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Scheduling · head to head

Bookedin vs Square Appointments

Bookedin logo

Bookedin

Scheduling

Appointment scheduling priced per calendar rather than per business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Scheduling

Free scheduling for beauty businesses

From
On request
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Bookedin has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Bookedin pricing is per calendar, so a five-staff salon pays roughly five times the headline price and lands above competitors that charge one flat business rate for unlimited staff.; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Bookedin covers Per calendar pricing, Square Appointments covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Bookedin and Square Appointments differ
AttributeBookedinSquare Appointments
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelPer calendar per monthusage-based
Free tierYesNo
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).

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 Bookedin

  • Per calendar pricing
  • Public booking page
  • Reminders
  • Deposits and payments
  • Class scheduling
  • Free tier
  • Mobile apps
  • Booking forms

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.

Bookedin

  • A solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management systemnot Square Appointments
  • A barber shop with two chairs that wants an Instagram booking link and automated SMS reminders running by the end of the daynot Square Appointments
  • A tutor running both one-to-one sessions and small group classes from the same booking pagenot Square Appointments
  • A pet groomer who wants intake questions captured at booking so the appointment length is right before the client arrivesnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Bookedin

  • Pricing is per calendar, so a five-staff salon pays roughly five times the headline price and lands above competitors that charge one flat business rate for unlimited staff.
  • The free plan stops at 50 bookings a month across appointments and classes together, which a modestly busy single operator exceeds in a fortnight, making it an extended trial rather than a usable free tier.
  • It is a scheduler, not a business system: there is no inventory, commission tracking, payroll or point of sale, so growing businesses hit a wall and face a migration to a salon or clinic platform.
  • Payments run through Stripe, Square or PayPal, so you carry their processing fees on top of the subscription and get no negotiated rate from the vendor.
  • Client marketing is limited to reminders and basic notifications, with none of the campaign, loyalty or rebooking automation that competitors in the salon space treat as core.

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

Bookedin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 bookings per month total
    • One booking page
    • Appointment and class scheduling
  • Plus$19/month
    • Per calendar, billed annually; about USD 24 billed monthly
    • Unlimited bookings
    • SMS and email reminders
  • Pro$39/month
    • Per calendar per month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Advanced customisation and branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Quoted pricing for multi-location businesses
    • Dedicated support
    • Consolidated management across sites

Square Appointments

On request
  • Solo Professional Plan$null/transaction
    • Processing fees apply
    • For solo professionals taking payments and managing schedules
    • Top appointments features
  • Plus Plan$null/transaction
    • Processing fees apply
    • Free trial available
    • For growing teams needing more advanced tools
  • Premium Plan$null/transaction
    • Processing fees apply
    • Free trial available
    • For large salons with complex staff management
  • Square Pro$null/month
    • Custom pricing for businesses processing over $250,000 annually
    • Hardware discounts
    • Onboarding support

Which should you pick?

Choose Bookedin if

  • You need per calendar pricing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want public booking page.
Bookedin review

Choose Square Appointments if

  • You need online booking.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client management.
Square Appointments review

Questions people ask

Is Bookedin or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Bookedin starts at Free and Square Appointments at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bookedin or Square Appointments?
Bookedin has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Bookedin and On request for Square Appointments.
Does Bookedin or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Bookedin runs on Web, iOS, Android. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Bookedin for free?
Yes. Bookedin has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Square Appointments starts at On request.
What is Bookedin best used for?
Bookedin is most often used for a solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management system, a barber shop with two chairs that wants an instagram booking link and automated sms reminders running by the end of the day, a tutor running both one-to-one sessions and small group classes from the same booking page, a pet groomer who wants intake questions captured at booking so the appointment length is right before the client arrives. Of those, a solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management system and a barber shop with two chairs that wants an instagram booking link and automated sms reminders running by the end of the day are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Bookedin do that Square Appointments cannot?
Bookedin covers Per calendar pricing, Public booking page, Reminders, Deposits and payments. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bookedin: How much is Bookedin for a team?

Charged per calendar. Plus is about USD 19 per calendar billed annually or 24 monthly, and Pro about 39, so a five-person team on Plus is roughly USD 95 to 120 a month.

Square Appointments: How much do Square Appointments plans cost?

Square Appointments pricing is based on processing fees rather than monthly subscription fees. Specific percentages are not listed online. The Solo Professional, Plus, and Premium plans all charge processing fees on transactions. For businesses processing over $250,000 annually, Square Pro offers custom pricing including hardware discounts, onboarding support, and account management.

Source
Bookedin: Is the free plan usable long term?

Only for very low volume. It caps at 50 bookings per month across appointments and classes combined.

Square Appointments: Is there a free trial for Square Appointments?

Yes, the Plus and Premium plans offer free trials for an unspecified number of days. The Solo Professional plan does not appear to offer a trial period.

Source
Bookedin: Does it take payments?

Yes, deposits or full payment at booking through Stripe, Square or PayPal, with those processors fees applying on top of your subscription.

Square Appointments: What features does the Premium plan add compared to Plus?

The Premium plan includes all Plus features plus Future Bookings Report for tracking upcoming appointments, Service Cost Tracking to monitor service profitability, and Resource Management for scheduling equipment and facilities across multiple staff members.

Source
Bookedin: Who makes it?

Coldwin Software Inc., a Canadian company that has run the product since 2010.

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