The Fresha alternative that doesn't charge you for your own clients

Table of Contents

• Why salons are searching for a Fresha alternative
• What Fresha actually costs in 2026
• The marketplace tradeoff nobody mentions
• What to look for in a Fresha alternative
• Calendy vs Fresha, side by side
• How Calendy works
• Pricing: one flat number
• The takeaway

Why salons are searching for a Fresha alternative

For years, Fresha's pitch was simple: free software. Then in early 2025 the free plan disappeared, and a lot of salon, barbershop, and beauty owners woke up to a subscription they never signed up for, with a 20% fee on top every time the marketplace sent them a "new" client. If you're reading this, you're probably one of them. The good news is that a Fresha alternative doesn't have to mean rebuilding your whole booking setup. It mostly means deciding what you actually want to pay for.

What Fresha actually costs in 2026

As of mid-2026, Fresha's published pricing starts at $19.95/month for individuals or $14.95 per team member per month, so the cost grows with every person you hire. On top of that sits the marketplace new-client fee, which in the US is 20% of the first booking with a $6 minimum, charged for every client who finds you through the Fresha marketplace (the rate varies by country, so check their pricing page for yours). Add payment processing of roughly 2.29% + $0.20 per transaction, and the real monthly number is something you can't predict from the pricing page. It depends on how many clients the marketplace decides were "new."

The marketplace tradeoff nobody mentions

To be fair, if the Fresha marketplace genuinely brings you clients you'd never reach otherwise, a finder's fee can be worth paying. But here's the tradeoff. The marketplace lists you next to every competitor in your area, so the client searching for you is one tap away from booking someone else. And when clients book "on Fresha," the habit being built is booking through the platform, not booking you. Most established salons get their clients from Instagram, Google, and word of mouth. If that's you, you're paying marketplace prices for distribution you don't use.

What to look for in a Fresha alternative

Whatever you switch to, hold it to four things. One flat price you can budget, with no per-client fees and no commission on bookings. Your own booking page on your own link, so the client relationship stays yours. Real multi-staff scheduling, where each professional is bookable individually and every service has its own duration. And fast rebooking for regulars, because regulars are the business.

Calendy vs Fresha, side by side

Figures reflect each company's published pricing as of June 2026 and may change. Always check the current pricing page before deciding.

How Calendy works

Calendy gives your business its own booking page on your own link. Clients book in four quick steps: services, professional, time, details. Then they get a confirmation email with a calendar file they can add to their phone in a tap. Returning clients are recognized by phone number, so rebooking takes seconds with no account and no password. Behind the scenes you get one calendar across your whole team, client history for every regular, fast checkout, and reports and analytics on the Business plan. Guided onboarding gets you live the same day, in your language.

Pricing: one flat number

Calendy is €29/month (about $33) for up to two staff, €49 (about $56) for up to five, and €79 (about $90) for up to ten with full analytics. That's the whole bill. No new-client fees, no commission, no per-seat surprises as you grow. The number you budget in January is the number you pay in December.

The takeaway

• Fresha's free era is over: a subscription per team member, plus 20% (minimum $6) per US marketplace client.
• A marketplace that lists your competitors next to you is a real cost, not just a fee.
• The best Fresha alternative for an established business is a flat price and your own booking link.
• Calendy: from €29/month (about $33), zero commission, your clients stay yours.

Keep every client you earn. Try Calendy free. For the business thinking behind flat pricing, read why we built Calendy on flat pricing instead of marketplace commissions.