No new-client fees
Fresha charges 20% (min A$8) on every new marketplace client. Simple Salon charges no new client fees.
No data lock-in
Export your clients, bookings and reports anytime, at no cost, with no lock-in.
Everything built in
Reporting, loyalty and SMS marketing included, not sold as add-ons. One flat monthly subscription.
Why Salon Owners Are Switching From Fresha
Simple Salon is a Fresha alternative that replaces marketplace commissions with one flat monthly subscription. There are no new client fees on any online booking, and the tools growing salons rely on, including reporting, loyalty, and SMS marketing, are built in rather than sold as add-ons. Fresha is a well-known salon booking platform, but its pricing model includes a 20% commission (minimum A$8 per booking) on every new client booked through the Fresha marketplace.
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For growing salons, those commissions accumulate quickly and eat directly into revenue. Salon owners searching for a Fresha alternative typically want a predictable, flat-rate subscription that covers the full feature set, without a platform taking a cut of their business.
The real cost: Fresha vs Simple Salon
| Feature / Cost (AUD) | Simple Salon | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription (4 staff) | A$180 (A$45/staff/mo) | A$119.80 (A$29.95/staff/mo) |
| New client fees | None | 20% on new clients (min A$8/booking) |
| Card processing | BYO processor (Tyro, Stripe, Worldline, and more) | 1.29% + A$0.26/txn in person, 1.59% + A$0.28/txn online |
| Reporting / Insights | Included: 40+ reports | Add-on: A$15.95/person/mo |
| Loyalty program | Included | Add-on: A$89.95/location/mo |
| SMS included | 200/operator/mo on Pro | 20/staff/mo free, then A$0.06/text (auto), A$0.15/text (marketing) |
| Online booking | Yes, no account required. Optional gap minimiser offers clients slots beside existing bookings, so you keep gaps big enough for higher-value services. | Yes (requires client Fresha account) |
| Multi-location | Yes (Dome) | Available |
| Xero / QuickBooks integration | Included | Not included |
| Mobile app | Yes (iOS + Android) | Yes |
| Free trial | Yes | Yes |
| Estimated monthly total (4 staff, A$20k/mo revenue) | ~A$520* | ~A$532+ |
*Simple Salon card processing estimate based on a typical in-person card rate of ~1.7% on A$20,000/month revenue (in-person card rates typically range from 1.6-1.9%). Use your existing terminal and keep the rates you have already negotiated. Your actual rate may be lower. +Fresha estimate on the same basis: Team subscription for 4 (A$119.80), Insights for 4 (A$63.80), Client Loyalty (A$89.95) and card processing at Fresha's published Australian in-person rate of 1.29% on A$20,000 (A$258.00). It excludes Fresha's per-transaction fees and any marketplace commission, so the real figure is higher.
• Fresha pricing (subscription, Insights, Loyalty, marketplace commission, card processing and SMS rates): fresha.com/pricing, Australian price book • Simple Salon pricing: simplesalon.com/pricing • All prices on this page are AUD and exclude GST
The 20% Commission Adds Up Faster Than the Subscription Cost
Fresha's marketplace commission is 20% on every new client booking, with a minimum charge of A$8 per booking. For a busy salon attracting new clients, this single line item can exceed the entire cost of a competing platform within weeks. Simple Salon charges no commission on any booking. Every appointment, whether from Google, Instagram, Facebook, or your own website, comes with no platform fee attached.
Reporting and Loyalty Are Included, Not Sold Separately
On Fresha's Team plan, accessing the Insights reporting module costs an additional A$15.95 per staff member per month, and enabling the Loyalty program costs A$89.95 per location per month. For a four-person salon, that adds over A$150/mo before a single client walks in. Simple Salon includes 40+ reports, covering KPI dashboards, benchmarking, staff performance, and more, plus a full loyalty points system, at no additional cost on the Pro plan.
