Scalp Micropigmentation Artists 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 scalp micropigmentation artist earns $35,000/year, so Square's annual cost is roughly 1.0% 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.
Scalp Micropigmentation Artists face unique challenges: Selling and tracking multi-session packages (typically 3+ passes spaced 7-14 days apart) and knowing which session each client is on without flipping through paper notes. Capturing before/after photos at every angle plus signed consent and pigment-batch records the client expects and licensing requires. Staying compliant with bloodborne-pathogen training, local body-art licensing, and inspection-ready logs while running a one-person studio. No-shows and late cancels that vaporize a half-day 3-to-5-hour slot that can't be backfilled, when deposits weren't collected up front, and quoting fairly by scalp area and Norwood scale instead of one flat price. On top of all that, Square charges $29/month ($348/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median scalp micropigmentation artist earns $35,000/year. Software at $348/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Rotary permanent-makeup/SMP machine with adjustable needle depth and voltage control 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 scalp micropigmentation artists 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 morning starts with a consultation, not a needle. Someone who has been losing hair for years sits down, and the first 30 minutes is listening, then sketching a hairline with a washable pencil, checking it against their face shape and how far back they actually want to go. Trust gets built here or not at all. Once they approve the design, you mix pigment to match their natural depth and undertone, dilute it for the first pass so it lands soft, and set the machine shallow. Then the real work: hours of placing thousands of tiny dots between existing follicles, varying angle and pressure so it reads as stubble and not a solid line, stepping back under the lamp every few minutes to check density and symmetry. The room is quiet except for the machine. Clients often talk about why they came, and you keep the mood steady and unsentimental. When the session ends you photograph every angle in the same light as the intake shots, walk them through aftercare, no sweating, no sun, no scrubbing for several days, and book the next pass two weeks out, because the color settles and lightens before you add the next layer. Between clients you wipe down, swap barrier film, log the pigment batch, and confirm tomorrow's deposits.
Real scalp micropigmentation artists near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a scalp micropigmentation artist? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every scalp micropigmentation artist 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 $2,280/year on software — and scalp micropigmentation artist face their own version of that math. PA state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Bethlehem metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Scalp Micropigmentation Artists 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