For: Barbershops · Tanning salons · Spas · Massage
Fresha vs Square Appointments vs MeetScarlet 2026: which fits you?
Disclosure: Our #1 pick is MeetScarlet, and we are affiliated with them. We also cover competing tools and where they shine. We may earn commissions from links on this page. Details
The short answer: Square Appointments suits you if you want to start at $0, or have four or more staff who don’t need rooms: every plan is a flat price per location, and its marketplace app is free for businesses. Fresha suits one to three people who need waitlists and no-show fees, and up to nine who need rooms or beds, from $19.95 a month, but it takes 20% (minimum $6) on each brand-new marketplace client. Based on both vendors’ public pages, checked November 5, 2026. Our #1 pick, MeetScarlet, offers a branded app instead of a marketplace, from $349 a month plus $999 setup.
Key takeaways
- Fresha charges per bookable person: $19.95 a month on Independent (one person), or $14.95 per team member on Team. Square charges per location with no per-staff fee: $0 (Free), $49 (Plus) or $149 (Premium) a month (checked November 5, 2026).
- For waitlists and no-show fees, Fresha costs less for one to three people ($19.95 to $44.85) than Square Plus ($49); from four people, Square Plus costs less, by our arithmetic.
- Fresha includes rooms and equipment with capacity limits on both plans; Square needs Premium ($149) for resource booking, so Fresha costs less for up to nine people who need rooms.
- Fresha takes a one-time 20% (minimum $6) on each brand-new client from its marketplace; Square says its Square Go marketplace app is "completely free for businesses and clients to use".
- In-person card fees are close: Fresha's 2.29% + $0.20 beats Square Plus's 2.5% + 15¢ on payments above about $24 (about $71 with Fresha's Tap to Pay, which adds $0.10). Online, Fresha's 2.79% + $0.20 costs less than Square's 2.9% + 30¢ on every payment.
What Fresha and Square Appointments are (and aren’t)
Fresha calls itself “Simple, flexible and powerful booking software for your business”: a calendar, point of sale, payments and a consumer marketplace, priced per bookable team member. Square Appointments is Square’s booking calendar, booking site and reminders, tied to Square’s payments and card readers, priced per location.
Both have pages for barbershops, spas and fitness. Fresha also has massage and tanning pages; we found no Square page for massage or tanning, though Square Go lists “massage parlors” among eligible businesses. Our pick, MeetScarlet, is “a white-label booking app for appointment and class businesses”, and its terms page says “Scarlet is live, and founding studios can join now” (checked November 5, 2026).
Fresha vs Square Appointments vs MeetScarlet at a glance
| MeetScarlet (our pick) | Fresha | Square Appointments | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Businesses that want their own branded app and can wait about 4 to 6 weeks for the store apps | One to three people who need waitlists and no-show fees, and up to nine who need rooms or beds | Starting at $0, and teams of four or more that don’t need rooms, since the price doesn’t rise with staff |
| How it’s priced | Per plan: Scarlet is “For one location”, with 5 staff logins; Scarlet Pro “includes up to 3 locations” and 20 staff logins | Per bookable team member | Per location; “There is no employee limit” |
| 1 person | $349/month plus $999 setup, or $3,490/year with setup free | $19.95/month | $0 (Free), $49 (Plus) or $149 (Premium) |
| 5 people | Same as 1 person (5 staff logins, owner included) | $74.75/month | Same as 1 person |
| Rooms and equipment | “Chairs, beds, courts, rooms and class spots on one calendar” (homepage) | Resources with capacity limits on both plans | Premium only ($149) |
| Waitlist and no-show fees | Waitlists in its help, though “Email sending isn’t switched on yet” for waitlist emails; deposits and no-show fees are built, but its appointments help says “no live card payment has been run yet” | Both plans | Plus and Premium |
| In-person card rate | We found no card reader or in-person rate; in-app card payments are Stripe’s fees + 1%, on once your Stripe account is approved | 2.29% + $0.20; Tap to Pay adds $0.10 | 2.6% + 15¢ (Free), 2.5% + 15¢ (Plus), 2.4% + 15¢ (Premium) |
