Appcitas vs Fresha
A Fresha alternative with no new-client fee and no client account
Fresha is a marketplace with scheduling software. If your clients already find you through Instagram, referrals or your own link, Appcitas lets them book with a name and a phone number, books through your link with AI (on Pro, also from your WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger chats), and sends deposits straight to your own account. Try it for 7 days free.
Live demo: book an appointment the way your customer would.
Why do owners look for a Fresha alternative?
- A client who already knows you books through your own page, and you can still be charged a new-client fee if she looked at your marketplace profile first.
- To book online your client has to create or log in to a Fresha account, and some give up halfway.
- WhatsApp reminders are charged per message once the free allowance runs out.
- Clients DM you on Instagram or WhatsApp, and we found no WhatsApp booking on Fresha’s public pages; its AI answers phone calls and in-app chat.
No marketplace, no new-client fee
Fresha charges a one-time fee on brand-new clients who find you through its marketplace. Its help center says the fee also applies when the client viewed your marketplace profile and then booked through your website or social media, and that the only way to avoid it completely is to unlist, which also turns off its online booking channels.
Appcitas is not a marketplace and does not send you clients, so there is no new-client fee. It books the people who already message you: through your link on any plan and, on Pro, in WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger. The trade-off is plain: if you need strangers to discover you, Fresha’s marketplace is built for that and Appcitas is not.
Clients book without creating an account
Fresha’s help center says clients need to create or log in to a Fresha client account to confirm an appointment online. With Appcitas the client taps your link, picks a service, day and time, and leaves a name and a phone number. No account, no download, and returning clients get their details prefilled.
Deposits to your own Zelle or Cash App, and an AI that books in chat
Fresha frames deposits and no-show protection as features of its optional payments, with processing fees. With Appcitas (Starter and up) the client pays the deposit straight to your Zelle, Cash App, Venmo or payment link, and Appcitas takes no commission on that money. You tap Received or Did not arrive. Checking the payment and any refund is up to you.
The AI books through your link on any plan, and on Pro inside your WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger, all in one calendar. It answers in English or Spanish, whichever the client writes in. Fresha’s AI Concierge is a paid add-on that handles phone calls and chat in its app.
Try it with your own calendar
Free, no card, ready in 5 minutes.7 days free. Nothing to pay today. Ready in 5 minutes.Try it free for 10 bookings or 7 days, whichever comes first. No card needed.
The main differences, including where Fresha is stronger:
| Appcitas | Fresha | |
|---|---|---|
| New clients | Not a marketplace: books people who already message you, no new-client fee | Has a marketplace, with a one-time fee on new clients who arrive through it |
| How the client books | Your link with name and phone, no account; or by chat on Pro | Creates or logs in to a Fresha client account |
| Deposits | Straight to your Zelle, Cash App or Venmo, Starter and up, no Appcitas commission | By card through Fresha payments, with processing fees |
| AI | On Pro, books in WhatsApp, Instagram and Messenger; on any plan, through your link; English or Spanish | Paid AI Concierge for phone calls and in-app chat |
| Text and WhatsApp reminders | WhatsApp, from Starter | Small free allowance, then charged per message |
| To get started | Free, no card7-day free trial, cancel anytime10 bookings or 7 days free, no card | 7-day trial, plan per team member, no per-booking fees |
Based on Fresha’s public information, read in October 2026. Its features and prices can change, so check them on their site.
Frequently asked questions
What is a good Fresha alternative?
If your clients already reach you through Instagram, WhatsApp, referrals or your own link and you do not want a new-client fee, Appcitas. If you want strangers to find you in a marketplace, Fresha has one.
Does Appcitas charge a fee for new clients?
No. Appcitas is not a marketplace and does not send you clients, so that fee does not exist.
Do my clients need an account to book?
No. They book through your link with a name and a phone number.
Can I take deposits without card processing?
Yes, from Starter. The client pays your Zelle, Cash App, Venmo or payment link and Appcitas takes no cut. You confirm it arrived, and checking payments and refunds are on you.
Where is Fresha better?
The marketplace and the reach: it operates in many countries, has a consumer app, and its plan has no per-booking fees. Appcitas is built for the clients you already have.
Do my customers need to download an app?
No. Appcitas runs in the cloud and your customers book on the WhatsApp they already use or through your link. Nothing to download on either side.
How much does Appcitas cost?
You can start free and move to a paid plan when your calendar calls for it. You see the current plans when you create your account, and we do not ask for a card to start. WhatsApp reminders start on Starter, and your own number with the AI answering is on Pro, which you can try free for 7 days.You can try it free for 7 days. To start we ask for a card; nothing is charged until day 7 and you can cancel before then in Settings > Billing. After that the first month is from USD 9.50 (Starter), then USD 19 a month.Try it free for 10 bookings or 7 days, whichever comes first. No card needed. If you continue, Starter is USD 19 a month and Pro is USD 49 a month, and the first month may carry a discount, shown before you pay. If the trial ends without a plan, your account is paused and your data is kept.
Start free. No card.Try it free for 7 days.10 bookings or 7 days free. No card.
Create your account and let Appcitas answer and book for you.
Try it for 7 daysTry it for 7 daysTry it free