Fresha is a strong global platform. Glown is built for one country. Here is an honest look at how the two differ on pricing, payments and the way Nigerian clients actually book.
It depends on where you operate.
Fresha is a well-established global booking platform used across many countries. Glown is built only for Nigeria, so it prices in Naira, takes local cards and transfers, gives you a booking link designed to be pasted into WhatsApp, and charges a single 2% per booking capped at ₦2,000, with no subscription and no higher rate for new clients. For a Nigerian salon whose clients book through chat, Glown is built for that specific situation; a business operating across several countries may be better served by a global platform.
Both are capable products. The differences that matter in Nigeria are the pricing model, the payment rails and the booking channel.
| Feature | Glown | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Monthly subscription | None | None for the core product |
| What you actually pay | 2% per booking, capped at ₦2,000 | Commission on new clients from its marketplace, plus card processing fees |
| Focus | Nigeria only, built around how Nigerian businesses get booked | A global platform serving many markets at once |
| Naira, local cards and transfers | Yes | Payment support varies by country. Check availability for Nigeria |
| WhatsApp-first booking link | Yes, designed to be pasted into a chat | Shareable booking link |
| Deposits and no-show policies | Included | Available |
| Staff commission and payroll | Included, with payslips | Available |
| Support hours | Nigerian business hours, in-country | Global support |
Monthly subscription
Glown
None
Fresha
None for the core product
What you actually pay
Glown
2% per booking, capped at ₦2,000
Fresha
Commission on new clients from its marketplace, plus card processing fees
Focus
Glown
Nigeria only, built around how Nigerian businesses get booked
Fresha
A global platform serving many markets at once
Naira, local cards and transfers
Glown
Yes
Fresha
Payment support varies by country. Check availability for Nigeria
WhatsApp-first booking link
Glown
Yes, designed to be pasted into a chat
Fresha
Shareable booking link
Deposits and no-show policies
Glown
Included
Fresha
Available
Staff commission and payroll
Glown
Included, with payslips
Fresha
Available
Support hours
Glown
Nigerian business hours, in-country
Fresha
Global support
Fresha details are drawn from Fresha's own published information and are summarised here in good faith; terms and market availability change, so check their current pricing before deciding. Last checked September 2026.
Not a feature-count contest. These are the places where being Nigeria-only changes the answer.
Where the difference is
Fresha is a serious international product built to work in dozens of markets. Glown does one market. That shows up in the payment methods, the currency, the support hours and the fact that the booking link is built to be pasted into WhatsApp.
Pricing model
Glown charges 2% when a client pays for a booking, capped at ₦2,000. It does not matter whether that client found you on Glown or you sent them the link yourself. The rate is the same, so your cost is predictable.
Payments
Your clients pay the way they already pay for everything else in Nigeria, and the money settles in Naira. No currency conversion in the middle of a haircut.
In Nigeria, bookings start in a chat. Glown is designed around that: one link, pasted into WhatsApp or an Instagram bio, that shows real prices and real free slots and takes the deposit.
Team & money
Set a rate per staff member or per service, let it total itself as work completes, and run payroll and payslips from the same dashboard as the bookings.
Switching
Setting Glown up takes minutes and costs nothing, so you can run it alongside what you have and move fully across only once you are satisfied.
Glown costs nothing to set up, so there is no reason to commit before you have seen it work.
01. Create a free Glown account
No card, no commitment, and nothing to cancel if you decide against it.
02. Add your services and staff
Copy across your service menu, prices and team. Most businesses are done in under ten minutes.
03. Share your Glown link
Put it in your WhatsApp and Instagram bio, and move clients over at your own pace.
The questions owners ask when they are weighing the two.
It depends on where you operate. Fresha is a strong global platform used in many countries. Glown is built only for Nigeria, which means Naira pricing, local cards and transfers, a booking link designed for WhatsApp, and in-country support. If your clients are Nigerian and book you through chat, Glown is built for that; if you operate across several countries, a global platform may suit you better.
Glown charges a flat 2% when a client pays for a booking, capped at ₦2,000, with no subscription and no setup fee. Fresha publishes a subscription-free model that charges a commission on new clients booked through its marketplace, plus card processing fees. Because the two models are structured differently, the right comparison is your own monthly numbers. Competitor terms change; this page was last checked in September 2026.
Glown charges the same 2%, capped at ₦2,000, on any booking paid through the platform, whether the client came from your own WhatsApp link or found you on Glown. There is no separate, higher rate for new clients.
Yes, while you decide. Glown costs nothing to set up, so plenty of businesses run it in parallel for a few weeks and only move fully once their regulars are booking through it.
Glown covers online booking, deposits and no-show protection, automated SMS and email reminders, client records, staff commission and payroll, inventory and multi-branch management. If there is a specific workflow you depend on, book a demo and we will tell you honestly whether Glown does it today.
Nothing. Your clients do not have an account to move. They simply book through your new link. You keep your own client list and rebuild history in Glown as they come back through.
More on choosing and switching salon software in Nigeria.