Fresha vs. Boulevard – which salon and spa software is right for your business?
Choosing the right software is an important decision. Fresha and Boulevard are two popular options, each with unique features designed with a different user and business in mind.
Fresha burst onto the scene with an easy-to-use platform and free subscriptions to attract solopreneurs and small salons.
Boulevard positions itself as a sophisticated, luxury brand catering to high-end salons and spas that want a premium client experience.
In this comparison post, we’ll analyze each platform’s features, interfaces, pricing models, and who they are designed for.
Should you choose Fresha for its simplicity and free subscription? Or does Boulevard better align with your brand identity and business needs?
Read on for an in-depth examination of these two industry leaders to determine the best salon management software.
Here’s what you’ll find in this post Fresha vs. Boulevard comparison:
Fresha vs Boulevard
Let's kick off with an overview of the two platforms we're diving into today.
Fresha
Boulevard
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
U.S.
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!
- Easy-to-use interface
- Excellent online booking
- Integrated email marketing suite
- Highly detailed custom reports [on Premiere and above]
A Double-Click on Each System
Let’s cover what these systems are and the pros and cons of each in this Fresha vs. Boulevard head-to-head comparison.
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.
Boulevard At a Glance
Overall score
Boulevard is an up-and-coming cloud-based beauty and wellness software that offers a strong toolset of core features like appointment booking and POS, as well as advanced marketing features and two-way messaging.
It natively integrates with over a dozen apps, including Quickbooks, Instagram, Shopify, and more.
It is quite a pricey option, however, coming in at a starting price of $175 for the lowest-tier plan, which we (and Boulevard themselves) don’t recommend as it lacks some of Boulevard’s best reporting, marketing, and inventory features.
Boulevard offers a free trial, but they require a 12-month minimum contract to sign up, so make sure you are 100% sure about your choice before signing up.
Pros and Cons
- Client data that you can actually use to boost client retention and sales
- Can integrate with a large number of third party applications
- Precision Scheduling™ tech to fill the best gaps on the calendar first
- Well designed & easily-searchable help center
- High price-point across all plans
- Essentials plan lacks many of the best features Boulevard offers
- Boulevard Professional mobile app is buggy & has low ratings on iOS & Android
- Marketing suite can’t differentiate between bookings from emails vs other factors (you may end up paying more)
How Do They Compare? Strengths and Weaknesses
Fresha and Boulevard aim for an intuitive user experience but take different approaches.
Fresha is extremely easy to use out of the box, with simple menus and booking flows designed for people with limited technical experience. However, there is little ability to customize the platform.
Boulevard offers a more polished, sophisticated interface tailored towards high-end brands. It may have a steeper learning curve but provides more customization capabilities.
A key strength of Boulevard is its Precision Scheduling technology that optimizes bookings. Fresha also provides booking options, but Fresha requires linking to an external page for booking, which is not as seamless.
Basic reporting and analytics are included in both Fresha and Boulevard, empowering data-driven decisions.
In summary, Boulevard excels at delivering a high-end brand experience, while Fresha focuses on no-frills ease of use.
Fresha vs Boulevard
Let's look at how these two platforms differ.
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. Boulevard
I like Fresha for its simplicity. The platform is easy to use without any technical skills required. This makes it ideal for solopreneurs who want a straightforward system. However, there is very little customization possible.
Boulevard offers more advanced capabilities for sophisticated brands. The interface allows for branding and customization to craft a luxury experience. This comes at the cost of a steeper learning curve. So consider whether your priority is an off-the-shelf easy flow or a polished luxury interface.
Fresha vs Boulevard
Boulevard will be richer in features even if there are areas where Fresha outperforms.
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Fresha
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Boulevard
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| Online Booking | Fresha | Boulevard |
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Website booking widget Note Can you integrate the entire online booking experience directly into your website? |
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Branding control Note Can you customize the look and feel of the booking experience to fit your brand? |
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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? |
Note Full customization not available. Options are limited to: 2 Days Before, 1 Day Before, and Same Day. |
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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? |
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| Two way SMS communication | ||
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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? |
Note Not available on Essentials plan. |
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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
Fresha deliberately focuses on providing an all-in-one salon management solution rather than integrating with other platforms. This allows for simplicity as all core features like booking, payments, and messaging are housed in one intuitive interface.
In contrast, seamless third-party integrations are a key strength of Boulevard’s offering. It includes direct integrations with popular apps like Shopify, Facebook, and Instagram Book Now. This modular approach gives salons the flexibility to augment Boulevard’s customized branding and booking capabilities.
Fresha vs Boulevard
These platforms do not offer integration support.
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Fresha
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Boulevard
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Custom integrations Note Does the platform allow you to create new integrations to support your business-specific needs? |
Note On Enterprise plan only. |
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Native integrations Note Built-in integrations that you can activate as needed |
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Pricing: Fresha vs. Boulevard
One of Fresha’s biggest selling points is its free subscription tier. This allows small salons to benefit from core features like online booking and calendar management at no cost. Fees only apply incrementally as revenue grows.
However, the free plan is very limited. To unlock more advanced capabilities like marketing tools, businesses must pay for add-ons.
Boulevard offers much more flexibility in its pricing structure. The entry-level plan is very affordable but lacks robust features. Mid-tier and premium plans unlock Boulevard’s best capabilities, like Precision Scheduling and custom branding, at a reasonable price.
Fresha is an excellent free starting point but requires paying for add-ons over time to access advanced salon management capacities. Boulevard gives you the power to choose the right plan for your needs and budget from the start.
Fresha vs Boulevard Pricing
It's not super easy to fully understand what you will be paying with any of these two. Fresha will depend on usage and Boulevard has a fairly complex pricing model.
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Fresha |
Boulevard |
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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?
While I’ve given my thoughts on these two systems, it’s important to remember not to rely solely on my opinion. To give you a more complete picture, here’s a summary of how users have rated these platforms.
Fresha vs Boulevard
Let's compare scores for these systems on the major user review sites.
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Fresha |
Boulevard |
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What Fresha & Boulevard Alternatives Should You Consider?
Fresha and Boulevard are both great options for a variety of businesses. However, if you’re feeling a bit unsure, I highly recommend taking a look at the platforms listed below. They might just have what you’re looking for!
Mangomint is the highest-rated software for salons and spas. If you have a team, this is the alternative you should try.
GlossGenius is a popular alternative to Fresha, serving independent professionals on a budget.
Mangomint vs GlossGenius
A quick comparison of the two Boulevard and Fresha 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 and Boulevard was helpful in your search for the ideal salon software.
For more alternatives, I highly recommend you read my top list of the best salon and spa software.