Your Clients Don't Need to Create an Account to Book
Fresha's online booking flow requires clients to register for a Fresha account before completing their first booking. This adds friction at the exact moment a potential client is ready to commit. Simple Salon's online booking works without requiring clients to create a third-party account, reducing drop-off in the booking funnel.
A Feature Set Built for Running a Business, Not Just Filling a Marketplace
Simple Salon includes staff rostering, memberships and packages, gift vouchers, WhatsApp messaging, email marketing via Campaign Monitor and Mailchimp, Xero and QuickBooks integration, Reserve with Google, and BNPL (Afterpay, ZipPay), all within the standard subscription. Fresha's core strength is its marketplace reach; Simple Salon is built around the operational and financial management of the business itself.
Fewer Wasted Gaps Between Your Appointments
When a client books online, Simple Salon can offer them the times right beside your existing appointments, either straight after one finishes or just before the next one starts. Your day then stays in bigger working blocks instead of breaking up into short gaps that are too small to fill.
Your data is yours, always
Some providers make it hard to leave, locking your client list and history behind a paywall, charging you to export your own data, or tying you into long contracts and other strange rules. We don’t play those games. With Simple Salon your clients, bookings and reports are always yours: export everything anytime, at no cost, with no lock-in. If you ever move on, you take it all with you.
Switching
Moving from Fresha takes a day, not a month
1
Export your data
Download your clients, services and history from Fresha. We’ll show you exactly where the buttons are.
2
We import it for you
Our team helps bring your client list and appointments across. Once we have your files, most salons are up and running within a day.
3
Keep taking bookings
Share your new booking link on your socials and your book keeps filling, now with no commission on new clients.
Try Simple Salon: No Commissions, No Add-On Surprises
Start a free trial today and see exactly what this salon software will cost you each month before you commit.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Will my clients need to create an account to book?
Yes, when a client books online for the first time, they register with their name, email, and phone number. But this is nothing like Fresha's marketplace. With Fresha, clients create a Fresha account, one that's shared across every salon on the marketplace. With Simple Salon, your clients register on YOUR branded booking page. Their account belongs to your salon, not a marketplace. And if a client already exists in your Simple Salon system, their online booking registration is automatically matched and merged with their existing record, no duplicates, no manual linking. New clients get a record created instantly.
Is Simple Salon really cheaper than Fresha for a growing salon?
At the subscription level, Fresha Team (A$29.95/staff/mo) is less than Simple Salon Pro (A$45/staff/mo) for a four-person team. However, once you add Fresha's Insights add-on (A$15.95/person/mo), Loyalty add-on (A$89.95/location/mo), and marketplace commissions on new-client bookings (20%, min A$8), the total monthly cost diverges significantly. The comparison table above models a four-staff salon on A$20k/mo revenue. Fresha's all-in cost reaches approximately A$532+ vs Simple Salon's A$180 plus your chosen payment processor fees.
Can I switch from Fresha to Simple Salon without losing my client data?
Simple Salon supports client data import. Contact the Simple Salon support team during your trial period to discuss your specific migration path.
Does Simple Salon have a marketplace like Fresha?
Simple Salon integrates with Reserve with Google and supports Facebook and Instagram booking, giving clients multiple ways to discover and book your business. Simple Salon does not operate its own consumer-facing marketplace, which is why Simple Salon charges no new client fees.
What payment processors does Simple Salon support?
Simple Salon works with Tyro, Stripe, Worldline, PIN Payments, Mercury, and KPay. With this Fresha alternative, you choose the processor with the rates that suit your business. BNPL options Afterpay and ZipPay are also supported.
Does Simple Salon include SMS reminders?
Yes. The Pro plan includes 200 SMS per operator per month. Fresha's Team plan includes 20 SMS per person per month, with overage charged at A$0.06/text (automated) or A$0.15/text (marketing).
Is there a free trial?
Yes, Simple Salon offers a free trial with no credit card required to start.
Does Fresha's commission apply to tips and tax too?
Fresha's new-client commission is calculated on the full transaction total, which salon owners report can include tips and tax, not just the service price. Simple Salon charges no new client fees.