Treatwell vs. Fresha vs. Own Website — the Honest Platform Comparison for Swiss Massage Studios
Why a Platform Comparison Matters
Many massage studios in Switzerland choose a booking platform without comparing thoroughly beforehand. This is understandable: you want to be online quickly, clients need to be able to book, and the first platform recommended to you sounds appealing.
However, the differences between providers are substantial — particularly when it comes to hidden costs. What appears free or cheap at first glance often turns out to be expensive once bookings come in regularly. Commissions of 20 to 35 per cent per booking are not uncommon — and for a studio with 40 to 60 bookings per month, that quickly adds up to several thousand francs per year.
The three most important questions before deciding:
- What does the platform actually cost? Not just the monthly fee, but commissions, transaction fees and add-on modules.
- Who owns the customer data? On many platforms, your clients' contact information remains with the provider — not with you.
- How dependent do you become? Switching from one platform to another is often laborious. Some providers intentionally make data export difficult.
In our booking system comparison, we have already compared the technical features of various tools. This guide goes a step further: it compares not just features, but business models — and shows which model delivers the most value for your studio in the long run.
Treatwell: Pros, Cons & Costs
Treatwell is one of the largest booking platforms in Europe and is also active in Switzerland. The promise sounds attractive: access to millions of potential clients, a professional profile page and a complete booking system. But what does it really cost?
Advantages of Treatwell:
- Wide reach: Treatwell has a large user base and invests in marketing. New studios can genuinely acquire new clients through the platform.
- Professional profile: The platform creates an attractive profile page with reviews, photos and online booking.
- Easy start: Registration is straightforward, and Treatwell takes care of part of the marketing.
Disadvantages of Treatwell:
- Commission of up to 35% on every booking: This is the biggest drawback. For a Thai massage at CHF 120, up to CHF 42 goes to Treatwell — per appointment. With 50 bookings per month, that is CHF 2,100 that does not reach you.
- No own customer data: Clients who book through Treatwell belong to the platform. You cannot contact them directly, build your own newsletter list or send loyalty offers.
- Price war: Treatwell promotes discounts and deals. This pushes prices down in your area and attracts bargain hunters who rarely become regular clients.
- Dependency: The more bookings come through Treatwell, the more dependent you become. Switching becomes increasingly difficult over time.
Cost example: With 50 bookings per month at an average price of CHF 80 and 35% commission, you pay CHF 1,400 per month, or CHF 16,800 per year to Treatwell. In return, you have no website of your own, no own domain and no own customer database.
Those looking for a Treatwell alternative in Switzerland should do the maths carefully — especially as booking numbers increase, the model quickly becomes uneconomical.
Fresha: Pros, Cons & Hidden Costs
Fresha (formerly Shedul) advertises itself as free — no monthly fee, no contract. This sounds ideal for studios just starting out. But "free" does not mean "without costs".
Advantages of Fresha:
- No subscription: There is no monthly base price. The calendar and booking functions are genuinely free to use.
- Modern interface: The app is user-friendly and offers online booking, appointment management and basic reporting.
- Marketplace: Fresha operates its own marketplace where new clients can discover studios.
Disadvantages and hidden costs:
- Mandatory payment processing: Fresha earns on every online payment. Transaction fees amount to 2.19% + CHF 0.20 per payment. For a CHF 100 booking, that is CHF 2.39 — across 50 bookings/month, it totals CHF 120.
- Marketplace commission: Clients who book through the Fresha marketplace cost you 20% commission on the first booking. For a CHF 100 massage, that is CHF 20 — per new client.
- Paid add-on features: SMS reminders, marketing tools and advanced reports cost extra. In practice, studios quickly reach CHF 50–150 per month in additional costs.
- Limited data ownership: With Fresha too, the data of clients acquired through the marketplace primarily remains with the platform.
- Switzerland-specific limitations: Support is not available in German, French or Italian. Local payment methods like TWINT are not natively supported.
Those looking for a Fresha alternative in Switzerland often find that the supposedly free solution becomes more expensive than expected as booking numbers grow — especially when factoring in the lack of control over customer data and the dependency on the marketplace.
Shore, Salonkee & Other Providers at a Glance
Besides the international platforms, there are other providers that may be relevant for massage studios in Switzerland. Here is a concise overview:
Shore (Germany/Switzerland)
- German-language system with appointment booking, website builder and client management
- Monthly prices from approx. CHF 39–89 depending on the package
- No commissions on bookings — a clear advantage over Treatwell
- Disadvantage: the generated websites often look generic with little customisation. SEO features are limited.
- For studios looking for a Shore alternative, the main reason is usually insufficient design quality and lack of local SEO optimisation.
