We’re moving right along in our business management software showdown, and today’s matchup is a big one!

Choosing the right platform comes down to finding the best fit for your unique needs. Two of the most popular options are Square and GlossGenius, both packed with features designed to streamline your business operations. But which one is the better choice for you?

Let’s break down their key features, costs, and capabilities to see which platform can help you run your business more smoothly and efficiently.

How Much Does Square Cost?

Square takes a modular, pay-as-you-grow approach to pricing. Instead of locking you into one bundled subscription, Square lets you start free and add paid tools as your business needs expand. That flexibility is appealing, but it also means your total cost can creep up quickly once you layer in appointments, payroll, marketing, and advanced features.

Here’s how Square’s pricing breaks down:

Square Appointments Free Plan: $0/month (individuals only)

Square’s free plan is designed for solo operators with a single staff login. It includes online booking, automated appointment confirmations and reminders, basic client profiles, a free booking website, and Square’s built-in payment processing. It’s a solid starting point for independent providers who want scheduling without upfront software costs.

That said, the free plan is intentionally limited. Team scheduling, resource management, and advanced reporting are not included.

Square Appointments Plus: $29/month per location

This is where Square becomes more viable for growing businesses. The Plus plan unlocks multiple staff calendars, staff permissions, commission tracking, cancellation fees, no-show protection, and more robust reporting. It’s best suited for small teams that need basic operational structure without committing to enterprise-level software.

Even at this tier, Square still leans generalist rather than industry-specific, which can matter for salons, spas, or wellness businesses with more nuanced booking needs.

Square Appointments Premium: Custom pricing

Premium is Square’s enterprise option, built for larger businesses with complex scheduling or multi-location operations. Pricing is custom and typically includes dedicated onboarding and account support. This tier is less commonly used by small or mid-sized service businesses and is often overkill unless you’re operating at scale.

Payment Processing Fees

Square’s software may be flexible, but its processing fees are fixed:

In-person payments: 2.6% + 10¢ per transaction

Online payments (including booking): 2.9% + 30¢ per transaction

These rates are standard for Square and non-negotiable for most businesses.

What to factor in: Payroll, email marketing, loyalty programs, text marketing, advanced analytics, and some hardware features are all paid add-ons. While Square’s ecosystem is powerful, it’s easy to end up paying for multiple tools that aren’t included in your base plan.

Overall, Square’s pricing is approachable upfront and great for testing the waters. The tradeoff is that costs become less predictable as you grow. For businesses that want deep, industry-specific features bundled into one clear monthly price, Square can start to feel more pieced together than purpose-built.

How Much Does GlossGenius Cost?

GlossGenius uses straightforward, tiered pricing designed to scale from solo professionals to larger beauty and wellness teams. All plans include a 14-day free trial, allowing you to test the platform before committing.

Here’s how GlossGenius's pricing breaks down:

Standard Plan — $24/month (billed annually, or about $28 month-to-month)

This entry-level plan covers the essentials: a branded booking website, 24/7 online booking, built-in payment processing, unlimited SMS and email reminders, client profiles, inventory tracking, and basic marketing tools. It’s well-suited for independent pros who want an all-in-one system without extra complexity.

Gold Plan — $48/month (billed annually, or about $56 monthly)

Designed for growing businesses, the Gold plan adds features like waitlists, intake forms and waivers, time tracking, Google integrations, and expanded marketing capabilities. It’s a strong middle ground for small teams or busy solo providers scaling up.

Platinum Plan — $148/month (billed annually, or about $168 monthly)

Built for larger or fast-growing businesses, this plan includes unlimited team members, enhanced analytics, higher marketing limits, and priority support. It’s best suited for salons and studios that need deeper operational insights and team management tools.

Across all plans, Gloss Genius charges a flat 2.6% payment processing fee on transactions, which is competitive with industry standards and consistent across payment types.

What to factor in: Payroll is offered as a paid add-on, and hardware such as card readers is typically purchased separately.

Overall, GlossGenius’s pricing is transparent and predictable. Most core features are included in the monthly subscription, making it easier for business owners to understand their costs as they grow, without juggling multiple third-party tools.

GlossGenius vs. Booksy: Feature-by-Feature Comparison

Online Booking Experience

Client Discovery & Marketplace

Payments and POS

Calendar & Scheduling

Client Reminders & No-Show Reduction

CRM & Client Management

Reporting & Analytics

Inventory & Retail Sales

Loyalty & Client Retention

Marketing & Add-ons

Branding & Customization

Final Thoughts: Is There a Clear Winner?

If you’re forcing a verdict, there is a clear winner—and it depends on whether your software is meant to support your business or define it. Square is functional, flexible, and undeniably powerful, but it treats appointments like just another transaction. GlossGenius, on the other hand, is opinionated by design. It’s built for beauty and wellness businesses that care about presentation, client experience, and brand polish as much as payments.

If you’re running a service-first business and want software that elevates how clients perceive you from the first click to checkout, GlossGenius isn’t just the better fit—it’s the smarter long-term choice.