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Basecamp vs Square Appointments

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Software

Free scheduling for beauty businesses

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Square Appointments covers Online booking.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Square Appointments actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Square Appointments differ
AttributeBasecampSquare Appointments
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20042009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

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.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Square Appointments
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Square Appointments
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Square Appointments
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

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

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

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 Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.

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.

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Square Appointments?
Basecamp starts at Free and Square Appointments at Free.
Does Basecamp or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Square Appointments cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.

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