"Free clinic software" sounds perfect when you're starting out. No monthly fees, low risk, easy to try. But here's what nobody tells you: that "free" software could be costing you £1,800-6,000 per year in hidden fees—more than triple what you'd pay for honest, flat-rate pricing.
I've spent months analysing the pricing models of every major aesthetic clinic software in the UK. What I found shocked me. The "free" platforms aren't free at all—they're taking a slice of your success through transaction fees, prescription commissions, and premium feature charges that add up fast.
The Hidden Fee Reality Check
True monthly cost of "free" FacesConsent
True monthly cost of "free" Fresha
Flat monthly cost with transparent pricing
This isn't speculation—these numbers come from real practitioner experiences, published fee structures, and honest calculations. Let's break down exactly where your money goes with "free" software.
How "Free" Software Actually Makes Money
Free software companies aren't charities. They have staff, servers, and shareholders to pay. If you're not paying a subscription, you ARE the product—or more accurately, your revenue is their revenue stream.
The Three Ways "Free" Costs You Money
Every deposit, every payment, every transaction—they take a cut.
- • Deposit fees: 1.5-1.8% (plus Stripe's 2.9% + 20p)
- • Payment processing: 2-3% per transaction
- • "New client" commission: Up to 20-35%
Prescriptions, product orders, marketing features—all take a percentage.
- • Prescription fees: 10% per prescription
- • Product marketplace: Commission on orders
- • Stock purchases: Marked-up pricing
The free version gets you hooked, then essential features cost extra.
- • Marketing automation: £125+/month add-on
- • Advanced analytics: Premium tier only
- • Per-seat charges: £10/month per team member
FacesConsent: The True Cost Breakdown
FacesConsent is popular for good reason—it's genuinely useful software with solid consent forms and a prescriber network. But "free" is misleading. Here's what you'll actually pay.
FacesConsent Fee Structure
| Fee Type | Rate | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| Deposit fee | 1.8% | On every deposit you take |
| Stripe fees (on top) | 2.9% + 20p | Standard payment processing |
| Prescription commission | 10% | Every prescription you send |
| Marketing features | £125+/mo | Email campaigns, automation |
| Product orders | Variable | Commission on pharmacy orders |
Real Cost Calculation: Solo Practitioner
Let's calculate what a typical solo aesthetics practitioner actually pays using FacesConsent with £5,000/month revenue.
Monthly Cost at £5,000 Revenue
*Without marketing features: £134.50/month. Still 3.5× more than flat-rate alternatives.
Real User Experience
"Adding treatments together on to one client and it doesn't add the price up correctly, it will automatically take a chunk off for no reason." — FacesConsent Trustpilot Review
Fresha: The Commission Trap
Fresha's marketplace model is clever—they bring you new clients, so paying commission seems fair. But dig deeper, and you'll find a pricing structure designed to extract maximum value from your growth.
Fresha Fee Structure (2025/2026)
| Fee Type | Rate | What It Means |
|---|---|---|
| New client commission | 20% | First booking from marketplace |
| Payment processing | 2.19% + 20p | Every card transaction |
| SMS notifications | 5-8p each | Reminders, confirmations |
| Team member fee | £10/month each | New as of 2025 |
| Blast campaigns | Pay-per-message | Marketing outreach |
2025 Pricing Change Alert
"Fresha was previously known for offering its core booking system at no cost, but as of 2025, it is no longer free. The platform has introduced a $9.95 monthly fee per team member." — Industry Analysis, 2025
Real Cost Calculation: Small Clinic
Here's what a small clinic with 2 practitioners and £10,000/month revenue actually pays Fresha.
Monthly Cost at £10,000 Revenue (2 Staff)
*The 20% commission on new clients is the killer. A single £300 treatment costs you £60 in commission—more than a month of flat-rate software.
The Attribution Problem
"Fees are charged misleadingly, especially with the New Customer Introduction Fee. This fee is charged even if customers were introduced to the salon by the salon's Google, Facebook, Instagram, as well as word-of-mouth who have already been regular customers." — Fresha User Review
The Complete Cost Comparison
Let's put all the numbers side by side. At different revenue levels, here's what you'll actually pay for "free" versus flat-rate software.
Annual Software Cost by Revenue Level
| Monthly Revenue | FacesConsent | Fresha | Pabau | Flat Rate |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| £3,000/mo | £1,440/yr | £2,880/yr | £708/yr | £468/yr |
| £5,000/mo | £1,800/yr | £4,200/yr | £960/yr | £468/yr |
| £10,000/mo | £3,120/yr | £8,532/yr | £1,440/yr | £468/yr |
| £15,000/mo | £4,440/yr | £12,000/yr | £1,920/yr | £468/yr |
*FacesConsent includes deposit fees + prescription fees (without marketing add-on). Fresha includes marketplace commission + payment processing + team fees. Flat rate assumes £39/month all-inclusive.
Your Savings Over 3 Years
The Growth Penalty: Why "Free" Gets More Expensive
Here's the most insidious part of percentage-based pricing: the more successful you become, the more you pay. Your software costs scale with your revenue, creating what I call the "growth penalty."
How "Free" Software Punishes Success
Scenario: You double your revenue
Percentage-based software:
Costs double too
Flat-rate software:
Still £39/month
With Fresha, growing from £5k to £15k monthly revenue triples your software costs from ~£350/month to ~£1,000/month. With flat-rate pricing, your cost stays £39 whether you're doing £5k or £50k.
Think About It This Way
If your accountant charged you 2% of revenue instead of a fixed fee, would you keep them as you grew from £50k to £500k annual revenue? The same logic applies to your clinic software.
The Data Lock-In Trap
Hidden fees aren't the only cost. Some "free" platforms make it deliberately difficult to leave—because your data is their leverage.
Data Export Limitations
Fresha Data Warning
"One of the major concerns with Fresha is data ownership. When you upload your client information to the marketplace, the platform retains control over that data. This means you may not have full access to export or migrate your client list if you decide to leave."
What To Look For
Ethical software lets you export ALL your data, anytime, in standard formats (CSV, JSON). Your client list, treatment history, photos, consent forms—everything. No lock-in, no penalties, no "proprietary format" excuses.
What Honest Pricing Actually Looks Like
After analysing every major competitor, here's what ethical clinic software pricing should include—and exclude.
Should Be Included
- Unlimited client records
- Unlimited appointments
- All core features (booking, CRM, consent)
- Unlimited team members
- Full data export
- Email & phone support
Hidden Fees To Avoid
- Per-transaction fees
- Commission on new clients
- Per-seat/team member charges
- Premium feature upsells
- Prescription/service commissions
- Data export fees
The Simple Rule
If you can't predict your exact software cost for the next 12 months, the pricing isn't transparent.
With £39/month flat pricing, you know you'll pay exactly £468 this year—whether your revenue is £3k or £30k monthly. That's honest pricing.
Before You Choose: Questions to Ask
When evaluating any clinic software—including ours—ask these questions to understand the true cost.
Due Diligence Checklist
What are ALL the fees?
Transaction fees, commission, per-seat charges, SMS costs, premium features
Can I export all my data?
Client records, treatment history, photos, consent forms—in standard formats
What happens when I grow?
Do costs scale with revenue? Per-user fees? Transaction volume limits?
What's locked behind premium tiers?
Marketing features, analytics, team access, integrations
What do existing users ACTUALLY pay?
Check reviews for complaints about hidden fees or unexpected charges
Ready for Honest Pricing?
£39/month. All features included. Unlimited team members. No transaction fees. No commission. No surprises. Your success shouldn't cost you more.
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