Fresha alternative · Australia
The Freshaalternative you payfor once
01
Why salons are looking for a Fresha alternative
For years the pitch was that Fresha was free. Fresha's Australian pricing page now lists two plans, both monthly: Independent at A$44.95 plus GST for one bookable person, and Team at A$29.95 plus GST for each bookable team member. It is billed on the first day of each calendar month.
On top of the plan, a brand-new client who finds you through Fresha's marketplace costs 20% of their first visit (at least A$8), cards cost 1.29% + A$0.26 in person, and texts after the first 20 a month are charged per message.
For a three-person salon that is $98.85 a month before any of the extras — $1,186 a year. Kairo passes that in 5 months and then stops costing anything.
What Fresha costs your team, against $410 once
- Fresha, 3 people, per month
- $98.85
- Fresha over 2 years
- $2,372
- Months before Fresha has cost more than Kairo
- 5 months
GST included, before card fees, texts and marketplace fees.
Kairo over the same time: $410, once. That is $1,962 that stays in the business.
And it keeps charging after that.
Fresha's published Australian price, read from their pricing page on 20 October 2026, with GST added. Prices change; check your own invoice. Card processing is charged by a payment provider either way and is not included.
02
Fresha and Kairo, side by side
| Fresha | Kairo | |
|---|---|---|
| What you pay | $49.45/month (1 person) or $32.95/month per team member | $410 once, then $0/month |
| A three-person salon, per year | $1,186 | $0 after the first payment |
| New clients from a marketplace | 20% of the first visit, minimum A$8 | No marketplace, no commission |
| Your booking page | Your Fresha profile, beside other salons | Your own link, only you |
| Reminder texts | 20 free a month per member, then charged per text | Through your own ClickSend account, a few cents each |
| Your client list | In Fresha's system | In your own database, export any time |
| Setup | Self-serve | Done with you, clients imported |
| Price rises | Monthly plans can change | Nothing left to raise |
Fresha figures are its published Australian prices from fresha.com/pricing, checked 20 October 2026, shown with GST. Check your own invoice.
Fresha is a trade mark of its owner. Kairo is not affiliated with it.
03
What Fresha does better, honestly
Fresha runs a marketplace where clients search for salons near them. If it fills a lot of your chairs with new faces, that is worth something, and Kairo does not have one — your new clients come from your own Instagram, Google listing and word of mouth, booked through your own link.
Fresha also has gift cards, memberships, payroll-style team tools and a Xero connection. Kairo does not. What Kairo does is the day you actually run: a diary that cannot double-book, a booking page with only real openings, deposits and no-show rules, confirmations and reminders, client records with notes, point of sale, stock, review requests, and the free Kairo app on iPhone.
04
Moving over, without a gap in bookings
Export your client list from Fresha, send it to us, and we set Kairo up with you: your services and prices, your team and hours, your booking link and your clients. When the new link is live, swap it into your Instagram and Google profile, then cancel Fresha before the 1st so it does not bill another month.
The full step-by-step, including where Fresha hides the cancel button, is on how to cancel Fresha without losing your clients.
Leaving Fresha: the questions
01Is there a Fresha alternative with no monthly fee?
Yes. Kairo is paid for once — $410 AUD — and then costs nothing per month, takes no commission and charges no per-booking fee. Fresha is a monthly plan: A$44.95 a month plus GST for one person, or A$29.95 plus GST for each bookable team member (Fresha's published Australian prices, checked 20 October 2026).
02Is Fresha still free?
No. Fresha's pricing page lists only paid plans for Australia — Independent and Team — with a 7-day trial. The new-client marketplace fee of 20% (minimum A$8) and card fees are on top of the plan.
03Can I bring my clients from Fresha to Kairo?
Yes. Fresha lets the owner export the client list as a CSV or Excel file (Clients, then Options, then Export). Kairo imports that file — names, phone numbers, emails and notes — as part of the $410 setup, so nobody's history starts from zero.
04What does Fresha do that Kairo doesn't?
Fresha runs a consumer marketplace that can send you new clients (for a fee on each one), and it has gift cards, memberships and a Xero connection. Kairo has none of those. If the marketplace brings you a lot of new clients, weigh that before switching.
05How do I switch without a gap in bookings?
The setup is done with you: services, team, hours, booking link and your imported clients. Keep Fresha running until your new Kairo booking link is live, then cancel it before the 1st of the month, which is when Fresha bills.
Stop paying every month. $410 once.
Sign up in two minutes, pay once, and we set your Kairo up with you — services, team, booking link and your clients from Fresha. Full refund within 14 days if it isn't for you.