Booking software comparison
Fresha Alternative 2026: $7.99/mo
Fresha alternative at $7.99/mo: booking link without 20% marketplace fees. Email reminders only. Try Separalo 14 days free.
By the Separalo team
Updated
Who Separalo fits
If clients already know your salon and you mainly need a link to pick a service and time, Separalo can work. It covers up to two businesses, with the owner and up to three extra team members per business. You still collect payment for services on your own.
This comparison is written by the Separalo team. Separalo does not stand in for Fresha’s client marketplace, integrated payments, deposits, or team tools. If you use those every week, weigh the subscription against those features, not the monthly fee alone.
What to use instead of Fresha to manage a barbershop
To manage a barbershop instead of Fresha, choose based on where clients come from. Separalo fits when Instagram, WhatsApp, and walk-ins already fill the chair: you list haircuts and beard work, share a $7.99-a-month link, add walk-ins to the same calendar, and turn on the email reminder. Fresha remains the better fit if the marketplace brings new cuts, you take deposits at booking, or you use its POS and inventory.
Separalo in a barbershop, in short
- Per-barber calendar, service menu, and walk-ins in the same schedule.
- Confirmations and the day-before reminder by email only.
- No marketplace, no online deposits, no POS or inventory.
Pricing for one or three professionals
| Team | Separalo | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| One professional | $7.99 | $19.95 (Independent plan) |
| Three professionals at one business | $7.99 | $44.85 ($14.95 per bookable team member) |
| New client from the marketplace | No commission | 20% one time, with a $6 minimum per client. Clients who arrive through your own link generate no commission. |
| Separalo limits | Up to 2 businesses, with the owner and up to 3 additional team members per business. | 7-day trial. |
Fresha charges 2.79% + $0.20 per online card transaction and 2.29% + $0.20 in person. After 100 free texts a month, each text costs $0.02. Separalo does not process client payments yet, so it charges no payment fees.
Prices in USD, before tax. Checked on . Source: Fresha pricing
If the marketplace brings you new clients steadily, the 20% commission can outweigh the subscription difference. Run the numbers with your own monthly new-client count.
How booking works in Separalo
Publish each service with its price and length. The client opens the link, picks what they want and an open slot, and leaves their details. Once they verify email, the appointment confirms or waits for your approval, depending on your settings. It shows up on your calendar.
Service menu from a Separalo demonstration salon.
Set team hours and breaks. Length belongs to each service; the buffer after appointments is set once for the business.
Share the link or QR. You can turn on the day-before email reminder. Clients also get a private link to manage the booking under your rules.
Email reminder control in the demonstration settings.
When staying with Fresha makes sense
Fresha puts booking, payments, and a marketplace with millions of potential clients in one place. Before you move, look at where clients come from and which tools you actually use each week.
- If Fresha’s marketplace brings new clients, count that value. A Separalo link does not replace that source.
- If you take deposits or online payments at booking, Separalo does not offer that today.
- If you use Fresha’s point of sale, inventory, or team tools (commissions, clock-in timesheets), Separalo does not cover them.
- Separalo reminds by email, not SMS, and does not sync external calendars on its own.
Try your workflow before switching
- During the 14-day trial, set up your services, team and hours.
- Check how a client chooses a time and how the appointment appears in your calendar. Review cancellation and rescheduling options too.
- Review upcoming appointments before changing your public links. There is no automatic migration from Fresha; avoid offering the same availability in two systems.
- When you are ready, update the links you share with clients and explain where to book future appointments.
Frequently asked questions
- What should I use instead of Fresha to manage my barbershop?
- If clients already know your shop and you mainly need a link for haircuts, beard work, and times, Separalo at $7.99/mo can be enough: team calendar, walk-ins, and email reminders. Stay on Fresha if you rely on the marketplace, online deposits or payments, or POS and inventory.
- Does Separalo send SMS or WhatsApp reminders?
- No. Separalo sends confirmations and the day-before reminder by email, not WhatsApp or SMS.