Nextro vs Fresha
Fresha is a large marketplace platform used by thousands of salons worldwide. Nextro is a focused booking and payment tool built for independent service businesses in the UK. Both take online bookings — but how they make money, what they cost, and what they prioritise are very different.
Nextro
Nextro is a flat-rate booking and payment platform (£29/month). Businesses get their own branded booking page, upfront card payment, automatic scheduling, credit packs, and email reminders — with no commission on bookings and no marketplace listing.
Fresha
Fresha offers a free plan that charges no monthly fee but takes a commission of around 20% on new client bookings made through its marketplace. It is a large-scale platform with its own consumer-facing discovery app, meaning your booking page competes with other businesses on the same platform.
Key differences
Commission on new client bookings
Fresha's free plan charges a percentage fee on every new client who books through the Fresha marketplace — typically around 20%. If a new client books a £60 appointment, Fresha takes £12. Nextro charges no commission on any booking, regardless of how the client found you.
Marketplace vs your own page
Fresha operates a consumer-facing app where clients discover salons. Your business is listed alongside competitors. Nextro gives you a standalone booking page at nextroapp.com/book/yourusername — no marketplace, no competitor listings. The client comes to your page and books directly with you.
Pricing structure
Fresha's free plan sounds free, but the commission model means costs scale with revenue. Nextro is £29/month regardless of booking volume or client count. For an established business with a full diary, the commission model typically costs significantly more than a flat fee.
Upfront payment vs pay at appointment
Nextro takes full payment at the time of booking via Stripe — every booking is a paid booking. Fresha supports multiple payment options including pay at appointment, which does not eliminate the financial risk of no-shows for the business.
Complexity
Fresha is a large platform with inventory management, team scheduling, payroll features, and a full POS system. Nextro is focused on bookings and payment for independent operators. If you are a solo nail tech or a small studio, you may not need or want everything that comes with a larger platform.
Feature comparison
| Feature | Nextro | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | £29/month flat | Free plan available |
| Commission on bookings | None | ~20% on new marketplace clients |
| Your own branded booking page | ||
| Consumer marketplace listing | ||
| Upfront card payment at booking | Optional | |
| Booking credit packs | ||
| Automatic calendar scheduling | ||
| 24-hour appointment reminders | ||
| Group class bookings | ||
| Team / multi-staff scheduling | ||
| POS system | ||
| UK company support |
Nextro may be a better fit if…
Try Nextro free for 3 days
3-day free trial · £29/month flat · No commission · No contract
Common questions
Common questions
Answers about booking, payments, and getting started with Nextro.
Is Nextro cheaper than Fresha?
It depends on your booking volume and client acquisition method. Fresha's free plan charges no monthly fee but takes approximately 20% commission on new client bookings made through its marketplace. For a business with a full diary of established clients (not relying on Fresha for discovery), Nextro's £29/month flat fee will typically cost significantly less than the commission total.
Can I move from Fresha to Nextro without losing my clients?
Yes. Your existing clients are your clients — not Fresha's. You can export or migrate your client list, set up your Nextro booking page, and send the new link to your clients via email, Instagram, or WhatsApp. The transition typically takes a few hours of setup. Nextro does not lock you in; there is no minimum contract.
Does Nextro have a marketplace like Fresha?
No, and that is deliberate. Nextro gives you a standalone booking page (nextroapp.com/book/yourname) that is entirely yours. Your clients book directly with you — there is no competitor listing on the same page, no Fresha-branded experience, and no marketplace commission.
What does Nextro not have that Fresha does?
Fresha is a much larger platform with features built for multi-location salons: team scheduling, payroll integration, inventory management, and a full point-of-sale system. Nextro is focused on bookings and payment for independent and small-team operators. If you need a full salon management suite with staff rotas and till integration, Fresha may be a better fit.
What is the Fresha 20% commission for?
Fresha charges a commission (typically around 20%) on bookings made by new clients who found you through the Fresha marketplace app. This applies per booking, not per client, so if a new client books multiple times, the commission applies each time. Clients you bring to Fresha yourself — for example, via your own Instagram link — are not subject to this commission.