Avana Connect
Switch it on once for your Instagram. It answers clients with your own prices and free times and lets them book inside the conversation.
$12.99a month
Add Connect A Square Appointments alternative built around the salon chair
Square is a payments company that also books appointments. Avana starts from the booking: your page, your calendar, deposits and the DMs that turn into clients.
Free for 7 daysTax included in the priceNo commission
In shortChecked October 2026
Avana, by Sweeber Technologies, is a Square Appointments alternative for salons that want booking software built around their chair. Square Appointments has a free plan for one location and paid Plus and Premium plans priced per location per month, with card processing fees paid by the business. Avana costs $20.99 a month with sales tax included, takes no commission, adds deposits per service, Avana Connect for Instagram and the Avana Academy, and lets the client carry the small online payment fee. If you already run your front desk on Square hardware, Square may suit you better.
| At a glance | Avana | Square |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Salons and beauty pros | Any appointment-based business |
| Entry price | $20.99 a month, tax included | Free plan for one location |
| Card fees | Paid by the client, shown upfront | Paid by you |
| Booking from Instagram messages | Avana Connect | Book button |
Square figures from Square's public material. Check current plans on Square's site.
Why salons compare
Where Avana goes further for a salon
Square Appointments does the basics well. These are the salon-specific parts.
Deposits that fit each service
Turn a deposit on for balayage and off for a fringe trim. A no-show on a long service no longer costs you the whole afternoon.
Instagram messages become bookings
Avana Connect answers DMs with your real prices and open times, and books the client in the chat.
Sell a course from your salon
With the Avana Academy you teach your technique online, with a practice day in your own calendar.
Payments
Clients can still pay in the salon
Paying at the desk works the way it always has. For a long treatment you can ask for a deposit when they book, so the slot you keep free is paid for. You decide per treatment.
- Pay in the salon, as before
- Turn a deposit on for the treatments that need one
- Card, Apple Pay and Google Pay online
Checkout
Deposit balayage$25.00
CardApple PayGoogle Pay
Your messages
A question in your Instagram DMs turns into a booking
Switch on Avana Connect once on your Instagram account. From then on it answers clients with your own prices and free times, and lets them book inside the chat.
- Replies within seconds, late at night too
- Only prices and times that are really yours
- You can step in and type yourself whenever you like
Instagram · Studio Ivy
How much is balayage with you?
Balayage is $120 and takes 2.5 hours. I still have 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM free on Saturday.
10:00 AM2:00 PM
10:00 AM please
Lovely. Tap below to hold your slot.Confirm appointment
Side by side
Square Appointments and Avana compared
How the two line up on the things a salon uses every week.
| Square | Avana | |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes, for one location* | No; 7-day free trial |
| Paid plans | Plus and Premium, per location per month* | From $20.99 a month, tax included |
| Commission on bookings | None | None |
| Card processing | Paid by you on every payment* | Client pays a small fee shown upfront |
| Deposits per service | Yes* | Yes |
| Instagram DM booking | Book button | Avana Connect |
| Point of sale hardware | Yes | No |
| Course selling | No | Avana Academy |
*From Square's public material, October 2026. Square's paid plan prices and processing rates vary; check its pricing page.
What you get
Everything you need to open for bookings
Every Avana plan includes a booking page, a calendar, deposits, email reminders and client records from day one. Where something starts at Business Plus, it says so on the tile.
Your own booking pageTreatments, prices and free times on one link, with your photos. Clients book without making an account.Set up your page Your calendar on your phoneYour whole day at a glance, wherever you are. A new booking appears straight away, with who is coming and for what.Set your hours Pay in the salon or onlineClients pay at the desk as they always have. Online payment works too, by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay.Turn on online payments Deposits against empty slotsAsk for an amount upfront on a long treatment. The slot is then properly held, and if nobody turns up, you keep the deposit.Set a deposit Email remindersA confirmation right after booking and a reminder the day before with the time and your address. You do nothing.Switch reminders on Your client recordsColor formulas, your notes and everything done before, per client. After the visit you invite them back with one tap.Import your clients A waiting list when you are fullSaturday fully booked? A client can join the waiting list, and the moment someone cancels, the next person gets an email.From Business PlusSet up the waiting list Someone helps out?If someone works with you on Saturdays or a few days a week, add them with their own hours and treatments.Add a team member
Also included
- Reviews collected after each visit
- Invoices for your accountant
- Discount codes for your clients
- A questionnaire before the first visit
- Your own cancellation rules
- Gift cards and product sales, from Business Plus
- Holidays and days off in one go
- A QR code for your front desk
- Your own wording in every email
- A clear view of how full your week is
Being fair
Square or Avana?
