Is Fresha really free software?

Fresha's software subscription costs nothing, but you must use Fresha Payments for all transactions. The processing rate in the US is 2.19% + 20¢ per transaction (as of April 2026 per fresha.com). At $20,000/month in revenue, that's approximately $460/mo. At $40,000/month, it's approximately $920/mo. Zatrovo charges $79/mo flat with Stripe at published rates. For studios processing more than $10,000/month, the all-in cost comparison often favors Zatrovo.

What's the processing fee math between Fresha and Zatrovo?

Fresha: 2.19% + 20¢ per transaction (mandatory). Zatrovo: software at $79/mo + Stripe at 2.7% + 5¢ per transaction (or your negotiated Stripe rate). At $20,000/month average transaction of $80: Fresha costs ~$462/mo total (processing only). Zatrovo costs $79 + $540 processing = $619/mo. Fresha wins at that volume. At $40,000/month: Fresha = ~$924/mo; Zatrovo = $79 + $1,085 = $1,164/mo. Fresha is cheaper on processing volume alone — but add membership management, multi-staff, and pack handling and the total-value comparison shifts.

Does Fresha support membership management?

Fresha has basic recurring payment features that function as membership-adjacent billing. What it lacks is true membership access control: you can't restrict which services a membership covers, there's no native freeze or pause functionality, and staff can't see a client's membership status and remaining credits on the booking screen without manual lookup. For studios where memberships are a primary revenue product, Fresha's support is insufficient.

Which platform is better for multi-staff beauty studios?

Zatrovo handles multi-staff better for class-adjacent beauty studios (lash, nail, esthetics) where multiple technicians run parallel appointment books and shared client management matters. Fresha's multi-staff model is functional for purely appointment-based teams but shows friction when you need cross-staff reporting, shared membership tracking, or coordinated client management across technicians.

Who should switch from Fresha to Zatrovo?

Switch when any of these apply: you're launching memberships or class packs as a primary product; you've hired a second technician and need shared client management; you're processing enough volume that the Fresha processing fee exceeds $79/mo (roughly $4,000–$5,000/month in revenue depending on transaction size); or you want month-to-month control without a processing-fee lock-in.

Zatrovo vs Fresha: Which Is Better for Beauty Studios Growing Past Solo?

Disclosure: Zatrovo publishes this blog. We've done our best to represent Fresha accurately. All pricing is sourced from vendor websites as of April 2026 and linked below.

Fresha's software is free. The payment processing isn't — at 2.19% + 20¢ per transaction (mandatory), a studio processing $30,000/month pays roughly $660/mo with no opt-out. Zatrovo's Studio plan is $79/mo flat with Stripe at published rates. For small volumes, Fresha wins. As soon as you add staff, memberships, or meaningful volume, the math shifts. This comparison shows exactly where.

Is Fresha Actually Good?

Yes. For solo appointment-based beauty professionals, Fresha is one of the best available tools.

The booking UX is clean and intuitive. Client management is well-designed. The setup is fast. The software subscription is free, which is a genuine advantage for professionals with low monthly volume. Fresha has earned its large user base.

This comparison isn't about Fresha being bad — it's about where Fresha's design assumptions stop matching the needs of studios that are growing.

How Do the Feature Sets Compare?

Pricing as of April 2026 from fresha.com and zatrovo.com/pricing. Feature comparison directional — verify specifics for your use case.

What Does the Processing Fee Math Actually Look Like?

The crossover math depends on transaction size and volume. Small ticket items (nail services at $45–$55) hit more transactions per dollar of revenue, making Fresha's per-transaction fee more expensive relative to a percentage-only model. High-ticket services (lash full sets at $200+) reduce transaction count, making Fresha's rate more favorable.

For most beauty studios, the all-in cost comparison becomes a wash somewhere around $25,000–$35,000 monthly revenue. Below that, Fresha is cheaper. Above that, Zatrovo's flat rate plus Stripe is comparable or better — and you get materially more platform features.

How Does Membership Management Compare?

Fresha has recurring payment capabilities that function as billing subscriptions. What it doesn't have is true membership access control.

In Zatrovo, a membership is configured with specific rules: which services it covers, how many per month, what the freeze window is, and how pause limits work. When a member books, staff see their membership status and remaining credits without leaving the booking screen. Auto-debit runs on schedule. Clients can pause within configured limits.

In Fresha, a recurring charge fires monthly, but the connection between that charge and service access is manual. Staff have no native way to see "this client has a membership covering X lash fills per month with Y remaining" without checking a separate record.

Who Should Stay on Fresha?

Fresha is the right tool if:

You're a solo beauty professional with no plans to hire
Your services are purely appointment-based — no classes, no packs, no memberships
You're processing under $25,000/month and the processing fee math favors Fresha
Your client intake and booking UX needs are straightforward

For a broader look at Fresha alternatives, see Fresha alternatives and beauty studio software.

Who Should Switch to Zatrovo?

Switch to Zatrovo from Fresha if:

You've hired a second technician and need coordinated multi-staff management
You're launching memberships or class packs as primary revenue products
You want waitlist management for popular appointment slots
You need attendance tracking and no-show follow-up
You want to evaluate your processing cost independently of your software cost

The salon management software guide covers the broader platform landscape for beauty studios at different stages.

How Is Migration Handled?

Fresha exports client contact data and appointment history as CSV. Zatrovo imports client records directly through the onboarding process. Membership and pack history requires manual setup — you rebuild membership tiers and credit the appropriate starting balances for existing members.

The rebuild typically takes two to three days for a small-team beauty studio. Zatrovo provides setup support on all paid plans.

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Sources:

Fresha pricing and payment terms — verified April 2026
Zatrovo pricing — verified April 2026