Softwr

Calendar & Time Management · head to head

Float vs Square Appointments

Float logo

Float

Calendar & Time Management

Resource management for agencies and teams

From
$6/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Calendar & Time Management

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: Float web-only platform without native desktop applications; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Float covers Resource scheduling, Square Appointments covers Online booking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Float and Square Appointments differ
AttributeFloatSquare Appointments
Starting price$6/monthFree
Free tierNoYes
CategoryCalendar & Time ManagementUnknown
Founded20112009

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), 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 Float

  • Resource scheduling
  • Capacity planning
  • Time tracking
  • Project planning
  • Reports
  • Asana
  • Jira
  • Teamwork

Only in Square Appointments

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

Both cover

  • Web support

What people use each for

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

Float

  • Schedulingnot Square Appointments
  • Appointment bookingnot Square Appointments
  • Time trackingnot Square Appointments
  • Resource managementnot Square Appointments
  • Team coordinationnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Float

  • Web-only platform without native desktop applications
  • No offline mode for resource planning
  • Limited reporting customization on lower-tier plans
  • No built-in payroll or invoicing 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

Float

$6/month
  • Starter$6/month
    • Resource scheduling
    • Time off
    • Basic reports
  • Pro$10/month
    • Time tracking
    • Budget tracking
    • Advanced reports

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 Float if

  • You need resource scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want capacity planning.
Float 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 Float or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Float starts at $6/month and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Float or Square Appointments?
Square Appointments has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Float and Free for Square Appointments.
Does Float or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Square Appointments for free?
Yes. Square Appointments has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Float starts at $6/month.
What is Float best used for?
Float is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Float do that Square Appointments cannot?
Float covers Resource scheduling, Capacity planning, Time tracking, Project planning. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing. Both handle Web support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Float: What does Float pricing start at?

Float's Starter plan begins at $7 per user per month for basic resource scheduling and capacity management. The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month with advanced features like estimates and actuals tracking.

Source
Float: Is Float independent or backed by investors?

Float is independent and self-funded. The company is a B Corp certified since 2024 and is profitable. It has never raised venture funding and operates with a fully remote team.

Source
Float: What platforms does Float support?

Float is a web-based platform accessible through modern browsers. It provides visual resource management, scheduling, capacity planning, time tracking, and forecasting tools.

Source
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Related pages

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