Salonkee (Luxembourg)
- Specialised for salons and studios in the DACH region
- Extensive features: POS, inventory management, staff management
- Monthly prices from approx. CHF 49 — significantly higher depending on feature scope
- Well suited for larger studios with multiple staff members
- Disadvantage: often oversized and too expensive for small individual studios
agenda.ch (Switzerland)
- Swiss provider with strong focus on medical practices and therapists
- Good integration into the Swiss healthcare system
- Less optimised for massage studios — the interface and features are geared towards medical practices
Calendall and other niche solutions
- Simple appointment booking tools without industry focus
- Cheap or free, but with limited functionality
- No integration with Google Business Profile, no SEO features, no multilingual capability
All these solutions have one thing in common: they offer either a booking system or a website — but rarely both in a well-thought-out, SEO-optimised combination tailored to the needs of massage studios in Switzerland.
Own Website + Booking System: The HelvYx® Model
There is a fundamentally different approach to platforms: your own website with an integrated booking system. With this model, your clients, your data and your brand belong entirely to you — with no commissions and no dependency on third-party providers.
What the HelvYx® model includes:
- Professional website with your own domain: Your studio has its own online presence under your own domain (e.g. www.your-studio.ch). This strengthens your brand and builds trust.
- Integrated booking system: Clients book directly through your website — without detours via an external platform. The booking data belongs to you.
- Google optimisation included: The website is built so that your studio is found in local searches such as "Thai massage Zurich" or "massage studio Bern".
- Multilingual: The website can be displayed in up to 5 languages — ideal for multilingual Switzerland.
- No commissions: You pay a fixed monthly price. Whether you have 10 or 200 bookings per month — the costs stay the same.
- Customer data belongs to you: You can contact your clients directly, send newsletters and run loyalty campaigns.
ROI calculation compared to Treatwell:
With 50 bookings per month at CHF 80, Treatwell takes 35% commission = CHF 1,400 per month. That is CHF 16,800 per year that does not reach you. With your own website and the HelvYx® model, you pay a fixed monthly price — regardless of booking numbers. The savings are substantial from the very first month, and they grow with every additional booking.
Moreover, you build long-term value: your own website with good Google rankings, reviews and a growing customer database is an asset that belongs to you — unlike a platform profile that disappears when the contract ends.
Find out in detail how a professional website for massage studios is built and what it can do for your studio.
Comparison Table: Features, Prices & Swiss Suitability
The following table directly compares the main platforms. All data refers to the Swiss market (as of February 2026).
| Criterion | Treatwell | Fresha | Shore | HelvYx® |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monthly costs | Variable (commission) | Free base + fees | From CHF 39/month | Fixed monthly price |
| Commission per booking | Up to 35% | 20% marketplace + 2.19% payment | None | None |
| Own domain | No | No | Limited | Yes |
| Customer data ownership | With Treatwell | Limited | With you | Fully with you |
| Swiss support (DE/FR/IT) | Limited | EN only | DE | DE, FR, IT, EN, TH |
| Multilingual website | No | No | Limited | Up to 5 languages |
| Online booking | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Google Business integration | Limited | No | Basic | Fully optimised |
| SEO optimisation | No (platform profile) | No | Basic | Professional, included |
| Automatic reminders | Yes | Paid | Yes | Yes |
What the table shows: Platforms like Treatwell and Fresha offer quick access to new clients — but at a high price: commissions, no data ownership and no online presence of your own. Shore offers a solid booking system without commissions, but website quality and SEO capabilities are limited. The HelvYx® model combines both: a professional website with integrated booking system, full data ownership and zero commissions.
Conclusion: Which Model Suits Your Studio?
The answer depends on your situation — but the trend is clear:
Treatwell can make sense if you have just opened and need new clients quickly whom you cannot reach through any other channel. But: plan your exit from the start, before commissions eat your profits.
Fresha suits studios that want to test a free basic system. But as soon as you book regularly and need marketing features, it quickly becomes more expensive than expected.
Shore and similar providers offer fair pricing models without commissions, but website quality and local SEO optimisation for Switzerland are often insufficient to be found on Google long-term.
Your own website with a booking system (HelvYx® model) is the most sustainable solution: you own your customer data, pay no commissions, build your own brand and are found on Google long-term. The investment pays for itself in most cases within just a few months.
Our recommendation:
- If you are currently on Treatwell or Fresha, calculate how much you pay per year in commissions. The number will surprise you.
- If you are opening a studio, invest from the start in your own website — rather than in a platform that owns your clients.
- If you are unhappy with your current provider, now is the right time for a switch.
Discover in our guide 7 measures for more clients how to build your visibility independently of platforms. And read how targeted marketing for massage studios helps you win clients who truly match your studio long-term.
Would you like to find out which platform solution suits your studio best? In a free consultation, we compare your current situation with the alternatives — honestly and without sales pressure.
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