The verdict for laser engravers: 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 laser engravers 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.
Laser Engravers deal with unique challenges that generic software was not built for: Machine time vs. setup/design time — both cost money differently. Material waste from test runs and alignment issues. Tube replacement and maintenance costs are significant but infrequent. Bulk custom orders need per-unit pricing that accounts for setup time. Square charges $29/month on top of these daily realities. The median laser engraver earns $30,000/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 laser engravers. You own it like you own your Laser engraver (Glowforge, xTool, Thunder).
You have 3 orders today: 25 custom wedding favors ($6 each), a large cutting board engraving ($45), and 100 custom keychains for a business ($3.50 each). The wedding favors need individual names — each one requires a file edit. The keychains are identical so the machine runs continuously. Your laser tube has 2,000 hours on it and costs $400 to replace. Are you factoring tube life into your pricing? Probably not.
Real laser engravers near you who run their business on Nexa — book directly, no platform fee. Are you a laser engraver? Post your business and get found in your area — $2.99 one-time. Or browse every laser engraver on Nexa →
For solo laser engravers 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 laser engravers, 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