Updated November 11, 2026
Fresha vs Square: how they compare as your salon or spa grows
Fresha and Square both run online booking, deposits, payments, marketing, staff pay and more than one location for salons and spas, and each offers AI tools for client communication. The differences show up as you add staff, rooms and locations, and that is where Zenoti, with an AI Workforce built into the same platform, comes in.
Fresha vs Square as you add staff, rooms and locations
Fresha and Square
- AI Concierge (Fresha)
- Square Assistant (Square)
Membership sharing with family and friends: not stated publicly
Zenoti
One platform with an AI Workforce, at one location or many
Sources: Fresha Help Center on memberships and its spa page; Square's Appointments and day spa pages and the Submatic listing; Zenoti memberships and AI Workforce pages. Competitor pages checked October 29, 2026; Zenoti pages rechecked November 11, 2026.
Salon and spa brands that run on Zenoti





































Fresha vs Square: what you are moving from, and how each one handles it
If you are moving from another system, such as Vagaro, Acuity Scheduling or DaySmart, here is what owners want when they leave, how Zenoti handles it, and how Fresha and Square each handle it.
Moving off Vagaro
A booking site in your own brand, with your history brought across
Your booking page is often the first thing a new client sees, so you want it in your salon's colors, logo and style. You also want your client records, appointment history, services and staff records to come with you when you move.
How Zenoti handles it
Your Zenoti booking page is customized to match your salon's colors, logo and style. Zenoti's guide to switching from Vagaro covers exporting your client records, appointment history, services and staff records so your history comes with you.
“The level of support during the implementation process has been excellent.”Barbara B., Beauty Salon. September 17, 2026. Read on Capterra
Fresha
A Smart Website that stays connected to your Fresha account. When you switch, you can import your client list and product list.
Square
A booking site styled with your own colors, layout and fonts. Square's salon page names Vagaro among the systems you can move from by bulk importing your customer and inventory lists.
Moving off Acuity Scheduling
Bookings from Google and social media, with a deposit when you need one
Clients find you on Google and Instagram and expect to book right there, and some services need a deposit at the time of booking.
How Zenoti handles it
Guests can book through your Zenoti Webstore, branded mobile app or SmartBot chat, and through Reserve with Google, Facebook or Instagram. You choose which services require a deposit and whether to charge a fixed amount or a percentage, and clients can pay in full or leave a deposit when they book.
Fresha
Reserve with Google bookings from Google Search and Maps, Book now buttons on Facebook and Instagram, and the Fresha marketplace. Deposits can be a percentage or fixed amount of the appointment value, with card capture and a no-show fee.
Square
An online booking site, a Book button on your Instagram profile, a Book Now button for your Facebook business page, and Reserve with Google, so clients can book, cancel and reschedule from a Google search. Deposits can be a fixed amount or a percentage on each service, and clients' cards can be saved on file to hold appointments. Square's salon page names Acuity among the systems you can move from.
Moving off DaySmart
A system set up around how you work, with tools to add as you grow
You want your own services, rooms and team set up properly from the start, and new tools you can switch on as the business grows.
How Zenoti handles it
Zenoti's onboarding team analyzes your current system's data, prepares a migration scope for you to review and sign off, migrates your service menu, rooms, equipment and staff, and configures role-based access. As you grow, you can add tools such as AI Receptionist, which answers missed and after-hours calls 24/7, then books, reschedules and confirms appointments by voice or text.
“So many ways of completing a task. ... Love the AI options that are available”Colleen B., Clinic director. January 2, 2026. Read on Capterra
Fresha
AI Concierge answers calls 24/7, replies to client messages and reviews, and books and reschedules appointments in your Fresha calendar. When you switch, you can import your client list and product list.
Square
Square Assistant can text reminders that let clients confirm, reschedule or cancel, and NextClient AI's AI Receptionist app in the Square App Marketplace answers calls for Square sellers. You can bulk import your customer list and inventory list, and Square says to contact its sales team to migrate appointment history or future appointments.
Fresha vs Square: six problems to solve before you choose, and how Zenoti fixes them
Whichever you choose, these six decide how well it fits a salon or spa that is adding staff, rooms or locations.
