For years Fresha's big selling point was that it was free. That's no longer true. Fresha now charges every business a monthly subscription, and the fees that were always there, like the commission on new marketplace clients and card processing, still sit on top.
If the change has you rethinking your booking software, here's what Fresha costs now, why salons are switching, and the best Fresha alternatives for each kind of business.
Keep 100% of every new client
Loop gives you a free booking website with deposits, rebooking reminders and a loyalty card built in. No marketplace commission, live in about 5 minutes.
What Fresha costs in 2026
Fresha's US pricing has three parts:
- Subscription: $19.95 a month for a solo professional (Independent), or $14.95 per bookable team member a month on the Team plan. Larger businesses get custom pricing.
- New client fee: 20% of the first booking (minimum $6) for clients who find you through the Fresha marketplace.
- Card processing: roughly 2.29% + 20¢ for in-person payments in the US, more for online and other payment types.
A five-person team pays about $75 a month in subscription alone. For a busy salon, the marketplace fees and card processing usually end up bigger than the subscription.
Why salons look for a Fresha alternative
- It's not free any more. Salons that chose Fresha for the $0 price now pay per team member.
- The 20% new-client fee. It applies to marketplace bookings, so you pay a fifth of a first appointment for clients who found you through Fresha rather than your own channels.
- Your clients see competitors. The marketplace that sends you clients also shows them every other salon nearby.
- Payments are tied in. Card processing runs through Fresha, so you can't shop around for a better rate.
The best Fresha alternatives compared
| Tool | Starting price (US) | Team pricing | New-client fees | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Loop | Free to start | No per-seat fee to start | 0% commission | Salons that want their own booking site plus loyalty |
| Square Appointments | Free | Plus $49, Premium $149 per location | None | Salons already using Square |
| GlossGenius | $24/month billed yearly | Gold and Platinum for teams | None | Solo artists and small studios |
| Booksy | $29.99/month | +$20 per team member | 30% on Boost clients, capped at $100 | Barbers who want a big marketplace |
| Vagaro | Scales with team size | Per calendar | Optional marketplace | Salons and spas needing fuller management |
US list prices checked November 2026. Check each vendor's pricing page before switching.
1. Loop
Loop builds a booking website with your name, your work and your prices, pulled straight from your Instagram, so clients book with you rather than through a marketplace. It includes:
- Deposits and cancellation rules to protect your chair.
- Rebooking reminders when a client's next appointment is due.
- A phone loyalty card with points or stamps for every visit.
- Posting rewards, so clients earn points for sharing their new look and tagging you.
- Offers to your client list, like last-minute openings or birthday treats.
It's free to start with 0% commission. It won't send you marketplace clients, so it's best for salons whose clients already come from Instagram, Google and referrals.
2. Square Appointments
The free plan covers online booking and reminders for an individual. Teams pay $49 a month (Plus) or $149 a month (Premium) per location. It's a natural fit if you sell retail or already process payments through Square.
3. GlossGenius
A favourite with solo artists for its polished booking site and flat 2.6% processing. Standard is $24 a month billed yearly or $28 monthly, with Gold and Platinum for bigger teams.
4. Booksy
If the marketplace is what you value about Fresha, Booksy is the closest swap. It's $29.99 a month plus $20 per extra team member, and Boost charges 30% of a new client's first visit, capped at $100. Read our Booksy alternatives guide before you commit.
5. Vagaro
Vagaro covers salons, spas and fitness with fuller business management, including commission and payroll tracking. See our Vagaro review for the details.
No marketplace, no 20% fee
Your clients book on your own website. Add deposits, reminders and a loyalty card in the same place. Free to start.
Build my free booking siteWhich Fresha alternative fits you?
- Most new clients come from the Fresha marketplace: compare Booksy, and do the maths on new-client fees versus your average first booking.
- Clients mostly find you on Instagram: a branded site like Loop or GlossGenius stops you paying for clients you brought in yourself.
- You want everything in one place: Square Appointments or Vagaro, if you need payroll and stock.
- Repeat visits are the problem: choose a tool with rebooking and loyalty built in.
How to move off Fresha
- Export your client list and appointment history.
- Build and test your new booking site before cancelling.
- Swap the booking link in your Instagram bio and Google Business Profile.
- Message regulars with the new link and a small thank-you for rebooking there.
- Keep Fresha running until existing appointments are done.
More options: salon booking software for small salons and nail salon booking apps.