artists, pricing per location
• Cross-location booking — clients can book at any location
• Shared client database — client history follows them across locations
• Location-based routing — "Which studio is closest to me?" auto-routing
• Franchise support — templated configs for new locations

Analytics & Reporting

• Revenue dashboards — daily, weekly, monthly, by artist, by style
• Booking funnel — inquiry > consultation > booked > completed > rebooking
• No-show analytics — rates by day, time, artist, deposit amount
• Peak hours heatmap — optimize staffing and walk-in capacity
• Client acquisition — which channels drive the most bookings (Instagram, walk-in, referral, Google)
• Style demand trends — what styles are most requested this month
• Inventory cost analysis — supply costs vs revenue per session
• Client lifetime value — total spend, visit frequency, referral value

Marketing & Retention

• Flash sale announcements — blast to waitlist and past clients
• Portfolio updates — "New piece by @artist just dropped" auto-posted
• Review requests — automated Google/Yelp review prompts after healed photos
• Loyalty program — points per session, referral rewards, birthday discounts
• Seasonal campaigns — Friday the 13th specials, holiday flash events
• Social media integration — auto-post healed photos (with client consent)
• Email/SMS marketing — segmented lists by style preference, last visit date

Customer Support & Communication

• 24/7 AI responses — answers FAQs, pricing inquiries, availability checks
• Multi-language support — communicate with clients in their preferred language
• Tone matching — configurable voice (professional, casual, edgy — match your studio's brand)
• Escalation rules — complex requests routed to the right artist or studio manager
• Group chat support — studio Discord or group channels for community
• Spam filtering — blocks irrelevant messages, scams, and solicitation

Quick Start

Prerequisites

• Node.js 18+ or Bun
• A WhatsApp Business number (or personal number for testing)
• Optional: Instagram Business account, Discord bot

Install

npm install -g tattooclaw@latest

Setup

tattooclaw onboard --install-daemon

The setup wizard walks you through:

1. Model selection — choose your AI provider (OpenAI, Anthropic, local models)
2. Channel setup — connect WhatsApp, Instagram, Discord, SMS
3. Studio profile — hours, location, artists, styles offered
4. Booking rules — deposit amounts, cancellation policy, session lengths
5. Aftercare flows — customize instructions per tattoo style

Configure Your Studio

tattooclaw configure --section studio

Or edit ~/.tattooclaw/tattooclaw.json directly:

{
  "studio": {
    "name": "Iron & Ink Tattoo",
    "locations": [
      {
        "name": "Downtown",
        "address": "123 Main St, Portland, OR 97201",
        "hours": {
          "mon-fri": "11:00-20:00",
          "sat": "10:00-18:00",
          "sun": "closed"
        },
        "phone": "+15035551234"
      }
    ],
    "artists": [
      {
        "name": "Alex",
        "styles": ["realism", "portrait", "black-and-grey"],
        "hourlyRate": 200,
        "minDeposit": 100,
        "bookingLeadDays": 14
      }
    ],
    "policies": {
      "deposit": {
        "amount": 100,
        "refundable": false,
        "appliedToSession": true
      },
      "cancellation": {
        "noticePeriod": "48h",
        "penalty": "deposit-forfeited"
      },
      "walkIns": {
        "enabled": true,
        "flashOnly": false
      }
    }
  }
}

Launch

tattooclaw tui

Your AI agent is now live on all connected channels, ready to book appointments, answer questions, and manage your studio.

Architecture

TattooClaw runs entirely on your hardware. No cloud dependency. Your client data stays on your machine.

Client (WhatsApp/Instagram/Discord/SMS)
  |
  v
TattooClaw Gateway (your machine, port 18789)
  |
  +-- AI Agent (GPT-5.4 / Claude / local model)
  +-- Booking Engine
  +-- CRM Database (SQLite)
  +-- Inventory Tracker
  +-- Aftercare Scheduler
  +-- Payment Gateway (Stripe/Square)
  +-- Analytics Engine

Privacy-first: client data never leaves your studio's machine. No SaaS vendor has access to your client list, photos, or medical information.

Integrations

| Category | Integrations | | -------------- | ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- | | Messaging | WhatsApp, Instagram DM, Discord, SMS, Telegram, iMessage, Facebook Messenger | | Calendar | Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook, Cal.com | | Payments | Stripe, Square, PayPal, Cash App, Venmo | | Social | Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, Pinterest | | Reviews | Google Business, Yelp, TrustPilot | | Storage | Local, Google Drive, Dropbox (for client photos) | | POS | Square POS, Clover, SumUp | | Accounting | QuickBooks, Xero, Wave |

Who Is TattooClaw For?

• Solo tattoo artists — automate your admin so you can focus on art
• Small studios (2-5 artists) — coordinate bookings, walk-ins, and inventory
• Multi-artist shops (5-15 artists) — full CRM, analytics, and artist management
• Studio chains / franchises — multi-location with centralized control
• Piercing studios — jewelry inventory, aftercare, booking (same engine)
• PMU / cosmetic tattoo studios — patch test scheduling, consent forms, follow-up protocols
• Tattoo conventions — temporary booth booking, flash queue management

Pricing

TattooClaw is open source (MIT License). Run it yourself for free.

Self-Hosted (Free)

• Full feature set
• Unlimited artists
• Unlimited clients
• Community support
• You manage updates and hosting

TattooClaw Cloud (Coming Soon)

• Managed hosting — no server management
• Automatic updates
• Priority support
• Custom domain
• Starting at $49/month per studio

Comparison

| Feature | TattooClaw | Square Appointments | Vagaro | Acuity | Fresha | | ------------------------ | ---------- | ------------------- | ----------- | ----------- | ----------- | | Tattoo-specific | Yes | No | Partial | No | No | | AI agent | Yes | No | No | No | No | | WhatsApp booking | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Walk-in queue | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Aftercare automation | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Consent forms | Yes | No | Partial | No | Partial | | Ink/needle inventory | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Client medical notes | Yes | No | Partial | No | No | | Self-hosted option | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Data ownership | 100% yours | Vendor-held | Vendor-held | Vendor-held | Vendor-held | | Open source | Yes | No | No | No | No | | Price | Free / $49 | $29+ | $25+ | $16+ | Free* |

*Fresha takes a percentage of bookings

Roadmap

• [x] Core AI agent with multi-channel support
• [x] Appointment booking engine
• [x] Walk-in queue management
• [x] Client CRM
• [x] Aftercare automation
• [x] Consent form builder
• [x] Inventory tracking
• [ ] Instagram DM native integration
• [ ] TikTok booking links
• [ ] AI design reference search ("show me neo-traditional wolves")
• [ ] AR tattoo placement preview
• [ ] Artist marketplace (guest spot matching)
• [ ] Tattoo convention mode
• [ ] Mobile app (iOS/Android)
• [ ] TattooClaw Cloud managed hosting

Community

• Discord: Join the TattooClaw community
• Twitter/X: @tattooclaw
• Instagram: @tattooclaw
• Email: [email protected]

Contributing

TattooClaw is open source and we welcome contributions. Whether you're a developer, tattoo artist with feature ideas, or a studio owner with feedback — we want to hear from you.

See CONTRIBUTING.md for guidelines.

FAQ

License

MIT License. See LICENSE for details.

Built on OpenClaw — the open source personal AI platform.