Fresha vs Vagaro: Compare Features, Pricing & Reviews (2026)

Key Takeaways

Fresha is best for independent salon owners and barbers who want a cheap, simple booking system and marketplace exposure.

Vagaro suits small-to mid-sized salons, spas, and fitness businesses needing more customization, built-in automated marketing tools, and robust inventory management.

Pabau is best for medical spas, aesthetic clinics, and multi-location practices that need advanced HIPAA-compliant electronic medical records (EHR), client management, photo tracking, AI tools, and treatment tracking.

If you’re running a salon business, spa, med spa, or aesthetic clinic, you need to know that the wrong software choice can limit your business growth.

Both Fresha and Vagaro promise to “do it all,” however, they serve very different business needs. 

That’s why, in this guide, we’ll break down Frasha and Vagaro’s features, pricing, ease of use, and more, to see which one is the best fit for your business. 

We also compare Pabau as the high-performance alternative for clinics that need a more medical-focused, fully integrated solution.

Who is Fresha best for?

Fresha is best suited to independent owners and small salons looking for a simple, “set-it-and-forget-it” booking system without the burden of a high monthly subscription.

Because its essential features are included in the lowest-cost plan, Fresha is particularly appealing to businesses just getting started or those that want additional support in attracting new clients.

Who is Vagaro best for?

Vagaro is best for established, multi-staff businesses that offer a mix of services like hair, nails, and fitness classes. 

It is a great solution for owners who need a traditional subscription model with extensive customization, complex payroll, and powerful inventory tracking tools to manage retail sales alongside appointment bookings.

Pabau: An alternative 

If neither Fresha nor Vagaro fully fits your needs, you are probably looking for a solution like Pabau.

Unlike Fresha and Vagaro, which are primarily salon software, Pabau is built for businesses that blend beauty with medical treatments. 

So, if you run a med spa and your day involves tracking Botox units, managing medical history, and ensuring HIPAA compliance, Pabau is the better alternative for you. 

Pabau will help you transition from simple scheduling to a full-scale clinical operation, as it centralizes:

• Client records
• Consent forms
• Before-and-after galleries
• Treatment history 
• AI-powered documentation

This makes it particularly valuable for med spas, cosmetic clinics, and practices that need multi-location management.

Price

The pricing models vary wildly between these three alternatives. 

That’s why you need to decide if you prefer “paying as you grow” through commissions or a stable monthly fee.

Fresha

• Subscription: Starts at $19.95 per month per team member, which includes online booking, a point-of-sale system, appointment reminders, client profiles, and basic reporting and analytics.
  
• Commission: Fresha takes a 20% booking commission on new clients who discover and book your business through its marketplace.
  
• Add-ons: Optional tools such as Google Rating Boost, client loyalty programs, and advanced marketing campaign management features are available for an additional monthly fee.

Vagaro

• Subscription: Pricing starts at £30 per month for the first bookable calendar, including online booking, calendar management, automated reminders, basic reporting and analytics, and integrated payment processing. Each additional calendar costs £10 per month.

• Add-ons: Extra features like a branded mobile app, text marketing, digital forms, check-in app, and others are available at an additional monthly cost.

Pabau

• Subscription: Pricing starts at $69 per month for a single user, with custom pricing available for larger teams and clinics. Unlike many platforms, all Pabau plans include the full feature set, ensuring access to clinical tools, automation, and advanced reporting and analytics without requiring additional fees for add-ons.
  
• Upgrade option: Clinics can opt for the Care Plus add-on to access enhanced patient care features, priority support, and advanced clinical management tools for an additional monthly fee.

Ease of use 

How easy a platform is to learn and use has a big impact on your day‑to‑day operations—especially if you’re not tech‑savvy or onboarding a whole team. 

A clean, intuitive interface saves training time, reduces errors, and helps your staff deliver a better client experience, which makes this a key factor when choosing between software options.

Fresha

• Intuitive interface: Fresha’s clean, modern dashboard is easy to navigate, with simple scheduling, rescheduling, and client lookup.
  
• Quick onboarding: New businesses are able to launch basic features quickly without steep learning curves.
  
• Client‑friendly booking: The online booking process is straightforward for clients as well, reducing no‑show friction.

Vagaro

• Modular layout: Vagaro has a comprehensive interface with many features—appointment scheduling, POS system, inventory features, and more.
  
• Flexible but busy menus: Because of its breadth, the dashboard can feel a bit cluttered, which means the learning curve is steeper for new users.
  
• Setup time: Getting everything configured (services, staff, add‑ons) takes longer, though training and support help flatten the learning curve.

