Fresha Alternative for Studios (2026)

If you run a yoga studio, dance school, or fitness studio, you've probably come across Fresha. It's one of the biggest names in booking software — but it was built for a completely different business model. Here's why class-based studios need a purpose-built alternative.

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Fresha Was Built for Appointments, Not Classes

Fresha started as Shedul in 2015, originally designed for hair salons and barbershops. Its core model is one-on-one appointments: one client, one service provider, one time slot. That works brilliantly for salons, spas, and personal trainers.

But if you run group classes — yoga, pilates, dance, pottery, fitness — your needs are fundamentally different:

• Capacity management: You need 12 spots in a 6pm class, not one slot per stylist.
• Waitlists: When a class is full, people should be able to join a queue and get notified when a spot opens.
• Credit packs and memberships: Your pricing is based on class bundles (10-class pass, monthly unlimited), not per-service fees.
• Recurring schedules: You teach the same classes at the same times every week, not ad-hoc appointments.
• No-show management: In a class setting, one no-show costs you differently than a missed haircut.

Fresha can technically handle some of this — but you'll spend hours working around its appointment-centric design. It's like using a spreadsheet as a database: possible, but painful.

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The Fresha Pricing Problem

Fresha famously launched as "free forever." That changed.

The Free-to-Paid Pivot

In 2023, Fresha introduced mandatory fees that caught many businesses off guard:

• 2.19% + €0.20 on every online card payment — processed through Fresha's own payment system (you can't use your own Stripe)
• 20% commission on new clients from the Fresha marketplace — for their first booking
• Blast message fees for marketing emails and SMS
• Add-on fees for premium features like advanced reporting

For a salon doing €5,000/month in card payments, the processing fees alone are €130/month — before any marketplace commissions or add-ons.

You Don't Own Your Payment Relationship

This is the critical issue. With Fresha, all payments go through their proprietary system. You can't connect your own Stripe account. That means:

• Higher processing fees than standard Stripe rates
• Slower payouts — your money sits with Fresha before reaching your bank
• No portability — if you leave Fresha, you lose your stored payment methods and client payment history
• Fresha controls your money — they can hold funds, change terms, or increase fees at any time

For small studio owners, this dependency is a real risk.

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The Marketplace Trap

Fresha's marketplace is a double-edged sword. Yes, it can bring new clients to your studio. But:

20% Commission on New Clients

Every client who discovers you through Fresha's marketplace costs you 20% of their first booking. If that first booking is a €100 monthly membership, you just paid €20 for an acquisition that might have happened organically.

Your Existing Clients May Use the Marketplace

There's nothing stopping your current members from booking through the Fresha app instead of directly. If they do, Fresha might classify them as "marketplace referrals" — and you pay commission on clients you already had.

Brand Dilution

On the Fresha marketplace, your studio appears alongside every other business in your area. Your brand becomes a listing in someone else's directory. You're building Fresha's platform, not your own brand.

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What Studio Owners Actually Need

Based on conversations with hundreds of studio owners, here's what matters most:

1. Class-First Scheduling

Your schedule should think in classes, not appointments. Create a weekly recurring schedule, set capacity per class, and let members book specific spots. No workarounds needed.

2. Credit Packs and Memberships

Sell 5-class, 10-class, or unlimited monthly passes. Members see their remaining credits, and the system deducts automatically when they book. No manual tracking.

3. Automatic Waitlists

When a class fills up, the next interested member joins a waitlist. When someone cancels, the waitlister gets notified and can claim the spot. Zero admin work.

4. Your Own Payment Processing

Connect your own Stripe account. Your money goes directly to your bank. Standard Stripe rates apply — no markup, no middleman, no surprises.

5. Transparent Pricing

One monthly fee, all features included. No per-booking charges, no percentage of your revenue, no marketplace commissions. You know exactly what you pay.

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Fresha vs. StudioBook: A Direct Comparison

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When Fresha Makes Sense

To be fair, Fresha is excellent for what it was built for:

• Hair salons and barbershops with appointment-based booking
• Beauty and spa businesses that need product sales integration
• Solo practitioners who see one client at a time
• Businesses that want marketplace exposure and are willing to pay commission for new client acquisition

If your business fits this model, Fresha might be the right choice. But if you run group classes, you're fighting the tool instead of using it.

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Making the Switch

If you're currently on Fresha and considering a switch, here's what to know:

• Your member data: Export your client list from Fresha before canceling. StudioBook lets you import members easily.
• Payment transition: Since Fresha controls the payment relationship, you'll need to set up your own Stripe account and have members re-enter their payment details. This is a one-time friction that gives you ownership going forward.
• Schedule migration: StudioBook's setup takes under 30 minutes. Create your class schedule, set pricing, and share your booking link.
• No contract penalty: Check your Fresha agreement for any termination terms, though most accounts can be closed at any time.

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The Bottom Line

Fresha is a great tool — for salons. For class-based studios, it's a square peg in a round hole, with hidden fees that add up fast.

StudioBook was built from day one for studios that run group classes. One price, all features, your own payments, no commissions.

Start your free 30-day trial →

No credit card required. All classes, unlimited members, €39/month after your trial.

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StudioBook was built specifically for small, class-based studios — yoga, pilates, dance, pottery, and more. Set up in under 30 minutes, €39/month — everything included.