SalonBooking vs Fresha
Fresha killed their free tier in 2025.
Here's the honest comparison.
We use real numbers from Fresha's own pricing page and Capterra reviews. No "10× better" claims. Just what each tool actually costs and does.
TL;DR
- · Fresha now costs $19.95/month base + $14.95 per staff member (was free until 2025).
- · Fresha takes 20% commission on every new client booked through their marketplace ($6 minimum).
- · Card processing on Fresha: 2.29% + $0.20 per transaction.
- · SalonBooking: free during early access. No marketplace, no commissions, no payment markup.
- · SalonBooking has WhatsApp booking. Fresha has WhatsApp notifications only.
- · Both have multi-location. Fresha charges per-staff. We don't.
The actual cost
What a 5-stylist salon pays
Numbers from public pricing pages. We're using a salon doing 200 bookings/month, 30 of those from new clients via Fresha's marketplace.
| Cost line | Fresha | SalonBooking |
|---|---|---|
| Base subscription | $19.95/mo | Free |
| Per-staff (5 stylists) | $74.75/mo (5 × $14.95) | Included |
| Marketplace commission (30 new clients × $25 avg @ 20%) | $180/mo | No marketplace |
| Card processing (200 × $50 × 2.29% + $0.20) | $269/mo | Use your own processor |
| Multi-location (3 branches) | Same per-staff cost × 3 | Free |
| Total monthly cost | $543.70/mo | $0/mo (early access) |
| Total annual cost | ~$6,524/yr | $0/yr |
Pricing as of April 2026 from fresha.com/pricing. Marketplace commission per Capterra reviews.
Feature for feature
What each tool does
| Capability | Fresha | SalonBooking |
|---|---|---|
| Web booking page | Yes | Yes |
| WhatsApp BOOKING (not just notifications) | No | Yes |
| WhatsApp reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-location at base tier | Per-staff cost stacks | Free |
| Marketplace discovery | Yes (35M+ consumers) | No |
| Marketplace commission | 20% per new client | No commission |
| Card processing fees | 2.29% + $0.20 | Use your own processor |
| Indexable per-branch SEO pages | No | Yes (auto-generated) |
| Free tier in 2026 | No (killed Q1 2025) | Yes (early access) |
| Mobile admin | Native iOS/Android app | Mobile-optimised web |
| Inventory / retail POS | Yes | Roadmap |
| Native payment processing | Yes | Roadmap |
| Lock-in to vendor marketplace | Yes (your client list) | No |
| Setup time (single salon) | 1–2 hours | 10 minutes |
When Fresha is the right call
We're not going to pretend Fresha has zero advantages. They do.
- · You're in a Fresha-heavy market (US, UK, Western Europe) and want their marketplace pushing new clients to you.
- · You need integrated payment processing right now and don't want to set up Stripe yourself.
- · You sell retail products and need built-in inventory tracking.
- · You want a native mobile app for staff (we use mobile-optimised web).
When SalonBooking is the right call
- · Your clients use WhatsApp every day and you want them to book on it, not just receive reminders.
- · You don't want a marketplace owning your client list and skimming 20% on every new booking.
- · You run multiple branches and don't want per-staff fees stacking on every location.
- · You're in Pakistan, India, the Middle East, Latin America, or anywhere WhatsApp dominates and US-built tools feel foreign.
- · You want a tool with a clear pricing pledge: existing salons never pay more than at signup, and we give 30 days notice before any change.
Frequently asked
Is Fresha really paid now?
Yes. Fresha removed its free tier in Q1 2025. The current entry plan is $19.95/month, plus $14.95 per team member, plus marketplace commission, plus card processing.
Can I import my Fresha data?
You can export client lists, services, and booking history from Fresha as CSV. SalonBooking doesn't have a one-click import yet (Pro roadmap), but the pattern most salons use is in our Fresha migration guide.
Will SalonBooking always be free?
During early access, yes. Paid plans come later. Existing salons get 30 days notice and a transition path. We won't do what Fresha did to its free customers.
What about Fresha's marketplace?
It does drive new clients in some markets. The trade-off is a 20% commission on those clients and them being indexed under Fresha's brand, not yours. We're betting on owned channels (Google Business, Instagram, your own URL) instead.
Do you process payments?
Not yet. It's on the roadmap. For now, salons take cash, card-on-arrival, or run their own Stripe/JazzCash/EasyPaisa integration.
No marketplace. No commission. Free.
Free during early access. No credit card. No setup fee. Your salon is running in 10 minutes.