Fresha vs Salon Booking System

Vagaro

Goldie

Acuity Scheduling

Vagaro is all-in-one software for beauty, wellness, and fitness professionals. Manage appointments, accept payments, run marketing campaigns, and grow your business all from one easy-to-use platform designed to help you save time and boost revenue.

Goldie is a comprehensive software designed for salon and beauty professionals. The platform offers appointment scheduling, automated client reminders, and integrated payment processing capabilities to help reduce no-shows and streamline business operations. Beauty professionals can manage their calendars, create branded online booking websites, and track business performance through detailed reports.

Acuity Scheduling is an online appointment scheduling solution that allows clients to self-schedule appointments or classes online, complete custom forms, receive confirmation notifications and reminders, and pay or donate with a credit card.

Business owner an aesthetician.

Warehouse manager

The platform is easy and effective however it lacks customisation and customer service takes a while to respond.

Creative Director

The Fresha team also seem to be working on the app software in the background all the time, and I appreciate that they're always looking for ways to better the experience for businesses and customers.

Director

I use the free version which means little contact with the fresha team.

Fresha is the world's leading online booking software for the beauty and wellness industry, including Med Spa's. 

Boost your sales and attract new clients with an all-in-one solution for salons, spas, barbers and therapists.

Access Controls/Permissions

Activity Dashboard

Alerts/Notifications

Appointment Management

Appointment Scheduling

Attendance Tracking

Automated Scheduling

Availability Indicator

Availability Management

Before & After Pictures

Billing & Invoicing

Booking Management

Booth Rental Management

Calendar Management

Calendar Sync

Class Management

Class Scheduling

Client Database

Client Management

Client Profiles

Commission Management

Confirmations/Reminders

Contact Database

Credit Card Management

Credit Card Processing

Customer Database

Customer History

Customer Mobile App

Customer Support

Customizable Branding

Customizable Forms

Customizable Reports

Customizable Templates

Data Import/Export

Debit/Credit Card Processing

Discount Management

Electronic Payments

Email Management

Email Marketing

Email Reminders

Employee Management

Employee Scheduling

Faculty/Staff Management

Fitness Plan

For Barbershops

For Medical Spas

For Salons and Spas

For Yoga/Pilates Studios

Gift Card Management

Group Scheduling

HIPAA Compliant

In-Person Payments

Inventory Management

Inventory Tracking

Loyalty Program

Marketing Automation

Mobile Access

Mobile Alerts

Mobile App

Multi-Language

Multi-Location

Multiple User Accounts

Online Booking

Online Payments

Payment Processing

Payroll & Commissions

Payroll Management

Performance Metrics

Point of Sale (POS)

Practice Management

Price/Margin Management

Promotions Management

Ratings/Reviews

Real-Time Notifications

Real-Time Reporting

Recurring Appointments

Referral Tracking

Reminders

Reporting/Analytics

Reporting & Statistics

Rescheduling

Room Booking

Sales Reports

Scheduling

Self Service Portal

SMS Marketing

SMS Messaging

SMS Reminders

Social Media Integration

Staff Management

Task Scheduling

Third-Party Integrations

Transaction History

Treatment Packages

Website Integration

By industry, Fresha reviewers are most commonly professionals in health, wellness and fitness (33%). The most frequent use case for Fresha cited by reviewers is appointment scheduling (70%).

Users and use cases

Most reviewers indicate that Fresha delivers exceptional value for money, with its free plan and comprehensive features especially benefiting small businesses. However, some users report concerns about hidden costs, add-on fees, and potential future price increases.

Value for money

Fresha is an appointment scheduling solution with key features that include appointment management, online booking, automated confirmations and reminders, client database management, mobile access, and more.

Fresha

Web-based

iPad

iPhone

Android

Windows

Linux

Chromebook

Square Point of Sale

Phorest

Booksy Biz

Treatwell

Square Appointments

DaySmart Salon

GlossGenius

Mindbody

Jane

Rosy

Booker

Boulevard

Meevo

Setmore

Simple Salon

Timely

Team

Enterprise

Opaque and high fee structure

owner

As they get better, they start charging businesses too much and greedy.1-Text messages are not unlimited anymore as promised, they start limiting down each month less and less.

Business owner

They charge 20% of every new client, let's say someone booked a package for $625, Fresha rudely takes $125.

64% of reviewers feel negative about charges and fees. Reviewers report frustration with hidden or unclear fees, especially the 20% marketplace charge for clients not sourced through the platform. Users say the system sometimes misidentifies returning clients as new, resulting in unexpected charges. They indicate that support is often unresponsive to disputes or refund requests, and that additional fees can accumulate without transparent communication. Many users feel the evolving fee structure is unfair and impacts their earnings, particularly when fees are applied to existing clients or tips.

Limited cancellation controls

Spa owner

There's nothing that I dislike but one suggestion I would make would be with the cancellation policy, I wish there was a way that you could make it so that you could pick and cost different parts of each tier of the cancellation policy..

Owner 

The least thing at this time is the feature for customers to book and reserve appointments for cancellations and no show fees. If a customer books with a credit card on file they can use any card without a dime on it and in the event they do no show or cancel their card is declined for insufficient funds!

56% of reviewers feel negative about cancellations. Reviewers indicate difficulty managing cancellations and no-show fees, citing issues with clients using cards that lack funds and the inability to enforce policies effectively. Users say they cannot fully customize cancellation policies or disable certain booking features, which restricts their control over scheduling. Some reviewers find it challenging to update or cancel appointments after they have lapsed, and they express frustration with rigid policies and limited options for handling last-minute changes.

