Looking for a Fresha
alternative?
Most salons that switch to us do it for one reason: Fresha’s 20% new-client fee. Here’s the honest side-by-side — every Fresha figure below is from their published UK price list (checked 20 July 2026), so you can do the maths yourself.
£14.95 subscription + £90 in new-client fees (20% of 10 × £45)
flat. That’s it.
That’s £95.95 a month — about £1,151 a year — staying in your till. Card processing broadly cancels out of the comparison: both route cards at similar rates; ours just goes through your own Stripe with nothing added.
Side by side
| Fresha | Covered Beauty | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £14.95 (or £9.95/team member) | £9 solo · £19 whole team |
| New-client fee | 20% per marketplace client (min £4) | £0 — ever |
| Online card payments | 1.4% + 25p | Stripe's standard rate — we add 0% |
| Who owns the client relationship | Shared with the marketplace | You — export any day |
| Marketing to your clients | Marketplace promotes other salons | Never |
| Consent & medical forms | Basic forms | JCCP-aligned, signed before arrival |
| Deposits | Yes, via Fresha payments | Yes, straight to your Stripe/bank |
| SMS reminders | Paid per text | 50 free/month, then £8 per 100 |
| Contract | No contract | No contract, cancel any time |
When Fresha is the better choice
Credit where it’s due: Fresha’s consumer marketplace is far bigger than ours. If a large share of your bookings genuinely come from strangers discovering you inside the Fresha app — and you’re happy paying 20% for each of them — that reach is real and we won’t match it today. Covered Beauty is built for salons whose clients come from Instagram, word of mouth and Google — who want those bookings handled beautifully without paying a marketplace tax on their own reputation.
Switching questions
Can I move my client list from Fresha to Covered Beauty?›
Yes. Export your client list from Fresha (Clients → Export) and we import it for you — names, contact details and notes. We do this personally as part of free setup, usually same-day.
Do my clients have to make new accounts?›
No. Clients book on your page without creating an account — they pick a treatment, choose a time and pay the deposit. Booking history builds under your salon from their first booking.
Does Covered Beauty really take 0% commission?›
Really. The subscription (£9/month solo, £19/month for a team) is the only money we ever take. Card payments go through your own Stripe account at Stripe's standard UK rate — we add nothing on top, and deposits settle to your bank, not ours.
What about the free-listing directory — is that commissioned?›
No. Every salon gets a free listing in our public directory, and bookings that come from it are commission-free like every other booking. We never charge for clients, new or returning.
What does Fresha actually cost?›
As of 20 July 2026, Fresha's published UK pricing is £14.95/month (independent) or £9.95 per bookable team member, plus a 20% new-client fee (minimum £4) on marketplace bookings, plus card processing from 1.4% + 25p online. Always check fresha.com/pricing for the current figures.
Is there a contract or exit fee?›
No contract, cancel any time, and your data leaves with you — client list, appointments and history export in one click under Settings → Data.
Switching is free — we do it with you.
Client list imported, services set up, booking link ready to share — personally, usually same-day. £9/month, 0% commission, no contract, cancel any time.
Start freeFresha figures from fresha.com/pricing, checked 20 July 2026. Fresha is a trademark of its owner; we’re not affiliated.