Squire alternative for walk-in shops
Looking for a Squire alternative for a walk-in shop? Here's how NextUp compares on price, texts and what's included, and when Squire might suit you better.
| Feature | NextUp | Squire |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $29/month for your first location, $19 for each additional one | $30/month (Independent, one barber) |
| Free plan or trial | No free plan: a 14-day free trial of everything | No: a 14-day free trial |
| Texts | 1,000 per location every month, then $0.05 each | Email and text reminders included |
| Built for | Walk-in shops: barbershops, salons, tattoo, auto service, repair, grooming | Barbershops: booking, payments at the chair and shop management |
Squire figures are from Squire's pricing page, checked October 2026. Prices change, so check theirs for today's. Squire is a trademark of its owner; NextUp isn't affiliated with it.
Everything in every NextUp plan
- Customers join from a QR code or your link on their phone: no app, no account
- A text confirming their spot, and one when it's their turn
- A now-serving TV display for your waiting area
- A door tablet for walk-ins without a phone
- A staff screen to call, start and finish visits
- Your services and prices, and who each customer asks for
- Your trade's own words, your logo and colors
- Insights: busiest days and hours, waits, top services
- Booth rent and suite rental collected for you, and online tips straight to each person's bank
- Runs in a browser, or in the NextUp app for iPhone, iPad, Android and Apple TV
When Squire might fit better
Honestly: Squire may suit you better if you want one system for booked appointments, a card reader or Tap to Pay at the chair, and point-of-sale, and you mainly book ahead rather than take walk-ins.
NextUp does one thing: the walk-in line at a shop, from the QR code at the door to the TV on the wall, at one price per location.
Compare other waitlist appsQuestions about Squire
Is NextUp cheaper than Squire?
Squire's Pro plan, which includes its waitlist and shop management, is $50 a month for one location; Executive is $150 and Titan $250 a month per shop. Its $30 Independent plan is for one barber. NextUp is $29 a month for the first location and $19 for each additional one, with every feature and 1,000 texts per location included.
Does Squire handle walk-ins?
Yes. Squire has a same-day waitlist on Pro and above and a front-desk kiosk, built around its appointment book. NextUp is built around the walk-in line itself: customers join from a QR code, a Google profile or an Instagram bio, see a live wait, and a TV in the shop shows who is up next.
Does NextUp have a card reader or point-of-sale like Squire?
No. NextUp does not integrate with a point-of-sale system, a card reader or Tap to Pay. Keep taking in-person payments the way you do now. NextUp handles online tips, deposits and no-show fees through Stripe.
Can I switch from Squire to NextUp?
Yes. To go live you add your services and team, put the QR code at the door and pair the TV with the six-character code on its screen. The 14-day trial includes every feature.
Try it on a Saturday
14 days free, every feature. Set up a location in about two minutes.