Choosing the right software is crucial for efficiently running your salon or spa business. Two of the most popular options on the market are Fresha and Booker.
Fresha made a name by offering free monthly subscriptions, with incremental fees only when the software starts generating revenue.
Booker, created by industry leader Mindbody, is a robust platform focused on marketing services and acquiring new clients.
Both platforms have their strengths and differences that cater to specific business needs and budgets. In this comparison post, we’ll dive into the features, pricing, and pros and cons of Fresha and Booker.
Whether you’re a solopreneur or a growing salon, you’ll learn which software is the better pick for your unique requirements.
Here is a breakdown of everything you will learn in this Fresha vs. Booker comparison:
Fresha vs Booker
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Fresha
Booker
Overall score
Note
The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average price
Note
Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
Countries
Available in 22 languages in over 120 countries worldwide
Available almost worldwide
Key features
- FREE subscription with unlimited staff
- Fresha marketplace where clients can discover your salon
- Easy to use with a modern minimalistic design interface
- Available in over 120 countries!
- Two-way messaging available (only on Ultimate and Ultimate Plus)
- AI chatbot feature to help with scheduling (only on Ultimate Plus)
- Integrated payments through MindBody Payments (US & Canada only)
- Mindbody Explore Marketplace listing included with all subscriptions
A Double-Click on Each System
Let’s cover what these systems are and the pros and cons of each in my Fresha vs. Booker guide.
Fresha At a Glance
Overall score
Fresha (formerly known as Shedul) is the only subscription-free software for salons and spas with no trial period and no limits on usage. Fresha is headquartered in London, UK, but is available in 120 countries.
The strengths of Fresha lie in the ease of use, the subscription-free plan, and the continuous development of the platform.
It’s important to note that subscription-free is not the same as free. You’re paying for each transaction, and when new clients find you on the Fresha marketplace.
Pros and Cons
- Free subscription for unlimited staff. Only usage-based pricing.
- User-friendly and easy to learn
- Available in many countries and languages
- Limited options to customize the appearance (default designs look good, though)
- Clients are required to create a Fresha account to book
- Online booking cannot be integrated with your website (need to link out to your Fresha page)
- Limited support for integration with other platforms. You’re locked into using the Fresha tools.
Booker At a Glance
Overall score
Booker by Mindbody, is a subscription-based salon and spa software that has existed in some form since 2007. Booker is headquartered in San Luis Obispo CA, and is available nearly worldwide.
Booker’s strengths lie in its new client acquisition opportunities and integrated marketing capabilities.
While Booker’s lowest-tier plans are relatively affordable compared to the competition, they lack many of the noteworthy features that make Booker an attractive option, putting them somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to price-to-feature comparisons.
Pros and Cons
- Straightforward pricing
- Enhanced new client acquisition opportunities through MindBody Explore marketplace
- Integrated email marketing suite (on higher-tier plans)
- No free trial
- Must commit to a minimum 12-month contract before ever using the software
- US-based customer support only available to Ultimate and Ultimate Plus plans (outsourced on Starter and Accelerate plans)
How Do They Compare? Strengths and Weaknesses
Both Fresha and Booker are designed to be easy-to-use platforms for non-technical users. However, with simplicity comes a lack of flexibility – you can’t really adapt the look and feel of either system very much.
A key strength of Fresha is its free subscription model, with fees only incurred when the software starts generating revenue. The integrated payments also come with appealing hardware. However, Fresha lacks a booking widget to integrate into existing websites. Instead, you’ll need to link to your Fresha pages.
Booker shines when it comes to robust features focused on marketing services and acquiring new clients, especially with integration into the Mindbody Explore marketplace.
But, many key features are only available in the higher-priced Ultimate and Ultimate Plus plans. The lower Starter and Accelerated plans also come with outsourced customer support, while U.S-based support is reserved for the pricier tiers.
Fresha vs Booker
Let's look at some of the key differences between Fresha and Booker
Ease of use
Design
Customer service
Pricing
Calendar and appointment management
Online booking
Point of sale and check out
Client data
Client communication
Inventory management
Team Management
Payroll
Marketing support
3rd party integrations
Mobile and tablet apps
Let’s Talk Features: Fresha vs. Booker
What I like most about Fresha is its simplicity and flexibility for very small businesses with its free offering and integrated payments, but customization is limited.
Booker focuses more on reaching new customers through its marketing features. You also get access to the Mindbody Explore marketplace for exposure. But key features are only available at a higher price.
Fresha vs Booker
Booker offers more features than Fresha. Let's go through what these features are and where they differ.
