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Medusa vs Squire

Medusa logo

Medusa

Software

Open source Shopify alternative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Squire logo

Squire

Software

The operating system for barbershops

From
$30/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Medusa has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Medusa the managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage; Squire booking fees of $1-3 per appointment add significant cost beyond subscription, increasing total cost of ownership
  • They diverge on capability: Medusa covers Open source, Squire covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Medusa and Squire actually diverge.

Attributes where Medusa and Squire differ
AttributeMedusaSquire
Starting priceFree$30/month
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20202015

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Medusa

  • Open source
  • Modular architecture
  • Multi-region support
  • Plugin system
  • Admin dashboard
  • Order management
  • Inventory tracking
  • Payment integrations

Only in Squire

  • Online booking
  • Walk-in queue
  • Point of sale
  • Team management
  • Instant payouts
  • Client app
  • Marketing tools
  • Business analytics

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Medusa

  • Building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platformnot Squire
  • Running a self hosted or managed commerce API with a custom storefrontnot Squire

Squire

  • Barbershop managementnot Medusa
  • Walk-in handlingnot Medusa
  • Team payrollnot Medusa
  • Client bookingnot Medusa

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Medusa

  • The managed cloud meters four separate resources: edge requests, emails, compute hours and database storage
  • The Develop plan at $29 a month applies a hard limit of 1,000 emails, so it stops rather than bills
  • Compute hours are capped at 600 on Develop and 800 on Launch
  • Edge request overage is $0.3 per million and storage $0.5 per GB month above the plan allowance
  • Background workers and priority support require the Scale plan at $299 a month

Squire

  • Booking fees of $1-3 per appointment add significant cost beyond subscription, increasing total cost of ownership
  • Limited to barbershops and beauty salons; not suitable for other service industries
  • Walk-in and waitlist features only available on higher-tier plans, limiting functionality for drop-in appointments
  • POS system tightly integrated; cannot use with alternative payment processors or systems
  • Customer data locked into Squire platform with limited export options

Pricing, plan by plan

Medusa

Free
  • Open SourceFree
    • Full source code
    • Self-hosted
    • Community support
  • Cloud$50/month
    • Managed hosting
    • Automatic updates
    • Priority support

Squire

$30/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Squire review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Medusa if

  • You need open source.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want modular architecture.
Medusa review

Choose Squire if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want walk-in queue.
Squire review

Questions people ask

Is Medusa or Squire better?
Neither clearly leads. Medusa starts at Free and Squire at $30/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Medusa or Squire?
Medusa has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Medusa and $30/month for Squire.
Does Medusa or Squire run on more platforms?
Medusa runs on Web. Squire runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Medusa for free?
Yes. Medusa has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Squire starts at $30/month.
What is Medusa best used for?
Medusa is most often used for building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform, running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront. Of those, building a custom ecommerce backend on an open source headless platform and running a self hosted or managed commerce api with a custom storefront are not what Squire is typically brought in for.
What can Medusa do that Squire cannot?
Medusa covers Open source, Modular architecture, Multi-region support, Plugin system. Squire covers Online booking, Walk-in queue, Point of sale, Team management.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Squire: What are Squire's pricing tiers?

Squire offers Pro plans starting at $30/month for independent barbers, Pro-Complete at $100/month for full shops, Executive tiers at $100-150/month, and Titan at $250/month. All include scheduling, POS, and customer management features.

Source
Squire: Does Squire charge booking fees?

Yes, Squire charges customers $1-3 per booking for online scheduling, in addition to the monthly subscription cost. This is a key cost factor beyond the base subscription.

Source
Squire: What integrations does Squire support?

Squire integrates with Square, QuickBooks, Google Calendar, and Stripe. It also offers an API for custom integrations and works with Zapier to connect to hundreds of other applications.

Source
Squire: What core features does Squire provide?

Squire includes online appointment scheduling, integrated POS system, customer relationship management, loyalty reward programs, promo codes, and automated text reminders.

Source
Squire: Does Squire support walk-in customers?

Yes, Squire supports walk-in booking through its waitlist feature, which is available on all plans except the basic Pro tier.

Source
Squire: Who founded Squire and how is it backed?

Squire was founded by Songe LaRon and Dave Salvant in 2016. The company raised $162M in funding as of February 2026 and achieved a $750M valuation in 2021.

Source
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