Is Nexa better than Square for blacksmiths?

For solo blacksmiths and small teams (1-5), Nexa offers invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting for $279 one-time. Square costs $29/month ($1,168 over 3 years). Square may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

How much cheaper is Nexa than Square for blacksmiths?

Nexa is $279 one-time. Square is $348/year. You save $69 in year one. Over 3 years: $889.

Can blacksmiths switch from Square to Nexa?

Yes. Export your data from Square as CSV, import into Nexa in about 5 minutes. Most switch in 1-2 days.

Square vs Nexa
The Real Comparison for Blacksmiths

Square

$29/mo ($348/yr)

Nexa

$279 once — own forever

or 3 payments of $99

Break even: 9.6 months. Save $889 over 3 years.

"I compared Square and Nexa side by side. The math wasn't even close. $1,168 over 3 years vs $279 once. Switched and never looked back."

— Blacksmith, Nexa customer

The verdict for blacksmiths: Square is solid software, but at $29/month it costs $1,168 over 3 years. Nexa does most of what Square does for $279 once. For solo blacksmiths and small teams, Nexa is the better deal.

Choose Nexa if:

You're done paying monthly forever
You're a solo operator or small team (1-5)
You need Invoicing, task-manager, financial-suite in one purchase in one tool
You're tired of price increases
You want to own your tools like you own your equipment

Choose Square if:

You have a large team (10+) needing enterprise features
You're deeply invested in Square's specific workflow
You need a feature Nexa doesn't have yet

What Square Actually Costs Blacksmiths

The 3-Year Damage

Year 1$348

Year 2 (+11.4% inflation)$388

Year 3$432

Total lost to Square$1,168

Nexa: $279. Once. You keep $889. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.

Your Square subscription has cost you $0.00 since you opened this page.

Feature-by-Feature

Feature	Square	Nexa
Invoicing	✓	✓
Scheduling	✗	✓
CRM	✗	✓
Time Tracking	✗	✓
Full Accounting	✗	✓ (SIMPL)
Task Management	✗	✓
Price	$29/mo	$279 once or 3 × $99
3-Year Total	$1,168	$279
You own it?	No — stop paying, lose access	Yes — forever

"The feature comparison convinced me. Nexa does 90% of what Square does — for 10% of the 3-year cost. And I actually own it."

— Blacksmith

Calculate Your Full Stack

Square plus whatever else you're paying for:

Email yourself this comparison?

Switching from Square

Export your data — Go to Square Dashboard → Customers → Export. Also export transactions and item library.

Set up Nexa — 15-minute setup. Import your customer list and service/product catalog.

Parallel run — Run both for 1-2 weeks. Test invoicing and booking through Nexa.

Cancel Square — Cancel paid subscriptions. Keep free account for records access.

✓ 30-day money-back guarantee. Zero risk.

Blacksmiths are switching from Square every week.

The math doesn't lie.

What This Means for Blacksmiths

You're forging a custom railing for a homeowner — 30 hours over 2 weeks. Steel costs went up and your quote from last month is now thin. You also have 4 knives to make for an Etsy order, a craft fair next weekend ($300 booth fee), and a wedding venue wanting decorative hooks. Your forge eats propane at $4/hour. Your 'accounting' is a notebook next to the anvil.

Blacksmiths deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Custom commissions take weeks and scope creep is constant. Material costs (steel, coal/gas) fluctuate. Craft fair booth fees and travel costs. Pricing artistic work fairly when customers compare to factory-made items. Square charges $29/month on top of these daily realities. The median blacksmith earns $35,000/year — $348/year in software subscriptions is a significant percentage of that income, paid every year, forever.

Nexa is $279 once. Invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, accounting — all connected, built for blacksmiths. You own it like you own your Forge (coal or gas).

What blacksmiths actually deal with

Custom commissions take weeks and scope creep is constant
Material costs (steel, coal/gas) fluctuate
Craft fair booth fees and travel costs
Pricing artistic work fairly when customers compare to factory-made items

A day in the life of a blacksmith

The tools a working blacksmith actually owns

Forge (coal or gas)
Anvil and hammers
Tongs and hardy tools
Grinder and belt sander

Why blacksmiths leave the big platforms

quickbooks: $55/month for a forge shop. Most blacksmiths are part-time and seasonal.
wave: Free but can't track per-project costs across custom commissions and product sales.

Where blacksmiths actually talk shop

r/Blacksmith (Reddit)
r/blacksmithing (Reddit)
r/knifemaking (Reddit)
IForgeIron.com (Forum)
ABANA Forums (Forum)
Alec Steele (YouTube)
Black Bear Forge (YouTube)
Essential Craftsman (YouTube)

Local blacksmiths on Nexa

Real blacksmiths near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a blacksmith? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every blacksmith on Nexa →

FAQ

Is Nexa really a Square replacement?

For solo blacksmiths and small teams, yes. invoicing, scheduling, CRM, time tracking, task management, and full accounting — all for $279 once. Square may be better if you have a large team (10+) or need enterprise-specific features.

What does Square do that Nexa doesn't?

Square has features like No monthly fee on Free plan and Instant setup that some businesses rely on. For most solo blacksmiths, these aren't dealbreakers.

How fast does Nexa pay for itself?

At $29/month, Nexa pays for itself in 9.6 months. After that: $348 saved every year.

Can I pay in installments?

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.

"$1,168 over 3 years to Square. Or $279 once for Nexa. I own my tools now. No more renting software."

— Blacksmith, Nexa owner

$1,168 Over 3 Years. Or $279 Once (or 3 × $99).

Own your tools. Stop renting your software.

Get Nexa — $279 Once