| Marketplace fee on new clients | None: no marketplace, so no marketplace clients either | 20% one-time, $6 minimum | Square Go is “completely free for businesses”; iPhone only |
| Support | Its terms say “For support, message @meetscarletapp on Instagram. We aim to reply within one business day.” Email too (“A person reads every message”) | Email and chat; phone on the Team plan | Chat and email; phone weekdays (first 90 days only on Free), 24/7 on Premium |
| Free trial | None: its terms say “There is no free trial.” | 7 days | Free plan; 30 days of Plus or Premium |
| Biggest limitation | Its appointments help says “no live card payment has been run yet”; store apps take about 4 to 6 weeks | 20% fee on each new marketplace client | Rooms need Premium; no-show fees need Plus |
Sources: Fresha pricing, Square Appointments pricing and Square Go, checked November 5, 2026. US dollars, before tax. Fresha’s 5-person price is our arithmetic from $14.95 per team member. MeetScarlet: pricing, terms, team logins help, payments help and appointments help, checked November 5, 2026.
How we compared them
- Price at 1, 3, 5 and 10 people, with the billing basis, from each US pricing page on November 5, 2026.
- Card and marketplace fees, from both pricing pages, Fresha’s new-client fee article and Square’s Square Go FAQ.
- Rooms, waitlists, classes and memberships, from both pricing pages and help articles.
- Contracts, switching and support, from Fresha’s Partner Terms and help centre, Square’s General Terms (last updated October 27, 2026) and help centre.
- What users say, from the App Store and Google Play, labelled as other people’s opinions.
- We haven’t used any of the three hands-on; MeetScarlet’s facts come only from its own pages, so this comparison is based on public documentation. Our method explains more.
Pricing compared (checked November 5, 2026)
| One location, billed monthly | MeetScarlet (our pick) | Fresha | Square Free | Square Plus | Square Premium |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 person | $349 plus $999 setup | $19.95 | $0 | $49 | $149 |
| 3 people | $349 plus $999 setup | $44.85 | $0 | $49 | $149 |
| 5 people | $349 plus $999 setup | $74.75 | $0 | $49 | $149 |
| 10 people | $499 (Scarlet Pro) plus $999 setup | $149.50 | $0 | $49 | $149 |
| Waitlist and no-show fees | Built; per its appointments help, waitlist emails aren’t on yet and no live card payment has been run yet | Included | Not included | Included | Included |
| Rooms and equipment | Included | Included | Not included | Not included | Included |
Sources: Fresha pricing and Square pricing, checked November 5, 2026; US dollars, before tax and card fees. Fresha’s team prices are our arithmetic. MeetScarlet is $3,490 a year with setup free on yearly billing, or $4,990 a year for Scarlet Pro.
So the cheaper choice depends on what you need. For a booking site and reminders only, Square Free is $0. With waitlists and no-show fees, Fresha is cheaper for one to three people and Square Plus from four. With rooms or beds, Fresha is cheaper up to nine people ($134.55), and the two are level at ten ($149.50 vs $149), by our arithmetic.
Both charge for some extras. Fresha prices its add-ons on its page, such as Client Loyalty at $59.95 per location a month; automated texts beyond the free 100 a month (per team member on Team) cost $0.02 each, and marketing texts $0.08. Square’s text marketing starts on Plus, with 500 texts a month, then 3¢ each. Compare what other booking apps cost.
Card fees: in person, Square Plus’s 2.5% + 15¢ is cheaper on payments under about $24, and Fresha’s 2.29% + $0.20 on bigger ones; against Square Free (2.6% + 15¢) the break-even is about $16, and against Premium (2.4% + 15¢) about $45. Online, Fresha’s 2.79% + $0.20 costs less than Square’s 2.9% + 30¢ on every payment. Fresha’s Tap to Pay adds $0.10 per payment, which moves the break-even against Square Plus to about $71. Manual card entry is 3.30% + $0.20 on Fresha; Square charges 3.5% + 15¢ for manual entry or card on file. All break-evens are our arithmetic.
