Certxa vs Fresha
No commissions. No surprises. Just software.
Fresha is free to start — but charges a 20% commission on every new client booking. Certxa charges a flat monthly fee and zero commissions, so you keep every dollar you earn.
Free Solo plan · 60-day trial on team plans
Certxa
Certxa charges a flat monthly subscription with zero commissions on any bookings. It covers the full operation: online booking, walk-in waitlist, self check-in kiosk, POS, team payroll, loyalty programs, revenue intelligence, and an AI receptionist.
Fresha
Fresha is a free salon and spa management platform that generates revenue by charging a 20% commission on new client bookings made through its marketplace. It offers booking, POS, and basic reporting tools.
Where it matters most
The features that matter most to nail salons, hair salons, barbershops, spas, and massage studios.
Zero commissions
Certxa
Flat monthly subscription. Zero commissions on any booking — new client or returning. You keep 100% of every transaction.
Fresha
Free software, but charges a 20% commission on every new client booking made through the Fresha marketplace.
Revenue intelligence
Certxa
Automatically detects client drift, identifies dead time slots, scores no-show risk, and sends re-engagement texts — without any manual work.
Fresha
Basic reporting. No proactive revenue recovery, client drift detection, or automated re-engagement.
Built-in team payroll
Certxa
Commission rates per staff member, tips tracked separately, pay periods, earnings statements, and printed paychecks — all built in.
Fresha
Limited payroll features. Commission and payroll management requires additional setup or third-party tools.
AI receptionist
Certxa
Autumn AI answers calls 24/7, books appointments, and handles rescheduling against your real-time availability.
Fresha
No AI receptionist or automated phone answering.
No marketplace dependency
Certxa
Your booking page is yours. Clients book directly with your business — no Certxa marketplace, no competing listings, no commission exposure.
Fresha
Fresha's business model depends on its consumer marketplace. New client bookings through the marketplace trigger the 20% commission.
Predictable costs
Certxa
Flat monthly fee. As your business grows and you take more new clients, your software cost stays the same.
Fresha
Costs scale with new client volume. A busy month means a larger commission bill.
Feature-by-feature comparison
Certxa vs Fresha — side by side.
| Feature | Certxa | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | ||
| Walk-in waitlist management | ||
| Self check-in kiosk | ||
| Turn rotation | ||
| Built-in POS with offline mode | ||
| Team payroll and commissions | ||
| Loyalty programs | ||
| Revenue intelligence | ||
| AI receptionist (24/7 calls) | ||
| Zero commissions on bookings | ||
| Flat monthly pricing | ||
| 60-day free trial |
Frequently asked questions
Fresha's software is free, but it charges a 20% commission on every new client booking made through its marketplace. For a busy salon, those commissions can easily exceed the cost of a flat-rate subscription like Certxa.
Yes. Certxa's onboarding team can help you migrate your client list and service menu. The 60-day free trial lets you run both in parallel before committing.
No. Certxa charges a flat monthly subscription — Solo is free, Professional is $22/mo and Elite is $49/mo. There are zero commissions on any bookings, new client or returning.
Ready to make the switch?
Start free on Solo, or try Professional or Elite free for 60 days.