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Why Salon Owners Are Switching From Fresha

Fresha ended its free plan in October 2025, moving to a subscription model while keeping transaction fees and marketplace commissions. Many salon owners are discovering that the total cost of Fresha is higher than they expected.

Simple Salon offers straightforward pricing with no transaction fees on your existing payment processor, no marketplace commissions, and no forced payment lock-in. You stay in control of your business.

The Real Cost: Fresha vs Simple Salon

Fresha's pricing looks simple on the surface, but the real cost adds up fast when you factor in transaction fees, marketplace commissions, and paid add-ons.

Here's what a typical 4-person salon processing A$20,000/month in card payments actually pays:

Cost Fresha Simple Salon
★ The Smart Choice
Monthly subscription (4 staff) Team Plan: A$119.80 Pro Plan: A$136.00
Card processing fees ~A$310 (forced, 1.29% + A$0.26/txn) ~A$340 (BYO, bring your own terminal)*
Marketplace commissions ~A$240 (20% on 15 new clients @ A$80 avg) A$0
Enhanced reporting A$39.80/mo extra Included
Loyalty program A$59.95/mo extra Included
Estimated monthly total ~A$770+ ~A$476*

*Fresha card processing rate is their published Australian rate of 1.29% + A$0.26 per transaction (in-person). Simple Salon card processing estimate based on a typical Australian card processing rate of ~1.7% on A$20,000/month revenue (Australian card processing rates typically range from 1.6–1.9%) — use your existing terminal and keep the rates you’ve already negotiated. Your actual rate may be lower.

Use Your Own Payment Processor

Fresha forces you onto their built-in payment system with no option to use your existing EFTPOS terminal or preferred provider. Simple Salon integrates with Tyro, ANZ Worldline, Stripe and more, so you keep the rates you have already negotiated.

Payment Freedom

Simple Salon Feature
Simple Salon Feature

No Marketplace Commissions

Fresha charges a 20% commission on the first appointment of every new client acquired through their marketplace, with a minimum of A$8. Worse, if you do not import your existing clients before going live, Fresha can classify your regulars as "new" and charge you commission on them. Simple Salon has zero marketplace commissions. Every client is your client.

Your Clients, Your Revenue

Reporting Included, Not an Add-On

Fresha charges A$15.95 per team member per month for their Insights reporting package. That is nearly A$40/month extra for a 4-person team just to see your own data. Simple Salon includes a full reporting dashboard with every plan. Revenue, retention, staff performance, product sales and more are all built in.

Know Your Numbers

Simple Salon Feature
Simple Salon Feature

Real Customer Support

Fresha offers no phone support. Email responses can take weeks, and multiple users report waiting over a month with no reply. Simple Salon provides real human support via phone, email and live chat with an Australian-based team who understands your business.

Help When You Need It

Loyalty and Marketing Built In

Fresha charges A$89.95 per month for their loyalty program add-on. SMS messages cost A$0.06 each after your first 20 per month, and marketing SMS costs A$0.15 each. With Simple Salon, unlimited SMS for appointment reminders, confirmations, rebook reminders, birthday messages, and marketing campaigns are all included in your plan. No per-message charges, no surprises.

Grow Without Extra Fees

Simple Salon Feature
Simple Salon payment freedom

Use Your Own Payment Processor

Fresha forces you onto their payment system. Simple Salon integrates with Tyro, ANZ Worldline, Stripe and more — keep the rates you’ve already negotiated.

Salon client management

No Marketplace Commissions

Fresha charges 20% commission on new clients. Your regulars can be misclassified and charged too. Simple Salon has zero commissions — every client is your client.

Simple Salon reporting dashboard

Reporting Included, Not Extra

Fresha charges A$15.95 per person per month for reporting. Simple Salon includes full reporting dashboards with every plan.

Simple Salon customer support

Real Customer Support

No phone support at Fresha. Email replies take weeks. Simple Salon offers real human support via phone, email and live chat.

