vs fresha

Fresha Alternative for Salon Owners in 2026 — No Hidden Fees

No marketplace commission. No lock-in. Your own salon website.

Where fresha Falls Short

20% commission on every new marketplace client

When a client finds you via the Fresha marketplace, Fresha takes 20% of the treatment price — with a minimum of $6 per booking. A $60 colour treatment sends $12 straight to Fresha before you see a cent.

Subscription fees on top of commissions

Fresha is no longer free. Independent stylists pay $19.95/month and teams pay $14.95 per bookable staff member per month — on top of the 20% marketplace commission. Both costs stack up every month.

Locked into Fresha's payment processor

You cannot use Stripe, Square, or any other processor. Every payment goes through Fresha's own system at 2.29% + $0.20 for in-person cards and 2.79% + $0.20 online. You have no choice and no negotiating power.

No website — just a marketplace profile

Fresha gives you a profile on their platform, surrounded by competitor listings. You do not get a proper website under your own domain. Your salon's online presence depends entirely on their marketplace.

Clients must create a Fresha account to book

Every new client booking via Fresha must sign up to Fresha first. That friction costs you bookings. With DoTheBeauty, clients book in seconds — no account, no app, no friction.

Feature Comparison

FeaturefreshaDoTheBeauty
Monthly base fee$19.95/mo (solo) or $14.95/person/mo (teams)From €19.95/mo flat
Commission on new clients20% (min $6 per new marketplace client)0% — always
Payment processingFresha only — 2.29%+ $0.20 in-personStripe (your choice of processor)
Professional websiteMarketplace profile onlyAI-built, your own domain (Growth+)
Clients need an account to bookYes — must register on FreshaNo — frictionless direct booking
Client CRMYes — includedFull database with history and notes
Online bookingVia marketplace + direct link24/7 on your own page
Appointment managementYesWalk-ins, group bookings, mixed services
Inventory managementYes — includedProducts, stock alerts, barcode scanning
Third-party integrationsLimited — locked ecosystemStripe, Google Analytics, Google Ads

Pricing Comparison

Fresha

$19.95/mo + 20% new client fee

Monthly subscription + 20% new client marketplace commission

  • 20% commission on every new client from the Fresha marketplace (min $6)
  • $19.95/mo for solo stylists; $14.95/person/mo for teams
  • Payment processing locked to Fresha at 2.29% + $0.20 (in-person)
  • Loyalty programme costs an extra $59.95/mo per location
  • No website builder — marketplace profile only
  • Clients must create a Fresha account before booking

DoTheBeauty

Starter€19.95/mo
Growth€49/mo
Pro€79/mo
  • 0% commission, ever
  • No hidden fees
  • Cancel anytime
  • 7-day free trial

What does "Fresha free" really cost?

Most salon owners don't know until they see the numbers.

%

Hidden costs at Fresha

Card processing€95
SMS messages€28
Marketplace commission€110
"Free" costs you€233/mo

With DoTheBeauty

Growth plan49
Commission€0
RemindersEmail (free)
"Free" costs you49/mo

You save per month: €184

That's per year: €2.214

Start free — 7-day trial
Industry-first

One Booking. Multiple Stylists.

Your client wants a cut with Bonnie and a keratin treatment with Lisa. Traditional booking systems make them book twice. DoTheBeauty handles it in one seamless flow.

Traditional BookingDay View
B Bonnie
L Lisa
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
Emma J.
Cut + Keratin
10:00 – 12:30 · 2h 30m
Idle
No bookings
1 client · 2h 30m · Lisa idle
With DoTheBeautyDay View
B Bonnie
L Lisa
10:00
10:30
11:00
11:30
12:00
12:30
Emma J.
Cut & Colour
10:00 – 10:30
Sarah K.
Cut & Blowdry
11:00 – 12:30 · added
Emma J.
Keratin Treatment
10:30 – 12:00 · with Lisa
2 clients · same window · linked

Same 2.5 hours. Traditional booking: one client, one stylist blocked. DoTheBeauty: Emma's full multi-stylist appointment AND a second client in Bonnie's freed time.

Flat pricing. Your own website. Zero commission.

Fresha's marketplace can help new salons get discovered — but the 20% new client fee and locked payment processing mean you pay more the busier you get. DoTheBeauty replaces the marketplace dependency with tools you own: an AI-built website that ranks on Google, a direct booking page your clients use without an account, and zero commission on every booking. One flat fee. No surprises. [calculator competitor="Fresha" type="hidden-fees"]

Frequently Asked Questions

Is DoTheBeauty free to try?
Yes — there's a 7-day free trial on all plans. A credit card is required to start the trial. Build your website, add your services and team, and take test bookings before you are charged.
Does DoTheBeauty charge commission on bookings?
Never. Every plan charges a flat monthly fee only. Whether you get 10 bookings or 1,000, you keep 100% of your revenue. Zero commission, always.
Can I keep my Fresha account and try DoTheBeauty at the same time?
Yes. Many salon owners run both in parallel for a month or two. Start taking direct bookings through DoTheBeauty, share your new booking link with regulars, and wind down Fresha on your own timeline.
Do my clients need to create an account to book with DoTheBeauty?
No. Clients book directly on your page with just their name, email, and phone — no registration, no app download, no Fresha account. Less friction means more bookings.
Does DoTheBeauty give me my own website?
Yes — every plan includes the AI website builder. Answer 9 questions and get a professional salon website with booking in about 10 minutes. The Growth plan adds a custom domain so your site lives at yoursalon.com.
What payment processor does DoTheBeauty use?
DoTheBeauty integrates with Stripe, so you control your payments directly. Transaction fees range from 0.5% to 2% depending on your plan — and you are never locked into a proprietary processor.

Ready to switch?

Build your salon website in 10 minutes. 0% commission.

Get Started Free