Artesian Spas vs Bullfrog hot tubs
Best known for: DirectFlow, a pump per seat (Artesian Spas) and swappable JetPak massage seats (Bullfrog). Artesian Spas lists 41 hot tubs for 2 to 9 people, Bullfrog 25 hot tubs for 3 to 10 people. Bullfrog prices start at $8,395 (series starting prices, MSRP); Artesian Spas prices come from a dealer.
Artesian Spas
Shown: Dove Canyon
On the top tubs every massage seat gets its own pump and its own controls, all built in Las Vegas with full foam and a lifetime structure warranty, with a line for every budget below that.
Price on request
Get the price range
Bullfrog
Shown: M6
The hot tub you customize seat by seat: pick from up to 16 JetPak massage backs when you buy, move or upgrade them any time, all on a wood-free, Utah-built frame with a lifetime warranty.
From $8,395
Get the price rangeHow they differ
- DirectFlow: a pump per seat
- Full foam, lifetime structure
- US-built with standard parts
- Swappable JetPak massage seats
- Built in Utah
- Less plumbing, fewer leaks
- Partly Self-supporting shell
- Partly Clamped plumbing
- Partly Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- No Self-supporting shell
- Not published Clamped plumbing
- Partly Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- Strong jets
- Standard, easy-to-source parts
- Swappable JetPaks
- Owners praise the massage
- Control panel and board failures
- Early pump failures
- JetPak seals that leak or buzz
- Service hinges on the local dealer
Which lines compete? Tier by tier.
Each maker sorts its own series from entry to flagship; we group them the same way so you can price like against like.
- Garden Spas9 models · 2–6 seats
- Calm3 models · 6–7 seats · from $8,395
- South Seas Spas19 models · 3–8 seats
- X Series7 models · 3–8 seats · from $8,895
- Island Spas8 models · 3–9 seats
- A Series9 models · 3–9 seats · from $12,095
- STIL2 models · 4–6 seats · from $16,695
- Artesian Elite5 models · 4–9 seats
- M Series4 models · 7–10 seats · from $24,695
Which suits whom?
Artesian Spas, if you want
- DirectFlow: a pump per seat
- A tub that plugs into a regular outlet (10 models)
- A longer shell warranty (lifetime against 10 years)
Bullfrog, if you want
- Swappable JetPak massage seats
- A lounger (15 models against 8)
- Room for 10
Fit decides more than any figure here. Sit in both in the seat you would use most (dry is fine), feel the jets on a running display tub with the back of your hand, and read both warranty cards before you sign.
What’s a good deal on either?
Pick a brand. We send you the price range, then connect you with one dealer near you for it.
The details
Keeping it hot: standby power and cost2
Standby is what a tub draws to hold its heat with the cover on and nobody in it. California tests it for every spa sold in the state. At the US average 18.19¢ per kWh (January to July 2026), the middle Artesian Spas model costs about $24 a month to keep hot and the middle Bullfrog about $27 a month. In watts: 177 W (37 filings) and 207 W (23). Your bill also depends on your climate, how hot you keep it and how often the cover is off.
| Seats | Artesian Spas | Bullfrog |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 158 W | 157.5 W |
| 4 | 165 W | 158 W |
| 5 | 189 W | 166 W |
| 6 | 181 W | 179.5 W |
| 7 | 206 W | 208.5 W |
| 8 | 253 W | 233 W |
| 9 | 237 W | 251 W |
Complaint records2
Artesian Spas. Not rated by the Better Business Bureau. No U.S. safety recall found.
Bullfrog. Better Business Bureau grade A, 31 complaints in three years. ConsumerAffairs 1.5 of 5 from 58 reviews. No U.S. safety recall found.
Complaint counts grow with the number of tubs a company sells; how it answers them tells you more than the count.
Who owns them2
Artesian Spas belongs to Monomoy Capital Partners. Bullfrog is privately held. Each company’s history: Artesian Spas and Bullfrog.
What to ask in the showroom1
- Clamped plumbing: Bullfrog doesn't publish it. Ask: “Are the hoses on this model clamped at the barbs, or just glued?”
Every figure side by side30
No manufacturer pays us. How we make money
Common questions
Is Artesian Spas better than Bullfrog?
Neither is better for everyone. Artesian Spas suits you if you want a tub that plugs into a regular outlet (10 models) and a longer shell warranty (lifetime against 10 years). Bullfrog suits you if you want a lounger (15 models against 8) and room for 10. Sit in both before you choose; dry is fine.
Which costs less, Artesian Spas or Bullfrog?
Bullfrog prices run $8,395 to $30,395 (series starting prices, MSRP). Artesian Spas doesn't post prices we can publish, so a dealer quotes them. Compare like with like: the lines that compete tier by tier are listed on this page.
Are Artesian Spas and Bullfrog made by the same company?
No. Artesian Spas belongs to Monomoy Capital Partners; Bullfrog is privately held.
Where are Artesian Spas and Bullfrog hot tubs made?
Artesian Spas builds in North Las Vegas, Nevada. Bullfrog builds in Bluffdale, Utah and Herriman, Utah.
Sources
9
- California Energy Commission appliance database (spas)standby watts for Artesian Spas and Bullfrog models
- Artesian Spas warrantyIsland Spas and Artesian Elite warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Artesian Spasrating and complaint count
- Ownership record: Artesian SpasMonomoy Capital Partners
- Bullfrog Spas warrantyA Series, M Series and STIL warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Bullfrog Spasrating and complaint count
- ConsumerAffairs: Bullfrog Spasowner rating
- Ownership record: Bullfrog SpasPrivately held
- CPSC recallsrecall search