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Booksy vs Fresha for barbers (2026)
Fresha is cheaper each month, Booksy is barber-first and takes a bigger cut of new clients. Here is the whole bill for a barber, with a calculator.
Prices checked 23 September 2026 · UK and US prices
TrimCheck is not a booking app. We connect barbers to every channel on top of whichever app they run, so we have no favourite here. Every number is from the platforms’ own pricing pages on the date shown, and we say plainly which one wins.
Prices side by side
| Booksy | Fresha | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly, solo barber | £40 · $29.99 | £14.95 · $19.95 |
| Each extra person | £5 · $20 | £9.95 · $14.95 per bookable person (team plan, minimum two) |
| New clients from the app’s marketplace | 30% of the first visit with Boost on (UK minimum £5), 0% with Boost off | 20% of the first visit (US minimum $6), returning clients free |
| Card fees, online | UK 1.29% + 20p plus VAT · US 2.69% + 30¢ | UK 1.99% + 20p · US 2.79% + 20¢ |
| Card fees, in person | UK Tap to Pay 0.99% + 20p plus VAT · US 2.49% + 10¢ with reader | UK 1.29% + 20p · US 2.29% + 20¢ plus 10¢ per Tap to Pay |
| Free trial | 7 days UK, 14 days US | 7 days |
| Marketplace | Barber-heavy, strong in UK and US cities | Salon and spa-first, large in the UK and Gulf |
| Calendar sync | Imports outside calendars one way | Two-way Google Calendar sync, ICS for Apple and Outlook |
| Paid extras | Included in the plan; SMS allowance capped | Add-ons from $9.95 to $295 a month per location (AI concierge, loyalty, insights) |
Fresha shows US dollars to anyone browsing from outside the UK; the sterling figures are from its UK pricing as reported on 30 July 2026. Booksy’s UK page lists Boost’s minimum fee as £5.
What you would pay each month
Change the numbers to match your month. Boost is assumed on for Booksy, because that is the only way its marketplace sends clients.
Subscription plus new-client commission plus card fees at the platform’s published online rate. Marketplace clients are counted once, at their first visit, as each platform’s fee rules state. Tax not included. Your own regulars never carry a commission on any of these platforms.
Three barbers, three answers
| Barber | Booksy a month | Fresha a month | Better pick |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solo mobile barber, London, 5 new app clients at £30, £1,500 on card | About £40 + £45 + £29 = £114 | About £15 + £30 + £40 = £85 | Fresha, unless Booksy sends noticeably more of those clients |
| Chair renter in a shop, 12 new app clients at £25, £2,500 on card | About £40 + £90 + £52 = £182 | About £15 + £60 + £70 = £145 | Fresha on cost; Booksy if the shop’s clients already live there |
| Two-chair shop, 20 new app clients at £28, £6,000 on card | About £45 + £168 + £120 = £333 | About £20 + £112 + £162 = £294 | Close. Pick the marketplace that is stronger in your postcode |
Monthly subscription plus commission on the new clients’ first visits plus online card fees (percentage plus 20p a transaction). Rounded. VAT on Booksy’s UK card fees not included.
Where each one wins
Booksy
- The marketplace is where barber clients already are in London, Manchester, Birmingham and most US cities.
- One flat price with SMS reminders, no-show protection and marketing tools inside it.
- Boost is optional. Off means zero commission.
- Lower UK card rates than Fresha.
Fresha
- Lowest monthly cost of the big two.
- Two-way Google Calendar sync, which matters if you also take bookings elsewhere.
- 20% on new clients beats Booksy’s 30%.
- Stronger in the Gulf, where many salons and barbershops already run on it.
Switching without losing clients
Export your client list first. Both apps let you download it as a CSV from the business settings, and both import a CSV. Reviews, photos and appointment history stay behind, so screenshot your best reviews for Instagram before you go. Keep the old profile live for a month with a note about where to book, then close it. Tell your regulars directly; a WhatsApp broadcast does more than any in-app announcement.
You do not have to pick only one either. Booksy for the marketplace and Fresha for the diary is a common set-up, and it works as long as one calendar is the truth. TrimCheck does not replace any of them. It sits on top of the app you run, pushes your profile to every channel and keeps one calendar true.
Keep your app. Add every channel.
Whichever app you pick, TrimCheck sits on top of it: your profile goes out to every channel, one calendar stays true, and every request lands on your WhatsApp. No monthly fee, no commission.
Questions barbers ask
Is Fresha still free?
No. Fresha moved to a subscription: £14.95 a month for a solo barber in the UK ($19.95 in the US), £9.95 per team member on the team plan ($14.95), plus a 20% fee on the first visit of any client who found you through the Fresha marketplace. Returning clients stay free. Card processing is charged on top.
Does Booksy charge commission?
Only when Boost is switched on. Boost lists you higher in the Booksy marketplace and takes 30% of the first visit of each new client it sends, with a £5 minimum in the UK. Switch Boost off and you pay the subscription only: £40 a month plus £5 per extra user in the UK, $29.99 plus $20 per extra staff member in the US.
Which is cheaper for a solo barber?
Fresha on subscription alone (£14.95 against £40 in the UK). With marketplace clients the gap closes: Fresha takes 20% of each new client’s first visit, Booksy 30% with Boost. At eight new marketplace clients a month paying £30, Fresha costs about £63 and Booksy about £112 before card fees. Use the calculator above with your own numbers.
Can I move my clients from one to the other?
Yes. Both let you export your client list from the business settings, and both let you import a CSV. Appointment history and reviews do not move. Tell regulars where to book before you switch, and keep the old profile live for a month so nobody lands on a dead page.
Do I have to choose one?
No. Plenty of barbers keep Booksy for the marketplace and Fresha for the diary, or either one plus Google, Instagram and home-visit requests. The catch is double bookings, which is what a channel manager exists to stop. TrimCheck sits on top of whichever app you run, keeps one calendar true across every channel and sends every request to your WhatsApp, with no fee.