Fresha vs Booksy
what you'll actually pay.
Both are booking apps with a marketplace. They charge in very different ways. Here's the side-by-side, using each company's own published prices.
Quick verdict.
Choose Fresha if…
You want the lowest subscription and the lowest card rate, you're happy paying a one-time fee when the marketplace brings you a new client, and you don't send much SMS marketing.
Choose Booksy if…
You want one all-inclusive price, you send a lot of marketing texts (500 a month included), and you'd rather not pay per new marketplace client.
Cost by
team size.
| Team | Fresha | Booksy | HueSuite |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | €17.95 | €44 | €9.99 (Link) · €30 (Pro) |
| 3 people | €29.85 | €54 | €29.97 (Link) · €49.98 (Pro) |
| 5 people | €49.75 | €64 | €49.95 (Link) · €69.96 (Pro) |
| How it's priced | €17.95 solo, or €9.95 per team member | €44 + €5 per extra user | €9.99 per calendar seat; Pro €30 incl. 1 seat + colour tools, +€9.99 per extra seat |
Subscription only, excl. VAT, payment fees, SMS and add-ons. Fresha: EUR pricing from fresha.com/pricing. Booksy: Ireland (EUR) pricing from biz.booksy.com/en-ie/pricing. Both checked 5 October 2026; prices vary by country.
Fees that
add up.
| Fee | Fresha | Booksy | HueSuite |
|---|---|---|---|
| Card payments | 1.29% + €0.20 | 2.6% + VAT (Ireland) | 0% in person · 1% HueSuite commission on online payments + Stripe's fee |
| New marketplace clients | One-time new-client fee (reported 20% of first booking) | Free in Ireland · optional Boost 30% one-time in the UK | No marketplace — 0% |
| Reminder texts | 50 free/mo, then €0.12 per text | Always free | Not included — SMS reminders billed separately |
| Marketing texts | €0.15 per text | 500 free/mo, then €0.05 | Hue Reach add-on: €14.99/mo + SMS usage |
| Marketing emails | 50 free/mo, then €0.02 each | Included | Hue Reach: up to 3,000/mo included |
| Paid add-ons | Client Loyalty €49.95/location · Google Rating Boost €10.95/location | None — all features included | HueAI · AI Messages · Hue Reach |
| Free trial | 7 days | 7 days, no card | 7 days, no card |
Figures from each provider's public pricing page, 5 October 2026, excl. VAT. Always check the provider directly before you decide.
Both are
marketplaces.
The upside
Clients browsing Fresha or Booksy can discover you. For a brand-new salon with no following, that discovery can be worth the fees.
The trade-off
Your profile sits next to competing salons, and clients get used to booking through the platform rather than through you. Established salons with loyal clients often pay for discovery they don't need.
Colour-focused salon?
Consider HueSuite.
No marketplace
Clients book on your own page and stay yours. 0% commission on bookings — just 1% on online payments.
Built for colour
A searchable formula vault and gram-level stock that auto-deducts from every formula. Neither Fresha nor Booksy is built around colour work.
From €9.99/mo
Booking from €9.99 per seat, or Pro at €30 with the colour tools. 7 days free, no card, free migration help.
Fresha vs Booksy,
answered.
Is Fresha cheaper than Booksy?
On the subscription, yes. Fresha lists €17.95/mo for a one-person business or €9.95 per team member on its Team plan; Booksy (Ireland) lists €44/mo plus €5 per extra user. A 3-person salon pays about €29.85/mo on Fresha vs €54/mo on Booksy, before VAT. Fresha's card rate (1.29% + €0.20) is also lower than Booksy Ireland's 2.6%. But Booksy includes 500 marketing SMS a month, and Fresha charges a one-time fee on new marketplace clients.
Is Fresha still free?
No. Fresha's pricing page now lists paid subscription plans: Independent at €17.95/mo for single-person businesses and Team at €9.95 per team member per month, each with a 7-day trial. Payment processing, text messages beyond the free allowance, and add-ons like Client Loyalty are charged on top.
Does Fresha charge commission?
Only on new clients who find you through the Fresha marketplace — a one-time new-client fee (reported at 20% of the first booking, with a minimum). Returning clients and bookings through your own website, Instagram or Facebook carry no booking fee.
Does Booksy charge commission?
Not on standard bookings. In Ireland, Booksy says marketplace bookings from new clients are free. In some markets, like the UK, its optional Boost feature charges a one-time 30% fee (minimum £5) on a Boost client's first visit.
Which is better for hair salons, Fresha or Booksy?
Fresha suits cost-conscious salons that want a low subscription and the lowest card rate. Booksy suits salons that do a lot of SMS marketing and want everything in one price. Both are marketplaces, so your profile appears next to competing salons. If colour is a big part of your work and you'd rather not be on a marketplace, a colour-focused tool like HueSuite is worth comparing too.
Is there an alternative to Fresha and Booksy without a marketplace?
Yes. HueSuite has no marketplace and charges 0% commission on bookings (1% only on online payments made via Stripe). Plans start at €9.99/mo, and it adds a colour formula vault, gram-level inventory and an AI colour advisor for colourists.
Already decided to leave? See moving from Fresha or moving from Booksy.