Comparison · 2026
Embercabin vs Fresha
Salon & spa platform with a large consumer marketplace that can send you new clients. Here’s how the two compare on price, fees and the features that fill a calendar — so you can pick the right fit, not just the loudest brand.
At a glance
| Embercabin | Fresha | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free plan, then from $25/mo (Pro). Annual billing gives two months free. | From ~$14.95–$19.95/mo (as of 2026), plus a 20% (min $6) marketplace fee for each new client it sends you. |
| Free plan | Yes — real free plan with online bookings, email reminders and 2 seats. | No longer fully free — subscription plans plus per-new-client marketplace fees. |
| Online payment fees | Stripe processing + a flat 1% platform fee on online payments. In-person settlement costs nothing. | Card processing ~2.29–3.3% + 20¢ depending on channel; marketplace new-client commission on top. |
| Embeddable booking widget | Yes — one script tag, inline or popup, every plan. | Varies by plan/product. |
| Promo codes | Every plan; per-code revenue reporting on paid plans. | Varies by plan. |
| Customer referral program | Built in (give X%, get Y%, automatic rewards). | Not a core feature. |
| Repeat-visit series booking | Yes — customers book weekly/fortnightly/4-weekly series online. | Varies. |
| Digital gift cards | Included on paid plans (needs online payments). | Varies by plan. |
Competitor pricing and features are public list information as of mid-2026 and can change — always confirm on their site.
Where Fresha shines
- Its consumer marketplace can genuinely deliver new clients in beauty/wellness-dense cities.
- Purpose-built salon workflows (rebooking prompts, retail/POS) refined over years.
- Strong brand recognition among salon customers who already have the app.
Where Embercabin wins
- No 20% new-client commission, ever — a referred or discovered customer costs you at most the discount you chose to offer.
- Your customers are yours: they book on your page or your own website (embedded widget), not inside someone else’s marketplace app.
- A built-in referral program turns your existing clients into the acquisition channel the marketplace would otherwise charge you for.
- Works beyond beauty: pets, trades, property and wellness share one system.
Frequently asked
- Is Embercabin cheaper than Fresha?
- For most businesses, yes once new-client fees are counted: Fresha charges a 20% commission (minimum $6) per marketplace-acquired client on top of its subscription, while Embercabin charges a flat 1% platform fee on online payments and no per-client commissions.
- Does Embercabin have a marketplace like Fresha?
- No. Embercabin grows your own channels instead: an embeddable booking widget for your website, tracked links and QR codes, promo codes, and a give-and-get referral program — so new customers arrive without a per-client commission.
- Can salons use Embercabin?
- Yes. The wellness setup covers salons, spas, massage and beauty businesses with services, staff rosters, deposits, intake forms, gift cards and review collection.
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