Fresha vs Booksy: The 2026 Pricing and Feature Reality Check
Most fresha vs booksy comparisons you will find are quietly out of date: they still call Fresha free, quote a card rate Fresha retired, or price a Booksy Boost plan that does not exist. Both platforms changed their pricing, so the right answer in 2026 depends on numbers as they stand today. Everything below was checked against Fresha's and Booksy's own published pricing in July 2026, with third-party claims labeled as such.
Quick answer: Fresha and Booksy price growth differently. Fresha starts cheaper, $19.95 solo or $14.95 per team member monthly, then takes 20% of each new marketplace client's first visit. Booksy charges a flat $29.99 plus $20 per extra member with commission only on optional Boost. Twizzlo offers one $29.99 rate, no commissions.
What is the real difference between Fresha and Booksy?
Both are booking platforms with consumer marketplaces attached, and that marketplace is where the models split. Fresha keeps the subscription low and charges a mandatory one-time commission of 20% (minimum $6) on every new client who finds you through its marketplace. Booksy charges a higher flat subscription, includes the marketplace listing, and only takes a cut when you switch on its optional Boost promotion, at 30% of that client's first visit. In short: Fresha monetizes your new clients by default; Booksy lets you choose when to pay for them.
One more structural note: Fresha retired its famous free-for-salons model when it introduced paid subscriptions in 2025, a change that caught many long-time users off guard, as reported by Goodcall and Pabau in their May 2026 comparisons. If you remember Fresha as the free option, that memory is out of date.
How much does Fresha cost in 2026?
Per Fresha's published pricing (fetched July 2026): the Independent plan is $19.95 a month for one bookable calendar, and the Team plan is $14.95 a month per bookable team member. Card processing in the US runs 2.29% + $0.20 in person, 2.79% + $0.20 online, and 3.30% + $0.20 for manually entered cards. You get 100 free text messages a month, then $0.02 each, with marketing texts at $0.08. The card terminal is $139, and premium support costs $14.95 a month on Independent (it is included on Team). Add-ons range from $2.95 to $295 a month depending on the module.
The number to watch is the marketplace commission: 20% of the first visit, minimum $6, charged once per new client who books through Fresha's marketplace. Returning clients and bookings from your own website or social links are free. Note that the 2.19% card rate quoted on several comparison sites is Fresha's old pricing; it no longer appears on their pricing page. For a broader shortlist see our roundup of Fresha alternatives.
How much does Booksy cost in 2026?
Per Booksy's US pricing page (fetched July 2026): $29.99 a month plus tax for the first user and $20 a month for each additional team member, with every feature in that single plan and a 14-day trial. Processing runs 2.49% + $0.10 on the card reader, 2.49% + $0.20 for tap to pay on your phone, and 2.69% + $0.30 for manual entry, with instant payouts at 1.5%. Booksy includes 2,000 free marketing texts a month, and card readers cost roughly $53 to $220.
Boost, Booksy's marketplace promotion engine, is free to turn on with no monthly fee; when Boost brings you a brand-new client, Booksy takes a one-time 30% of that client's first visit. Third-party pricing guides report a $10 minimum and $100 cap on that fee, which Booksy's page does not state, so treat those two numbers as reported rather than official. The $49.99 monthly Boost plan mentioned on some comparison pages does not match Booksy's current published pricing. For similar-model options, see our list of Booksy alternatives and apps like Booksy.
Fresha vs Booksy: monthly subscription as the team grows (July 2026)
| Bookable team members | Fresha (Independent 19.95; Team 14.95/member) | Booksy (29.99 + 20 per extra member) | Twizzlo Business Pro ($29.99 flat) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | $19.95 | $29.99 | $29.99 |
| 2 | $34.90 | $49.99 | $29.99 |
| 3 | $49.85 | $69.99 | $29.99 |
| 4 | $64.80 | $89.99 | $29.99 |
| 5 | $79.75 | $109.99 | $29.99 |
| 6 | $94.70 | $129.99 | $29.99 |
| 7 | $109.65 | $149.99 | $29.99 |
| 8 | $124.60 | $169.99 | $29.99 |
Subscription only; excludes payment processing, SMS overages and marketplace fees. Sources: fresha.com/pricing and biz.booksy.com/pricing, fetched July 2026; twizzlo.com published pricing.
Figure 1. Fresha vs Booksy monthly subscription as the team grows, with Twizzlo's flat rate for reference. July 2026 published pricing.
Which marketplace actually brings new clients?
