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Scheduling · head to head

Cal.com vs Square Appointments

Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Scheduling

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

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 Cal.com has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cal.com free plan limited to single user only; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Square Appointments covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cal.com and Square Appointments actually diverge.

Attributes where Cal.com and Square Appointments differ
AttributeCal.comSquare Appointments
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Browser extensionWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20212009

Identical on both: 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 Cal.com

  • Custom booking pages
  • Team scheduling
  • Collective scheduling
  • Routing forms
  • Webhooks
  • Outlook
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet

Only in Square Appointments

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

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Cal.com

  • Schedule meetings and manage availabilitynot Square Appointments
  • Accept payments via Stripe and PayPalnot Square Appointments
  • Integrate with Salesforce and HubSpotnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Cal.com

  • Free plan limited to single user only
  • Free plan restricted to 1 user account
  • Teams plan requires yearly billing at $12/user/month
  • Organizations plan requires yearly billing at $28/user/month
  • Free plan lacks team collaboration features

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

Cal.com

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited event types
    • Calendar syncing
    • Workflow automation
  • Teams$16/month
    • Round-robin scheduling
    • Shared availability
    • Team workflows
  • Organizations$37/month
    • Organization-wide admin controls
    • Centralized management
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Priority support
    • Dedicated database
    • Higher SLAs

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 Cal.com if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
  • You also want team scheduling.
Cal.com 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 Cal.com or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Cal.com 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, Cal.com or Square Appointments?
Cal.com has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cal.com and On request for Square Appointments.
Does Cal.com or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Cal.com for free?
Yes. Cal.com has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Square Appointments starts at On request.
What is Cal.com best used for?
Cal.com is most often used for schedule meetings and manage availability, accept payments via stripe and paypal, integrate with salesforce and hubspot. Of those, schedule meetings and manage availability and accept payments via stripe and paypal are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Cal.com do that Square Appointments cannot?
Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing. Both handle Google Calendar, Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cal.com: Does Cal.com have a free version?

Yes, Cal.com's free plan includes unlimited event types, calendar syncing, workflow automation, Stripe payments, and Cal Video at no cost, positioning it as one of the most fully featured free scheduling tools available.

Source
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
Cal.com: What is the difference between Teams and Organizations pricing?

Teams plan costs $16/user/month and is designed for small businesses with round-robin scheduling and shared availability. Organizations plan costs $37/user/month and adds organization-wide admin controls and centralized management for larger companies.

Source
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
Cal.com: Is there a limit on the number of team members?

The free plan and Teams plan do not specify member limits in the documented pricing. Organizations plan is designed to scale for larger deployments.

Source
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
Cal.com: How much does the Enterprise plan cost?

Enterprise plan pricing is custom. Cal.com requires contacting their sales team to obtain a quote based on specific needs and SLA requirements.

Source
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