Fire Performers on Square pay $29/month — $348/year. Over three years, that's $1,168. Nexa is $279 once. Break-even runs about 9.6 months. The median Fire Performer earns $42,000/year, so Square's annual cost is roughly 0.8% of typical revenue — every year, forever.
That's $1,168 gone. And you don't own anything. Stop paying, lose access.
You're not the only one who's had enough.
Fire Performers face unique challenges: Venues and insurers demand fire permits, a certificate of insurance, and a safety perimeter, so every booking comes with a paperwork and approval gauntlet a generic planner doesn't anticipate. Indoor and tented venues often ban open flame outright, and finding that out late means a scramble to swap to LED props or lose the gig. Wind, low ceilings, overhead drapery, and dry brush are all fuel-spinning hazards, so the performance space has to be assessed in person and conditions can scrub a set last minute. Clients want fire near a crowd for the photos but don't grasp the burn-radius and spotter requirements, so you're constantly negotiating a safe distance against their vision. On top of all that, Square charges $29/month ($348/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median Fire Performer earns $42,000/year. Software at $348/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Fire poi, staff, and fans with Kevlar wicks is yours. You bought it once. Nexa works the same way — $279 once for invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, and full accounting. All connected. All offline-capable. You own it like you own your tools.
Square is just one piece. What else are you losing money on?
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Your exact Square cost, full stack total, and what switching saves. 10 seconds.
| Feature | Square | Nexa |
|---|---|---|
| Invoicing | ✓ | ✓ |
| Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| CRM | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Full Accounting | ✗ | ✓ (SIMPL) |
| Task Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Price | $29/mo forever | $279 once or 3 × $99 |
| 3-Year Cost | $1,168 | $279 |
| Stop paying? | Lose everything | Keep everything forever |
Most fire performers are fully switched before the weekend.
Go to Square Dashboard → Customers → Export. Also export transactions and item library.
15-minute setup. Import your customer list and service/product catalog.
Run both for 1-2 weeks. Test invoicing and booking through Nexa.
Cancel paid subscriptions. Keep free account for records access.
The day starts with logistics that have nothing to do with spinning: confirming the venue has cleared the fire permit, that your certificate of insurance is on file, and that the contact knows you need a marked safety perimeter and a spotter on standby. You prep the gear methodically, checking the Kevlar wicks on the poi and staff, sealing the fuel in the dip station, and laying out the fire blanket, extinguisher, and damp towels, because the safety kit is non-negotiable. At the venue you walk the performance space looking for the things that kill a fire set: a low tent ceiling, drapery overhead, dry landscaping, and especially wind, which can throw flame in a direction you didn't intend. The client wants you spinning right up against the crowd for the dramatic photos, so you have the same conversation you always have about burn radius and why the audience stays back. You time the set for after dark when the fire reads best, dip the wicks, do a controlled test, and perform with the spotter watching your every pass. If conditions turn, gusty wind, a venue that quietly bans open flame, you swap to LED props rather than risk it. The day ends draining and storing fuel safely, inspecting the wicks for burn-through, and confirming the next gig's permit status.
Real fire performers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a fire performer? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every fire performer on Nexa →
For solo operators and small teams (1-5), yes. Nexa includes invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting. Square may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.
It's $7.75/month over 3 years. Square is $29/month — that's $1,168 over 3 years. Which is more? And if you'd rather split it, Nexa is also available as 3 payments of $99.
Yes. Nexa is $279 as a one-time payment, or 3 payments of $99 ($297 total). Either way it's a one-time purchase — no subscription, no recurring fees ever.
30-day money-back guarantee. Full refund. If Nexa doesn't save you $500 in year one, you get every penny back.
Export your data from Square as CSV, import into Nexa in about 5 minutes.
The average solo operator there spends about $2,112/year on software — and Fire Performer face their own version of that math. MI state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Lansing metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Fire Performers run into with Square, and what Nexa does instead.
$1,168 over 3 years. Or $279 once (or 3 × $99). Own your tools.
Get Nexa — $279 Once