Square vs. Fresha vs. salonMonster
salonMonster is built for beauty professionals, by beauty professionals, with the everyday salon essentials in one price. Square Appointments is built for every kind of business. Fresha is built around its marketplace, where clients need a Fresha account to book.
No credit card required · No long-term contract · Free migration help
Canadian-owned and built in British Columbia since 2010, with straightforward pricing for salons across Canada and the US.
Who it's made for
salonMonster
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Square
Service businesses of every kind that want a free scheduling option tied to Square payments, hardware, and its wider commerce tools
Fresha
Businesses that want marketplace discovery and a wide feature set, with clients booking through a Fresha account
Top features
salonMonster
Online booking, processing-time gaps for colour, booking requests, client records, inventory, reports, a wait list, and bulk email and text marketing, all in one plan
Square
Processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans
Fresha
Booking and a marketplace listing, with live chat and phone support and advanced reports sold as paid extras
Support
salonMonster
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Square
Self-serve setup and imports, with live onboarding and hands-on migration arranged through its sales team
Fresha
Email support included. Live chat and phone cost extra, and you import your own data
Bottom line
salonMonster
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
Square
A general booking tool made for every kind of business, with the salon tools you need most kept for its paid plans
Fresha
A marketplace-led booking app, with a 20% fee on a new client’s first marketplace booking and no booking widget for your own website
Hairdressers, nail techs, estheticians, and owner-led salons who want software made for beauty professionals, by people who have worked behind the chair
Square
Service businesses of every kind that want a free scheduling option tied to Square payments, hardware, and its wider commerce tools
Fresha
Businesses that want marketplace discovery and a wide feature set, with clients booking through a Fresha account
Online booking, processing-time gaps for colour, booking requests, client records, inventory, reports, a wait list, and bulk email and text marketing, all in one plan
Processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans
Booking and a marketplace listing, with live chat and phone support and advanced reports sold as paid extras
Phone, chat, and email support from people who know salon work, plus free migration help from a real person
Self-serve setup and imports, with live onboarding and hands-on migration arranged through its sales team
Email support included. Live chat and phone cost extra, and you import your own data
Built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, with the salon tools, marketing, and personal help in one price
A general booking tool made for every kind of business, with the salon tools you need most kept for its paid plans
A marketplace-led booking app, with a 20% fee on a new client’s first marketplace booking and no booking widget for your own website
Already sold? Jump in whenever you're ready.
Start your free 14-day trialNo card required, no contract.
Want a deeper dive? Here's how salonMonster stacks up.
Based on each company's public product and pricing information (last reviewed: Square October 3, 2026). salonMonster bills in Canadian dollars in Canada and US dollars in the US. Prices, plans, and promotions change, so check before deciding: Square's Canada or United States pricing page and Fresha's pricing page .
The real difference: Square, Fresha, or software built for your salon
Built around the chair
Square has to work for a mechanic, a tax accountant, and a salon. Fresha is built around its own marketplace, and clients need a Fresha account to book. salonMonster is made by hairdressers, for the way a salon day already runs. Book a cut into the gap while a colour processes, approve online booking requests before they land in your book, and keep formulas on the client record.
The essentials are in the price
With Square, processing time, a wait list, and no-show protection are only available on paid plans. With Fresha, live chat, phone support, and advanced reports cost extra, and there’s a 20% fee on a new client’s first marketplace booking. salonMonster sticks to what a salon uses every day and includes it on every plan.
Help from people who know salons
We've been behind the chair, so you won't have to explain what a root touch-up is. A real person moves your client list over for free and walks you through your new account. And you get 14 days with no card at all, so nothing can charge you until you've decided it's right for you.
Switching from Square or Fresha: export first
1
Export your records
From Square, download your customer directory and appointment history, then your items, payment history, and reports. From Fresha, download your client list, and your bookings or products if you want them, as CSV files. Keep your account open while you do.
2
We look at what you got
Send the files over through our secure process. We'll tell you exactly what can move into salonMonster before we call the move done, so there are no surprises later.
3
Walk through it with a real person
We'll go over your clients, services, upcoming bookings, team access, and booking rules together. Once it all looks right, that's the moment to cancel or downgrade your old plan.
Frequently asked questions
Is Square or Fresha better for a salon?
It depends on what you want the software to do. Square Appointments is built for many kinds of businesses, with salon tools such as processing time and a wait list on its paid plans. Fresha is built around its marketplace and a wide feature set, and clients book through a Fresha account. salonMonster only does salons and beauty. It’s built by hairdressers, for hairdressers, so every feature is designed around a salon day and included in one plan.
Which costs less: Square, Fresha, or salonMonster?
salonMonster is $30 a month for one person, with every salon tool included: processing time, a wait list, client records, and marketing. Square has a free plan, but its salon tools sit on Square Plus, at $35 a month in Canada or $49 in the US. Fresha starts at $20 to $30 a month depending on your currency and region, plus a 20% one-time fee on a new client’s first booking through its marketplace. Team size, country, and add-ons all change the total, so compare the setup you would really use.
Do Square and Fresha offer a free trial?
salonMonster’s trial is 14 days of the full system and doesn’t ask for a card, so nothing is charged until you choose a plan. Square has a free plan with no time limit, and its paid plans come with a free trial. Fresha’s trial is 7 days.
Do Square and Fresha have a marketplace?
Square Go is a free app in the United States where clients can find and book eligible beauty businesses. It’s currently on iPhone only and isn’t offered in Canada. Fresha runs a marketplace and charges a 20% one-time fee on a client’s first booking through it. The fee doesn’t apply to clients who find you through your own website, Google, or referrals. salonMonster keeps booking between you and your clients: they book through your own booking page or a widget on your website, not a marketplace.
Do Square or Fresha require a contract?
salonMonster has no contract and no cancellation fee. Square has no long-term commitment and lets you cancel or downgrade anytime. Fresha is month to month.
Can I export my data from Square or Fresha?
Square lets you export your customer directory and appointment history as CSV files, along with items, payment history, and reports. Fresha lets you download your client list, bookings, and products as CSV files. Whichever you’re on, get every export you rely on before you cancel or downgrade.
Can salonMonster move everything from Square or Fresha?
It depends on the files you’re able to export. Send them over and we’ll tell you exactly what can move before you change anything on your current account.
ready when you are
Ready for salon software built around the chair?
Start with 14 days free. No credit card. If you decide to move from Square or Fresha, a real person will look over the files you export and explain what can come across before you change anything.
No card. No contract.
salonMonster is an independent company and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Block, Inc. or Square or Fresha. Square and Square Appointments and Fresha are trademarks of their respective owners.