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Software · head to head

Fresha vs Lighthouse

Fresha logo

Fresha

Software

Free salon and spa software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Lighthouse logo

Lighthouse

Software

Audit web page performance and quality

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; Lighthouse described by the vendor as an open-source, automated tool with community contributions welcomed, no commercial edition
  • They diverge on capability: Fresha covers Online booking, Lighthouse covers Performance scoring.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fresha and Lighthouse actually diverge.

Attributes where Fresha and Lighthouse differ
AttributeFreshaLighthouse
PlatformsWeb, Ios, AndroidChrome, Edge
Founded20151998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (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 Fresha

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

Only in Lighthouse

  • Performance scoring
  • Accessibility audit
  • SEO check
  • PWA validation
  • Chrome support
  • Edge support

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 Lighthouse
  • Attracting new clients through the Fresha consumer marketplacenot Lighthouse
  • Sending appointment reminders and marketing campaigns to clientsnot Lighthouse

Lighthouse

No use cases recorded yet. See the Lighthouse review.

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

Lighthouse

  • Described by the vendor as an open-source, automated tool with community contributions welcomed, no commercial edition

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

Lighthouse

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Performance audit
    • Accessibility check
    • SEO analysis

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 Lighthouse if

  • You need performance scoring.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Chrome, Edge.
  • You also want accessibility audit.
Lighthouse review

Questions people ask

Is Fresha or Lighthouse better?
Neither clearly leads. Fresha starts at Free and Lighthouse at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fresha or Lighthouse?
Fresha starts at Free and Lighthouse at Free.
Does Fresha or Lighthouse run on more platforms?
Fresha runs on Web, Ios, Android. Lighthouse runs on Chrome, Edge.
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 Lighthouse is typically brought in for.
What can Fresha do that Lighthouse cannot?
Fresha covers Online booking, Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale. Lighthouse covers Performance scoring, Accessibility audit, SEO check, PWA validation.
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