A vacuum coating apparatus is disclosed. The apparatus includes a cathode target, a plurality of anodes, a transiting device, a pulsed arc discharge device, and a pulsed laser device. The plurality of anodes is placed on the transiting device and successively passes though a working position by the transiting device. The pulsed arc discharge device is electrically connected to the cathode target and the anode at the operable position to form plasma in a vacuum chamber for film coating. The pulsed laser device is located outside of the vacuum chamber and provides a pulsed laser beam onto the surface of the cathode surface to serve as a plasma trigger. A coating method for the vacuum coating apparatus is also disclosed.