Fresha

Fresha is an AI-based booking and calendar management platform aimed at hair salons, spas, and barbershops. The core of the system, meaning appointment booking, financial management through a built-in point of sale, and calendar optimization, is completely free to use. The platform also includes an integrated customer marketplace, through which new customers in the area can discover the business and book an appointment directly through the app.

The tool is especially suited to salon, spa, and barbershop owners working solo or who just opened a new business and need exposure to potential customers in the area. Because the core is entirely free, it’s an attractive solution for a business just starting out that wants to avoid fixed software costs. The company only charges a commission on appointments that came through the marketplace, so payment effectively only kicks in when the system actually brought in a new customer.

On the other hand, to benefit from marketplace exposure the business needs to stay active and up to date in the system, including photos, prices, and accurate availability, otherwise the chance of appearing in search results drops. Businesses that already have a steady customer base and don’t need to acquire new customers may find the marketplace commission less relevant to them. It’s also worth checking how the system handles Hebrew and Israel-specific features before fully switching over.