The problem
Couples and two-provider visits have to book together
Two guests want massages at the same time, or one guest wants two providers in one visit. The bookings have to stay linked, with the right providers and rooms held together.
How Zenoti fixes it
A Zenoti couples booking assigns two therapists and two treatment rooms and links the bookings so they run in parallel. A full spa day can be booked as a single experience, and online guests can book for groups or add multiple services in one session.
See couples and group bookingThe problem
A declined card or a month away can end a membership
Memberships and packages are a salon's steady revenue. A declined card, a member who needs a break or a partner who wants to share the benefits can cut one short.
How Zenoti fixes it
Zenoti handles recurring billing, auto-renewals and proactive notifications. Guests can freeze or skip payments, failed payments follow your retry and dunning rules, members can share with family and friends, and memberships, packages and gift cards redeem across your locations.
“Our memberships and booking system sit together, so when a client comes in we can see their bookings, their membership and their history all at once without jumping between programs.”Tracy C., Owner operator. October 23, 2026. Read on Capterra
The problem
Commissions, tips and payroll eat hours every pay period
Every stylist and therapist has their own commission rules, tips come in at checkout, and payroll still has to be filed on time.
How Zenoti fixes it
Zenoti calculates commissions from closed invoices with flat, percentage or tiered rates, including splits between providers, and digital tips land in each employee's Zenoti Wallet at the end of every shift. Zenoti Integrated Payroll handles federal and state tax calculations, filings and payments across all 50 US states, and W-2s and 1099s are generated and filed at year end.
The problem
You need the numbers, and a sense of how they compare
Revenue by stylist, rebooking by service, what each location took last week. Owners want those numbers in one place, and a way to see what good looks like.
How Zenoti fixes it
Zenoti business intelligence compares booking, retention and revenue by location, provider or service type, and shows performance gaps across locations and staff in real time. It gives you access to industry-wide benchmarks collected from 30,000+ businesses, so you can see your rebooking, retention and membership rates against peers. Zeenie, Zenoti's built-in AI assistant, answers questions such as which stylists have the highest rebooking rate, or how this month's no-show rate compares with last month, in real time.
“Reporting has genuinely supercharged the way we make decisions.”Flora, Founder & Director, The Hyde Salons, which is scaling toward eight salons. Read the case study
The problem
A second location doubles the admin
Prices, menus and memberships have to match everywhere, and the books have to settle when a guest buys at one location and redeems at another.
How Zenoti fixes it
Zenoti sets the catalog, promos, pricing and configuration once, with franchisor-level control over what each location can change. It tracks payables and receivables when a guest buys at one center and redeems at another, calculates franchisor royalties on actual revenue, and rolls up consolidated and per-center reporting. Zenoti runs your whole network on one system.
“The new system allows for business growth and expansion into new markets.”Paul C., Co-owner. July 15, 2026. Read on Capterra
The problem
Switching feels riskier than staying put
Client history, memberships, package and gift card balances, and a team to retrain, all while the business keeps booking.
How Zenoti fixes it
Zenoti's onboarding team analyzes your current data and prepares a migration scope for you to review and sign off. Client records, upcoming appointments and, where contracted, two years of past appointments and invoices move over, along with the gift card, package, membership and loyalty point balances you can provide. You check the migrated data and settings and sign off, with Zenoti's team helping, and Zenoti University courses are assigned by role.
“The Zenoti team were brilliant at importing and merging all our services and products.”Charlie Collinge, Managing Director, Andrew Collinge, five salons in the UK. Read the case study
Fresha vs Square: feature comparison, with Zenoti
Checked against each vendor's public pages on October 29, 2026, with Zenoti's pages and both vendors' pricing pages rechecked on November 11, 2026. "Not stated publicly" means we could not find it on that vendor's public pages, not that it is missing, so ask in your demo. Plans and add-ons differ by vendor, so confirm what your plan includes. The last column shows one published result for each capability, with its source.
How to read this comparison
- Built in
- Native to that vendor's platform.
- All three
- All three vendors list it.
- Partial
- Part of the capability is listed; see the detail.
- Via partners
- Listed by that vendor as a partner integration.
Not stated publicly means we couldn’t confirm it from public information, not that the product lacks it.