Booksy's consumer marketplace is the larger discovery engine: comparison coverage in 2026 puts it at 35 million consumers or more, with newer sources citing figures in the 40 millions. Fresha self-reports a marketplace of 25 million-plus consumers and around 130,000 businesses. For a shop hungry for new faces, especially barbershops, where Booksy's audience skews, that scale difference is real.
But scale is only half the math; the other half is what a new client costs you. On an $80 first visit, Fresha's mandatory commission is $16, while a Boost-sourced Booksy client costs $24, and only if you chose to run Boost. Thirty marketplace clients a month on $80 tickets is $480 in Fresha commissions, a worked example Goodcall's May 2026 comparison also lands on. High-volume shops feel this fast.
What a marketplace-sourced new client costs you (July 2026)
| Fresha marketplace: 20% of first visit ($6 min) | Booksy Boost: 30% of first visit (only if Boost is on) | |
|---|---|---|
| $40 first visit | $8 | $12 |
| $80 first visit | $16 | $24 |
| $120 first visit | $24 | $36 |
One-time fees on NEW clients from each marketplace; returning and own-channel bookings are free on both. Fresha: 20%, $6 min (fresha.com/pricing). Booksy: Boost optional, no monthly fee, one-time 30% of first visit (biz.booksy.com/pricing); third parties report a $10 min and $100 cap. As of July 2026.
Figure 2. What a marketplace-sourced new client costs on Fresha versus Booksy at three common first-visit price points.
Where Twizzlo fits (and where it does not)
Twizzlo takes the piece both platforms charge extra for, growth, and prices it flat: $29.99 a month for Business Pro with unlimited bookings, unlimited team members, and unlimited locations, plus a free plan to start. There is no consumer marketplace, so there is nothing to pay commission on; your booking page, reminders, deposits, and client records run under your own brand. The honest trade-off: if marketplace discovery is your main growth channel, Fresha or Booksy will bring you strangers and Twizzlo will not. If your growth comes from referrals, Google, and social, you keep 100% of every first visit. Compare setups on the salon scheduling software page or the barbershop booking software page, and see why per-seat fees compound at appointment software with no seat fees.
Bottom line
Fresha wins on subscription price for established books; Booksy wins on new-client discovery with costs you can switch off; both get expensive in different ways as you grow. Whichever way you lean, make the decision on July 2026 numbers, not on a comparison page written when Fresha was still free.
If you would rather skip marketplaces and commissions entirely, Twizzlo's flat $29.99 covers the whole team: start free on salon scheduling software.
Frequently asked questions
Is Fresha still free in 2026?+
No. Fresha retired its subscription-free model when it introduced paid plans in 2025. As of July 2026 its published pricing is $19.95 a month for the Independent plan or $14.95 a month per bookable team member on Team, plus card processing and a 20% one-time commission on new marketplace clients.
Which is cheaper, Fresha or Booksy?+
On subscription alone, Fresha: a 5-person team is $74.75 a month versus $109.99 on Booksy at July 2026 published prices. Total cost can flip once Fresha's mandatory 20% new-client commission is counted; a shop acquiring 30 new $80-ticket clients monthly through the marketplace pays about $480 in commissions on top.
Does Booksy charge commission on bookings?+
Not on regular bookings. Booksy's $29.99 plus $20 per additional member subscription covers unlimited bookings. A one-time 30% fee applies only to a new client's first visit when acquired through the optional Boost program, which is free to switch on and off.
How do you avoid Fresha's 20% new-client fee?+
The commission applies only to brand-new clients who book through Fresha's marketplace. Bookings from your own website, Google profile, or social links are free, and returning clients are always free.
Is Booksy or Fresha better for barbershops?+
Booksy has the stronger barbershop marketplace presence and audience, which is why many barbers accept its higher flat subscription. Fresha's lower per-member pricing suits shops that already have a full book. A flat-rate option with no marketplace, like Twizzlo at $29.99 for unlimited staff, fits barbershops that grow through referrals and Google instead.
What are the hidden costs to compare?+
On Fresha: SMS beyond 100 free messages ($0.02, marketing texts $0.08), premium support at $14.95 on the Independent plan, add-on modules, and the 20% new-client commission. On Booksy: $20 per additional team member, 30% Boost fees, and instant-payout charges at 1.5%. Card processing applies on both at slightly different rates.
Can I switch between Fresha and Booksy without losing clients?+
Yes. Both platforms support client list exports and imports, and both let you keep your own booking links in your bio and website. Export clients, appointments, and notes first, import before going live, and run both calendars in parallel for a week or two before moving new bookings over.
Try Twizzlo free
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