Fresha's software is cheap to start, but it monetises through card processing (2.19% + 20c) and a 20% commission on new clients booked via its marketplace — and it prices in USD, not AUD.
Timely (from $42/staff) and Mindbody (from A$89) scale by staff or location, so costs climb as you grow; Square Appointments has a genuinely free single-staff plan.
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The biggest question isn't price — it's whether your client list lives in your own system or a booking marketplace you don't control.
Deposits and automated SMS reminders are the two highest-impact tools for cutting salon no-shows.
Australian salons still need GST-compliant tax invoices and books — an all-in-one folds bookings, payments and invoicing into one flat AUD fee.
OneBookPlus is the best all-in-one for salons that want flat AUD pricing, their own client data, and GST invoicing built in.
The best salon software in Australia does three things well: fills your calendar with online bookings, cuts no-shows with reminders and deposits, and gets you paid with GST-compliant invoicing — without taking a cut of your business or locking your clients inside someone else's marketplace. For salons and beauty businesses that want all of that in one flat-priced Australian app, is our top pick. If you want a dedicated booking-first tool, , , , and each have a place — but they differ a lot on price, fees, and who owns your client list.
OneBookPlus
Fresha
Timely
Mindbody
Square Appointments
Setmore
Here's the full comparison, with current 2026 pricing, and how to choose for a salon, barber, nail or beauty business.
Published July 2026 with current Australian pricing.
Fresha and Setmore price in USD, not AUD. Timely is priced per staff member; Mindbody per location. Fresha's core software is cheap to start but it monetises through card processing (2.19% + 20c) and a 20% commission on new clients booked through its marketplace — so the true cost depends on your volume. "GST tax invoices" = whether it issues Australian GST-compliant tax invoices natively. Verified against each provider's pricing pages, July 2026.
Pricing: $0 free plan, then a flat $29/mo Starter, $49 Plus and $69 Growth (adds AI and SMS). Flat Australian pricing — not per staff member, and never a per-client commission.
What it does well: the whole salon workflow in one app — a 24/7 booking page, automated SMS/email reminders and deposits to cut no-shows, card payments, GST-compliant tax invoices, and a client CRM and accounting that are yours. Your client list never lives in someone else's marketplace, and BAS-ready reporting means no second accounting subscription.
The catch: it's a true all-in-one, not a beauty-only platform — if your must-haves are a big consumer discovery marketplace or very specialised commission-based staff payroll, check those specifics first.
Best for: salons, barbers, nail and beauty businesses that want flat AUD pricing, their own client data, and bookings-to-books in one place.
vs the field: where Fresha, Timely and Mindbody are booking-first (and Fresha and Mindbody route new clients through their own marketplaces), OneBookPlus keeps the booking, the payment, the tax invoice and the client relationship in one app you control. See OneBookPlus for salons, hair salons, barbers and nail technicians.
Pricing: Fresha's booking software starts low — around US$19.95/month (Individual) or US$14.95 per team member (Team), priced in US dollars. The catch is how Fresha really makes money: card processing at 2.19% + 20c per transaction, and a 20% commission (minimum ~US$6) on any new client who books you through the Fresha marketplace. Clients who find you through your own website, Google or socials don't trigger the marketplace fee.
What it does well: genuinely good booking, calendar, reminders, deposits and no-show protection, and a big consumer marketplace that can send you new clients.
The catch: that marketplace is the point — your new clients can be Fresha's audience as much as yours, and the 20% new-client commission plus processing fees add up for a busy salon. Pricing in USD also means your bill moves with the exchange rate.
Best for: salons happy to trade a commission for marketplace exposure and who don't mind their client list living partly in Fresha's ecosystem.
vs OneBookPlus: OneBookPlus charges a flat Australian monthly fee, never a per-client commission, and your client list is yours. Fresha wins if you want the marketplace; OneBookPlus wins if you want to own the relationship. See OneBookPlus vs Fresha.
Pricing (AUD, per staff/month): Build $42, Elevate $65, Innovate $79. A five-person team on Elevate is around $325/month. SMS and payment fees sit on top.
What it does well: a polished, salon-specific product with strong ANZ support and AEST hours, good reporting and client management.
The catch: per-staff pricing scales quickly as you add chairs, and the headline price doesn't include SMS or payment fees.
Best for: established salons that want a dedicated, ANZ-built booking system and don't mind per-staff pricing.
vs OneBookPlus: Timely is deeper on pure salon booking; OneBookPlus is flat-priced (not per-staff) and adds GST invoicing and accounting in the same app. See OneBookPlus vs Timely.