Pabau

• Robust but intuitive: Pabau is often praised for a logical, comprehensive interface that keeps appointment bookings, records, and workflows in one place.
• Strong support: Onboarding and guidance from the team help clinics adopt it quickly, though the depth of features can feel overwhelming at first.
• Well‑organised: Users like how daily tasks—scheduling, patient data, forms—are clearly laid out once familiar with the system. 

Customer support

If you run a business, you know that issues with bookings, payments, or client databases are inevitable from time to time. 

That’s why it’s essential to choose software with responsive customer support that can quickly resolve problems.

Fresha

• Email support: Fresha provides email support for all users, with responses typically coming within a business day.
  
• Live chat: 24/7 live chat is available for immediate assistance across various time zones.
  
• Phone support: Included with Team plan users, giving you direct access to agents when needed.
  
• Knowledge base: A detailed help center with guides and FAQs helps you troubleshoot common issues on your own.

Vagaro

• Multi‑channel support: Vagaro offers support via phone, email, live chat, and an extensive online knowledge base.
  
• Training resources: Tutorials, webinars, and documentation help you learn the platform more quickly.
  
• 24/7 availability: Support is advertised around the clock, though availability can vary by region.

Pabau

• Extensive support options: Pabau offers global support for approximately 21 hours a day through ticketing, live chat, and scheduled video calls.
  
• Comprehensive training resources: A large knowledge base and on-demand training courses help users make the most of the platform.
  
• Personalized onboarding: New users can book one-on-one sessions and consultations to get up to speed quickly.

Integrations

Integrations determine how well your business software connects with other tools you rely on—like payment processors, marketing platforms, and accounting systems. 

Strong integrations will sync data seamlessly across the tools you use, which will help you scale your practice’s operations.

Fresha

• Marketing and social media: Google Search, Google Maps, Google Bookings, Facebook, Instagram, and Twilio for SMS messaging and email marketing.
  
• Payments and accounting: Stripe, QuickBooks, Fresha Payments (integrated).
  
• Data and analytics: Tableau, Power BI, Looker, Domo, Google Data Studio, Snowflake.
  
• Productivity and automation: Zapier (connects to hundreds of apps), Google Calendar, Office 365, Slack.
  
• Other integrations: Custom API for tailored solutions, Sprinto for compliance automation.

Vagaro

• Accounting, finance, and payroll: QuickBooks Online, Xero, Stripe, PayPal, Bill.com, Gusto.
  
• Marketing and social: Mailchimp, Facebook (Book Now), Instagram, Yelp.
  
• Video conferencing: Zoom for virtual appointments.
  
• Automation platforms: Zapier (connects to 2,000+ apps), dedicated API.
  
• Data and reporting: Power BI, Google Sheets, Data Lake.
  
• CRM and workflow: HubSpot, Salesforce, DocuSign via integrations.

• Clinical integrations: E-prescribe

Pabau

• Payments and accounting: Stripe, Pabau Pay, GoCardless, Xero.
  
• Calendars: Google Calendar, Apple Calendar (iCal), Outlook.
  
• Marketing and automation: Mailchimp, Zapier, Google Reviews.
  
• Analytics & Tracking: GA4, GTM, Meta Pixel.
  
• Laboratories and pharmacy: Health Gorilla (access to 125+ US labs, including LabCorp & Quest Diagnostics), The Doctors’ Laboratory (UK labs), CloudRX e-pharmacy for prescribing and medication delivery.
• Specialized tools and clinical integrations: Kickcall AI receptionist, DrapCode for custom patient portals, BNF, SNOMED, and ICD code integrations for accurate clinical documentation and prescribing.

Comprehensive client records 

Having a complete view of your clients’ records is the foundation of great service and safe treatment delivery.

Whether you’re tracking preferences, treatment history, or clinical data, having accurate and easily accessible records improves the client experience, making this feature a key differentiator when choosing software for medical clinics.

Fresha

• Basic client profiles: Fresha stores essential client details such as contact information, appointment history, and visit notes.
  
• Limited record depth: While suitable for spa and salon management, it lacks support for medical history, medical consent forms, or treatment-specific documentation.
  
• Not clinic-ready: There’s no built-in structure for tracking injections, before-and-after images, or treatment plans.

Vagaro

•  More detailed profiles: Vagaro allows businesses to store detailed procedure notes, visit history, and create multi-step treatment plans.
  
• Improved flexibility: Compared to Fresha, it offers better note-taking and client detail management.
  
• Clinical details: Tracking injectables and prescriptions 

Pabau

• Purpose-built clinical records: Pabau centralizes medical history, treatment plans, consent forms, images, and practitioner notes into one structured client record.
  
• Designed for clinics: With support for injections, before-and-after photos, and detailed treatment logs, Pabau is definitely the best software for aesthetic and medical practices.

