Fresha vs Acuity Scheduling vs Treatwell: Best Booking Software for UK Dog Groomers

Quick Verdict: Fresha vs Acuity Scheduling vs Treatwell Connect for UK Dog Groomers

Choosing the right booking software can save you hours each week and keep your appointment book full. For UK dog groomers, Fresha, Acuity Scheduling, and Treatwell Connect are three of the most popular options — but they suit very different types of business.

Fresha is our top pick for most independent dog groomers thanks to its generous free tier and purpose-built salon features. Acuity Scheduling suits groomers who want flexible, customisable booking without marketplace dependency. Treatwell Connect makes sense if you want exposure through the Treatwell marketplace, though it comes at a higher cost.

Fresha vs Treatwell Connect vs Acuity Scheduling: Pricing Compared

Fresha offers a genuinely free core platform with no monthly subscription fee. Instead, it charges a small percentage on new client bookings made through the Fresha marketplace and a transaction fee on payments processed through its integrated system — making it very low-risk for a small grooming business starting out.

Acuity Scheduling starts at approximately £16 per month for its Emerging plan, which covers one location and a solid range of booking features. It's straightforward subscription pricing with no marketplace commission, which some groomers will prefer for budget predictability.

Treatwell Connect is priced at around £25 per month, making it the most expensive of the three on a subscription basis. Bear in mind that Treatwell also takes a commission on bookings made through its marketplace, so your total costs could be higher than the headline figure suggests.

Fresha vs Acuity Scheduling vs Treatwell Connect: Features Compared

All three platforms offer online booking, automated appointment reminders, and client management tools. However, there are meaningful differences in how well they serve dog groomers specifically.

• Fresha — Built for beauty and pet service businesses; includes a full CRM, staff rotas, inventory tracking, and integrated payments. Supports UK bank integrations and works well alongside accounting tools like Xero or FreeAgent. Particularly strong for groomers managing multiple dogs per day with varying service times.
• Acuity Scheduling — Highly customisable intake forms, which are useful for capturing dog breed, coat type, and health notes before appointments. Integrates with payment processors and connects to tools like Xero via Zapier. Less salon-specific but very flexible.
• Treatwell Connect — Strong automated reminders help reduce no-shows, a real concern for dog groomers with back-to-back appointments. The big draw is visibility on the Treatwell marketplace, which can bring in new clients actively searching for local groomers.

From a GDPR compliance perspective, all three platforms store client data and should be evaluated against your data handling obligations as a UK business. Fresha and Treatwell both host data under terms designed for the UK and EU market, while Acuity (owned by Squarespace) operates under US-based terms with EU data provisions.

None of the three are directly Making Tax Digital-compliant accounting tools, so you'll still want to pair whichever you choose with dedicated software such as FreeAgent, Sage, or Xero for your VAT returns if applicable.

Which Should You Choose? Fresha, Acuity Scheduling, or Treatwell Connect?

Choose Fresha if you're an independent dog groomer looking for the best all-round free solution. The platform handles bookings, client records, and payments in one place, and the free tier is genuinely capable rather than a stripped-back trial. It's ideal for sole traders or small salons watching their overheads closely.

Choose Acuity Scheduling if you want detailed, customisable booking forms and prefer a clean monthly subscription with no commission surprises. It's a strong fit for groomers who already have a steady client base and want professional-looking online booking embedded in their own website.

Choose Treatwell Connect if you're a newer grooming business or have recently relocated and need a boost in local visibility. The Treatwell marketplace actively drives customer discovery, which can justify the higher monthly cost during a growth phase. Just model out the total commission costs before committing.

Other Options to Consider

If none of the three main contenders feel quite right, it's worth taking a look at Square POS. Square offers a free plan with integrated payments and is widely used by small UK service businesses. Its payment fees are transparent and it's particularly easy to set up quickly — though it lacks the dedicated dog grooming or salon-specific features of Fresha or Treatwell Connect.

For groomers who also sell retail products such as shampoos or accessories in their salon, Square's point-of-sale capabilities make it a practical secondary tool even if you use one of the main three for scheduling.