Salon marketplace fees, decoded
Marketplaces like Fresha and Booksy can fill chairs — and they charge for every new client they send you. The fee pages are public; the maths rarely is. Here it is, from each provider's own pricing page, checked 12 October 2026.
Fresha: 20% of the first visit
- 20% one-time commission (minimum $6) on each brand-new client who discovers you through the Fresha marketplace.
- Returning clients: free, forever. Bookings from your own link, Google, Instagram or walk-ins carry no marketplace fee.
- Subscription is charged per team member, and card payments run ~2.79% + $0.20 online.
Booksy: $29.99/mo, plus Boost at 30%
- $29.99/month + $20 per extra staff member. All features included, unlimited bookings, reminders included.
- Boost: a one-time 30% cut of a new client's first visit when they book you through the Booksy marketplace with Boost on. Clients you bring yourself — including through your own Booksy link — are commission-free.
The maths for a typical month
Say the marketplace sends you 10 new clients at a £40 average visit (£400 of new revenue):
· Fresha's cut: £80 (20%) — one time, then those clients are yours free.
· Booksy Boost's cut: £120 (30% of each first visit).
· Your own booking link on either platform: £0 in marketplace fees.
Over a year at that pace, marketplace fees run £960–£1,440 — before subscriptions and card processing. That is the customer-acquisition cost to weigh against the discovery the marketplace brings.
The honest framing
If a marketplace genuinely brings you clients you'd never meet, the fee is advertising spend — judge it like advertising. But repeat bookings should never carry a toll: push every first-timer to rebook through your link, where no marketplace takes a cut on any platform. SeatBound goes one step further — 0% commission on everything, with flat plans (Free, Solo £19, Team £49, Business £129) instead of per-client fees.
Quick answers
Does Fresha charge for my existing clients?
No. The 20% fee applies only to brand-new clients from the Fresha marketplace (minimum $6). Returning clients and own-link bookings are free.
Does Booksy take commission on all bookings?
No. Only Boost marketplace first-visits at 30%. Clients from your own marketing or your Booksy link are commission-free.
Which is cheaper for 10 new clients a month at £40?
Fresha: ~£80/mo in marketplace fees. Booksy Boost: ~£120/mo. Plus each platform's subscription and card fees. Verify current rates on fresha.com/pricing and biz.booksy.com/pricing before deciding.
Keep 100% of every booking — your link, your clients, flat monthly price.
Start 14-day free trial →