Is Sway only for salons?

No. Sway suits saunas, massage, yoga, barbers, nails, personal training, aesthetics, and other appointment-based UK services.

Can I use Sway alongside a marketplace?

Yes. Many businesses keep a marketplace for discovery while pushing repeat bookings to their own Sway page or website embed to avoid repeat commission.

Which booking app has no commission?

Sway charges no marketplace commission. Fresha, Booksy Boost, and Treatwell can charge fees on qualifying new-client marketplace bookings.

Does Fresha still have a free plan?

No. Fresha requires a paid UK subscription since 2025, though a 7-day trial is available on some plans.

How do I compare total cost between booking tools?

Add subscription, per-staff fees, marketplace commission on new clients, and card processing. Our pricing vs competitors guide includes a worked example.

Customers Business

Guides · Comparisons

Booking tool comparison for UK salons and wellness

Compare Sway, Fresha, Booksy, and Treatwell on UK commission, pricing, embeds, and client ownership — an honest overview for salons and wellness studios.

Published 25 May 2026 · Last updated 25 June 2026

How to read this comparison

There is no single “best” booking app for every UK business. A mobile-first barber with one chair has different needs from a multi-site spa or a marketplace-dependent salon.

We built Sway for owners who want flat monthly pricing, no marketplace commission, and a calm calendar, so we are open about trade-offs. Competitor pricing and features change; always confirm on their sites before you switch.

Marketplace vs your own booking page

Treatwell and parts of Fresha and Booksy charge marketplace commission when they send you new clients. Sway is building UK marketplace discovery as more businesses join — but unlike those platforms, we never charge a marketplace cut.

Sway is building UK marketplace discovery as more businesses join — but unlike Fresha, Booksy, or Treatwell, we never charge marketplace commission on those bookings. You also get your own branded booking page and own the client relationship.

How pricing shapes total cost

Sway: free tier available; paid plans from £14.99/mo; platform fee on online card payments only (not on pay-at-venue).
Fresha: mandatory UK subscription from £14.95/mo solo; marketplace fee on some new-client bookings.
Booksy: £40/mo + VAT plus optional Boost commission (30% on first visit, min £5).
Treatwell: 35% on first booking from new marketplace clients; 0% on repeats.

Features that matter in practice

Check whether each tool supports group sessions, staff calendars, deposits, website embed, and calendar sync (Google, Apple, Outlook). If you rely on walk-ins and phone bookings only, a lighter tool may suffice; if you sell classes or multi-staff days, capacity and per-staff schedules matter.

Sway includes group sessions on all plans, embeddable booking from Individual, and calendar subscription feeds from Individual, with Team adding per-staff calendar links.

Side-by-side summary

The table below summarises how Sway compares to three widely used options in the UK. For Square, Timely, and Phorest, see our dedicated comparison guides.

Sway pricing at a glance

No marketplace commission on new bookings.

Free £0/mo · Individual £14.99/mo · Team £19.99/mo (2 staff) · extra staff £7.99/seat/mo

Platform fee on online card payments only — from 0.35% on Team to 2.4% on Free. No fee on pay-at-venue bookings.

Feature	Sway	Fresha	Booksy	Treatwell
Solo — monthly software	£0/mo Free · £14.99/mo Individual	£14.95/mo min · 7-day trial only	£40/mo + VAT (all features)	Plan fee + marketplace commission
Team of 2 — monthly software	£19.99/mo · 2 staff included	~£19.90/mo (£9.95 × 2 staff)	£50/mo + VAT (2 staff)	Limited team tools
Team of 5 — monthly software	£43.96/mo · 2 staff + 3 add-on seats	~£49.75/mo (£9.95 × 5 staff)	£60/mo + VAT (5 staff)	Limited team tools
Marketplace commission on new bookings	None — including Sway marketplace	Up to 20% on new marketplace clients (min £4)	Optional Boost: 30% on first visit (min £5 + VAT)	35% on first booking from new marketplace clients (+ VAT)
Online payment platform fee	0.35%–2.4% on card payments · £0 on pay-at-venue (+ Stripe)	Card processing fees apply	Processing + subscription fees	Processing + booking fees
Free forever plan (not a trial)
Deposits & card payments on free plan
Your own branded booking URL				Marketplace listing only
Customers browse without an account	Sign in only at checkout	Account often required	Varies	Required
In-app customer messaging	Included	SMS / WhatsApp add-ons	Varies	Limited
Website embed on your site	£14.99/mo (Individual+)	Direct links · limited embed	Varies
Gift vouchers	Individual+			Varies
Prepaid passes	Individual+	Packages / memberships	Varies
Promo discount codes	Individual+	Limited	Varies	Varies
Loyalty rewards	Individual+	Limited	Varies
Team roles, staff calendars & analytics	Included on Team (£19.99/mo)	Per-seat subscription + add-ons	Higher tiers	Limited
Calendar sync (Google, Apple, Outlook)	Individual+ · per-staff on Team			Varies

Sway pricing and platform fees reflect current UK plans. Team includes 2 staff; additional seats are billed as add-ons. Competitor pricing verified June 2026 — confirm on each provider's site (Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell). VAT applies to competitor subscriptions where noted.

Frequently asked questions

It depends on how you get clients. Marketplace tools suit discovery but charge commission. Sway offers marketplace discovery as the platform grows, with your own branded page and no marketplace commission.

Migration help

We'll help you switch

On Fresha, Booksy, Treatwell, Phorest, Square, Timely, or something else? Tell us what you use and we'll help you move your services, staff, and bookings.

Free, no obligation. We'll email you to plan the move.