Alternative Guide

Looking for a Fresha Alternative?

Fresha charges a subscription and a commission on new marketplace clients, plus per-transaction fees if you use its payments.

Last updated:

The Daisy is an alternative to Fresha built for GCC beauty businesses: a 24/7 AI receptionist on WhatsApp, Instagram and the booking site, cashback-driven customer acquisition, and Arabic and English treated as equals with full RTL.

Why People Look for Fresha Alternatives

If you process payments through Fresha, which is optional, online payments cost 4.90% + AED 0.75 per transaction
A one-time marketplace commission on each new client it introduces: 50% with an AED 20 minimum in the UAE, 20% in its USD markets
Marketing is charged per message once the first 50 emails each month are used
The AI Concierge is a paid add-on, listed at $99.95 per location per month on Fresha's US pricing page, and its published pages do not list WhatsApp or Instagram as supported channels
Marketplace bookings carry Fresha branding; a fully branded site is a paid Smart Website add-on
A published monthly subscription, billed separately from the marketplace commission and any payment processing fees

How Daisy Compares to Fresha

How Do Daisy and Fresha Compare on Features?

10 categories rated from Basic to Best-in-Class

Ratings are Daisy’s own assessment, not an independent benchmark

Daisy vs Fresha Feature Comparison 2026
CategoryDaisyFresha
Online Booking
Best-in-Class
Best-in-Class
POS & Payments
Best-in-Class
Good
Client Management
Best-in-Class
Good
Staff Management
Basic
Good
Marketing & Promotion
Best-in-Class
Basic
Inventory Management
Good
Basic
Reporting & Analytics
Best-in-Class
Best-in-Class
AI Capabilities
Good
Good
Branding & White-Label
Best-in-Class
Not published
Marketplace & Discovery
Basic
Best-in-Class
Not published
Basic
Good
Best-in-Class

Why Switch to Daisy?

An AI receptionist covering bookings, payments and customer service 24/7
No Daisy fee per transaction (card processing fees from the payment provider apply), and marketplace commission only on new clients the marketplace brings
Arabic and English as equals, with cashback rewards built for GCC clients
Cashback rewards that build loyalty and bring people back
A booking page with your logo, name and colours that your own domain can redirect to
A straightforward migration, with help moving your data

Other Fresha Alternatives

Booksy

Founded 2014 - Warsaw, Poland (US HQ: Chicago)

4.6

Mobile-first booking and business app for beauty and wellness professionals, with a consumer marketplace. Booksy says more than 330,000 professionals use it, and its help centre lists 16 countries. Founded in Poland in 2014, it merged with Versum in December 2020.

Booking
Payments
Clients
Staff
Marketing
Inventory
Analytics
Marketplace
AI

Starting at

$29.99/mo + $20/mo per extra user (US)

Visit Booksy

Vagaro

Founded 2009 - Pleasanton, CA, USA

4.4

All-in-one software for salons, spas and fitness businesses in the US, Canada, the UK and Australia. Vagaro says more than 100,000 businesses rely on it, and it acquired Schedulicity in January 2025.

Booking
Payments
Clients
Staff
Marketing
Inventory
Analytics
Marketplace
AI

Starting at

$23.99/mo for 1 calendar (US offer; $30/mo regular)

Visit Vagaro

GlossGenius

Founded 2016 - New York, NY, USA

4.5

US booking, payments and business software for beauty, wellness and medspa businesses. Since July 2026 it is a product of Genius AI, the new name of the company behind it. Its AI agents answer calls and texts, analyse sales and write marketing campaigns.

Booking
Payments
Clients
Staff
Marketing
Inventory
Analytics
Marketplace
AI

Starting at

$28/mo ($24/mo billed annually)

Visit GlossGenius

Square Appointments

Founded 2009 - Oakland, CA, USA

4.5

Booking and payments software from Square, part of Block, Inc., built on the Square point-of-sale system and sold to beauty, health, fitness and other appointment businesses. Square Free has no monthly fee.

Booking
Payments
Clients
Staff
Marketing
Inventory
Analytics
Marketplace
AI

Starting at

Free (paid from $49/mo per location)

Free plan
Visit Square Appointments

What Makes Daisy Different

Six things Daisy is built around

AI receptionist

Handles bookings, payments, and customer service in Arabic and English around the clock.

Customer acquisition engine

Cashback rewards and AI marketing, plus an optional marketplace in selected countries, working together to fill your calendar.

Branded booking page

A booking page with your logo, name and colours, hosted by Daisy. You can redirect your own domain to it.

Network effects

More businesses on the platform means smarter AI recommendations for everyone.

All-in-one

Booking, payments, CRM, marketing, analytics, inventory, marketplace, and AI in one platform.

Multilingual

Native Arabic and English with full RTL support, built for the GCC market and beyond.