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Fresha
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Booker
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| Online Booking | Fresha | Booker |
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Website booking widget Note Can you integrate the entire online booking experience directly into your website? |
Note Not included by default. Requires custom web development and API access fees. |
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Branding control Note Can you customize the look and feel of the booking experience to fit your brand? |
Note Not included by default. Requires custom web development and API access fees. |
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No-show protection Note Can you store credit card details and charge deposits to reinforce your cancellation policy? |
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Service customization Note Can clients adapt their service when they book, and can this change the price and duration of the booked appointment? |
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Free from account creation Note Can clients book without having first to create an account with the software? |
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Integrated gift cards Note Can you sell digital gift cards as part of the booking process? |
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| Calendar and Appointment Management | ||
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Customize notification messages Note Can you change the text sent to your clients as part of appointment reminders and other messages? |
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Customize notification timings Note Can you change when reminders and other messages go out to your clients? |
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| Client waitlist management | ||
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Rooms and resource scheduling Note Can you manage equipment, rooms, and other resources required to complete a service? |
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Repeat appointments Note Can you schedule clients for recurring appointments? |
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Time block Note Can you block out time on your calendar? |
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Processing time Note Can you allow for double booking of service providers by accepting appointments during service processing time? |
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Duration and price by staff Note Can you adapt the price and time needed for a service based on who is performing the service? |
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Automated check-in Note Can clients check in to their appointments themselves? |
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| Point of Sale/ Check out | ||
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Tablet compatible Note Can you run the POS on any tablet or do you need special hardware? |
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Dedicated POS hardware Note Does the system provider offer hardware to improve the check out expereince? |
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Self check out Note Can clients check out from their appointment themselves? |
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Route payments to renters Note If you have booth renters in your business, can you route payments directly to them? |
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Cards on file Note Can you store credit card details and charge the customer later? |
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Integrated payments Note Does the software offer a first-party payment processing solution? |
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| Client Data & Communication | ||
| SMS Notification | ||
| Email Notificition | ||
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Dedicated business SMS number Note Do you get a business phone number that your messages and notifications are send from? |
Note Available on Ultimate & Ultimate Plus plans only |
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| Two way SMS communication |
Note Available on Ultimate & Ultimate Plus plans only |
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Forms Note Can you create intake forms, store SOAP notes, and have clients sign your forms? |
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Client notes Note Can you store notes about clients on their profile? |
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Client files and images Note Can you store files and image on in the client’s profile? |
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| Inventory and Product Types | ||
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Inventory tracking Note Will the system keep track of stock levels, notify you when it’s time to re-order? |
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Purchase orders Note Can the system create automatic purchase orders for you? |
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| Retail | ||
| Memberships | ||
| Packages | ||
| Gift cards | ||
| Team Support & Payroll | ||
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Fully integrated payroll Note Can you run payroll and cut paychecks directly through the software? |
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3rd party payroll integration Note Does the software allow you integrate and share data with a 3rd party payroll solution (e.g. Gusto, ADP, Paychex, etc)? |
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| Payroll reports |
Note Fresha offer reports on staff commission, working hours, tips, and service and product sales by staff |
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Commission support Note Can you track and report on commission for service, retail, and other product types? |
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Multi-location support Note Does the system have specific support for businesses with multiple locations |
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Booth renter support Note Can the system help with rent collection, payments, and other booth renter management tasks. |
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| Marketing Support | ||
| Email marketing | ||
| SMS marketing | ||
| Website builder | ||
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Client marketplace Note Does it offer a platform where potential clients can browse businesses using the software? |
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Add-on offers Note Can you promote service add-ons/upsells as part of the online booking flow? |
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| Cloud & Mobile App Access | ||
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Full-featured mobile app Note Can you access all software features in the mobile app? |
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| Web browser | ||
| iPad | ||
| iPhone | ||
| Android | ||
Integrating with Other Platforms for Additional Features
One limitation of Fresha and Booker is that they do not offer much integration with other platforms.
Integration support isn’t at the level other salon and spa software provides. For Fresha, you rely solely on the built-in features.
Meanwhile, Booker does allow for custom integrations to be set up.
Fresha vs Booker
These platforms both offer very limited third-party integration.
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Fresha
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Booker
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Custom integrations Note Does the platform allow you to create new integrations to support your business-specific needs? |
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Native integrations Note Built-in integrations that you can activate as needed |
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Pricing: Fresha vs. Booker
Fresha’s big draw is its free subscription. However, payment processing fees apply once you enable revenue-generating features like online booking and integrated payments. So costs scale as Fresha grows revenue for your business.
Booker’s starter plans are relatively affordable compared to competitors. However, they lack many of Booker’s key features that make it an attractive platform. Those features are locked behind the higher-tier Ultimate and Ultimate Plus plans.
If low cost is important to you, then you will be better off with Fresha or another alternative on my list of the top salon software of 2024.
Fresha vs Booker Pricing
Fresha is more attractively priced than Booker.
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Fresha |
Booker |
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| Average Price | ||
| Trial Options | ||
| Minimum contract length | ||
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Plans
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Add-ons
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| Add-ons | ||
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Credit card fees
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| Credit card fees | ||
What Do Users Think of These Platforms?
To read more about our experience testing these software suites, check out our comprehensive reviews of Fresha and Booker.
However, if you’re interested in hearing firsthand accounts from everyday business customers, take a look at the user review scores below.
Fresha vs Booker
Let's compare scores for these systems on the major user review sites.
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Fresha |
Booker |
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What Alternatives Should You Consider?
Fresha and Booker can be the right choices for a range of businesses. But if you’re not quite sure, you may also want to consider the platforms below.
Mangomint is the highest-rated software for salons and spas. If you have a team, check out this option.
GlossGenius is my recommended alternative for independent professionals.
Mangomint vs GlossGenius
A quick comparison of the two Fresha and Booker alternatives.
Mangomint
GlossGenius
Overall score
Note
The overall score considers ease of use, customer service, features, user ratings, and cost. Scores are determined solely by our editorial team.
Average price
Note
Assumes you run a business with a mid-size team and have activated the more common add-ons. What you will pay will be lower or higher than this. See the separate section about pricing for full details.
Who is it for
Ease of use
Customer Service
Countries
U.S. and Canada
U.S.
Key features
- Modern, intuitive, and easy to use
- Smart automations that help cut down on time spent managing business operations
- Open data ownership and no contracts (you’re not locked into anything)
- Can integrate with any other platform who allows for integrations
- Highest-rated customer service on the market
- Premium beauty-inspired interface design
- Professional-looking website in just a few clicks
- Integrated payment and card reader with customizable design
- Affordable, transparent, flat fee pricing
Conclusion
I hope this comparison between Fresha vs. Booker has answered some of your questions.
For more alternatives, please read my list of the best salon and spa software right now.
