Softwr

Software · head to head

FreshBooks vs Square Appointments

FreshBooks logo

FreshBooks

Software

Accounting software that makes you look good

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Square Appointments logo

Square Appointments

Software

Free scheduling for beauty businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FreshBooks lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Square Appointments covers Online booking.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where FreshBooks and Square Appointments differ
AttributeFreshBooksSquare Appointments
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
Founded20032009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 FreshBooks

  • Invoicing
  • Expense tracking
  • Time tracking
  • Project management
  • Payments
  • Financial reporting
  • Proposals
  • Mileage tracking

Only in Square Appointments

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

Both cover

  • SSL encryption

What people use each for

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

FreshBooks

  • Invoicing and payment processingnot Square Appointments
  • Time tracking and expense managementnot Square Appointments
  • Multi-client project accountingnot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

FreshBooks

  • Lite tier limited to 5 clients maximum
  • E-signatures, proposals, and client retainers unavailable on Lite and Plus tiers
  • Advanced payment processing fee of £20/month on Plus tier (extra cost)
  • Email customization and project profitability tracking restricted to Premium tier and above
  • Offline mode not available; web-based only

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

FreshBooks

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the FreshBooks 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 FreshBooks if

  • You need invoicing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want expense tracking.
FreshBooks 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 FreshBooks or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. FreshBooks starts at Free and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FreshBooks or Square Appointments?
FreshBooks starts at Free and Square Appointments at Free.
Does FreshBooks or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
FreshBooks runs on Web, iOS, Android. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use FreshBooks for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FreshBooks best used for?
FreshBooks is most often used for invoicing and payment processing, time tracking and expense management, multi-client project accounting. Of those, invoicing and payment processing and time tracking and expense management are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can FreshBooks do that Square Appointments cannot?
FreshBooks covers Invoicing, Expense tracking, Time tracking, Project management. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing. Both handle SSL encryption.
ShareXLinkedInRedditWhatsAppEmail

Related pages

More on FreshBooks

More on Square Appointments

Keep looking

Other head to heads