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Fresha vs Square
October 01, 2025
Square ($601.2M)
Square is a merchant services aggregator and mobile payment company that aims to simplify commerce through technology.
Fresha and Square are both cloud services that may be used for salon automation. They operate as cloud-based SaaS software accessible via browser or mobile devices and are aimed at small businesses. They offer online booking and scheduling functionality, can send reminders to clients (via SMS/IM/email), accept online and offline payments and integrate with social media platforms like Facebook and Instagram for bookings. Both have free versions (with a commission for payments) and also offer their own POS terminals.
But Fresha (founded in 2015) is a UK-based service that combines a SaaS solution for salon management with a marketplace for customer acquisition. The marketplace allows clients to find nearby salons, read reviews and book appointments. The service charges a commission only for payments made by clients that came from the marketplace. In general, Fresha has stronger marketing tools: email campaigns, customer base analytics and loyalty programs. Fresha is also more international - it's available in over 120 countries and is translated into many languages.
Square (2009) is an American service that initially specialized in payment processing, offering POS software for any type of business. Salon management for it is simply an add-on for promotion in vertical niche. Square's strength is its hardware smart cash registers, which work well offline because they have a backup mode in case of network loss. As for business management functionality, its strength is perhaps its versatility and customizability, as it's designed not only for salons but also for any other service, restaurants and retail stores.
But Fresha (founded in 2015) is a UK-based service that combines a SaaS solution for salon management with a marketplace for customer acquisition. The marketplace allows clients to find nearby salons, read reviews and book appointments. The service charges a commission only for payments made by clients that came from the marketplace. In general, Fresha has stronger marketing tools: email campaigns, customer base analytics and loyalty programs. Fresha is also more international - it's available in over 120 countries and is translated into many languages.
Square (2009) is an American service that initially specialized in payment processing, offering POS software for any type of business. Salon management for it is simply an add-on for promotion in vertical niche. Square's strength is its hardware smart cash registers, which work well offline because they have a backup mode in case of network loss. As for business management functionality, its strength is perhaps its versatility and customizability, as it's designed not only for salons but also for any other service, restaurants and retail stores.