Pricing (AUD): from about A$89/month for the smallest plan, with tiers commonly around A$129 / A$279 / A$369 per location. Add-ons and transaction fees apply.
What it does well: deep scheduling, memberships, point of sale and a large consumer app — strong for multi-service wellness and fitness studios.
The catch: it's one of the pricier options, priced per location, and — like Fresha — its consumer app is a marketplace. Overkill for a single salon or barber.
Best for: larger beauty-and-wellness businesses with memberships and multiple locations.
vs OneBookPlus: Mindbody suits big multi-location wellness operators; OneBookPlus is far simpler and cheaper for salons and single sites. See OneBookPlus vs Mindbody.
Pricing (AUD):Free for a single staff member at one location, Plus $40/location, Premium $90/location. Square's card processing rates apply to payments.
What it does well: a genuinely free single-operator plan with bookings, reminders, card-on-file and a booking website, plus Square's slick POS and hardware.
The catch: it's payments-and-POS-first — it isn't Australian accounting software, so GST reporting and BAS still live elsewhere. Per-location pricing as you grow.
Best for: solo operators and small salons who want a free, reliable booking-plus-POS setup.
vs OneBookPlus: Square is excellent for free bookings and in-person payments; OneBookPlus adds GST invoicing, BAS-ready accounting and CRM in the same flat-priced app. See OneBookPlus vs Square.
Pricing:Free for up to 4 users and 200 appointments/month; Pro at US$5/user (annual) or US$12/user month-to-month, which adds SMS reminders and removes branding. Prices are in USD.
What it does well: a clean, simple scheduler with a workable free tier — fine for a small team that just needs a booking calendar.
The catch: it's scheduling-only — no GST invoicing or accounting — and it prices in USD.
Best for: small teams who want a straightforward, low-cost booking calendar and nothing more.
vs OneBookPlus: Setmore covers scheduling; OneBookPlus covers scheduling plus payments, GST invoicing and the books, in AUD. See OneBookPlus vs Setmore.
No-shows are the single biggest silent cost in a salon. Two tools fix most of it:
Automated reminders — an SMS and/or email a day before and an hour before the appointment. This alone typically cuts no-shows sharply.
Deposits — take a small deposit at booking for high-value or first-time clients. A client who's paid something almost always turns up, and a deposit policy filters out the least serious bookings.
Whichever software you choose, turn both on. In OneBookPlus they're built in — reminders send automatically and deposits are taken on the booking page.
Yes — and it's the piece booking tools usually skip. Once you're registered for GST, every service needs a compliant tax invoice, and you have to report GST on your BAS. Booking-only tools (Fresha, Timely, Mindbody, Setmore) leave that to a separate accounting subscription like Xero or MYOB. An all-in-one such as OneBookPlus keeps bookings, payments and GST accounting together, so there's no second tool to pay for or reconcile. You can check GST figures with our GST calculator, and if you take card payments, our card surcharge calculator shows what you can pass on under the current rules.
Is Fresha really free?
Fresha's booking software is cheap to start (from about US$19.95/month), but it makes money through card processing (2.19% + 20c) and a 20% commission on new clients booked via its marketplace. For a busy salon, those fees can outweigh a flat subscription — always model your real volume before assuming "free" is cheapest.
What's the best Fresha alternative in Australia?
For a flat Australian price with no per-client commission and full ownership of your client list, OneBookPlus is the strongest all-in-one alternative. Square Appointments is the best genuinely free booking tool, and Timely is a polished ANZ-built option if you're happy with per-staff pricing.
How do I reduce salon no-shows?
Turn on automated SMS/email reminders and take a deposit at booking, especially for new or high-value clients. Together they remove most no-shows. All the major tools support both — OneBookPlus has them built in.
Do I need separate accounting software for my salon?
Booking-only tools don't keep your books, so you'd add Xero or MYOB for GST and BAS. An all-in-one like OneBookPlus includes GST invoicing and BAS-ready accounting, so you don't need a second subscription.
Can I take deposits for appointments?
Yes — Fresha, Timely, Mindbody, Square and OneBookPlus all support deposits or no-show protection. It's one of the most effective ways to cut no-shows.
If you want your calendar full, your no-shows down, and your books done — in one flat-priced Australian app that keeps your client list yours — OneBookPlus is the best all-in-one salon software in Australia, and you can start on the free plan. If you specifically want a booking marketplace, Fresha is worth a look (mind the 20% new-client fee); Square is the best free booking tool; and Timely and Mindbody suit larger, established operators. See OneBookPlus for salons.