Frequently Asked Questions

How much does Fresha cost?
Fresha is no longer free, and it prices per market. In the UAE its published rate is AED 149.95 per month for the Independent plan, with Team plans at custom rates. Fresha also publishes a one-time 50% commission on new marketplace clients with a minimum of AED 20, and per-message charges for marketing once the first 50 emails each month are used. Payment processing through Fresha is optional: businesses that use it pay 4.90% + AED 0.75 per online transaction, and businesses that don't pay Fresha no transaction fees. Which charges apply depends on how you use Fresha, so work out the monthly total for your own business rather than reading it off the headline plan price.
How does Daisy compare to Fresha for salon management?
Fresha covers operations and attaches a marketplace, and it ships an AI Concierge that answers calls and messages, plus an Arabic interface. Daisy runs its AI receptionist on WhatsApp, Instagram and the booking site, treats Arabic and English as equals, and adds cashback acquisition and a fully branded booking page.
Can I switch from Fresha to Daisy?
Yes. Fresha has no contracts and no lock-in period. Daisy will help move your client database, service menu and booking history across. Most businesses are switched inside a week without going offline.
Does Fresha work in the Middle East?
Yes. Fresha operates across all six GCC states and publishes local-currency pricing in each, with an Arabic interface and teams in Dubai and Saudi Arabia. Daisy was built for the GCC from the start, with Arabic and English as equals and local payment integration, and it is live in all six GCC countries.
Is Fresha really free to use?
No. The free plan is gone. Fresha now charges a monthly subscription, AED 149.95 in the UAE for the Independent plan, a one-time 50% commission on new marketplace clients, and per-message charges for marketing beyond the first 50 emails a month. Payment processing through Fresha is optional: if you use it, online payments cost 4.90% + AED 0.75 per transaction, and businesses that don't use it pay Fresha no transaction fees. Daisy publishes its plan prices and charges nothing per marketing message. Its marketplace is optional, and commission applies only to new clients it brings you.
What other charges does Fresha publish?
Fresha publishes these charges on its own pricing page. In the UAE: a one-time 50% commission on new marketplace clients with an AED 20 minimum, marketing emails free for the first 50 each month and then AED 0.08 each, texts at AED 0.14, and an Insights add-on at AED 319.95 per bookable team member per month. Payment processing through Fresha is optional: if you use it, online payments cost 4.90% + AED 0.75 per transaction, and businesses that don't use it pay Fresha no transaction fees. Daisy's plan price covers marketing and includes 50 AI receptionist conversations, with paid top-ups after that. There is no Daisy fee per transaction (card processing fees from the payment provider apply).
How hard is it to migrate my data from Fresha?
Fresha lets you export client data and appointment history. With Daisy the migration is handled for you: our team moves the client database, service menu, staff schedules and booking history. Most businesses are switched inside a week without going offline.
Does Fresha have AI features like Daisy?
Fresha publishes an AI Concierge that answers calls and messages and books appointments, sold as a paid add-on, listed at $99.95 per location per month on Fresha's US pricing page. Its published pages do not list WhatsApp or Instagram as Concierge channels. Daisy's AI receptionist handles WhatsApp and Instagram chat and the booking site, takes payments, and works in Arabic and English. It does not answer phone calls today.
How good is the Fresha mobile app?
Fresha's consumer app rates highly for finding and booking. Daisy's business app is built around salon operations, with the AI receptionist, cashback and payments in one place.
Can I reach Fresha customer support quickly?
Fresha publishes email support with a typical two-day response, chat with a typical two-minute response on all plans, and phone support on the Team plan. Daisy includes customer support on every plan, with priority support on the higher tiers.

Common Questions About Switching

Honest answers to the concerns we hear most

Is it hard to switch?

Switching from Fresha to Daisy is straightforward. Our dedicated onboarding team handles the entire migration, importing your client database, appointment history, and settings. Most businesses are switched inside a week without going offline.

What about my existing data?

Your data is safe. We support data imports from all major platforms including Fresha. Client records, appointment history, product inventory, and staff schedules transfer seamlessly. We also help clean and organize your data during migration.

Is Daisy proven?

Daisy is built by a team with deep experience in the beauty and wellness industry across the GCC region. Our AI receptionist technology has been tested with pilot partners, and we offer a 14-day free trial so you can see the results before committing.

Ready to switch from Fresha?

Daisy is built for salons that want growth tools, not just a calendar.

Want 50 AI receptionist conversations in the plan, rather than an AI add-on priced per location
Want Arabic and English as equals across staff tools, client messages and booking pages, with an AI receptionist that works in both
Want an AI receptionist on WhatsApp and Instagram, in Arabic and English

No credit card required. Free 14-day trial included.

About this page

This page was last updated on 19 October 2026. Information about other companies comes from their own published materials at the time of writing. Prices and features change, so check each company's website for the latest details. Comparisons and ratings on this page are based on The Daisy's internal evaluation criteria.

If you spot something out of date or inaccurate, email info@trythedaisy.com and we'll correct it.