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Affinity Designer vs Square Appointments

Affinity Designer logo

Affinity Designer

Software

Professional graphic design software for everyone

From
$69.99/one-time
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Software

Free scheduling for beauty businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Square Appointments has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Affinity Designer sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024); Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Square Appointments covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Affinity Designer and Square Appointments actually diverge.

Attributes where Affinity Designer and Square Appointments differ
AttributeAffinity DesignerSquare Appointments
Starting price$69.99/one-timeFree
Pricing modelone-timesubscription
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWindows, Macos, IosWeb, Ios, Android
Founded19942009

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 Affinity Designer

  • Vector drawing
  • Bezier tools
  • Gradient tools
  • Typography
  • Pixel-perfect editing
  • Artboards
  • Symbols
  • Non-destructive effects

Only in Square Appointments

  • Online booking
  • Client management
  • Point of sale
  • Payment processing
  • Automated reminders
  • Instagram booking
  • Google booking
  • Mobile app

What people use each for

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

Affinity Designer

  • Logo designnot Square Appointments
  • Vector illustrationnot Square Appointments
  • Icon designnot Square Appointments
  • Brandingnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

  • Online appointment booking for salons, barbers and personal servicesnot Affinity Designer
  • Taking card payments and deposits at the time of bookingnot Affinity Designer
  • Managing staff calendars, waitlists and no-show policiesnot Affinity Designer

Where each one falls short

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

Affinity Designer

  • Sold as a one-time purchase rather than a subscription: the Windows or macOS edition was priced at CA$94.99, the cross-platform Universal License at CA$224.99, and the standalone iPad edition at CA$24.99 (Internet Archive capture, 1 January 2024)

Square Appointments

  • The free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • Cancellation policies, no-show fees and waitlists require the Plus plan
  • Resource management, service cost tracking and the future bookings report require the Premium plan
  • Custom processing rates are reserved for Square Pro, which is aimed at businesses processing over $250,000 a year
  • Card processing fees are charged on top of the plan fee on every tier including the free one

Pricing, plan by plan

Affinity Designer

$69.99/one-time
  • Standard$69.99/one-time
    • Full version
    • All features
    • Lifetime updates

Square Appointments

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Online booking
    • Client management
  • Plus$29/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Multiple staff calendars
    • No-show protection
  • Premium$69/month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Multi-location
    • Staff management

Which should you pick?

Choose Affinity Designer if

  • You need vector drawing.
  • You work on Windows, Macos, Ios.
  • You also want bezier tools.
Affinity Designer review

Choose Square Appointments if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client management.
Square Appointments review

Questions people ask

Is Affinity Designer or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Affinity Designer or Square Appointments?
Square Appointments has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $69.99/one-time for Affinity Designer and Free for Square Appointments.
Does Affinity Designer or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Affinity Designer runs on Windows, Macos, Ios. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Square Appointments for free?
Yes. Square Appointments has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Affinity Designer starts at $69.99/one-time.
What is Affinity Designer best used for?
Affinity Designer is most often used for logo design, vector illustration, icon design, branding. Of those, logo design and vector illustration are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Affinity Designer do that Square Appointments cannot?
Affinity Designer covers Vector drawing, Bezier tools, Gradient tools, Typography. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.
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