It depends on what you already have.
Avana suits you if
- you want software built for salons
- you take deposits on long services
- your clients message you on Instagram
- you would like your price to arrive in full
Square suits you if
- you already use Square at the front desk
- you sell a lot of retail with a card reader
- a free plan matters more than salon features
What it costs
The price is right here on the page
Avana has three plans: Business at $20.99, Business Plus at $35.99 and Business Max at $70.99 a month, all with sales tax included. There is no commission on your takings and no contract, and every plan starts with 7 days free without card details.
MonthlyYearly save up to $142
Business
For the independent salon that takes bookings seriously.
/month
$0.70 a day, and no commission on your revenue.
Start free- Unlimited online bookings
- Your own booking page and QR code
- Online calendar and services
- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- Intake questions when clients book
- Confirmation and reminder emails
- Online payments and deposits
- Automatic invoices and a monthly export
- Booking widget for your own website
- Add-ons, client records and discount codes
- Loyalty card for regular clients
Most popular
Business Plus
For the salon that wants every gap in the week filled.
/month
$1.20 a day. One extra appointment a month covers it.
Start free- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- Waitlist that fills canceled slots
- Sell gift cards
- Sell products when clients book
- Cash book and end-of-day close
- Track expenses and stock
- Insights into how your salon is doing
- Discount campaigns with an end date
- Consent forms online
- Send documents with the confirmation
- Multiple locations
Business Max
For the salon that also teaches, with Avana Academy included.
/month
$2.37 a day, with Avana Academy included.
Start free- Mobile app for iPhone and Android
- 2 extra team members includedEach with their own calendar. After that, $7.99 a month per person.
- Avana Academy includedSell courses with certificates for your students.
- Treatment rooms in your calendarAdd the room or chair to each appointment, so two treatments never clash.
- 5 free SMS a month included
- Email campaigns
- Automatic birthday and win-back emails
- Use your own domain name
- Your own branding in campaigns
- Advanced settings
- Early access to new features
All prices include sales tax. If you change plan, you only pay the difference.
Add when you need it
Two extras, and room for your team
Avana Connect costs $12.99 a month and the Avana Academy $11.99 a month with a plan. Each extra team member is $7.99 a month. Everything goes on one bill, and you can stop any month.
Avana Academy
Sell your own courses to people who want to learn your craft. Lessons are set up once, the practice day sits in your calendar and certificates go out on their own.
$11.99a month with a plan
Add the Academy An extra team member
Business includes you, Business Plus you and one other, Business Max you and two others. Each person on top gets their own calendar and hours.
$7.99a month each
Add a team member Questions
Square Appointments alternative: FAQ
What is a good alternative to Square Appointments for a salon?
Avana is made for salons: a booking page in your name, deposits per service, reminders, client notes, plus Avana Connect for your Instagram messages. It costs $20.99 a month with sales tax included and takes no commission.
Is Square Appointments free?
Square has a free plan for one location, with card processing fees on every payment. Its Plus and Premium plans are charged per location each month. Check Square's pricing page for the current amounts.
Can I keep using a Square card reader with Avana?
There is no link between the two. Clients can pay online through Avana by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay, or pay in the salon however you take payments today.
Can I import my clients from Square?
If you export your Square customer list as a CSV file, Avana's import screen reads it. It recognizes names, phone numbers, emails and notes and asks about anything unclear.
Does Avana have a contract?
No. It is free for 7 days without card details, then monthly, and you can cancel whenever you want.
Question not here? The help center walks through every part of Avana step by step.
General tools and salon software
General booking tools and salon software
Square Appointments is one part of a larger payments system, and it shows: it handles any business that books time. People looking for a Square Appointments alternative usually run a salon and want the salon details done properly.
Avana gives you a booking page, deposits by service, a questionnaire before the first visit, and Avana Connect for Instagram. Compare it with Vagaro and GlossGenius, or see all alternatives.
Try booking software made for your chair
Free for 7 days, no card details. Your page can be live today.
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