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Fresha vs FreshBooks

Fresha logo

Fresha

Software

Free salon and spa software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Software

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fresha fresha charges a 50 percent one time commission on each new client booked through its marketplace, subject to a minimum fee per client; FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • They diverge on capability: Fresha covers Online booking, FreshBooks covers Invoicing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fresha and FreshBooks actually diverge.

Attributes where Fresha and FreshBooks differ
AttributeFreshaFreshBooks
Pricing modelfreeUnknown
Founded20152003

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Fresha

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

Only in FreshBooks

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Time tracking
  • Project management
  • Payments
  • Financial reporting
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking

Both cover

  • Stripe
  • SSL encryption

What people use each for

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

Fresha

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

FreshBooks

  • Invoicing and payment processingnot Fresha
  • Time tracking and expense managementnot Fresha
  • Multi-client project accountingnot Fresha

Where each one falls short

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

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

FreshBooks

  • Lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • E-signatures, proposals, and client retainers unavailable on Lite and Plus tiers
  • Advanced payment processing fee of £20/month on Plus tier (extra cost)
  • Email customization and project profitability tracking restricted to Premium tier and above
  • Offline mode not available; web-based only

Pricing, plan by plan

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

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Fresha if

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

Choose FreshBooks if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
FreshBooks review

Questions people ask

Is Fresha or FreshBooks better?
Neither clearly leads. Fresha starts at Free and FreshBooks at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fresha or FreshBooks?
Fresha starts at Free and FreshBooks at Free.
Does Fresha or FreshBooks run on more platforms?
Fresha runs on Web, Ios, Android. FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Fresha for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fresha best used for?
Fresha is most often used for running appointment booking and point of sale for salons and spas, attracting new clients through the fresha consumer marketplace, sending appointment reminders and marketing campaigns to clients. Of those, running appointment booking and point of sale for salons and spas and attracting new clients through the fresha consumer marketplace are not what FreshBooks is typically brought in for.
What can Fresha do that FreshBooks cannot?
Fresha covers Online booking, Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale. FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Both handle Stripe, SSL encryption.
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