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Studioloop vs Fresha

The marketplace-first platform that charges commission on new clients it sends you.

Flat pricing

Per location, cap at $249/mo

Branded app + loyalty

Built-in, not an add-on

No marketplace tax

No feature gating

The short version

Fresha gives you marketplace visibility but takes a commission on new clients and caps your SMS allowance. StudioLoop keeps all your clients in your brand with no commissions.

Feature by feature

How they compare

15 metrics that matter when choosing salon software. Every row shows what you get with Studioloop versus Fresha.

01Starting price & pricing model

Studioloop

$99/mo flat, per location. Price caps at $249/mo for 4+ locations. Every feature included.

Fresha

$19.95/mo (Independent) or $14.95 per team member/mo (Team). Message overage costs apply.

02Payment processing & POS

Studioloop

Stripe-powered. Cards, wallets, and pay-later where available. Direct deposits to your bank.

Fresha

Fresha Payments: 2.29% + $0.20 (in-person), 2.79% + $0.20 (online). Tap to Pay $0.10 auth fee.

03Online booking options

Studioloop

Embeddable widget with 6 themes. Guest-first booking (no login required). QR codes and link sharing.

Fresha

Built-in booking page with configuration options. Marketplace profile.

04Client acquisition / marketplace

Studioloop

No marketplace. Clients book through your channels only. No competitor listings inside the app.

Fresha

Marketplace listing included. 20% one-time commission (min $6) on new clients from marketplace.

05Deposits & prepayments

Studioloop

Configurable per service. Full prepay or percentage deposits. Card on file.

Fresha

Deposits or card confirmation via payment policies.

06Cancellation & no-show fees

Studioloop

Card-on-file enforcement. Automated no-show and late cancellation fees.

Fresha

Late cancel/no-show fees when payment policy is active.

07Reminders & messaging

Studioloop

Push notifications, email, and SMS reminders included in every plan, subject to fair use and anti-abuse protections.

Fresha

100 free messages per staff/mo on Team plan. Then pay-as-you-go overage charges.

08Marketing toolkit

Studioloop

Built-in loyalty program with points and tiers. Custom rewards. Branded app drives retention.

Fresha

Free marketing emails per team member. Advanced marketing available as upgrade.

09Gift cards / packages / memberships

Studioloop

Gift cards (email, SMS, print), service packages, and memberships. All included.

Fresha

Gift cards, packages on Team plan.

10Inventory + retail

Studioloop

Retail POS, inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and cash drawer management.

Fresha

Included in all-in-one positioning.

11Team tools

Studioloop

Staff scheduling, roles, permissions, automated commissions. No per-staff fees.

Fresha

Multi-calendar columns on Team plan.

12Multi-location support

Studioloop

Multi-location with shared clients, central reporting, and a price cap at $249/mo total.

Fresha

Supported across plans.

13Reporting & analytics

Studioloop

Revenue analytics, staff performance, retention metrics, and booking insights.

Fresha

Real-time analytics. Depth varies by plan.

14Integrations & API

Studioloop

Stripe Connect, embeddable booking widget, QR codes. API access.

Fresha

Data connectors available. Often monetized as paid add-ons that can scale up in cost.

15Data ownership + migration + support

Studioloop

Free migration assistance. Full data export anytime. Email and chat support.

Fresha

Client export available. 24/7 phone and chat on Team plan.

Why salons switch

Common reasons salons move to Studioloop

01

Marketplace commission on new clients

Fresha charges a 20% one-time fee (min $6) on every new client acquired through their marketplace. With StudioLoop, you keep 100% of what clients pay.

02

SMS limits and overage costs

Fresha caps your messages at 100 per staff member per month. Exceed it and you pay overage fees. StudioLoop includes push, email, and SMS in plan pricing, subject to fair use and anti-abuse protections.

03

Clients see other salons on Fresha

Fresha's marketplace shows clients competing businesses. StudioLoop's branded app shows only your salon.

04

Integration add-ons get expensive

Fresha's data connectors and advanced integrations are monetized separately and can scale up in cost.

Who it's for

Which one is right for you?

Fresha is best for

New salons that need marketplace discovery and are comfortable with commission-based client acquisition costs.

Studioloop is best for

Established salons that want to own their client relationships, avoid commission fees, and keep messaging predictable under fair-use terms.

Common questions

Studioloop vs Fresha FAQ

Is Fresha cheaper than StudioLoop?

Fresha's base price starts lower, but the 20% marketplace commission on new clients, message overage fees, and paid integration add-ons can quickly add up. StudioLoop is $99/mo per location with no commissions and all features included, with messaging governed by fair-use protections.

Does Fresha charge marketplace fees?

Yes. Fresha charges a one-time 20% commission (minimum $6) on every new client who books through their marketplace. Returning clients are not charged this fee. StudioLoop has no marketplace and no commission fees.

Does Fresha have a branded app?

Fresha has a consumer marketplace app where your salon appears alongside others. StudioLoop provides a branded app experience where clients only see your business, your brand colors, and your loyalty program.

Can I migrate from Fresha to StudioLoop?

Yes. Fresha allows client list exports. StudioLoop offers free migration assistance to import your client data, service catalog, and booking history.

Ready to switch?

Try Studioloop

Flat-rate pricing. Every feature included. No marketplace. No per-staff fees. Free migration.

Early access opening soon