Complicated payment processing

switching to another software was a nightmare everything is wonky.commission was always incorrect but only for a few transactionsa couple times my scheduled deposits were delayed once for a over a week. unreliable.

Owner

Then for some reason after doing all of these steps, it was still depositing funds into my old account.

36% of reviewers feel negative about payment processing. Reviewers report challenges with account verification, delayed fund transfers, and difficulties updating bank details. Users say the onboarding process for payment features can be lengthy and require extensive documentation. Some reviewers mention unreliable commission calculations, occasional deposit delays, and issues with processing card payments. They also express concerns about the lack of support for resolving payment disputes or correcting billing errors, which can disrupt cash flow and business operations.

Streamlined setup experience

100% of reviewers feel positive about the setup process. Reviewers indicate the software is extremely easy and intuitive to set up, even for those without technical expertise. They appreciate that configuration options are plentiful yet not overwhelming, allowing them to tailor the system to their business needs quickly. Users think the straightforward setup saves them time and lets them start operating their business almost immediately. They say the process is clear, with helpful guidance available if needed, and they value being able to get started with minimal hassle or confusion.

Customizable and intuitive layout

98% of reviewers feel positive about the layout. Reviewers appreciate the clean, modern, and professional design, which they find easy to navigate and visually appealing. Users say the interface is highly customizable, allowing them to personalize menus, forms, and display options to suit their business needs. They value features like color coding, organized information, and the ability to quickly access essential tools. Many users highlight that the layout helps them stay organized and makes managing their services and schedules straightforward.

Automated client reminders

97% of reviewers feel positive about client reminders. Reviewers indicate that automated email and text reminders are a major benefit, saving them significant time previously spent on manual messaging. Users say these reminders help reduce no-shows and keep clients informed about their appointments. They appreciate the flexibility to customize reminder messages and the ease of rescheduling or confirming bookings. Many users report that their clients also value receiving timely reminders, which contributes to a more professional and organized experience.

Effortless daily navigation

99% of reviewers feel positive about ease of use. Users think the software is highly intuitive, making daily operations simple and efficient. Reviewers appreciate that they can navigate the system without extensive training or reading manuals, and they find the interface clean and self-explanatory. They say the user-friendly design helps them manage bookings, track performance, and handle business tasks with minimal effort. Many users report that the software reduces their administrative workload and streamlines their workflow, which they find essential for running their businesses smoothly.

I will be cancelling my whole debit system and booking system with my salon with this company they like to charge everything that they absolutely can and there’s definitely just as good other companies out there for booking systems besides Fresha that does just the same.

President

It’s not a complex system which is appealing to a small business along with the cost, however there are some usability issues that could be easily be fixed if they had good product [sensitive content hidden] and tech support.

Massage Therapist

I have inquried about this to Fresha several times, as I use their QR code at my store to allow my clients to book an appointment, however, I still get charged for those customers, as if they intially found my services through Fresha, though this is not the case.

Student

Fresha can have some bugs or issues in its booking system at times, including error messages or blank screens.

Beauty therapist

Booking & payments easy, reduces no-shows with automated reminders, and helps attract new clients.

Holistic Therapist

I follow Fresha’s own advice by sending my direct booking link, yet the system still flags client as new marketplace clients. Despite clear evidence, support refuses to refund the fees, citing rigid policy and technicalities.

small owner - salon

Fresha deleted elderly (90yr +) client medical & profile information and replaced with another younger client (early 60yr+) profile information

Operations Manager

Unable to add two therapists to one appointment, latest pricing structure is far to expensive and unfair on very small businesses.

While the fee is supposed to apply to first-time clients who find my services via the Fresha website, I'm being charged for customers who scan my in-store QR code to book.

Manager

I wasn’t aware about this issue because normally small amount processing was working fine, until we had a more premium service like hair extensions required payment over $1000 and client did a runner, after that I realised we won’t be able to charge her.

The client calls for a reason something has come up there’s an emergency whatever the reason is we shouldn’t have to resort to tell our clients to go and do it Their selves.

Beauty Salon

I use it to manage my clients' appointments and have all my services organized and accessible to all my clients.

Result: no address to the frail elderly client on round the clock care to drive to their home to provide services.

Case manager

You can also be rest assured that you will not miss your appointments because it would notify you should your appointment be coming.

Overall, it has been a good experience, but with the new pricing structure in place I am now looking to move to other (cheaper) products, as this is now far to expensive for myself as a small business owner.

Business Owner

they tell you about that BUT they don’t tell you for every card added to the system by the client when booking **even if they cancel or you never use the card at checkout!!

Fresha charges for text messages to send to people that make appointments which as a small business you may not want to opt into.

Fresha outline that a charge will be incurred for first time clients, who found my services via their website.

Very easy to use interface, good options for customisation, easy to set up schedules and services.  

Creative

Sometimes if you need to update the price it is hard to update it takes long time to update and when you invite the others sometimes it reject. and little over price for updating the service

Also, the reporting aspect of the fresha is very hard to navigate.

Nail tech

Sometimes I’d be paying upwards of £70 a month which in my opinion is unacceptable.

Fresha vs Salon Booking System Comparison (2026)

Fresha

Salon Booking System

Overview

Video & Screenshots

Pricing

User reviews

Key features

Integrations

Alternatives