Prices at a glance
Each figure comes from the company’s own pricing page. Fresha shows its prices excluding VAT; the others do not say.
Timely’s current plans are priced by bookings, but salons on its older plans can still pay per staff member. One six-person UK salon on an older Timely plan, priced per staff member, was paying £216 a month. TSF Booking’s Team plan covers up to eight bookable staff for £149 a month.
| System | Entry price | How it is priced | New client commission |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | £14.95 a month | Per bookable team member: £9.95 each on the Team plan | 20% of a marketplace new client’s first appointment, at least £4 |
| Timely | From £4 a week | By the bookings you take each week, with unlimited team members | None: “No new client fees” |
| Square Appointments | £0 for one location | Per location: Plus £29 and Premium £69 a month, unlimited staff | Not stated on its pricing page |
| SimplyBook.me | $0, up to 50 bookings a month | By bookings: $13.90 to $59.90 a month billed monthly, priced in US dollars | Not stated on its pricing page |
| TSF Booking | £79 a month, no VAT charged | Per plan: Solo, Team £149 (up to 8 bookable staff), Multi-site £299 | None |
Where TSF Booking fits
Our entry price is higher than the others. This is what it buys, so you can judge whether it fits.
- No commission on any client, at any volume
- Deposits paid straight into your own Stripe account
- Every feature on every plan, with plans differing only by team size, locations and monthly bookings
- An API and MCP server for an AI receptionist on every plan
- Imports that keep the gift voucher codes your clients already hold
Where another system may suit you better
- You work alone with a small diary and want the lowest price: Square Appointments and SimplyBook.me both have free plans
- Most of your new clients find you on Fresha’s marketplace and you want to stay listed there
- Your weeks vary a lot and you want the bill to follow them: Timely’s price adjusts with your bookings
AI and integrations
If you want an AI receptionist, or want your booking system to talk to your other tools, this is where the systems differ most. TSF Booking was built so AI agents and other software use the same diary as your front desk.
| System | Public API | AI assistant connection (MCP) | Webhooks | AI receptionist |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fresha | No public documentation. Data Connector is a one-way export at £190 per location a month | None listed | None listed | AI Concierge, an extra monthly charge |
| Timely | No public documentation. An API key for Zapier on the Thrive plan | None listed | None listed | None listed; its AI writes text messages |
| Square Appointments | Bookings API. Managing every booking needs Plus or Premium | MCP server in beta | Yes | None advertised on its UK site |
| SimplyBook.me | JSON-RPC and REST API, added as a custom feature | MCP connector, added as a custom feature | Yes | AI booking assistant on web, WhatsApp and Messenger, paid in credits |
| TSF Booking | REST API on every plan, documented in OpenAPI | MCP server on every plan, more than 300 tools | Signed webhooks on every plan | Any voice or chat AI agent books through the MCP server or API |
Card fees
Every system charges for card payments. Online, Fresha charges 1.40% plus 25p, Timely 1.85% plus 30p, and Square 1.4% plus 25p for UK cards. With TSF Booking you pay Stripe’s standard fees to Stripe, through your own account.
Questions
Which Fresha alternative is cheapest?
On entry price, Square Appointments and SimplyBook.me both have free plans. Compare the plan you would actually need for your team and monthly bookings, then add card fees.
Does TSF Booking have a marketplace?
No. Clients book on your own booking page, so every client is yours and no new client fee applies.
Can I bring my Fresha clients across?
Yes. Export your client list from Fresha as a CSV file and import it. Saved card details cannot move.
Sources
- Fresha pricing
- Fresha help centre: Data Connector overview
- Fresha: AI Concierge
- Timely pricing
- Timely help centre: connecting Zapier
- Timely: information for AI assistants
- Square Appointments pricing (UK)
- Square developer documentation: Bookings API and MCP server
- SimplyBook.me pricing
- SimplyBook.me developer API
- SimplyBook.me: connect an AI assistant