Clinical compliance and consent 

Software that automates consent collection, stores signed forms securely, and tracks regulatory compliance ensures legal protection for your practice. 

This is a must-have feature for clinics offering medical-grade treatments.

Fresha

• HIPAA and GDPR compliant: Uses healthcare-grade encryption (TLS for transmission and encrypted cloud storage) to protect sensitive client information.
  
• Security measures: Advanced firewalls, automatic backups, and strict access controls ensure only authorized personnel can access data.
  
• Automated consent forms: Linked to specific services and sent automatically via email or SMS when appointments are booked.

Vagaro

• Business Associate Agreement (BAA): Legally commits to protecting patient data.
  
• Encrypted notifications: HIPAA-compliant alerts hide sensitive treatment details in emails and SMS.
  
• Security: Data encryption, role-based access controls for staff, and audit trails to track who accessed PHI and when.
  
• Dual-signature consent: High-liability treatments require signatures from both patient and provider to confirm risk disclosure.

Pabau

• HIPAA & GDPR ready: Dedicated compliance toggle enables session timeouts, mandatory 2FA, and high-level data encryption.
  
• Comprehensive audit logs: Tracks all user activity, showing who accessed or modified patient records and when.
  
• Automatic consent forms: Linked to specific treatments and stored directly in the client record for easy access.

Marketing and client retention

Marketing and client retention features help businesses drive repeat bookings, promote services, and maintain strong client relationships. 

Features like automated reminders, email campaigns, loyalty programs, and personalized promotions are something that in this competitive industry shouldn’t be avoided. 

Fresha

• Blast campaigns: Send targeted email, SMS, or multichannel campaigns to promote offers and updates.
  
• Promotions: Discount codes, flash sales, and last-minute offers that apply online or at checkout.
  
• Smart pricing: Automatically adjust prices based on demand or time to maximize revenue during peak and off-peak periods.
  
• Automated messages: Trigger reminders, rebooking prompts, aftercare emails, and milestone messages.
  
• Loyalty program: Reward repeat business with points, tiered rewards (up to five levels), and referral incentives for both existing and new clients.

Vagaro 

• Email and text blasts: Send one-time email and SMS promotions for events, new services, or daily deals to drive quick bookings.
  
• Automated campaigns: Trigger lifecycle messages based on client behavior, including birthday offers, win-back campaigns for inactive clients, and automated pre-care and post-care instructions or feedback requests. 

• Loyalty program: Reward clients by earning points for services, classes, or retail purchases.
  
• Waitlist Management: Automatically notify clients when their desired appointment slots become available.

Pabau

• Lead management pipeline: Tracks potential clients through a visual sales pipeline, using customizable website forms to capture and nurture leads with automated email sequences.

• Segmented email and SMS campaigns: Uses clinical data (demographics, spending habits, treatment history) to send personalized messages, such as big-ticket offers to high-spenders.

• Marketing plus upgrade: An optional tier offering unlimited email campaigns, premium templates, Echo AI, and more.

How to choose the best practice management software

When choosing a clinic management software for your business, focus on features that simplify your daily operations. 

Look for tools that automate clinical workflows, enhance patient care and relationships, and make managing clients and staff more efficient and stress-free.

Advanced image and treatment tracking

Visual treatment tracking is essential for medical and aesthetic practices. 

Before-and-after photos, face plotting, and side-by-side comparisons help practitioners monitor outcomes and share progress with clients. 

Pabau stands out with its advanced injection plotting and photo gallery feature, allowing you to track the exact products and dosages used on specific treatment areas for each client.

Voice dictation and AI note generation

Recording detailed treatment notes can be time-consuming, especially in high-volume practices. However, with voice dictation or AI-powered note generation, practitioners no longer need to manually write notes after every appointment.

For example, Pabau’s AI Scribe automatically captures key treatment details during the patient visit and saves them directly to the patient record. It also filters out irrelevant conversations, ensuring only clinically relevant information is documented.

Prescription management 

Managing prescriptions accurately is essential for compliance and patient safety. 

Software that tracks medication history, dosages, and refills helps reduce errors and streamlines the prescribing process. 

Pabau provides integrated prescription management, allowing clinics to record, update, and review all medications within the patient’s profile, which eliminates the need for separate systems.

Fresha vs Vagaro vs Pabau: Closing note

Fresha and Vagaro are great software for salon and spa businesses focused on bookings and marketing. 

However, if you run a medical, aesthetic, or multi-practitioner clinic, Pabau stands out with its deep clinical workflows, robust integrated EHR (electronic health record), and patient management features.

Pabau is the best medical spa software as it’s a true all-in-one system that will help you reduce admin time, improve clinical accuracy, and deliver a more professional, compliant patient experience.