Impact with Zenoti:Revenue upRevenue saved
| Capability | Fresha | Square | Zenoti | Impact with ZenotiOne published result per capability, with its source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Booking and the front desk | ||||
| Online booking | All threeFresha marketplace, Reserve with Google, Book now buttons on Facebook and Instagram, and a Smart Website connected to your account | All threeOnline booking site, Book buttons on Instagram and Facebook, and Reserve with Google | All threeWebstore, branded mobile app, SmartBot, an AI assistant that answers questions and books by web chat or SMS after hours, plus Reserve with Google, Facebook and Instagram | Revenue up: |
| Plans and pricing | $19.95 a month for a one-person business; $14.95 a month per bookable team member for teams | Square Appointments Free at $0 a month per location, Plus at $49 a month per location, Premium at $149 a month per location; processing fees on each payment | By quote, sized to your locations and the modules you use | |
| Client marketplace and new-client fees | Built inFresha marketplace on the web and in the app; a one-time 20% commission, with a $6 minimum, on new clients who discover you there | No consumer marketplace; no commission on new clients | No client marketplace; clients book you directly on your own webstore, app, Google and social profiles | |
| In-person payments and hardware | All threeCard terminal and Tap to Pay on iPhone and Android through Fresha Payments | All threeCard readers, registers and terminals from Square's own hardware range | All threeCards, tap-to-pay, Apple Pay, Google Pay and text-to-pay links; tips at terminals, the front desk or mirror POS setups | |
| Deposits and cards on file | All threeDeposits as a percentage or fixed amount of the appointment value; card capture and no-show fees | All threeDeposits as a fixed amount or percentage on each service; cards saved on file to hold appointments | All threeDeposits as a fixed amount or a percentage of the service price; pay in full or leave a deposit at booking; saved card details for no-show and cancellation policies | Revenue saved: |
| AI receptionist | Built inAI Concierge answers calls and messages 24/7, and books and reschedules appointments | Via partnersSquare Assistant can text reminders that let clients confirm, reschedule or cancel; AI call answering through apps such as NextClient AI's AI Receptionist | Built inAI Receptionist answers missed and after-hours calls 24/7, then books, reschedules, upsells and confirms appointments by voice or text, and transfers to your team on request | Revenue up: 74%of missed calls intercepted, 33% turned into bookingsBuff Wax Spot, three locations in Edmonton August 2025 to April 2026 |
| Rooms and equipment | All threeResources for rooms, equipment or spaces, held for the length of each appointment | All threeResources such as rooms, stations, equipment or chairs, booked automatically with the services that need them | All threeProvider, room and equipment availability checked automatically on every booking | |
| Couples and group bookings | Built inService bundles that can book team members in parallel and use separate rooms; group appointments online for up to 6 people | PartialOne appointment with several services assigned to different staff members; class bookings; couples bookings not stated publicly | Built inCouples get two therapists and two rooms, linked to run in parallel; guests can book for multiple people online | |
| Kiosk self check-in | PartialVirtual queuing and client self check-in for walk-ins, listed in a January 2026 post on features coming that year | Not stated publicly | Built inSelf-service kiosk for check-ins, group bookings and self-checkouts, with AI-driven retail and service suggestions at checkout | |
| Memberships, loyalty and marketing | ||||
| Memberships and packages | Built inMembership payments collected automatically each billing cycle, paused by the business when needed; Fresha Payments lists smart retries; packages redeemed over time | Via partnersPrepaid packages of services or classes; subscriptions for items or services on your website; memberships through apps such as Submatic in the Square App Marketplace | Built inAuto-billing, freeze or skip, family and friends sharing, failed payments on your retry rules, and redemption across locations | Revenue up: 8% vs 2%sales growth, membership vs non-membership salonsZenoti 2026 Benchmark Report (Zenoti-stated) |
| Loyalty and gift cards | All threePoints and up to five tiers, referral rewards, working across all your locations; gift cards clients can share | All threeSquare Loyalty with custom points and rewards; physical gift cards and eGift cards | All threeFlat or tiered points at checkout for services, retail, referrals and renewals; physical and digital gift cards | Revenue up: |
| Email and text marketing | All threeAutomated messages by email, text and WhatsApp, including rebooking reminders, birthdays and lapsed-client win-backs | All threeSquare Marketing campaigns, a Lapsed Booker automation and Google review requests after appointments | All threeSmart Marketing automation triggered by guest actions or visit history, with audiences by service history, visit recency or loyalty tier; Zeenie drafts the content for your team to approve | Revenue up: |
