What key features separate Acuity Scheduling and Fresha?
When you’re researching new scheduling software it’s often difficult to know which is best. Which one has the features you really need? Here, we uncover the big differences between Acuity and Fresha and include an alternative – Pabau.
Acuity Scheduling is a robust scheduling tool that can work well as part of a software stack. Working across any kind of business, Acuity sends automatic branded and customized booking confirmations to clients, delivers text reminders, lets clients reschedule, and processes payments or accepts donations.
Fresha is a subscription-free model for the beauty and wellness industry.
However, while it is technically ‘free’, they charge a commission fee on every new client booking that comes through their online booking marketplace, which can quickly become expensive. In their own words, Fresha helps businesses boost sales and attract new clients via online bookings through Google search, Facebook and Instagram.
Pabau is an all-in-one clinic management software specifically designed for medi aesthetic clinics. With clients all over the world, Pabau provides everything clinics need to reduce time spent on admin, improve the patient experience, and attract new customers. Because it’s purpose-built for med spas, it has key features that this client base will find particularly valuable.
Let’s start by breaking down the pricing in Acuity Scheduling, Fresha, and Pabau…
Acuity Scheduling is an affordable option. Their pricing starts at $20 a month up to $61 a month – they also have an Enterprise plan which is for larger scale businesses. They don’t charge any additional fees but one thing to bear in mind is you may need additional software to do everything that you need.
Fresha operates a subscription-free model. While you don’t pay a monthly fee, you will be charged a commission fee of 20% for each new customer that books via Fresha. So, if you have 100 appointments booked through Fresha in a month costing £50 each, they’ll take £1000.
Pabau charges a flat monthly fee – there are no commission fees for new customers. The pricing is based on the number of users and every client will get access to all features.
The only additional costs are entirely optional. We offer one-off training and data transfer services to save you time and help you get up and running as soon as possible.
The other optional fees are SMS charges and our advanced marketing feature.
| Why Choose Pabau Over Acuity Scheduling vs Fresha | Acuity Scheduling | Fresha | Pabau |
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| No commission fees Fresha operates a subscription-free model. While you don’t pay a monthly fee, you will be charged a commission fee of 20% for each new customer that books via Fresha. If you have 100 appointments booked through Fresha costing £50 each, they’ll take £1000. |
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| No online marketplace Fresha places you on their online marketplace, where you’ll be pitched alongside competitors in your area. New Fresha subscribers also get preferable positions. With Pabau, you can fully customize the online booking experience with an online booking widget. |
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| Consent forms with digital signatures While Acuity Scheduling does have consent forms within the system, there is no digital signature function. You’ll have to connect to another system at an extra cost. With Pabau, clients can sign forms within the system at no extra charge. |
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| Patient journey app Want a way of making sure you have all correct documentation on file? Use Pabau’s dedicated patient app to keep you right and ensure you never miss a step again. You can also add digital signatures, something that isn’t possible in Acuity Scheduling. |
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| Robust treatment notes and consultation forms While Acuity Scheduling and Fresha both enable you to add basic client notes to the system, it’s not as robust as in Pabau. With Pabau, there are hundreds of templates you can edit and customize to your own needs. The same goes for consultation forms. |
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| Branded communication When you send any communication from Pabau, your brand will be front and centre. Texts and emails will come from your business. You can also add your own logo and branding. With Fresha this isn’t the case on all pricing plans and it can be confusing for clients. |
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Having Pabau 2 implemented into the clinic is certainly a relief. It just reduces a whole lot of stress in the clinic.
The best software understands you, your business, and your challenges. Pabau has been built to meet the needs of medi aesthetic operators, not hair or beauty salons or the fitness industry.
That’s why it has features that have been created specifically for this sector, such as automated pre-care and aftercare emails, electronic medical records (EMR), before and after photos, injection plotting, customizable forms, and so on. At Pabau, we get you.
Pabau isn’t the cheapest software on the market. But the great thing is you won’t need anything else as, in the words of one of our customers, “Pabau does it all.”
If you choose Acuity Scheduling or Fresha you’ll probably need to budget for additional tools, such as email marketing, online forms, or a CRM.
Acuity Scheduling works perfectly as a scheduling tool. If that’s all you need right now, awesome. If you need more, there may be better options. Pabau is an all-in-one clinic management solution and because we’re so feature-rich, as your business grows, we’ll grow with you.
Getting new clients booking appointments with you should be something to celebrate - it means that your reputation is growing and you’re doing an excellent job, right?
That’s why, with Pabau, you won’t be stung with commission charges for new clients. You also won’t have to read the fine print about what constitutes a new customer. The money you earn through online bookings goes straight to you, every single time.
Booking an appointment online is one of the first touchpoints a client has with your business. But Fresha sends clients to their online marketplace to book, where your clinic is pitched alongside the competition - potentially losing you sales. Meanwhile, your branding is minimised.
In Pabau it’s a completely different experience. You create the end-to-end experience to fit with the look and feel of your brand. The client can book an appointment directly from your website - and there are no hidden fees or costs. Every online booking is money in your pocket.
Clinics need to collect a LOT of documentation before an appointment, right? With Pabau, you don’t have to break a sweat trying to remember everything. You can simply use our app to ensure you have up-to-date health records, signed medical consents, and photos.
Not every provider has this functionality, but we know how needed by med spa practitioners. Not only does it protect the client, it also protects your business.
“After 16 years of using about 20 different client management software systems, this is the only one I can honestly say does it all, and does it all very well.”
Roxanne Merchant,
Head of Operations, Juvea Medical
“Pabau is feature-rich, allowing us functionality to grow as our business needs grow, and at the same time quite intuitive to use. Competing software offerings can’t compete!”
Daniel, Doctor,
G2 review
“I’ve been in business for almost nine years. I’ve tried a lot of different software, but I was always missing some features. This software has everything that saves my time, keeps my records and medical forms in one place, and is easy to use.”
Angelina, Owner
G2 review
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