Fresha is a marketplace with a booking system attached. Every new client it sends you costs 20% of their first visit, and its AI Concierge is a NZ$249.95 per location add-on. Mahi Time charges a flat monthly fee, takes no commission on anyone, and ships the AI phone receptionist, webchat and agent API as part of the product.
Fresha suits businesses that want marketplace discovery badly enough to pay 20% of each new client's first visit for it, and who are comfortable with a growing list of per-location add-ons.
AI first, because it is the gap none of the incumbents have closed. Then price, then the local details.
Fresha's AI Concierge with calls costs NZ$249.95 per location per month with 200 minutes, then NZ$1.50 a minute. Mahi Time's AI phone receptionist is NZ$129 (approx A$119) for up to two locations, and it books into the same scheduling engine as your calendar.
How the AI receptionist worksFresha charges 20%, minimum NZ$7, on every new client who finds you through its marketplace. Mahi Time has no marketplace and no new-client fee. Clients who find you on Google, Instagram or your own site are yours, free.
Fresha lists Xero at NZ$19.95 per location, Client Loyalty at NZ$99.95 per location and Insights at NZ$16.95 per team member. All three are in the Mahi Time plan.
Fresha's Data Connector is NZ$435 per location per month. Mahi Time's REST API, webhooks and MCP server are included, so your website, POS and AI agents can talk to your bookings.
Fresha prices from fresha.com/pricing (NZ view, ex GST), checked 31 October 2026. The marketplace fee applies only to new clients Fresha sends you; if it sends none, you pay nothing and received nothing.
Fresha prices checked 31 October 2026 on the vendor's public pricing page. Mahi Time prices exclude GST; AUD figures are an approximate guide, billing is in NZD.
| Feature | Mahi Time | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Published. NZ$109 (approx A$100) flat | Per team member plus add-ons |
| Commission on bookings | None, ever | 20% of first visit, min NZ$7, marketplace clients |
| AI phone receptionist that books | Built in, NZ$129 (approx A$119) | Add-on, NZ$249.95 per location |
| AI webchat that books | Built in, NZ$49 (approx A$45) | Add-on, NZ$74.95 per location |
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes, platform MCP server | No |
| Public REST API | Yes, public REST + webhooks | Data Connector add-on, NZ$435 per location |
| Built and supported in NZ and AU | Built in NZ, NZ and AU hours | London based, global |
| Xero | Included | Add-on, NZ$19.95 per location |
| Payroll and timesheets | Included | No |
| EFTPOS and payments | Windcave EFTPOS (NZ), Stripe (NZ + AU) | Fresha card processing only |
| Feature | Mahi Time | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Commission on bookings | None | 20% (min NZ$7) on new marketplace clients |
| Consumer marketplace | No, your clients stay yours | Yes, drives the new-client fee |
| AI phone receptionist | Built in, NZ$129 (approx A$119) | AI Concierge, NZ$249.95 per location |
| AI webchat that books | Built in, NZ$49 (approx A$45) | AI Concierge messaging, NZ$74.95 per location |
| MCP server for AI agents | Yes | No |
| Public REST API | Included | Data Connector, NZ$435 per location |
| Xero | Included | NZ$19.95 per location |
| Loyalty | Included | NZ$99.95 per location |
| Payroll and timesheets | Included | No |
| SMS reminders | 100 per month included | 20 free, then NZ$0.18 each |
| Payments | Windcave EFTPOS, Stripe, or record your own terminal | Fresha processing, 2.49% + NZ$0.30 |
| Data hosting | Australia and New Zealand | US and EU |
| Import from this platform | CSV importer with Fresha column mapping | n/a |
See the full table against every platform on the Why Mahi Time page.
Fresha exports clients from the Clients list, services from the Catalogue and appointments from Sales > Appointments, all as CSV. Our importer recognises Fresha's column names and brings clients, services and upcoming bookings across in three uploads.
Importer source to pick: Fresha. Settings > Import data, mapping preview, unmatched staff warning, run. Re-runs update rows instead of duplicating them.
No. Fresha lets you export your client list, service menu and appointments as CSV. Upload them at Settings > Import data in Mahi Time and they come across in one pass. The step-by-step guide is at /migrate/fresha.
No. There is no per-booking fee, no new-client fee and no transaction fee from us. You pay the flat monthly subscription. Stripe or Windcave still charge their normal card processing fee, which goes to them, not to us.
Both answer calls and messages. Fresha's is NZ$249.95 per location per month with 200 call minutes included. Mahi Time's phone receptionist is NZ$129 (approx A$119) for up to two locations, webchat is NZ$49 (approx A$45), and both book through the same engine as your calendar, so they respect your closures, buffers and pairing rules.
Some Fresha bookings do come from its marketplace. The question is whether 20% of each new client's first visit is a fair price for them. Most salons we talk to do better investing in their Google Business Profile, Instagram and a booking link on their own site, and keep the 20%.
Yes. Australian businesses take payments through Stripe, see prices in NZD with an approximate AUD figure, and get support in Australian business hours.
No card. Import your data, forward your phone to the AI receptionist, and see which one your clients prefer.
