Softwr

Productivity · head to head

Bear vs Square Appointments

Bear logo

Bear

Productivity

Markdown notes for Apple devices

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Scheduling & Booking

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: Bear built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bear and Square Appointments differ
AttributeBearSquare Appointments
Starting priceOn requestFree
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryProductivityScheduling & Booking
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Bear

Nothing recorded that Square Appointments does not also cover.

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.

Bear

No use cases recorded yet. See the Bear review.

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Bear

  • Built for Apple hardware only, with no Windows, Android or web client
  • Free tier is limited to 3 themes, 1 app icon and restricted export formats; iCloud sync requires Bear Pro
  • Bear Pro is $2.99 per month or $29.99 per year after a 7 day free trial

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

Bear

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Bear 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 Bear if

Nothing in the data separates Bear from Square Appointments on the points above - pick on price and on how each one feels to use.

Bear 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 Bear or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Bear starts at On request and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bear or Square Appointments?
Square Appointments has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at On request for Bear and Free for Square Appointments.
Does Bear or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Bear runs on Web. 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. Bear starts at On request.
What can Bear do that Square Appointments cannot?
Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.
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