A Square alternative for salons
Last reviewed 2026-08-05 · by the RetailPOS team
Square is a strong general POS and its Appointments product handles booking well. The gaps salons cite are stylist-level economics — commission and tips per stylist — and treating a salon as a business that both performs services and sells product from the same stock. Here is how RetailPOS compares — factually.
Why salons look for a Square alternative
Per-stylist economics. Salons need commission and tips attributed to the individual stylist, not pooled — and reported cleanly for pay.
Service + retail together. A colour service and the retail shampoo sold after should ring on one bill with the product depleting stock.
Processing. Square bundles card processing at a fixed rate; bring-your-own lets you negotiate as volume grows.
RetailPOS vs Square for a salon — factually
| RetailPOS | Square | |
|---|---|---|
| Per-stylist commission & tips | Built in | Limited |
| Service + retail on one bill | Yes | Yes (retail-led) |
| Product / colour depletion | Yes | Basic |
| Card processing | Bring your own | Bundled fixed rate |
| Online booking | Via integrations | Square Appointments (strong) |
| Monthly pricing | Flat per shop | Free; paid tiers + Appointments |
When to stay on Square
If your salon is booking-ledand Square Appointments' scheduling, reminders and client self-booking are the heart of your operation, Square is genuinely strong and its first-party hardware and instant setup are excellent. Switch to RetailPOS when stylist commission, product stock and service-plus-retail billing matter more than the booking calendar.
Migrating from Square
Export your catalogue and customers from Square, import into RetailPOS, and set up stylists and commission rules before go-live. Steps in the Square migration guide.
Frequently asked
- Can each stylist earn their own commission and tips?
- Yes — services are attributed to the stylist who performed them, so commission and tips are individual rather than pooled. This is the main gap salons cite versus a general POS.
- Does RetailPOS do online booking like Square Appointments?
- Booking is handled via integrations rather than a built-in calendar. If self-booking and reminders are your core need, Square Appointments is strong; RetailPOS leads on sales, commission and product stock.
- Can I keep my card reader?
- Square readers are tied to Square processing, so those are replaced when you switch; RetailPOS is bring-your-own-processor, so you use a reader from your chosen provider.
Open your shop in 30 seconds.
No card. Free until your first 100 sales. Bring your own Stripe; keep your hardware.