Best Fresha Alternative for Class-Based Businesses

Checked 6 August 2026. Providers change features and pricing, so confirm current details on Fresha's own site before switching.

Where the Appointment Model Starts to Strain

Fresha's core booking model — one client, one staff member, one time slot — works well for the hair and beauty appointments it was originally built around. Group class businesses put different pressure on that model: a single session might need to hold 12, 20 or more separate bookings against one time slot, with a live count of remaining places, a waitlist for when it fills, and a room or resource tied to the class alongside the instructor.

Businesses running Pilates, yoga, group fitness or similar class formats on appointment-first platforms often report needing workarounds — treating a class as a single bookable "resource" with manual capacity tracking, or juggling separate tools for class scheduling and marketplace bookings.

What to Actually Check Before Choosing

• Real capacity limits. Does the platform natively support a maximum number of bookings per session, with the booking page automatically closing once full?
• Native waitlists. When a class fills or someone cancels, does the system notify waiting clients automatically, or does that need a manual process?
• Room and instructor together. Can a class be tied to both a teacher and a specific room or resource, so the two can't clash?
• Commission on group bookings. If the platform charges a percentage of revenue for new clients found through its marketplace, check how that applies to a 20-person class rather than a single appointment — the maths changes quickly at volume.

The Independent Alternative

Slotivo was built to handle capacity-controlled group classes and standard one-to-one appointments from the same system — with real-time places-remaining counts, automatic waitlist notifications, and rooms or resources attached directly to a class. There's no marketplace and no percentage commission on bookings; pricing is free forever for one or two staff, then a flat £10/month for larger teams with unlimited staff included.

See how class booking works on the yoga and Pilates class booking page, compare general pricing on our Slotivo vs Fresha comparison, or get started for free.