Cal Spas vs Bullfrog hot tubs
Best known for: one maker for the whole backyard (Cal Spas) and swappable JetPak massage seats (Bullfrog). Cal Spas lists 57 hot tubs for 3 to 11 people, Bullfrog 25 hot tubs for 3 to 10 people. Bullfrog prices start at $8,395 (series starting prices, MSRP); Cal Spas prices come from a dealer.
Cal Spas
Shown: Aloha PZ-614L
A big Pomona factory that packs more jets, horsepower and options into a tub for the money, builds fast, and can sell you the grill island and fire pit too.
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
- One maker for the whole backyard
- More jets and horsepower per dollar
- ATS seat with its own pump
- Swappable JetPak massage seats
- Built in Utah
- Less plumbing, fewer leaks
- Partly Self-supporting shell
- Partly Clamped plumbing
- Yes Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- No Self-supporting shell
- Not published Clamped plumbing
- Partly Manifold-fed jets
- Partly Standard parts
- Strong jets
- Good value for features
- Swappable JetPaks
- Owners praise the massage
- Warranty claims denied or deflected
- Repeat pump and board 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.
- Patio5 models · 3–6 seats
- Patio Plus12 models · 3–6 seats
- Calm3 models · 6–7 seats · from $8,395
- Escape13 models · 5–6 seats
- Escape Plus4 models · 6 seats
- Escape X-Series13 models · 5–6 seats
- X Series7 models · 3–8 seats · from $8,895
- Deck2 models · 6–11 seats
- Platinum8 models · 6 seats
- A Series9 models · 3–9 seats · from $12,095
- STIL2 models · 4–6 seats · from $16,695
- M Series4 models · 7–10 seats · from $24,695
Which suits whom?
Cal Spas, if you want
- One maker for the whole backyard
- A lounger (32 models against 15)
- A tub that plugs into a regular outlet (5 models)
Bullfrog, if you want
- Swappable JetPak massage seats
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 Cal Spas model costs about $29 a month to keep hot and the middle Bullfrog about $27 a month. In watts: 218 W (39 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 | Cal Spas | Bullfrog |
|---|---|---|
| 3 | 157 W | 157.5 W |
| 4 | 157 W | 158 W |
| 5 | 242 W | 166 W |
| 6 | 218 W | 179.5 W |
Complaint records2
Cal Spas. Better Business Bureau grade A+, 20 complaints in three years. ConsumerAffairs 2.4 of 5 from 911 reviews. 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
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 Cal Spas better than Bullfrog?
Neither is better for everyone. Cal Spas suits you if you want a lounger (32 models against 15) and a tub that plugs into a regular outlet (5 models). Sit in both before you choose; dry is fine.
Which costs less, Cal Spas or Bullfrog?
Bullfrog prices run $8,395 to $30,395 (series starting prices, MSRP). Cal 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 Cal Spas and Bullfrog made by the same company?
No. Each is a separate, privately held company.
Where are Cal Spas and Bullfrog hot tubs made?
Cal Spas builds in Pomona, California. Bullfrog builds in Bluffdale, Utah and Herriman, Utah.
Sources
10
- California Energy Commission appliance database (spas)standby watts for Cal Spas and Bullfrog models
- Cal Spas warrantyPlatinum, Escape, Escape X-Series and others warranty terms
- Better Business Bureau: Cal Spasrating and complaint count
- ConsumerAffairs: Cal Spasowner rating
- Ownership record: Cal SpasPrivately held
- 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