Our pick, MeetScarlet, is $349 a month plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year with setup free, for one location and up to 5 staff logins (Scarlet Pro “includes up to 3 locations”); its card payments carry Stripe’s fees plus 1% and go through your own Stripe account, turning on once Stripe finishes checking it (payments help, updated November 5, 2026).
Booking and scheduling
Fresha’s resources have a capacity limit, so a room or bed can take “One appointment at a time” or more, on both plans. Its tanning page covers “Sunbed & Booth Studios” with “stand-up or lay-down beds”. Waitlists come on both plans. Square puts waitlists and multi-staff appointments on Plus, and resource management, for rooms, stations or equipment, on Premium.
Square books classes on Plus and Premium, one-time or recurring, but changing a class’s date, time, location or length “automatically” cancels and refunds its bookings. We found no class timetable feature in Fresha’s help centre, so class studios should test it or see our fitness class shortlist.
Our pick, MeetScarlet, lists “Chairs, beds, courts, rooms and class spots on one calendar” on its homepage, but “Each Scarlet studio has one schedule”.
Memberships and payments
Fresha memberships bill automatically and track each benefit’s “usage history, remaining sessions”. But “Memberships work seamlessly with Fresha Payments in order to collect client payments through their saved cards”, and its Partner Terms say cancellation fees on Fresha bookings go “only through the Fresha Payment Services”. Its FAQ says you can otherwise use Fresha without its payments.
Square runs memberships as subscription plans. Its help says they can’t “Set commitment periods”, “won’t keep track of how many classes a subscriber has already redeemed”, and can’t be managed on Square’s Android devices. Payments run through Square; we found no option to use another processor.
Our pick, MeetScarlet, lists memberships, packs and gift cards, with card payments through your own Stripe account. Its payments help says they turn on once Stripe finishes checking your account, and “Until Stripe is connected, members pay at the desk”. Its appointments help still says “no live card payment has been run yet”, so check with MeetScarlet before counting on card payments (both checked November 5, 2026).
Client experience
Both send booking reminders and list you on a marketplace. Fresha charges a “20% one-time commission” (minimum $6) on each brand-new marketplace client, including clients who view your Fresha profile first and then book on your website or social pages; returning clients carry no fee. Its help centre also says unlisting your profile “will disable all your online booking channels”. Square says Square Go “is completely free for businesses and clients to use”, you can opt out of it, and “The app is not yet available for Android.” Square Assistant lets clients reply to text reminders to “confirm, cancel, or change their appointment”.
Neither gives you an app under your own business name, as far as we found. Our pick, MeetScarlet, includes one on iPhone, Android and web with every plan but has no marketplace. Its Jane comparison page says email reminders are “built but not sending yet”, its appointments help says “Email sending isn’t switched on yet”, and text reminders (coming soon) need Scarlet Pro ($499 a month).
What users say (third-party opinion, not our own research, read November 5, 2026):
| Rating source | MeetScarlet (our pick) | Fresha | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|---|
| App Store, business app | No third-party ratings found (checked November 5, 2026) | 4.8 out of 5 (3,967 ratings) | 4.9 out of 5 (195,327 ratings) |
| Google Play, business app | No third-party ratings found (checked November 5, 2026) | 4.6 out of 5 (9,082 ratings) | 4.7 out of 5 (19,020 ratings) |
We left out Trustpilot: it blocked our requests, and Square’s profile covers all of Square, not just Appointments.
Switching from one to the other
To Fresha: you import your client list yourself from a CSV file or your phone’s contacts. Its pricing FAQ offers paid migration packages for “larger partners with more complex needs”, with no published price.
