Softwr

Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs Shedul

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Shedul logo

Shedul

Beauty

Free salon scheduling software

From
$14.95/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Merlua has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Merlua plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.; Shedul hidden costs beyond subscription including 20% marketplace commission, payment processing fees (2.19% + 20 cents), SMS fees (5-15 cents each), and $500 card terminal requirement
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, Shedul covers Appointment scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Merlua and Shedul actually diverge.

Attributes where Merlua and Shedul differ
AttributeMerluaShedul
Starting priceFree$14.95/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, iOS, Android
FoundedUnknown2015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Beauty).

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 Merlua

  • Guest online booking
  • Services and staff
  • Calendar and availability
  • Deposits and payments
  • Email and SMS reminders
  • Branded booking page
  • Staff and client apps

Only in Shedul

  • Appointment scheduling
  • Online booking
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory tracking
  • Marketing campaigns
  • Reports & analytics
  • Mobile apps

What people use each for

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

Merlua

  • Taking salon bookings without forcing client accountsnot Shedul
  • Cutting no-shows with deposits and remindersnot Shedul
  • Coordinating several staff members' availabilitynot Shedul
  • Running a branded booking page from an existing websitenot Shedul
  • Giving staff their schedule and earnings on their phonenot Shedul

Shedul

  • Free salon managementnot Merlua
  • Appointment schedulingnot Merlua
  • Payment processingnot Merlua
  • Client marketingnot Merlua

Where each one falls short

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

Merlua

  • Plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.
  • Stripe is the only payment processor named, so a salon banking elsewhere has no alternative route.
  • Built for beauty specifically. A clinic, a gym or a barber chain wanting inventory, POS or memberships will find those absent.
  • The integration list is short next to established salon platforms: Stripe, WordPress and SMS, with no accounting, marketing or POS connections listed.
  • A new vendor with no independent review coverage, so the reliability claims rest on the vendor's own material.

Shedul

  • Hidden costs beyond subscription including 20% marketplace commission, payment processing fees (2.19% + 20 cents), SMS fees (5-15 cents each), and $500 card terminal requirement
  • Premium support (phone and live chat) requires additional paid add-on, base plan only includes email support
  • Limited customization and branding options in free tier compared to competitors
  • Complex pricing structure with many add-on fees makes true cost of ownership difficult to calculate upfront
  • Card payment terminal ($500) must be purchased separately for in-person payments instead of supporting third-party terminals

Pricing, plan by plan

Merlua

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core scheduling with no time limit
    • Basic booking management
  • Standard and Premium$undefined/month
    • 14-day full-feature trial, no card required
    • No Merlua booking transaction fees
    • Monthly or annual billing, switchable at any time

Shedul

$14.95/month
  • Independent$19.95/month
    • Single calendar
    • Single login
    • Appointment scheduling
  • Team$14.95/month per team member
    • Multiple calendars
    • Multiple team logins
    • All Independent features

Which should you pick?

Choose Merlua if

  • You need guest online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress.
  • You also want services and staff.
Merlua review

Choose Shedul if

  • You need appointment scheduling.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want online booking.
Shedul review

Questions people ask

Is Merlua or Shedul better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua starts at Free and Shedul at $14.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Merlua or Shedul?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and $14.95/month for Shedul.
Does Merlua or Shedul run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. Shedul runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Shedul starts at $14.95/month.
What is Merlua best used for?
Merlua is most often used for taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts, cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders, coordinating several staff members' availability, running a branded booking page from an existing website. Of those, taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts and cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders are not what Shedul is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that Shedul cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. Shedul covers Appointment scheduling, Online booking, Client database, Point of sale.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Merlua: Is there a free plan?

Yes. Merlua states it offers "a robust free tier with core scheduling capabilities so you can manage basic bookings without a time limit", separate from the paid trial.

Source
Shedul: Is Shedul/Fresha free to use?

No. Shedul, now rebranded as Fresha, charges $19.95 USD per month for the Independent plan (one person) and $14.95 per month per team member for the Team plan. However, there are additional costs beyond the base subscription including 20% commission on marketplace bookings, payment processing fees of 2.19% + 20 cents per transaction, SMS messaging fees of 5 to 15 cents per message, and a $500 card payment terminal if processing in-person payments.

Source
Merlua: How does the free trial work?

Fourteen days of full access to all premium features with no credit card required upfront. At the end you either pick a plan or continue on the free tier.

Source
Shedul: What features are included in Shedul/Fresha?

Shedul/Fresha includes appointment scheduling, client management with history and preferences, automated appointment reminders, online booking through website or Facebook, point-of-sale (POS) system, inventory and product management, client loyalty programs, and basic reporting and analytics. All features are available on all paid plans without additional feature-based tiers.

Source
Merlua: Does Merlua charge booking transaction fees?

No hidden booking transaction fees on the Standard or premium tiers. Standard payment processing fees from your gateway, such as Stripe, still apply.

Source
Shedul: What are the hidden costs beyond the subscription price?

Shedul/Fresha charges 20% commission on new client bookings through the Fresha marketplace, 2.19% plus 20 cents for card payment processing, SMS messaging at 5 to 15 cents per message, and requires a $500 card payment terminal for in-person credit card processing. According to industry analysis, true annual costs run approximately 70% higher than the published subscription price.

Source
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

No. Clients complete bookings as guests without creating a password or a permanent account.

Source
Shedul: Does Shedul/Fresha work on mobile devices?

Yes, Shedul/Fresha is available as a web platform and has native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Clients can book appointments through the mobile apps, and staff can manage appointments from their phones.

Source
Merlua: What happens if I cancel?

Premium features stay active until the end of the current billing period, and plans can be upgraded, downgraded or switched between monthly and annual at any time from billing settings.

Source
Shedul: What support options are available?

Free and Team plans include email support only. Live chat and phone support (24/7) are only available with an optional premium add-on that costs extra per month. The Fresha Plus premium support is required to access phone and chat support.

Source
Merlua: What can I install it on?

A web dashboard, mobile apps for staff and clients, a WordPress plugin, and an embeddable booking widget for any site.

Source
Shedul: Can I export my salon data from Shedul/Fresha?

While Shedul/Fresha provides reporting and analytics features, the platform does not clearly document export options for bulk data transfer. Users should contact support to determine data export capabilities and formats.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Merlua

More on Shedul

Keep looking

Other head to heads