Fresha or Glow Up?

One charges a monthly subscription. The other charges only when you get paid, and brings clients who fit your expertise.

At a glance

  • Subscription: Fresha From €14.95 (Fresha’s official website, in euros excluding 21% VAT. The page does not name the country: confirm the Belgian rate.) · Glow Up €0
  • Tablet & terminal: Fresha Depends on the market · Glow Up Included
  • Online booking fee: Fresha You pay (Fresha’s official website and help centre, read on October 14, 2026.) · Glow Up Client pays
  • No-show protection: Fresha Deposit or saved card (Fresha’s official website and help centre, read on October 14, 2026.) · Glow Up Paid upfront
  • Clients matched to you: Fresha By location · Glow Up By profile (Coming soon)

What does your booking software really cost?

Four answers, one number. Fresha against Glow Up, for a month like yours.

  • Fresha is modelled with its solo or per-bookable-member subscription, its first marketplace appointment commission and its published payment fees.

Everything you could be charged

  • Subscription: Fresha Solo: €14.95/month, Team: €9.95/member/month (Fresha’s official website, in euros excluding 21% VAT. The page does not name the country: confirm the Belgian rate.) · Glow Up €0/month
  • Extra professionals: Fresha Price per bookable member (Fresha’s official website, in euros excluding 21% VAT. The page does not name the country: confirm the Belgian rate.) · Glow Up Included
  • Tablet & terminal: Fresha Ask for the Belgian rate · Glow Up 1 tablet + 1 reader included
  • Direct bookings: Fresha No booking fee · Glow Up No booking fee
  • New marketplace clients: Fresha 20% on the first marketplace visit · Glow Up No new-client commission
  • Payments in person: Fresha 0.89% + €0.10/payment, Tap to Pay: €0.10 extra (Fresha’s official website, in euros excluding 21% VAT. The page does not name the country: confirm the Belgian rate.) · Glow Up 2.4% + €0.35/payment
  • In-person commission: Fresha Included in the per-payment rate · Glow Up 1% + €0.25
  • In-person bank fees: Fresha Adyen, included in the per-payment rate (Payment provider named in Fresha’s terms and conditions.) · Glow Up Stripe: 1.4% + €0.10
  • Online booking payments: Fresha 1% + €0.20/payment (Fresha’s official website, in euros excluding 21% VAT. The page does not name the country: confirm the Belgian rate.) · Glow Up 2.5% + €0.45/payment, Paid by the client, or by you if you choose
  • Online commission: Fresha Included in the per-payment rate · Glow Up 1% + €0.20
  • Online bank fees: Fresha Adyen, included in the per-payment rate (Payment provider named in Fresha’s terms and conditions.) · Glow Up Stripe: 1.5% + €0.25
  • SMS reminders: Fresha Allowance varies by market · Glow Up WhatsApp reminders included, 20 free SMS/month (Coming soon)

What a calendar alone can't do

  • Clients who fit your expertise (Coming soon): Clients tell us their hair texture, skin type and allergies. We only show them businesses equipped for them. Fresha listed by location · Glow Up matched by profile
  • A care file that travels (Coming soon): An allergy noted once is known at the next visit, and at the next business if the client allows it. Fresha kept by each business · Glow Up follows the client
  • See next month coming: The agenda forecasts quiet weeks from your own history. Comparing your prices with similar businesses nearby comes next. Fresha 7-day marketplace figure (Fresha’s official website and help centre, read on October 14, 2026.) · Glow Up forecast from your history

Fresha may suit you if…

  • You prefer a fixed monthly bill, whatever your volume.
  • Most of your clients pay in person, and the simulator shows Fresha cheaper for your month.
  • Most of your new clients find you on the Fresha marketplace.

Glow Up fits you if…

  • You want no subscription to pay in a quiet month.
  • Many of your clients book and pay online.
  • You see clients with specific needs: textured hair, sensitive skin, allergies. (Coming soon)
  • You want hardware included and no-shows covered.

Sources and review method

Competitor information comes from their official websites, listed below. When a figure comes from an outside source, a numbered note says so. Offers vary by country, plan and date: check the current contract before deciding.

  • Product and company names belong to their respective owners. Glow Up is not affiliated with or endorsed by the companies described on this page.

Switch without losing a booking

Import your clients and your agenda from Fresha, and start with a tablet and a card reader included.

Questions about this comparison

Is Glow Up really free?

There is no subscription, no setup fee and no hardware to buy to get started. We earn a commission on payments: 2.4% + €0.35 per card payment in person, and 2.5% + €0.45 per online booking, paid by your client unless you choose to cover it.

Who owns the tablet and terminal?

One tablet and one card reader are included per account, whatever the number of establishments. Glow Up remains their owner. If you leave, Glow Up collects them at its own cost, with no exit fee.

Can I bring my clients from Fresha?

Yes. You import your client list from a spreadsheet file (CSV) and your appointments from a calendar export (.ics), so your agenda is ready on switching day. Visit and payment history is not imported.

How do no-shows work?

Online bookings are paid in full when the client books. If the client cancels late or does not turn up, you keep the amount set in your cancellation policy. A booking taken at the counter without payment cannot be charged.

Why can Fresha come out cheaper in the simulator?

Fresha charges a fixed subscription, Glow Up a percentage of each payment. With many payments in person and high tickets, the percentages can add up to more than the subscription, and the simulator says so.