Fresha vs SalonBoost
Fresha is free to start, but it takes a 20% commission on every new client booking and is built for a global marketplace — with no GST billing, no UPI and no WhatsApp automation. SalonBoost charges a flat, predictable fee from ₹799/month, keeps 0% of your revenue, and is built for how Indian salons actually operate.
Fresha vs SalonBoost: The Verdict
Fresha’s appeal is the ₹0 starting price and a marketplace that can send you new clients. The catch is the 20% commission on new-client bookings, which quietly becomes the most expensive line item a busy salon pays — and, for Indian salons, the missing GST billing, UPI payments and WhatsApp automation are dealbreakers. SalonBoost flips the model: a flat ₹799/month, 0% commission, and the India-specific essentials built in. If you want marketplace discovery and don’t mind the commission, Fresha has a case; if you want to keep 100% of your revenue and run a compliant Indian salon, SalonBoost is the clear pick.
Last updated: August 2026
Fresha vs SalonBoost: Feature-by-Feature
A side-by-side look at Fresha and SalonBoost across what matters to an Indian salon — the true cost of "free", GST billing, UPI, and WhatsApp follow-up. Data reflects each vendor’s public positioning as of 2026.
| Feature | Fresha | SalonBoost |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | From ₹799/mo |
| Commission on bookings | 20% on new bookings | 0% |
| Cost predictability | Scales with your revenue | Flat monthly fee |
| GST billing (CGST/SGST) | No | Yes |
| UPI payments | No | Yes |
| WhatsApp automation | No | Built in (Premium) |
| Staff payroll (automated) | No | Yes |
| Google review collection | No | Auto on every bill |
| Marketplace client discovery | Yes | No |
| Support base | EU-based | India-based (WhatsApp) |
| Built for | Global marketplace | Indian salons & spas |
Pricing and feature data reflect each vendor’s public pricing and marketing pages as of 2026. See the full salon software comparison.
Pricing at a Glance
Fresha
Free + 20% commission
Free to start, but Fresha charges roughly 20% commission on new-client bookings made through its marketplace, plus payment-processing fees. On a busy salon this can far exceed a flat subscription.
SalonBoost
From ₹799/mo
Flat, predictable subscription. 0% commission on any booking, no per-client fee, 15-day free trial. Premium ₹1,499/mo adds WhatsApp automation.
💰 A salon that books ₹2,00,000/month in new-client revenue through Fresha can pay around ₹40,000/month in commission — versus a flat ₹799–₹1,499/month on SalonBoost, regardless of how much you bill.
An Honest Look at Both Sides
No software is right for everyone. Here is where each one genuinely wins.
Where Fresha Wins
Genuinely free to start
There is no subscription to begin with Fresha, which lowers the barrier for a brand-new salon testing software for the first time. If your booking volume is very low, the commission may cost little in absolute terms.
Marketplace exposure to new clients
Fresha runs a consumer marketplace where nearby clients can discover and book you. If you are actively trying to acquire new clients through that channel, the exposure has real value — and the 20% is effectively a customer-acquisition cost on those bookings.
Polished consumer booking experience
Fresha’s client-facing booking flow and card-payment handling are clean and well designed for a global audience. For salons whose clients expect an app-store-grade booking experience, that polish is a plus.
Where SalonBoost Wins
You keep 100% of your revenue
SalonBoost charges a flat subscription and takes 0% commission on any booking. Fresha’s 20% on new-client bookings becomes the largest software cost a busy salon pays, and it grows exactly as your business grows.
GST billing and UPI, built for India
SalonBoost issues GST-compliant invoices with CGST/SGST and correct SAC codes, and takes UPI at the counter. Fresha, built for a global marketplace, does not do Indian GST billing or UPI — a hard requirement most Indian salons cannot skip.
WhatsApp automation Fresha simply doesn’t have
Reminders, win-back, birthday offers and bulk campaigns run from your own WhatsApp number on SalonBoost’s Premium plan. Fresha has no native WhatsApp automation — the single most effective retention channel for Indian salons.
