Glow vs Fresha: what a lash, brow or nail tech actually pays
Fresha built its name on being free. It isn't anymore. Here's an honest comparison for UK techs deciding between the two in 2026.
The pricing, side by side
| Glow | Fresha | |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly price | £19 flat, everything included | £14.95 solo, £9.95 per team member, plus VAT |
| New client commission | £0, ever | 20% of the first booking from any client who finds you through the Fresha marketplace, minimum £6, mandatory |
| Staff | Unlimited, no extra cost | Priced per team member |
| Where your money goes | Straight to your own Stripe account | Processed through Fresha, roughly 2.79% plus 20p online |
| SMS reminders | Included | Limited free allowance, then usage charges |
The real difference
Fresha is a marketplace with software attached. Its business model needs your new clients to come through its marketplace so it can take 20% of their first visit. Your booking page carries Fresha branding and sits alongside "salons near you" suggestions, including your competitors.
Glow is your software. Your booking page is yours, your clients are yours, your money lands in your own bank via your own Stripe account, and we take nothing from any booking, first visit or five hundredth.
Where Fresha is genuinely stronger
Honesty matters, so: Fresha's marketplace can bring you brand-new clients you'd never have found, and if discovery is your biggest problem, that 20% might be worth paying. Glow doesn't run a marketplace. We think your Instagram, your Google profile and your referrals are your marketplace, and we build the tools to convert them.
For lash, brow and nail techs specifically
Glow has patch test logic, infill windows, consent forms and aftercare messaging built in, because it was built by a working lash tech. Fresha serves every kind of salon, which means it deeply serves none.
We'll import your clients and bookings for you. 14-day free trial
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