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Travel · head to head

Careem vs Square Appointments

Careem logo

Careem

Travel

Middle East ride hailing super-app, owned by Uber since 2019 but operated as a separate brand across the region

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 Careem has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Careem despite Uber owning Careem since 2019, the two apps remain fully separate with different pricing, driver networks and accounts, so a rider gets no combined benefit or shared account between them despite the common ownership.; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Careem covers Ride hailing, Square Appointments covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Careem and Square Appointments differ
AttributeCareemSquare Appointments
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelFree app, pay per ride with dynamic pricingusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsiOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryTravelScheduling
FoundedUnknown2009

Identical on both: 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 Careem

  • Ride hailing
  • Careem Now
  • Careem Pay
  • Careem Box
  • Bus and mass transit booking
  • Careem Bike

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.

Careem

  • A rider in the Middle East or North Africa comparing Careem against Uber, since both operate as separate apps in overlapping cities despite common ownershipnot Square Appointments
  • Someone wanting food or grocery delivery alongside rides in one app through Careem Nownot Square Appointments
  • A rider in a market where Careem has stronger local driver supply than Ubernot Square Appointments
  • A traveller wanting Careem Pay wallet integration for in-app and, in select markets, other paymentsnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Careem

  • Despite Uber owning Careem since 2019, the two apps remain fully separate with different pricing, driver networks and accounts, so a rider gets no combined benefit or shared account between them despite the common ownership.
  • Coverage, while strong across the Middle East and North Africa, does not extend meaningfully outside that region, so it is not a relevant option elsewhere.
  • Fares are dynamic with demand-based surge like the rest of the category, and no published flat rate card makes advance cost estimation difficult during peak periods.
  • Feature availability, including Careem Now delivery, Careem Pay external payments and bus ticketing, varies significantly by country and city within the region.
  • As with other ride hailing platforms operating under a large parent company, driver classification and commission structures have drawn periodic regulatory and labour scrutiny in some of its markets.

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

Careem

Free
  • CareemFree
    • App is free; riders pay per trip at dynamic, demand-based fares
    • Fares vary by country and city across the Middle East and North Africa
    • No published flat rate card, fares vary by city, time and route

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 Careem if

  • You need ride hailing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, Android.
  • You also want careem now.
Careem 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 Careem or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Careem 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, Careem or Square Appointments?
Careem has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Careem and On request for Square Appointments.
Does Careem or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Careem runs on iOS, Android. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Careem for free?
Yes. Careem has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Square Appointments starts at On request.
What is Careem best used for?
Careem is most often used for a rider in the middle east or north africa comparing careem against uber, since both operate as separate apps in overlapping cities despite common ownership, someone wanting food or grocery delivery alongside rides in one app through careem now, a rider in a market where careem has stronger local driver supply than uber, a traveller wanting careem pay wallet integration for in-app and, in select markets, other payments. Of those, a rider in the middle east or north africa comparing careem against uber, since both operate as separate apps in overlapping cities despite common ownership and someone wanting food or grocery delivery alongside rides in one app through careem now are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Careem do that Square Appointments cannot?
Careem covers Ride hailing, Careem Now, Careem Pay, Careem Box. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Careem: Is Careem the same as Uber?

No. Uber acquired Careem in 2019 for roughly 3.1 billion dollars but operates it as a separate brand with its own app, pricing and driver network rather than merging it into the Uber app.

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
Careem: Where does Careem operate?

Primarily across the Middle East and North Africa, including the UAE, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Jordan among other countries in the region.

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
Careem: Can I use my Uber account on Careem?

No, they are separate apps and accounts despite common ownership; you need a distinct Careem account to use the service.

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
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