| Staff and payroll | ||||
| Commissions and tips | All threeFixed or tiered commissions with rates by service, product, day of the week or location, tracked into pay runs with tips | All threeCommissions as a flat rate per team member or tiers, imported into Square Payroll runs for subscribers; tip pooling | All threeFlat, percentage or tiered commissions from closed invoices, including splits and product-cost deductions; digital tips to the Zenoti Wallet each shift | |
| Payroll tax filing | PartialPay runs send wages, commissions and tips to team members' Fresha wallets or bank accounts; payroll tax filing not stated publicly | Built inSquare Payroll automates federal and state payroll tax filings and payments, plus W-2 and 1099-NEC filings at year end | Built inFederal and state tax calculations, filings and payments in all 50 US states; W-2s and 1099s filed at year end; next-day direct deposit and unlimited payroll runs | Revenue saved: −75%payroll processing time, from two hours to half an hourOC Waxing, five salons in Orange County, California |
| Reports | All three44 reports, plus custom reports, saved views and advanced filtering with Insights | All threeCustom Report Builder, a team performance report and a future bookings report | All threeBooking, retention and revenue by location, provider or service, with benchmarks from 30,000+ businesses; Zeenie answers questions about your business in real time | Revenue saved: |
| Locations, stock and switching | ||||
| Multiple locations | All threeAll locations managed in one place, with schedules, team, services, reports and product sales set up for each location; automated payout routing for multi-site franchises | All threeBookings, team availability, services, resources and payments across locations; Square for Franchises calculates royalties | All threeCatalog and pricing set once, payables and receivables between centers, and franchisor royalties on actual revenue | Revenue saved: 10 daysnotice to take a new location live, from a templateFoxy Box, 18 laser and wax bars on one login |
| Hotel and resort spas | PartialLists luxury hotel and resort spas among the spas it serves; posting to guest folios not stated publicly | Via partnersRoom Charge by beeSQL, an app in the Square App Marketplace, posts purchases such as spa services to the hotel guest folio through the property management system | Built inConnects to your property management system, including Oracle Opera, and posts charges to guest folios automatically | Revenue up: 3–4%same-store growth with HyperConnect AI Concierge, vs ~2%Zenoti 2026 Benchmark Report (Zenoti-stated) |
| Inventory | All threeLow stock notifications and reorder quantities, stock orders to suppliers, and transfers between locations | All threeBulk inventory intake and inventory transfers across locations | All threeExpected usage set per treatment, so stock updates with every sale or service; alerts or purchase orders at thresholds you define; products transferred between locations | |
| Moving your data | All threeYou can import your client list and product list; Fresha's team reviews existing gift cards and deposits case by case | All threeBulk import of customer and inventory lists; contact Square's sales team to migrate appointment history or future appointments; card-on-file migration from another PCI DSS Level 1 processor | All threeOnboarding team migrates client records, upcoming appointments and, where contracted, two years of past appointments and invoices; cards on file on a separate track | Revenue saved: |
| Business types | Salon, barber, nails, spa and sauna, medspa, massage, fitness and recovery, physical therapy, health practices, tattooing and piercing, pet grooming and tanning | Beauty salons, nail and hair salons, day spas, barbershops, tattoo and piercing studios, med spas and fitness businesses | Salons, nail salons, spas, medspas, massage therapy, barbershops and fitness centers | |
"Zenoti-stated" marks a figure Zenoti publishes for the product or from its benchmark report, rather than a named customer result.
Fresha vs Square reviews on Capterra and G2
Each rating comes with the number of reviews behind it. Zenoti's Capterra score is built on 1,297 reviews and its G2 score on 321, as both sites showed them on October 29, 2026. The split by support, ease of use and features follows.
Capterra
Scores out of 5, as each product's Capterra listing showed them on October 29, 2026. Square's listing is Square Appointments. Fresha on Capterra. Square Appointments on Capterra. Zenoti on Capterra.
G2
Overall scores out of 5 from each product's G2 listing; Square's listing is Square Appointments. Sub-scores out of 10 from G2's Fresha vs Zenoti comparison. G2 shows not enough data for Fresha's sub-scores, and the Square Appointments listing shows none. Fresha on G2. Square Appointments on G2. Zenoti on G2. G2 comparison.
