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Software · head to head

Airtable vs Fresha

Airtable logo

Airtable

Software

Create apps that perfectly fit your team's needs

From
Free
Rated
-
Fresha logo

Fresha

Software

Free salon and spa software

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Airtable hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully; Fresha fresha charges a 50 percent one time commission on each new client booked through its marketplace, subject to a minimum fee per client
  • They diverge on capability: Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Fresha covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Airtable and Fresha actually diverge.

Attributes where Airtable and Fresha differ
AttributeAirtableFresha
Pricing modelUnknownfree
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, DesktopWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20122015

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Airtable

  • Spreadsheet-database hybrid
  • Custom views
  • Automation
  • Forms
  • Integrations
  • Mobile apps
  • Real-time collaboration
  • API access

Only in Fresha

  • Online booking
  • Appointment management
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Marketing tools
  • Reports & analytics

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Airtable

  • Structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban viewsnot Fresha
  • Lightweight internal tools built on shared recordsnot Fresha
  • Automations between Airtable and other systemsnot Fresha
  • Sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not chargednot Fresha
  • Collecting submissions through forms without paying for a seatnot Fresha

Fresha

  • Running appointment booking and point of sale for salons and spasnot Airtable
  • Attracting new clients through the Fresha consumer marketplacenot Airtable
  • Sending appointment reminders and marketing campaigns to clientsnot Airtable

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Airtable

  • Hitting a plan limit blocks adding records or attachments entirely until you upgrade, rather than degrading gracefully
  • Team is $20 per user per month and Business $45, both at the annual rate
  • Automation and API usage are capped by plan
  • Enterprise Scale pricing is not published

Fresha

  • Fresha charges a 50 percent one time commission on each new client booked through its marketplace, subject to a minimum fee per client
  • Online card payments carry a 4.90 percent plus fixed fee per transaction charge on top of the subscription
  • Only 20 SMS or WhatsApp notifications and 50 marketing emails are free each month; everything beyond that is billed per message
  • Team and Enterprise plans are quoted as custom rates with no published figure
  • Add ons such as Team Connect and Insights are billed per team member per month on top of the plan
  • Enterprise pricing applies to businesses with 20 or more team members

Pricing, plan by plan

Airtable

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited bases
    • 1,000 records per base
    • Up to 5 editors
  • Team$20/month per editor annual
    • 50,000 records per base
    • Unlimited automations
    • API access
  • Business$45/month per editor annual
    • 125,000 records per base
    • Advanced permissions
    • Priority support
  • Enterprise Scale$null/custom
    • 500,000+ records per base
    • Custom SLA
    • Dedicated support

Fresha

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Unlimited staff
    • Online booking
  • Payments (Add-on)$2.19/transaction
    • Card payments
    • Contactless payments
    • Online payments
  • Marketing (Add-on)$0.01/message
    • Email campaigns
    • SMS marketing
    • Automated messages

Which should you pick?

Choose Airtable if

  • You need spreadsheet-database hybrid.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop.
  • You also want custom views.

Choose Fresha if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want appointment management.

Questions people ask

Is Airtable or Fresha better?
Neither clearly leads. Airtable starts at Free and Fresha at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Airtable or Fresha?
Airtable starts at Free and Fresha at Free.
Does Airtable or Fresha run on more platforms?
Airtable runs on Web, iOS, Android, Desktop. Fresha runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Airtable for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Airtable best used for?
Airtable is most often used for structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views, lightweight internal tools built on shared records, automations between airtable and other systems, sharing read-only views with collaborators, who are not charged. Of those, structured team databases with grid, calendar and kanban views and lightweight internal tools built on shared records are not what Fresha is typically brought in for.
What can Airtable do that Fresha cannot?
Airtable covers Spreadsheet-database hybrid, Custom views, Automation, Forms. Fresha covers Online booking, Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Airtable: Is there a free Airtable plan and what does it include?

Yes, Airtable's Free plan is indefinite with unlimited bases, 1,000 records per base, up to 5 editors, 1 GB storage per base, 100 automation runs per month, and core features like Interface Designer and mobile apps.

Source
Airtable: How does Airtable handle permissions and viewers?

Airtable charges per editor only. Read-only viewers, form submitters, and people accessing share links are free on every plan, making it cost-effective for large viewing audiences.

Source
Airtable: What are Airtable's record limits?

Free plan has 1,000 records per base, Team plan has 50,000, Business plan has 125,000, and Enterprise Scale has 500,000+ records. Performance degrades past 100,000 records in a single base.

Source
Airtable: Can Airtable integrate with other tools like Slack?

Yes, Airtable integrates with Slack via Zapier or Make.com, allowing automation like sending Slack messages when records are created or updated. Airtable also has a native API for direct integrations.

Source

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