The right Treatwell alternative depends on one question: do you still need Treatwell to find you new clients? If you do, Fresha and Booksy charge less for the same job. If your diary is already full of regulars, a flat-fee tool costs less. That group includes SalonIQ, Phorest, Square Appointments, Setmore and Aasure.
We are one of the seven. Aasure appears below, so read this knowing who wrote it. We say plainly where the others beat us, and where Aasure cannot do the job yet. Every price links to the page it came from. Where a platform publishes no price, we say so instead of guessing.
What Treatwell charges a salon, in pounds
Treatwell publishes its commission, which is more than some platforms do. Its partner pricing page states a 35% commission on first bookings from new marketplace clients. It also states 0% on repeat bookings. However, the same page adds that "all commissions and fees are subject to VAT".
So the real rate depends on your VAT position. UK VAT runs at a standard rate of 20%. A salon under the £90,000 registration threshold usually cannot reclaim it. Similarly, a salon on the VAT Flat Rate Scheme cannot reclaim VAT on its purchases. For either salon, 35% becomes 42% of the booking. On a £60 first visit, that is £25.20.
Online prepayment adds another layer. Treatwell charges a 2.5% processing fee, plus VAT, when a client pays in advance. Therefore a prepaid £60 first visit costs you £27.00 in total. That leaves you £33.00, or 55% of the price.
There is also a monthly software fee. Treatwell's pricing page mentions "your monthly fee" but does not publish the figure. Because of that, ask for the fee in writing before you compare any Treatwell alternative against it.
"We only charge commission on a client's first appointment with you – think of it like a finder's fee."
That framing is fair, and it matters for the maths. You pay once per new client, not on every visit. Also, bookings made directly with you carry no commission at all. That includes calls, texts, WhatsApp and Treatwell's own Book Now button on your website.
Why salons look for a Treatwell alternative
Most salons do not leave over the 35% itself. Instead, they leave over the small print around it. Three rules in Treatwell's partner terms catch owners out.
The 365-day rule turns regulars into new clients
The terms define a "New Booking" in detail. A client counts as new if they have had no completed appointment with you in the last 365 days. So a regular who drifts away for a year, then rebooks through the app, costs 35% again.
A missing client record costs you the fee
The same clause catches clients who are not in your Treatwell client list. The terms match on name plus email or phone number. As a result, a long-standing phone regular who finds you on the marketplace can count as new. The fix is simple, though tedious. Add your regulars to the system before they search for you.
Late cancellations by the salon still cost commission
Finally, the terms cover cancellations you make. If you cancel a marketplace visit after midnight before the appointment day, Treatwell can charge commission anyway. In fairness, sick days happen, and Treatwell writes the rule plainly. Still, it is worth knowing before you rely on marketplace bookings.
None of this makes Treatwell a bad deal. It does mean the true cost sits above the headline rate. That gap is usually what sends an owner looking for a Treatwell alternative. So before you move, check which of these three rules has actually cost you.
Seven Treatwell alternatives for salons, compared
Every Treatwell alternative below costs nothing on repeat bookings. The differences are how each one finds you new clients, and what it charges for that. Prices exclude VAT unless stated, and we checked them on 28 September 2026.
Fresha: the closest like-for-like Treatwell alternative
Fresha is also a marketplace, so it replaces what Treatwell does for discovery. Its pricing page shows prices by location, and it served us another country's version. So we rely on an August 2026 breakdown by JENA for pound figures. It reports £14.95 a month for a solo professional, or £9.95 per bookable team member. It also reports a one-off 20% fee, minimum £4, on a new marketplace client.
That new-client fee is lower than Treatwell's 35%. On a £60 first visit, it is £12 before VAT, against Treatwell's £21. Moreover, Fresha's own pricing page states that no fee ever applies to returning clients.
Where Fresha wins: discovery for less. Where it loses: you are still renting a marketplace's audience. Our Fresha vs Treatwell comparison goes deeper on the trade.
Booksy: a Treatwell alternative with commission on a switch
Booksy's UK pricing is £40 a month for one person and £5 for each extra user. Crucially, its marketplace fee is opt-in. Turn on Boost, and Booksy takes a one-off 30% fee, minimum £5, on a new client's first visit. The page adds that VAT applies to all its services.
In practice, that switch is the best design of the three marketplaces. You can run Boost through a quiet January, then turn it off in spring. Booksy also takes card payments, at 1.29% plus 20p plus VAT for mobile payments.
Where Booksy loses: the £40 base price arrives before anyone books. See our Booksy alternative page for the full picture.
SalonIQ: a Treatwell alternative with migration included
SalonIQ publishes £47 a month for a solo stylist. Three bookable staff cost £77, and five cost £97. A setup fee starts from £175 plus VAT. Importantly for anyone leaving Treatwell, that setup covers data migration and unlimited online training.
There is no marketplace, so there is no commission. The page states there are no long-term contracts, with 60 days' notice to cancel. Deposits and card payments appear as upgrade options.
Where SalonIQ wins: someone else moves your data. Where it loses: 60 days' notice is double Treatwell's 30.
Aasure: a flat-fee Treatwell alternative, if payments can wait
Aasure costs £29, £59 or £89 a month, including VAT, for Solo, Growth and Scale. Every plan includes every feature, and the plans differ only in staff seats. Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial, with no card needed. There is no commission on any booking, because there is no marketplace.
You get an online booking page with its own link and a QR code for your counter. You also get a free five-page website. Your client list also builds itself from those bookings.
Where Aasure does not win, plainly. Aasure cannot take card payments or deposits yet, though they are on the way. You can record a cash or other payment by hand, but nothing is charged online. It also sends no SMS. On the plus side, clients can cancel or reschedule online. Your Treatwell list comes across by spreadsheet import, or you can add customers by hand. Still, if you need card payments or texts today, choose another option on this list.