Salon marketing and loyalty

Loyalty and Marketing Built In

Fresha charges A$89.95/mo for loyalty. SMS costs 4.8¢–15¢ per message after 20 free. Simple Salon’s Pro plan includes 200 SMS per operator per month, loyalty points, automated marketing, and campaigns.

Feature Comparison

Feature Fresha Simple Salon
★ The Smart Choice
Online Bookings✓✓
Appointment Management✓✓
POS / Point of SaleForced processorBYO processor
Client Management✓✓
SMS Marketing20 free, then paid800 SMS included (200/operator)
Loyalty ProgramA$59.95/mo extraIncluded
Reporting & AnalyticsA$15.95/person/mo extraIncluded
Gift Vouchers✓✓
Packages / Bundles✓✓
Memberships✓✓
Digital Forms✓✓
Staff Rostering✓✓
Mobile App✓✓
Stock Management✓✓
Facebook/Instagram Booking✓✓
Multi-Location Support✓✓ (The Dome)
Third-Party Integrations✗ NoneTyro, ANZ Worldline & more
Phone Support✗ No✓ Yes
"We switched from Fresha to Simple Salon and the difference has been night and day. No hidden fees, no marketplace commissions, and when we need help we can actually talk to a real person. The reporting alone saves us hours every week."

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"We switched from Fresha to Simple Salon and the difference has been night and day. No hidden fees, no marketplace commissions, and when we need help we can actually talk to a real person."

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Frequently Asked Questions

Can I move my data from Fresha to Simple Salon?
Yes. You can export your client list and appointment history from Fresha as a CSV file. Our team can help you import your data into Simple Salon so you are up and running quickly. We also offer a free data import service for new customers switching from another platform.
Will my clients need to create an account to book?
New clients register once on your branded booking page — their account belongs to your salon, not a shared marketplace like Fresha. If a client already exists in Simple Salon, they are automatically matched and merged when they book online — no duplicates, no manual linking required. With Fresha, clients create a Fresha account shared across every salon on the marketplace. Simple Salon keeps your client data yours.
Can I use my existing EFTPOS terminal?
Yes. Simple Salon integrates with Tyro, ANZ Worldline, and other payment providers. You can also use Stripe for online payments. Unlike Fresha, we do not force you onto our own payment processor, so you keep the rates you have negotiated with your bank.
Is Simple Salon really cheaper than Fresha?
For most salons, yes. Fresha's subscription looks affordable, but when you add transaction fees (1.29-1.90% + A$0.26 per payment), marketplace commissions (20% on new clients), and paid add-ons for reporting (A$15.95/person/mo) and loyalty (A$89.95/mo), the total cost adds up quickly. Simple Salon has a flat per-operator fee with reporting, loyalty, and marketing included.
What if I have multiple locations?
Simple Salon supports multi-location businesses through The Dome, our enterprise management platform. You get a centralised view across all locations with consolidated reporting, staff management, and client data.
Is there a contract or lock-in period?
No. Simple Salon is month-to-month with no contracts, no fixed terms, and no sign-up fees. Start your free trial and cancel anytime.
Does Simple Salon have an online booking widget?
Yes. Simple Salon provides an embeddable online booking widget you can add directly to your own website, plus a standalone booking page. Your clients book through your brand, not a marketplace. Fresha requires clients to book through the Fresha marketplace or a Fresha-hosted page with no option to embed on your own site.
How does Simple Salon handle SMS and marketing?
Simple Salon’s Pro plan includes 200 SMS per operator per month (800 total for a 4-person salon) for appointment reminders, confirmations, rebook reminders, and marketing campaigns. Additional SMS are just 10¢ each. Fresha gives you just 20 free SMS per month, then charges 4.8¢ per reminder and 15¢ per marketing SMS. For a busy salon, that adds up fast.

Ready to make the switch?

Start your free trial today. No credit card required. No contracts. Free data import from Fresha.

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