Predictable cost, whatever you bill
Your SalonBoost fee is the same whether you do ₹1 lakh or ₹10 lakh in a month. With Fresha, the busier and more successful you get, the more commission you pay — the opposite of what you want as you grow.
The 20% that makes "free" expensive
Fresha’s commission applies to new-client bookings made through its marketplace — around 20%, plus payment-processing fees. For a salon doing ₹2,00,000/month of new-client revenue that way, the commission alone can be near ₹40,000/month. SalonBoost’s flat ₹799–₹1,499/month never scales with your revenue and takes 0% of any booking, so the more you grow, the wider the gap. "Free" software that takes a fifth of your new-client revenue is rarely the cheapest option for a busy salon.
Compare the flat pricingGST billing and UPI: non-negotiable in India
Every Indian salon above the turnover threshold must issue GST invoices with the correct CGST/SGST split and SAC codes, and most clients pay by UPI. SalonBoost does both natively — a compliant GST invoice in seconds and UPI at the counter. Fresha, designed for a global marketplace, does not handle Indian GST billing or UPI, which means a Fresha-run Indian salon still needs a separate billing solution for compliance.
Read the salon GST guideRetention on WhatsApp, not a marketplace
Fresha’s model is built around acquiring new clients through its marketplace. But for most Indian salons the bigger opportunity is retention — bringing back the clients you already have. SalonBoost puts that on WhatsApp: automated reminders that cut no-shows, 60/90-day win-back campaigns, birthday offers and loyalty nudges, all from your own number. It is the channel Indian clients actually read, and Fresha has no native equivalent.
See the salon CRMWho Should Choose Which
Choose Fresha if…
Choose Fresha if you are primarily trying to acquire new clients through its consumer marketplace, your booking volume is still low, and you are comfortable paying a 20% commission on those new-client bookings in exchange for the exposure — and you have a separate way to handle GST billing.
Choose SalonBoost if…
Choose SalonBoost if you want to keep 100% of your revenue on a flat, predictable fee, need GST billing and UPI for an Indian salon, and want WhatsApp automation to retain the clients you already have — all from ₹799/month.
Switching from Fresha Is Simple
Moving from Fresha to SalonBoost is simple, and you can do it without disruption. During onboarding we help import your client list and service menu so nothing is lost, and because SalonBoost has no setup fee and no lock-in, you can run it alongside Fresha while you transition. Many salons keep a marketplace listing for discovery if they want, while moving billing, GST, payments and WhatsApp follow-up onto SalonBoost so they stop paying commission on the clients they already own. Most salons are fully live within 1–2 days.
500+ Indian Salons Already Made the Switch
“Billing, follow-ups, and customer management are now super easy. Great value for money — it does everything a big system does at a fraction of the cost.”
Subha
Eden Roses Salon, Bengaluru
“One of the best features is the automatic WhatsApp invoice with a review link. Clients leave reviews easily and we can track how they find us.”
Rachna
XING Premium Salon, Bengaluru
“Billing is done in seconds and any staff can use it. It is not complicated at all — the whole team picked it up in a day.”
Saching
Express Cuts Premium Salon, Bengaluru
One Price. Every Tool That Brings Clients Back
Automated WhatsApp messages, online booking, staff payroll, Google review protection, GST billing — everything you saw above. One price.
Price Increases In
Everything Included • One Price
SalonBoost Software
Calendar, Billing, GST & Reports
WaBoost
Unlimited Bulk Messaging
WhatsApp Utility Messages
Auto-Invoices & Reminders
Installation & Training
Setup, Onboarding & Support
Bundle Price
vs ₹7,299/mo market price — you save ₹6,100 every month
✓ 15-day free trial · Cancel anytime · No contracts
Claim This DealFresha vs SalonBoost: FAQ
See Why Salons Pick SalonBoost Over Fresha
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SalonBoost GST Billing →
Compliant CGST/SGST invoices, SAC codes and UPI — the India essentials Fresha skips.