Fresha's software is cheap, and its marketplace brings new clients. The costs sit elsewhere: a 20% one-time commission on each new marketplace client, card fees on every payment, and texts beyond the free allowance. Most salons looking for an alternative want one of two things: no marketplace at all, or a price that does not grow with every new client. Here are five UK options, with where each one wins.
Superscripts link to the sources at the foot of the page.
| Price | Contract and new-client fee | |
|---|---|---|
| Fresha (for reference) | £14.95 a month on your own; £9.95 a month per bookable team member on Team1 | Contract: None; cancel any time1 New clients: 20% one-time commission on new marketplace clients, minimum £41 |
| Timely | From £4, £7 or £9 a week by plan, adjusting with the bookings you take; unlimited team members2 | Contract: None; 14 days' notice2 New clients: No new client fees2 |
| Booksy | £40 a month plus £5 a month per extra team member, plus VAT3 | Contract: None; cancel any time3 New clients: Only if you turn on Boost: 30% of a new client's first visit, minimum £53 |
| SalonIQ | From £47 a month for a solo stylist; setup fee from £175 plus VAT4 | Contract: Not stated on its pricing page4 New clients: No marketplace |
| Phorest | Quote only; no free trial5 | Contract: One year, auto-renewing; two months' notice before the anniversary6 New clients: No marketplace |
| Daviana | £80 a month including VAT for the diary and till; first month free | Contract: None; cancel any month New clients: None. No marketplace and no commission on bookings |
Take your last three months on Fresha and add up four things: the subscription, the marketplace commission you paid, card processing, and paid texts. Then look at how many of those months' bookings came from the marketplace, not from regulars. If the marketplace is bringing clients who stay, the commission may be worth it. If most of your diary is regulars, you are paying for reach you do not need, and a flat-price system without a marketplace is likely to cost less. Our 12 questions to ask before switching salon software covers the rest.
On published prices, Timely starts lowest at £4 a week, with unlimited team members, though its weekly price adjusts with the number of bookings you take. Fresha itself is £14.95 a month on your own, so for a solo stylist who is happy with the marketplace, staying may be cheapest.
Yes. Timely says it has no new client fees. SalonIQ, Phorest and Daviana have no marketplace, so there is nothing to take a commission on. Booksy only charges a one-time 30% (minimum £5) on new clients who book while its optional Boost feature is switched on.
Timely (14 days' notice), Booksy (cancel any time) and Daviana (cancel any month) have no minimum term. Phorest's UK terms are a one-year contract that renews automatically unless you give two months' notice. SalonIQ does not state its terms on its pricing page, so ask.
Usually, but what moves depends on what you can export from Fresha. Before you switch, ask any new supplier to look at a real export: client details, appointment history and notes. The Daviana team moves your clients and prices across for you.
For many salons, yes. If new clients from the marketplace are worth more to you than the 20% one-time fee, and you are happy with the payment rates, Fresha's software price is hard to beat. The case for switching is strongest when most of your bookings are regulars.
Thirty minutes, your services and your numbers. We will tell you if staying on Fresha makes more sense.
Book a demoFresha, Timely, Booksy, SalonIQ and Phorest are trademarks of their owners. We are not affiliated with any of them. Prices and terms change, so check with each company before deciding.