How each platform positions itself
Square Appointments positions as a scheduling tool integrated into the Square payments ecosystem. It's built for service businesses broadly — not beauty-specific. Its main value is tight integration with Square point-of-sale, online payments, and hardware. It works best when you're already in the Square ecosystem.
Fresha positions as a beauty-specific booking and management platform. It has a marketplace where clients discover and book providers, plus management tools for appointments, clients, and (in some markets) payments. It's built around the beauty industry.
Head-to-head comparison
| Feature | Square Appointments | Fresha |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription cost | Free (limited) or paid tiers | Free subscription (commission on marketplace bookings) |
| Beauty marketplace | No | Yes — clients can discover you on Fresha |
| Beauty-specific tools | No | Yes — beauty industry focused |
| Payment integration | Deep — native Square payments | Available in most markets |
| Multi-staff (salons) | Yes | Yes |
| Geographic availability | US, UK, Australia, Canada, more | Global; very strong in UK and Australia |
| POS hardware support | Yes — Square card readers, terminals | Limited compared to Square |
| Client-side app quality | Moderate | Strong client-facing app |
Who each is right for
Choose Square Appointments if:
- You already use Square for payments and want one integrated ecosystem
- You're in a salon setting with POS hardware and want everything through Square
- You're in the US or another market where Square has strong local support
Choose Fresha if:
- You want marketplace discovery — Fresha can surface your profile to new local clients
- You're in the UK, Australia, or another non-US market
- You want beauty-specific tools without paying a monthly subscription
- You're a solo nail tech who doesn't need POS hardware
Our take
For most solo nail techs, Fresha is the stronger choice — it's built for beauty, has marketplace visibility, and doesn't charge a monthly subscription. Square Appointments serves a specific use case (existing Square ecosystem, POS hardware needs) well, but that use case is narrower.
For nail techs who want something built specifically for nail tech businesses: Nelsy →. For the full Fresha review: should nail techs use Fresha?
Ready to run your nail business more professionally?
Manage bookings, deposits and payments from one customisable Nelsy booking page.
Start free →Frequently asked questions
Is Fresha really free for nail techs?
Fresha has a free subscription — no monthly fee. They charge a commission on bookings made through the Fresha marketplace. If you direct your existing clients to book through your Fresha link, and those clients don't come through the Fresha marketplace, there's no commission. The free model suits nail techs who primarily book their own existing clients; the commission applies when Fresha generates the new client for you.
Does Square Appointments have a beauty marketplace?
No. Square Appointments is a scheduling and payments tool — it doesn't have a client-facing beauty marketplace where new clients discover providers. All your bookings come from clients you direct to your booking link.
