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Beauty · head to head

Merlua vs Square Appointments

Merlua logo

Merlua

Beauty

Booking software built for beauty salons

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 Merlua has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Merlua plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
  • They diverge on capability: Merlua covers Guest online booking, Square Appointments covers Online booking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 15 September 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Merlua and Square Appointments differ
AttributeMerluaSquare Appointments
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelfreemiumusage-based
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, Android, WordPressWeb, Ios, Android
CategoryBeautyScheduling
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 Merlua

  • Guest online booking
  • Services and staff
  • Calendar and availability
  • Deposits and payments
  • Email and SMS reminders
  • Branded booking page
  • Staff and client apps

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.

Merlua

  • Taking salon bookings without forcing client accountsnot Square Appointments
  • Cutting no-shows with deposits and remindersnot Square Appointments
  • Coordinating several staff members' availabilitynot Square Appointments
  • Running a branded booking page from an existing websitenot Square Appointments
  • Giving staff their schedule and earnings on their phonenot Square Appointments

Square Appointments

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

Where each one falls short

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

Merlua

  • Plan prices are not published. The pricing page renders its comparison table client side and no amounts are visible on it as of September 2026, so the cost of Standard or Premium is not knowable before signup.
  • Stripe is the only payment processor named, so a salon banking elsewhere has no alternative route.
  • Built for beauty specifically. A clinic, a gym or a barber chain wanting inventory, POS or memberships will find those absent.
  • The integration list is short next to established salon platforms: Stripe, WordPress and SMS, with no accounting, marketing or POS connections listed.
  • A new vendor with no independent review coverage, so the reliability claims rest on the vendor's own material.

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

Merlua

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Core scheduling with no time limit
    • Basic booking management
  • Standard and Premium$undefined/month
    • 14-day full-feature trial, no card required
    • No Merlua booking transaction fees
    • Monthly or annual billing, switchable at any time

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 Merlua if

  • You need guest online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress.
  • You also want services and staff.
Merlua 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 Merlua or Square Appointments better?
Neither clearly leads. Merlua 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, Merlua or Square Appointments?
Merlua has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Merlua and On request for Square Appointments.
Does Merlua or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
Merlua runs on Web, iOS, Android, WordPress. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
Can I use Merlua for free?
Yes. Merlua has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Square Appointments starts at On request.
What is Merlua best used for?
Merlua is most often used for taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts, cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders, coordinating several staff members' availability, running a branded booking page from an existing website. Of those, taking salon bookings without forcing client accounts and cutting no-shows with deposits and reminders are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
What can Merlua do that Square Appointments cannot?
Merlua covers Guest online booking, Services and staff, Calendar and availability, Deposits and payments. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Client management, Point of sale, Payment processing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Merlua: Is there a free plan?

Yes. Merlua states it offers "a robust free tier with core scheduling capabilities so you can manage basic bookings without a time limit", separate from the paid trial.

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
Merlua: How does the free trial work?

Fourteen days of full access to all premium features with no credit card required upfront. At the end you either pick a plan or continue on the free tier.

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
Merlua: Does Merlua charge booking transaction fees?

No hidden booking transaction fees on the Standard or premium tiers. Standard payment processing fees from your gateway, such as Stripe, still apply.

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
Merlua: Do clients need an account to book?

No. Clients complete bookings as guests without creating a password or a permanent account.

Source
Merlua: What happens if I cancel?

Premium features stay active until the end of the current billing period, and plans can be upgraded, downgraded or switched between monthly and annual at any time from billing settings.

Source
Merlua: What can I install it on?

A web dashboard, mobile apps for staff and clients, a WordPress plugin, and an embeddable booking widget for any site.

Source
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