Fresha calls itself free. But commission on marketplace bookings and fees on paid features add up — especially as your business grows.
£20/month flat. Your costs don't rise as your booking volume grows. Fresha's commission model means the more successful you are, the more you pay.
Bookchair gives you your own branded portal. Fresha lists you in a shared marketplace where clients can see — and book — your competitors.
Patch test tracking, GDPR consent, age restrictions for aesthetics. Fresha has none of these. Bookchair has all of them built into the booking flow.
| Feature | Bookchair | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly fee | £20 flat | Free plan (commission model) |
| Commission on bookings | None, ever | Up to 20% on new marketplace clients; fees on paid features |
| Per-staff fees | No | No |
| Business types | 6 types with specific features | General salon (no vertical-specific tools) |
| Built-in UK compliance | Yes — patch test, GDPR, age restriction | No |
| Patch test tracking | Yes — automated | No |
| Consultation forms | Yes — with compliance gates | Basic |
| Online booking portal | Yes — your own branded portal | Yes — via shared marketplace |
| Client profiles | Yes | Yes |
| SMS reminders | Paid add-on | Paid add-on |
| Colour Lab / Hair Journey | Yes | No |
| You own your client list | Yes — fully | Shared marketplace directory |
| Setup fee | None | None |
| Contract / lock-in | No — cancel anytime | No |
| Free trial | Yes | Free plan available |
Pricing and features based on publicly available information at the time of writing (June 2026). Always verify current terms directly with the provider. Bookchair makes no warranties as to the accuracy of third-party pricing.