Softwr

Scheduling · head to head

Fresha vs Sawyer

Fresha logo

Fresha

Scheduling

Free salon and spa software

From
149.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Sawyer logo

Sawyer

Scheduling

Class and camp booking software for children activity businesses, with a marketplace that takes up to 30 percent

From
$189/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fresha team and Enterprise pricing not publicly displayed; custom quotes required; Sawyer the Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • They diverge on capability: Fresha covers Online booking, Sawyer covers Class and camp registration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fresha and Sawyer actually diverge.

Attributes where Fresha and Sawyer differ
AttributeFreshaSawyer
Starting price149.95/month$189/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionPer business per month, plus marketplace commission
Founded2015Unknown

Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).

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 Sawyer

  • Class and camp registration
  • Memberships and class packs
  • Consumer marketplace
  • Auto-billing
  • Waivers and e-signature
  • Multi-location

What people use each for

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

Fresha

  • Salon managementnot Sawyer
  • Spa schedulingnot Sawyer
  • Appointment bookingnot Sawyer
  • Beauty service businessesnot Sawyer
  • Wellness centersnot Sawyer

Sawyer

  • A new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first termsnot Fresha
  • An established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run Sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplacenot Fresha
  • A gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one systemnot Fresha
  • A provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for bothnot Fresha

Where each one falls short

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

Fresha

  • Team and Enterprise pricing not publicly displayed; custom quotes required
  • All pricing excludes 5% sales tax; actual cost will be higher

Sawyer

  • The Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • Marketplace commission applies to the order value, not the margin, so low-margin providers can lose money on a marketplace booking.
  • Payment processing fees are charged separately by Stripe on top of the subscription and any commission, which the plan comparison does not surface clearly.
  • The step from Grow to Scale doubles the monthly cost for account management and integrations rather than for capability most providers need, making the middle tier the only sensible choice for many.
  • It is built for consumer activity businesses, so providers who invoice schools, councils or corporate clients will find the billing model a poor fit.

Pricing, plan by plan

Fresha

149.95/month
  • Independent$149.95/month
    • Single calendar column
    • For one-person businesses
    • 7-day trial available
  • Team$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Multiple calendar columns
    • For businesses with multiple team members
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • For high-volume businesses with 20+ team members
    • All core features

Sawyer

$189/month
  • Launch$undefined/month
    • No monthly subscription fee
    • 3 percent per transaction
    • Marketplace listing required, 30 percent commission on marketplace orders
  • Grow$189/month
    • 189 USD per month billed annually, 219 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 20 percent commission if used
    • Advanced scheduling, waitlists, free trials
  • Scale$379/month
    • 379 USD per month billed annually, 399 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 15 percent commission if used
    • Dedicated account manager and registration launch support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing for large multi-site operators

Which should you pick?

Choose Fresha if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want appointment management.
Fresha review

Choose Sawyer if

  • You need class and camp registration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want memberships and class packs.
Sawyer review

Questions people ask

Is Fresha or Sawyer better?
Neither clearly leads. Fresha starts at 149.95/month and Sawyer at $189/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fresha or Sawyer?
Fresha starts at 149.95/month and Sawyer at $189/month.
Does Fresha or Sawyer run on more platforms?
Fresha runs on Web, Ios, Android. Sawyer runs on Web, iOS, Android.
What is Fresha best used for?
Fresha is most often used for salon management, spa scheduling, appointment booking, beauty service businesses. Of those, salon management and spa scheduling are not what Sawyer is typically brought in for.
What can Fresha do that Sawyer cannot?
Fresha covers Online booking, Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale. Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Memberships and class packs, Consumer marketplace, Auto-billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Fresha: How much does Fresha cost?

Fresha's Independent plan starts at AED 149.95 per month (excludes 5% sales tax), which includes a single calendar column for one-person businesses. A 7-day free trial is available. Team and Enterprise plans use custom pricing based on business needs and team size.

Source
Sawyer: Is the Launch plan really free?

No. It has no monthly fee but charges 3 percent per transaction and requires a marketplace listing that takes 30 percent of marketplace orders.

Fresha: What does the Fresha Team plan add?

The Team plan offers multiple calendar columns for businesses with multiple team members. Pricing is customized based on team size and needs. It includes all core features like scheduling, point of sale, client management, online store, and marketing tools, with a 7-day trial available.

Source
Sawyer: Can I use Sawyer without the marketplace?

Yes, on Grow and Scale the listing is optional. On Launch it is required.

Fresha: Does Fresha charge additional fees beyond the subscription?

Yes, Fresha offers optional pay-as-you-go add-ons including SMS messaging (AED 0.15 per message after 20 free monthly), marketing emails (AED 0.08 each after 50 free monthly), and premium features like Google Rating Boost (AED 35.95/location monthly), Team Connect, and Xero Accounting integration. Payment processing charges 4.90% plus AED 0.75 per transaction.

Source
Sawyer: What does the marketplace commission apply to?

The full order value of bookings originating on hisawyer.com, not to bookings from your own website.

Sawyer: Is there a contract?

Monthly plans are month to month with 30 days notice; annual billing saves roughly 5 to 14 percent depending on tier.

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