The True Cost of Fresha: What Salons and Barbershops Actually Pay
Fresha charges a 20% commission (minimum £6) on every new client booking made through its marketplace. For a busy barbershop taking 20 new clients a month at a £25 average ticket, that's roughly £100–£150/month in fees — quietly drained from your revenue with no cap.
How Fresha's Pricing Actually Works
Fresha markets itself as a "free" booking platform, and technically, it is — until a new client walks through your door. The moment someone books through the Fresha marketplace, you owe Fresha 20% of that booking, with a £6 minimum per transaction.
The fee applies per-booking, not per-client. If the same new client books a haircut and a beard trim in one session, you pay 20% on each service line.
The Maths on a Typical Barbershop
| Monthly new clients | Average ticket | Fresha commission (20%) |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | £25 | £50 |
| 20 | £25 | £100 |
| 30 | £30 | £180 |
| 50 | £30 | £300 |
The more you grow through Fresha, the more you pay. There is no cap.
The "Existing Client" Grey Zone
Fresha's stated policy is that the commission applies only to genuinely new clients acquired through the marketplace. In practice, many salon and barbershop owners report being charged for:
- Clients who found them via Google and then booked through the Fresha button on the salon's own website
- Returning clients who hadn't visited in over 12 months (Fresha may reclassify them as "new")
- Clients referred by a friend who happened to use the Fresha app to complete the booking
This grey zone is where the real cost surprises come from.
What Fresha Marketplace Boost Adds
If you opt into Fresha's paid Marketplace Boost, you pay an additional promotional fee on top of the 20% commission for any booking generated by the boost. You're essentially paying twice — once for the platform's standard lead generation, and again for the extra visibility.
Comparing Fresha to Subscription-Based Alternatives
| Platform | Monthly cost | Commission | You keep |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | £0/month | 20% on new clients | ~80% |
| Booksy Boost | £0 base + boost fee | 30% on boosted bookings | ~70% |
| Vomni | £35–£79/month flat | 0% | 100% |
Subscription platforms cost more upfront but become cheaper once your new-client volume exceeds a threshold. For most active barbershops, that threshold is somewhere between 10–15 new clients per month.
The Hidden Cost: Client Ownership
Beyond the commission, Fresha retains significant leverage over your client relationships. Your clients are also their clients — Fresha can and does market competing salons to people who have booked with you.
When you switch platforms, you can export your client list, but Fresha clients who discovered you through the app may still receive Fresha's marketing for your competitors.
Should You Leave Fresha?
If you're a barbershop or salon taking fewer than 10 new marketplace clients per month, Fresha's commission model may genuinely cost you less than a monthly subscription. But if you're growing — especially if you're actively running promotions through Fresha Boost — the maths strongly favour a flat-fee alternative.
Migrate from Fresha to Vomni — no commission, flat monthly fee, full client data portability.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Fresha charge in commission? Fresha charges a 20% commission fee (minimum £6) on every new client booking made through the Fresha marketplace. This applies to clients who find you via Fresha search, not existing clients you imported.
Can I avoid Fresha's 20% fee? Yes — by importing your existing client list before activating Fresha Marketplace features. However, many users report Fresha charges the fee even on clients who found them via Google or word of mouth, not the Fresha marketplace.
Does Fresha charge a monthly subscription fee? Fresha advertises itself as 'free', but the 20% new-client commission is effectively a recurring cost. A barbershop with 20 new clients per month at an average £25 ticket pays around £100/month in commissions — more than most subscription-based alternatives.
What is Fresha Marketplace Boost? Fresha Marketplace Boost is an optional paid promotion feature that increases your visibility in Fresha search results. It charges an additional fee on top of the standard 20% commission for boosted bookings.
Is there a no-commission alternative to Fresha? Yes. Platforms like Vomni operate on a flat monthly subscription with no per-booking commissions, meaning you keep 100% of every booking regardless of how the client found you.
Ready to stop paying commission on every new client?
Vomni is a flat-fee booking and reputation platform built for barbershops and salons. No marketplace commissions. No client data lock-in. Start your free trial at vomni.io.