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Fresha vs GlossGenius
October 08, 2025
GlossGenius ($70.6M)
GlossGenius is a vertical SaaS platform for small business owners across the salon and studio space.
Fresha and GlossGenius are both online software for beauty and wellness industry (salons, spas, estheticians, nail technicians, etc.). Both offer online booking, calendaring, client management and reminders, payment system integration and marketing tools. Both services offer mobile apps for both salons and clients and operate globally.
But Fresha (founded in 2015) is a UK-based service that bets on a free basic plan and monetizes by means of commissions on payments received through the Fresha marketplace. The marketplace itself is a free marketing channel in which new clients can find salons. The Fresha app is simpler and more user-friendly. The free plan is ideal for solo professionals and small salons, while there are also paid plans (for larger, networked businesses) with advanced features, such as personalized client profiles, waitlists, enhanced reminders.
GlossGenius (2016) is an American service that operates on a subscription model, with a fixed subscription fee plus payment processing commission (no free version). It pays special attention to design: the interface, website and even the hardware (card readers) are designed with branding and visual appeal in mind. It has better team management features, commission reports, payroll, employee time tracking, more advanced analytics and marketing. So it's a better choice for companies that prioritize brand building.
But Fresha (founded in 2015) is a UK-based service that bets on a free basic plan and monetizes by means of commissions on payments received through the Fresha marketplace. The marketplace itself is a free marketing channel in which new clients can find salons. The Fresha app is simpler and more user-friendly. The free plan is ideal for solo professionals and small salons, while there are also paid plans (for larger, networked businesses) with advanced features, such as personalized client profiles, waitlists, enhanced reminders.
GlossGenius (2016) is an American service that operates on a subscription model, with a fixed subscription fee plus payment processing commission (no free version). It pays special attention to design: the interface, website and even the hardware (card readers) are designed with branding and visual appeal in mind. It has better team management features, commission reports, payroll, employee time tracking, more advanced analytics and marketing. So it's a better choice for companies that prioritize brand building.