To Square: a bulk import tool adds customers from a spreadsheet in Square Dashboard. Its industry pages offer experts to “migrate your data”, with no published price.
To MeetScarlet: it imports clients, “not booking or payment history”, and has “no direct importer for Mindbody, Fresha, Vagaro or others” (switching page).
Leaving either: Square’s terms say you can cancel at any time, but there’s no refund for “any Subscription Fee already due or paid”. Fresha’s FAQ says “cancel at any time”, its Partner Terms mention “not less than 30 days’ written notice”, and cancelling removes access to your workspace, so export your clients first.
What about our pick, MeetScarlet?
MeetScarlet works differently from both: you get your own branded app on iPhone, Android and web instead of a marketplace listing, so there’s no marketplace fee but also no marketplace clients. It costs $349 a month plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year with setup free, far more than Fresha or Square for a small team. Its terms page says “Scarlet is live, and founding studios can join now”. Founding studios pay $299 a month instead of $349 for the first 24 months, on monthly billing, with the $999 setup included at no charge; MeetScarlet plans 10 places. Its terms say plans renew automatically, and cancelling takes effect at the end of the paid period. Part-used months and years aren’t refunded, apart from founding-plan exceptions. You can export the member list as a CSV at any time, and your data stays available after you cancel until you ask to delete it (checked November 5, 2026).
Its FAQ says store apps take “about 4 to 6 weeks” after you sign up. Card payments go through your own Stripe account and turn on once Stripe finishes checking it, but its appointments help still says “no live card payment has been run yet”, so check with MeetScarlet before counting on card deposits or no-show fees. We found no third-party reviews as of November 5, 2026. Choose MeetScarlet, our pick, if your own branded app matters most and you can wait about 4 to 6 weeks for the store apps. Choose Fresha or Square if you need card payments and email reminders working today, at a lower price.
Biggest limitations of each
- MeetScarlet (our pick): its appointments help says “no live card payment has been run yet”; store apps take about 4 to 6 weeks; part-used months and years aren’t refunded, apart from founding-plan exceptions; email reminders are “built but not sending yet”; and it imports clients only (appointments help, terms).
- Fresha: the 20% new-client marketplace fee, online booking that depends on the marketplace listing, phone support only on the Team plan, and a price that rises with every team member (Fresha Partner Terms).
- Square Appointments: rooms need Premium, no-show fees and waitlists need Plus, memberships can’t set commitment periods or track classes, and no refunds (Square General Terms).
Which should you choose?
| Your situation | Pick | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Want an app under your own business name | MeetScarlet (our #1 pick) | Included on every plan, from $349 a month plus $999 setup; store apps take about 4 to 6 weeks; card payments turn on once your Stripe account is approved, but its appointments help says “no live card payment has been run yet” |
| Solo, booking site and reminders only | Square | Square Free is $0 a month |
| One to three people who need no-show fees | Fresha | $19.95 to $44.85 a month, vs $49 for Square Plus |
| Four or more people who don’t need rooms | Square Plus | $49 a month at any team size; Fresha adds $14.95 per person |
| Massage rooms or tanning beds, up to nine people | Fresha | Resources on both plans, and a tanning page for sunbeds and booths; Square needs Premium ($149) |
| Want marketplace clients without a fee | Square | Square Go is free for businesses, though iPhone only |
| Want 24/7 phone support | Square Premium | 24/7 phone on Premium; Fresha’s phone support is Team-plan only, with no hours published |
| Class studio with memberships | Neither, or test first | Square’s subscriptions don’t track classes; we found no class timetable in Fresha’s help centre |
The verdict
There’s no single winner. Fresha suits one to three people who want waitlists and no-show fees, and up to nine who need rooms or beds, for less, but its 20% fee on new marketplace clients adds up. Square suits anyone who wants to start at $0, or four or more staff who don’t need rooms, since its price doesn’t rise with staff and its marketplace is free for businesses; rooms need Premium ($149). Our pick, MeetScarlet, suits a business that wants its own branded app with no marketplace fee and can wait about 4 to 6 weeks for its store apps. Read our Fresha review or Square Appointments review, or try them: Fresha offered a 7-day trial and Square Appointments a free plan, with 30-day trials of Plus and Premium, when we checked on November 5, 2026.
