The verdict for caterers: 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 caterers and small teams, Nexa is the better deal.
Nexa: $279. Once. You keep $889. And you own it — no more "we're updating our pricing" emails.
| 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 |
Square plus whatever else you're paying for:
Email yourself this comparison?
The math doesn't lie.
Caterers deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Pricing per-head for events with changing guest counts. Food cost tracking when ingredient prices fluctuate weekly. Managing dietary restrictions and menu customizations per event. Deposits covering ingredient purchases for perishable food. Square charges $29/month on top of these daily realities. The median caterer earns $38,000/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 caterers. You own it like you own your Chafing dishes and warming equipment.
You're catering a 100-person corporate lunch Friday. The client just changed the headcount to 120 and wants to add a vegan option. You need to adjust the menu, recalculate food costs, update the invoice, and make a Costco and Restaurant Depot run tomorrow. Meanwhile a bride wants a tasting next week and you haven't sent her the proposal yet. Your food costs are in one spreadsheet, your invoices in another, and your event calendar in your phone.
Real caterers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a caterer? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every caterer on Nexa →
For solo caterers 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.
Square has features like No monthly fee on Free plan and Instant setup that some businesses rely on. For most solo caterers, these aren't dealbreakers.
At $29/month, Nexa pays for itself in 9.6 months. After that: $348 saved every year.
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.
Own your tools. Stop renting your software.
Get Nexa — $279 Once