Irrigation Installers 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 Irrigation Installer earns $55,000/year, so Square's annual cost is roughly 0.6% 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.
Irrigation Installers face unique challenges: Sizing zones to the available GPM and static pressure - guess wrong and heads at the end of a run mist instead of throw, leaving brown arcs the customer blames on the install. Backflow preventer code and the required certified test - the assembly has to be the right type for the hazard, installed at the right height, and tested by a licensed tester or the water authority red-tags it. Calling 811 and still hitting unmarked private lines - gas drops, low-voltage, and old galvanized that the locate doesn't cover, with the plow already in the ground. Winterization liability - a customer who skips the blowout or a valve that didn't drain, then a cracked manifold in spring that turns into a 'your system failed' argument. On top of all that, Square charges $29/month ($348/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median Irrigation Installer earns $55,000/year. Software at $348/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Vibratory pipe-pulling plow or trencher 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 irrigation installers 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.
I start at the meter with a gauge and a bucket - static pressure and gallons per minute are the whole design, and if I skip this step I'll be back resizing zones for free. Once I know the system has, say, 11 GPM to work with, I lay out heads so each zone stays under that, head-to-head spacing for even coverage. We call 811's marks good but I still pothole by hand near the gas drop before the plow goes in, because the locate doesn't catch the homeowner's old landscape lighting. The vibratory plow pulls poly across the yard in clean lines while a second guy sets the valve manifold and the backflow at code height. Mid-day I'm flushing each lateral before I cap the heads so grit doesn't clog a nozzle, then setting heads to grade. Afternoon is wiring the controller, programming zones to actual run-times based on precipitation rate not guesswork, and pairing the rain sensor. I walk every zone with the customer, adjust arcs off the house and driveway, and book the certified backflow test because I can't sign that off myself. End of day is invoicing, scheduling the inspector, and adding the customer to my fall winterization list so the blowout doesn't get forgotten and become a spring callback.
Real irrigation installers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you an irrigation installer? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every irrigation installer 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 $2,208/year on software — and Irrigation Installer face their own version of that math. MI state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Sterling Heights metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Irrigation Installers 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