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The Fresha alternative without the hidden marketplace fees

Fresha markets itself as free, then recoups cost through card processing fees and marketplace commissions on new clients. NoirHQ is flat monthly, tattoo-specific, and doesn't take a cut of your deposits.

No credit card  ·  Cancel anytime  ·  Full access during trial

To be fair to Fresha: Fresha is attractive for its zero-subscription-fee model and consumer marketplace exposure for new client discovery.",

Where it falls short for tattoo studios: The "free" model is subsidized by processing fees and marketplace commissions — and like other general platforms, it has no tattoo-specific design approval, aftercare, or commission-split tooling.

NoirHQ vs Fresha

Fresha is free marketplace-style booking software for salons and spas. Here's how the two compare on the workflows that matter specifically for running a tattoo studio.

Feature
NoirHQ
Fresha
Built specifically for tattoo studios
Yes
No — general salon/spa marketplace
Subscription cost
Flat monthly, transparent tiers
"Free" plus processing/marketplace fees
Deposit collection fee
Zero platform fee
Processing fees apply
Design approval workflow
Yes, with version history
Not available
30-day aftercare automation
Automated SMS sequence
Not available
Guest artist commission tracking
Automated
Not built for tattoo commission models
Consumer marketplace for new client discovery
Not the focus
Yes, built-in marketplace

NoirHQ vs Fresha, answered

Is Fresha really free?

The subscription is free, but Fresha charges processing fees on card payments and can charge marketplace commissions on clients acquired through their platform. Total cost depends on your volume and pricing model.

Does Fresha support tattoo-specific deposit and design workflows?

No — Fresha is a general salon/spa booking marketplace. It has no native design approval or tattoo aftercare sequence tooling.

Switch from Fresha
in under 30 minutes

Import your client list from Fresha and go live with a tattoo-specific booking flow today.

No credit card  ·  Cancel anytime  ·  Full access during trial