What Is Stratus? A Complete Guide to StudioPlus Studio Management Software

Stratus is an all-in-one, cloud-based studio management software built by StudioPlus Software for professional photography studios. It brings your client management, scheduling, communications, digital workflows, invoicing, payments, and reporting into one connected system — so you can run your entire business from a single platform instead of juggling separate tools.

What does Stratus do?

Stratus covers the full life of a photography client, from first inquiry to final payment:

• Client management (CRM) — track clients, contact us forms, families, leads, referral sources, and complete client history in one place.
• Calendar and online booking — let clients book sessions online, with color-coded calendars, conflict checking, and Google calendar sync.
• Automated communications — send email and text reminders, confirmations, and marketing campaigns automatically.
• Workflow automation — build repeatable workflows so every session, order, and task follows the same proven process without manual tracking.
• Invoicing and payments — create estimates and invoices, take payments online or in studio, and set up payment plans and subscriptions.
• Reporting — see sales, accounts receivable, and studio performance in real time from your customizable dashboard.

Who is Stratus for?

Stratus is designed for professional photography studios of every size — portrait and boutique studios, high-volume school and sports photographers, and multi-location operations. It’s built for photographers first, but flexible enough for other appointment-based service businesses.

Is Stratus cloud-based?

Yes. Your data lives securely in the cloud, and you can work from anywhere in two ways: Stratus Desktop, a Windows application, or the Stratus Web app, which runs in any modern browser — including on a Mac. Multiple team members can work from multiple locations on the same live data.

How much does Stratus cost?

Stratus offers three plans:

• Stratus Standard — $54.95 per month.
• Stratus Professional — $74.95 per month, adding advanced automation, custom reporting, event tracking, and more.
• Stratus Enterprise — custom pricing for multi-location studios and larger teams.

Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial, and you can upgrade or downgrade at any time. Additional User-Licenses can be added for just $10/User?Month. See current details on the Stratus pricing page.

Why choose StudioPlus?

StudioPlus is a family-owned company that has served the photography industry for more than 25 years! Along with the software, you get a personal touch, live support, and a knowledge base of 650+ help articles covering every feature.

How do I get started with Stratus?

The easiest way to see if Stratus fits your studio is to start a 30-day free trial or schedule a live demo. If you have questions along the way, the Stratus help docs walk through everything from initial setup to advanced workflow automation.