Owners who moved to Zenoti from Vagaro and other booking apps
A salon co-owner, after the move
“The onboarding team was amazing, and they assisted us in every step of the process.”
Paul C.Co-owner. July 15, 2026. Capterra
A spa owner, after the move
“I love the features. Demand Pricing. Beautiful webstore. Ease of moving appointments. Online booking. Customer communication.”
Elisabeth F.Spa Owner. May 18, 2026. Capterra
An owner operator, after the move
“What I like most about Zenoti is having everything in one place.”
Tracy C.Owner operator. October 23, 2026. Capterra
Capterra reviews constitute the subjective opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences and do not represent the views of Capterra or its affiliates. Excerpts are verbatim; read each review in full on Capterra.
Case studies from top salon and spa businesses on Zenoti
From a private salon-suite in Denver to a spa brand with 111 locations, in their own words and numbers.
Uses Zenoti reporting and 24/7 online booking to make data-backed decisions.
Read the case studyDelivers a seamless digital client experience with Zenoti self-serve tools, gaining 1,100 new clients every month across 19 nail salons.
Read the case studyUnified data and reporting, with an 84% reduction in products data and 82% in services data.
Read the case studyAdded $11,513 in revenue and 240 bookings in one month with SmartBot.
Read the case studyRecovered 436 guests with personalized Smart Marketing promotions.
Read the case studyMoved all 111 locations from Mindbody to Zenoti, migrating 1.2M+ invoices.
Read the case studySwitching from Fresha or Square to Zenoti
Whichever system you run today, the move follows Zenoti's implementation scope, with a Zenoti onboarding team alongside you. The steps below summarize it. Plan it around your calendar and keep your busiest weeks clear.
Scope
Zenoti analyzes your current data and prepares a migration scope for you to sign off.
Migrate
Client records, upcoming appointments and the balances you can provide move to Zenoti.
Configure
Services, rooms, equipment, staff and role-based access are set up.
Validate
You check the migrated data and settings and sign off, with Zenoti's team helping.
Train and go live
Zenoti University courses are assigned by role, and the cutover starts the night before go-live.
Typical timeline
About four weeks for one location; your implementation team scopes the exact timeline with you.
What moves
Zenoti's implementation scope lists client records, upcoming appointments, the service menu, rooms, equipment, staff, products, and package and membership definitions, plus two years of past appointments and invoices where contracted.
Cards on file
Saved payment cards are handled on a separate track. Whether they can move depends on the source system and the existing payment provider.
See your salon or spa running on Zenoti
Book a live demo built around your salon or spa, and get answers to your questions about moving from Fresha, Square or your current system.
Book your demo
A Zenoti specialist will reach out to schedule your demo.
Fresha vs Square: questions salon and spa owners ask
What is the difference between Fresha and Square?
Both run online booking, deposits, payments, marketing, staff pay and more than one location for salons and spas. Fresha's AI Concierge answers calls and messages 24/7, and Fresha service bundles can be booked in parallel across several team members. Square Assistant can send text reminders that let clients confirm, reschedule or cancel appointments, Square Payroll automates federal and state payroll tax filings, and memberships come through apps in the Square App Marketplace such as Submatic. Zenoti runs the same six, and states one thing neither publishes: membership sharing with family and friends. It also adds an AI Workforce that runs across the platform: AI Receptionist on the phone line, AI Concierge on HyperConnect on every call and text, Zeenie for questions about the business, and Smart Marketing for campaigns.
How do Fresha and Square handle couples and group bookings?
Fresha service bundles can be booked in parallel across several team members and can use separate resources, so a couples massage can use two separate rooms, and clients can book group appointments online for up to 6 people. Square lets clients book a single appointment with several services assigned to different staff members, offers class bookings, and books resources such as rooms automatically with the services that need them. A Zenoti couples booking assigns two therapists and two treatment rooms and links the bookings so they run in parallel, and a full spa day can be booked as a single experience.
Do Fresha and Square have an AI receptionist?