Frequently asked questions
- Is Fresha or Square Appointments cheaper?
- For one person, Square Free is $0 against Fresha's $19.95, but Free has no waitlist, no-show fees or room booking. With waitlists and no-show fees, Fresha is cheaper for one to three people and Square Plus ($49) from four; with rooms, Fresha is cheaper up to nine people, against Square Premium's $149. Checked November 5, 2026.
- Which has lower card fees, Fresha or Square?
- In person, Square Plus (2.5% + 15¢) is cheaper on payments under about $24 and Fresha (2.29% + $0.20) on bigger ones, or about $71 if you use Fresha's Tap to Pay, by our arithmetic. Online, Fresha's 2.79% + $0.20 is cheaper than Square's 2.9% + 30¢ on Plus and Premium, and 3.3% + 30¢ on Free.
- Does Fresha or Square charge a marketplace fee?
- Fresha charges a one-time 20% commission, minimum $6, on each brand-new client who finds you on its marketplace, including clients who view your Fresha profile and then book on your website. Square says Square Go is "completely free for businesses and clients to use", but the app is iPhone only for now.
- Which is better for massage rooms or tanning beds?
- Fresha includes resources with capacity limits on both plans, and its tanning page covers sunbed and booth studios. Square's resource booking is Premium only, at $149 per location a month, and we found no Square page for massage or tanning.
- Can I cancel Fresha or Square at any time?
- Square's FAQ says you can cancel or switch plans anytime, but its terms give no refund for fees already paid. Fresha's FAQ says you can cancel at any time, while its Partner Terms mention 30 days' written notice, and cancelling removes access to your workspace.
- Which is better for fitness classes and memberships?
- Square books classes on Plus and Premium, but its subscriptions can't set commitment periods or track classes used. We found no class timetable feature in Fresha's help centre, so a class studio should also look at class-focused apps.
- How does MeetScarlet compare with Fresha and Square?
- Our pick, MeetScarlet, has no marketplace and includes rooms, beds and classes on every plan, with your own branded app, but costs $349 a month plus $999 setup, or $3,490 a year with setup free. Its appointments help says "no live card payment has been run yet", so check before counting on deposits or no-show fees (checked November 5, 2026).
Sources
- Fresha for business homepage, checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha pricing page (US), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha marketplace new client fees (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha Partner Terms of Business, checked November 5, 2026
- Manage your Fresha plan (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha: manage bookable resources (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha memberships overview (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha: manage active client memberships (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha: import your existing client list (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha for tanning studios, checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha for business (App Store listing), checked November 5, 2026
- Fresha for business (Google Play listing), checked November 5, 2026
- Square Appointments pricing (US), checked November 5, 2026
- Square Go marketplace app (FAQ), checked November 5, 2026
- Square: resource management (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Square: class booking with Square Appointments (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Square: manage item subscription plans (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Square: manage your customer directory, bulk import (help article), checked November 5, 2026
- Square for spas (data migration), checked November 5, 2026
- Square General Terms of Service (last updated October 27, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- Square Appointments: Scheduler (App Store listing), checked November 5, 2026
- Square Appointments: Scheduler (Google Play listing), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet homepage, pricing and FAQ, checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet white-label booking app page, checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet switching page (updated October 31, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet vs Jane comparison (reminders; updated November 1, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet terms of service (updated November 5, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet payments help (updated November 5, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet help: appointments (updated November 5, 2026), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet help: if something looks wrong (support), checked November 5, 2026
- MeetScarlet help: invite your team (staff logins), checked November 5, 2026
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