The verdict for glassblowers: 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 glassblowers 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.
Glassblowers deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Gas and electricity costs for furnace operation are enormous. Breakage and cracking during annealing destroys completed work. Custom art glass pricing is subjective and hard to systematize. Gallery consignment splits and delayed payments. Square charges $29/month on top of these daily realities. The median glassblower earns $34,000/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 glassblowers. You own it like you own your Glass furnace or torch setup.
Your furnace runs 24/7 at $800/month in gas. You blew 12 pieces today — 2 cracked in the annealing kiln. A gallery wants 10 pieces on consignment at 50/50 split. Your Etsy shop has custom pendant orders. Between furnace costs, materials, breakage, and gallery splits, you need to sell $4,000/month just to break even. Do you know your per-piece cost? No.
Real glassblowers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a glassblower? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every glassblower on Nexa →
For solo glassblowers 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 glassblowers, 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