Fresha vs Kitomba (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, we pick Fresha: it is second in our ranking of salon, spa and studio booking apps, and it grades higher too, 3.0 against 2.0.
Checked Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 24, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Fresha grades higher on value for money, the free plan and ease of use. They get the same grade on features and platforms.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Fresha
Salon and spa booking with a consumer marketplace for new clients
Free trial · from $19.95/mo
Kitomba
Salon and spa software from Australia and New Zealand, quote-based
Paid
Which one is for you
Pick Fresha if
- Fits if you're a solo stylist or barber who wants a booking calendar for $19.95 a month
- Works for salons that want new clients from a booking marketplace and accept a fee on each one
Look elsewhere if
- Pricey if most new clients find you on Fresha's marketplace, since each costs a one-time 20% commission, at least $6
- Watch out: card fees are 2.79% + $0.20 online, 2.29% + $0.20 in person and 5.99% + $0.30 with Klarna, and terminals start at $139
- Tight if you text a lot: reminder texts past the free allowance are $0.02 each and marketing texts $0.08
- Pricey if you want loyalty ($59.95), Google review prompts ($14.95) or fuller reports ($9.95 a member), each a monthly add-on
- Skip it if you need more than a week to decide: the trial is 7 days and there's no free plan
Pick Kitomba if
- Fits if you run a salon in Australia or New Zealand and use Xero
- Works for owners who want marketing and payments from the same vendor
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you want to see a price first, as none is published
- Not for you if you're outside Australia and New Zealand, where only those phone lines are given
- Watch out: REACH.ai and Reputation AI cost extra
- Watch out: the 20% off on software fees applies only to the Plus range with Kitomba Pay
- Tight if you want a free trial, as none is listed
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAFreshaVery good | 2.0GPAKitombaFair | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | BIndependent is $19.95 a month for one bookable person, and Team $14.95 a member, so five people pay $74.75. That's inside the cheaper quarter of this category ($29.99 or less), but each new marketplace client costs a one-time 20% commission, at least $6. | CNo price is published, so it sits in the middle: the page asks a few questions and returns a quote. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free plan, only a 7-day free trial that needs no credit card. A week is short to move a client list and a team across. | FNo free plan and no trial shown on the listing, so nothing here is free. |
| Features | BCalendar and online booking with waitlists, group bookings and resources, deposits and no-show fees, retail stock, memberships, packages, shifts, timesheets, commissions and pay runs. That's the whole booking job, with loyalty and review prompts as add-ons. | BAppointment book, online booking, point of sale, client cards and forms, reminders and reporting. Nothing in the listing shows a gap in the core job. |
| Ease of use | AFresha rates 4.8 on the US App Store from 3,923 ratings, which puts it at A on our ease ladder. | CNo store rating on record, and it's a full salon system to set up. |
| Platforms and integrations | BWeb, iPhone and Android, with booking from Facebook, Instagram and the Fresha app, plus Klarna, Google Analytics and Meta Pixel. No API on record and no desktop app. | BWeb only, with Xero, Mailchimp, REACH.ai and Vish links. No phone or computer apps are named. |
| Best for | low-cost booking for salons, barbers and spas | salons in Australia and New Zealand |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Fresha and Kitomba. How we grade
Where they differ
- Fresha also covers shift scheduling.
- Kitomba also covers reports and sMS marketing.
In commonWebEmail campaignsInventoryAppointment bookingReview collection
At a glance
| Fresha | Kitomba | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Paid |
| Starts at | $19.95 per month for one bookable team member (Independent) | Not published |
| Free plan | None | None |
| Free trial | 7-day free trial, no credit card required | None listed |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Fresha.com SV Ltd | Kitomba |
| Price read from | fresha.com | Not confirmed |
| Checked | Oct 24, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Fresha
- Each new client who finds you through the Fresha marketplace costs a one-time 20% commission, with a minimum of $6.
- Card fees: 2.79% + $0.20 online, 2.29% + $0.20 in person, 3.30% + $0.20 keyed in, and 5.99% + $0.30 with Klarna. Terminals start at $139.
- Texts beyond the free allowance cost $0.02 each, marketing texts $0.08 each, and WhatsApp messages $0.04 to $0.11.
- Loyalty ($59.95), Google review prompts ($14.95) and richer reports ($9.95 a member) are monthly add-ons, mostly per location.
Kitomba
- No prices are published: the page asks a few questions and returns a quote, so this listing carries no plan prices.
- The Plus range with Kitomba Pay is advertised with 20% off software fees; the discount applies only to those plans.
- REACH.ai marketing and Reputation AI features carry separate charges and are offered in New Zealand and Australia.
- The pages mention only Australian and New Zealand phone lines, so availability elsewhere is unclear.
Key features
Fresha
- Calendar and online booking
- Clients book through a direct link, Facebook, Instagram or the Fresha app, with waitlists, group bookings, processing times and resources handled on the calendar.
- Fresha marketplace
- Businesses are listed on Fresha's consumer marketplace. New clients found there cost a one-time 20% commission, at least $6; returning clients carry no fee.
- Point of sale and payments
- Take deposits and no-show fees, sell retail stock, gift cards, packages and memberships, and accept cards online, in person on a Fresha terminal or with Klarna.
- Team pay and scheduling
- Shift schedules, clock-in timesheets, commissions, tips, wages and pay runs, with service prices and durations set per team member.
- Reminders and marketing
- Email reminders are free and unlimited. Reminder texts beyond 100 a month (per member on Team) cost $0.02 each, and marketing emails beyond 50 cost $0.02 each.
- AI Concierge and add-ons
- Paid add-ons include an AI Concierge that answers messages ($29.95 a location) or calls and messages ($99.95), client loyalty, Google review prompts and a website.
Kitomba
- Appointment book and booking
- Appointment book with rooms and equipment, packages, waitlist and repeat appointments, plus a branded online booking site with deposits.
- Point of sale and Kitomba Pay
- Checkout with integrated EFTPOS, online payments, pay-by-link and card on file; funds are paid into the bank the next business day.
- Client cards and forms
- Client cards hold notes, photos and documents, and digital consultation forms can be sent by text or email before a visit.
- Marketing and reminders
- Text and email campaigns, automated Everyday Marketing, two-way reminders and a messaging inbox; REACH.ai tools carry separate charges.
- Reporting and targets
- A business summary, advanced reports, staff targets and a Benchmark view comparing your business with others in the industry.
- Plan tiers
- Lite, Grow, Pro and Enterprise tiers add targets, waitlists, loyalty, staff time tracking, Xero and multi-location views as you move up.
Plans
Fresha
Independent$19.95
per month for 1 bookable team member
One calendar column, 100 free reminder messages and 50 free marketing emails a month, with email and chat support.
Team$14.95
per bookable team member / month
Several calendar columns and locations, commissions, timesheets and pay runs, with message allowances per member and phone support.
EnterpriseCustom
Quoted rates for high-volume businesses with more than 20 team members.
Kitomba
Pricing could not be confirmed. See kitomba.com.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Fresha or Kitomba?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Fresha starts at $19.95 per month for one bookable team member (Independent), and Kitomba has no price we could confirm.
Which has a free plan, Fresha or Kitomba?
As of Nov 13, 2026, neither Fresha nor Kitomba has a free plan. Fresha has a free trial.
Which platforms do Fresha and Kitomba run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Fresha lists iOS and Android apps. Both list a web app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.