Phorest: a Treatwell alternative for retention-focused teams
Phorest's pricing page names four salon tiers: Starter, Grow, Ultimate and Elite. It publishes no prices, only a quote form. It says its plans suit salons with three or more staff. Even the Starter tier lists online bookings with deposits, plus email and SMS reminders.
Where Phorest wins: clients who drift away after two visits. Its retention tools run deeper than ours. Where it loses: you cannot compare a price without a sales call.
Square Appointments: the free Treatwell alternative
Square Appointments is £0 for a single location. Plus costs £29 a month per location, and Premium £69. Square makes its money on card fees instead, at 1.4% plus 25p for UK cards online.
For a stylist starting out, a free plan with payments built in is the honest answer. However, Square is a payments company with scheduling attached. So it does not bring you new clients the way Treatwell does.
Setmore: the cheapest paid Treatwell alternative for mobile pros
Setmore is free for up to four users. Pro costs $5 per user a month on annual billing. Setmore prices in US dollars, so your sterling cost moves with the exchange rate. Pro adds deposits and SMS reminders.
Where Setmore wins: a mobile beautician who needs a booking link for almost nothing. Where it loses: it is general booking software, not built for salons.
Treatwell alternative pricing, side by side
Here is every Treatwell alternative on one table. We checked each figure on 28 September 2026, and each links to its source above.
| Platform | Solo, per month | New-client commission | Takes card payments | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Treatwell | Not published | 35% + VAT | Yes | 2.5% + VAT on prepayments |
| Fresha | £14.95 | 20%, min £4 | Yes | Pound figures via JENA |
| Booksy | £40 | 30%, min £5, opt-in | Yes | £5 per extra user |
| SalonIQ | £47 | None | Upgrade | Setup from £175 + VAT |
| Aasure | £29 | None | Not yet | 30-day trial, no card |
| Phorest | Quote only | None | Yes | Built for 3+ staff |
| Square Appointments | £0 | None | Yes | Per location, not per staff |
| Setmore | $0, or $5 on Pro | None | Pro plan | Priced in US dollars |
Commission is only half the bill, though. Card fees, SMS bundles and setup charges add up too. Our real bill calculator totals them for a year, using your own numbers. For the wider maths on marketplaces, read our breakdown of booking commission fees.
Consider a salon getting ten new Treatwell clients a month at £60. Before any monthly fee, commission and VAT come to £252 a month. Over a year, that is £3,024. Whether that is expensive depends on how many of those clients return. Our client lifetime value calculator answers exactly that.
When Treatwell is still the right choice
A Treatwell alternative is not always the smart move. Treatwell says half a million customers search it for appointments every day. It also lists more than 150,000 partner salons across Europe. No flat-fee tool can match that reach. So stay if you recognise your salon below.
- You opened recently. Your diary has gaps, and nobody knows your name yet.
- Your quiet hours stay quiet. An empty Tuesday earns nothing, so commission beats silence.
- Your clients return. A £25 fee for a client worth £600 a year is cheap.
- You want SMS without the setup. Treatwell's June 2026 update added SMS rebook reminders, paid for with credits.
Meanwhile, many salons run Treatwell and a Treatwell alternative side by side. Keep the listing for new clients, then move regulars to your own booking link. Because repeat bookings cost 0%, the listing costs nothing on clients you already have.
How to switch to a Treatwell alternative without losing clients
Switching to a Treatwell alternative takes about a month, mostly because of the notice period. Treatwell's partner terms let you end the agreement for any reason with 30 days' notice. After that, access stops.
- Download your data first. The terms let you export data before termination, but they exclude customer reviews. So screenshot your best reviews for your new website.
- Run both systems for the notice month. Block Treatwell slots in the new diary to avoid double bookings.
- Tell regulars in person first. At each visit, hand them your new booking link or QR code.
- Email with care. The ICO's guidance on marketing emails allows a "soft opt-in" only for your own previous customers. Check your consent records before a bulk send.
- Share the link everywhere. Put it on Instagram, Google and the counter. Our guide to sharing your booking page shows where it goes.
For the full three-week plan, read how to switch booking software without losing a client. If you want a single head-to-head instead, see our Treatwell alternative comparison page. It sets Aasure against Treatwell row by row.
Common questions
What is the best Treatwell alternative?
It depends on what you need Treatwell for. If you still need new clients, Fresha charges a lower new-client fee. If you want commission as an on-off switch, try Booksy. If your diary is full of regulars, a flat-fee tool such as SalonIQ, Phorest, Square or Aasure costs less.
How much commission does Treatwell take?
Treatwell publishes 35% on the first booking of a new client it brings you through the marketplace. Treatwell adds VAT, so a salon that cannot reclaim VAT pays 42%. Repeat bookings carry 0% commission. Online prepayments add a 2.5% processing fee plus VAT.
Does Treatwell charge commission on returning clients?
Not on genuine repeat bookings. However, its partner terms treat a client as new again after 365 days without a completed appointment. A client missing from your Treatwell client list also counts as new. So keep that list complete.
How much notice do I need to give to leave Treatwell?
Treatwell's partner terms give you the right to end the agreement for any reason with 30 days' notice. Once it ends, you lose access. So download your data first. The terms exclude customer reviews from what you can take.
Can I keep Treatwell and use another booking system?
Yes. Many salons keep the listing for new clients and send regulars to their own booking link. Treatwell's own Book Now button on your website or social media is also commission-free. The cost is running two calendars, so check your tools can avoid double bookings.
Keep the regulars you already earned.
Aasure gives you your own booking page, client list and a free website on one flat monthly fee. There is no commission on any booking. Every plan starts with a 30-day free trial, and you need no card to start.
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