Fresha's AI Concierge answers calls 24/7, replies to client messages and reviews, books and reschedules appointments, and can cancel appointments in line with your cancellation policy. Square Assistant can send text reminders that let clients confirm, reschedule or cancel appointments, and NextClient AI's AI Receptionist app in the Square App Marketplace answers calls for Square sellers. Zenoti AI Receptionist answers missed and after-hours calls 24/7, then books, reschedules and confirms appointments by voice or text. It is one agent in Zenoti's AI Workforce, alongside Zenoti's own AI Concierge on HyperConnect, which analyzes every call and text for missed bookings and upsells, Zeenie, an assistant that answers questions about your business inside Zenoti, and Smart Marketing campaigns. AI agents are available on Zenoti's AI Plus package.
Do Fresha and Square run payroll?
Fresha pay runs track hours, calculate earnings and send payments, including commissions and tips, to team members' Fresha wallets or linked bank accounts. Square Payroll automates federal and state payroll tax filings and payments, plus W-2 and 1099-NEC filings at year end, and Square Payroll subscribers can have commissions imported into their payroll runs. Zenoti calculates commissions from closed invoices, digital tips land in each employee's Zenoti Wallet at the end of every shift, and Zenoti Integrated Payroll handles federal and state tax calculations, filings and payments across all 50 US states.
Can Fresha and Square run more than one location?
Yes. Fresha manages all your locations in one place, with schedules, team members, services, reports and product sales set up for each location; its loyalty program works across all your locations, and Fresha lists automated payout routing for multi-site franchises. Square manages bookings, team availability, services, resources and payments across locations, and Square for Franchises calculates royalties. Zenoti sets the catalog, promos, pricing and configuration once, tracks payables and receivables when a guest buys at one center and redeems at another, and automates franchisor royalties calculated on actual revenue.
How do Fresha and Square handle memberships?
Fresha collects membership payments automatically each billing cycle, the business can pause a membership and choose when it resumes, and Fresha Payments lists smart retries among its automated features. Square sells prepaid packages of services or classes and subscriptions for items or services on your website, and memberships come through apps in the Square App Marketplace such as Submatic, whose benefits appear within Square on customer accounts. In Zenoti, guests can freeze or skip payments, failed payments follow your retry and dunning rules, members can share with family and friends, and memberships, packages and gift cards redeem across your locations.
How long does it take to switch from Fresha or Square to Zenoti?
The move follows Zenoti's implementation scope: the onboarding team analyzes your current data and prepares a migration scope for you to sign off, migrates and configures your setup, and you check the migrated data and settings with Zenoti's team helping. Most single locations are live in about four weeks, and your implementation team scopes the exact timeline with you.
Can I try Zenoti before committing?
Zenoti offers a live demo built around your salon or spa. It does not offer a self-serve free trial.
How does Zenoti pricing compare with Fresha and Square?
Fresha's pricing page lists $19.95 a month for a one-person business and $14.95 a month per bookable team member for teams, plus a one-time 20% commission, with a $6 minimum, on new clients who find you through the Fresha marketplace. Square Appointments lists a Free plan at $0 a month per location, Plus at $49 a month per location and Premium at $149 a month per location, with processing fees on each payment and no commission on new clients. Both as shown on November 11, 2026. Zenoti pricing is by quote, with no client marketplace, so ask for one in your demo and include the add-ons and fees you pay today when you compare. For more than one location, pricing is customized to your footprint and needs.
Is Zenoti only for large salon and spa groups?
No. More than 30,000 salon, spa and medspa businesses across 50+ countries use Zenoti, from single locations to enterprise franchises.
Is there a learning curve with Zenoti?
Shorter than the feature list suggests, because nobody has to learn all of it. Zenoti University gives each role its own short online courses: stylists and therapists learn their calendar, client notes and checkout, the front desk learns deposits, memberships and the kiosk, and owners learn reports and payroll. Zenoti's onboarding team handles migration and configuration with you and stays close after go-live, so questions get answered while the book is live rather than in a classroom first.
Can I talk to a salon or spa owner who switched from Fresha or Square?
Yes. Ask when you book your demo and your Zenoti specialist will set it up. Until then, the case studies and reviews on this page come from salon and spa owners and managers who made the move.
Sources and disclaimers
All sources checked October 29, 2026; Zenoti pages and stories, and both vendors' pricing pages, rechecked November 11, 2026. Capterra reviews constitute the subjective opinions of individual end users based on their own experiences and do not represent the views of Capterra or its affiliates.






