Service Dog Trainers 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 Service Dog Trainer earns $32,000/year, so Square's annual cost is roughly 1.1% 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.
Service Dog Trainers face unique challenges: Owner-trained service dogs take eighteen months to two years, so clients tie up the calendar for years while expecting steady visible progress. Documenting task training and Public Access readiness for ADA defensibility means meticulous records on every single session. Washing out a dog that can't make the standard is emotionally and financially brutal for a client who's already bonded and paid. Demand comes from disabled clients on fixed incomes, so pricing the years of work against what they can actually afford is a constant strain. On top of all that, Square charges $29/month ($348/year) — money that comes directly from your revenue. The median Service Dog Trainer earns $32,000/year. Software at $348/year is a meaningful percentage of that income, every year, forever. And you do not own anything.
Your Public Access Test checklist and ADA task-log binder 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 service dog trainers 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 is a mobility task session with a client who uses a wheelchair, drilling a reliable retrieve of dropped keys and a steady brace that is safe for the dog's joints, every rep logged because a service dog's tasks must be documented and dependable, not cute. Mid-morning is public-access work in a grocery store with permission arranged ahead, the dog ignoring a rolling cart, a dropped rotisserie chicken, and a child who wants to pet, while the trainer narrates the neutrality the law and the handler's independence both require. There is a hard conversation pending with another client whose dog spooks at automatic doors after a year of work, and the trainer has to weigh more time against a possible wash-out. Afternoon brings a medical-alert session, pairing a scent sample to a trained response, and careful notes on accuracy because a missed alert has real stakes. Between sessions there is paperwork: task logs, the running Public Access Test checklist, video clips filed as proof of reliability. Evenings are spent matching curriculum to a specific person's disability and life, and quietly managing the timeline so a client investing years and savings understands what eighteen months of honest training actually looks like.
Real service dog trainers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a service dog trainer? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every service dog trainer 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 $2,448/year on software — and Service Dog Trainer face their own version of that math. NC state licensing requirements apply.
Numbers reflect typical solo operators in the Cary metro. Your situation will vary.
Specific gaps Service Dog Trainers 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