Software · head to head
Mindbody vs Square Appointments
The short version
- Only Square Appointments has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Mindbody pricing is expensive with frequent price increases over time; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
- They diverge on capability: Mindbody covers Appointment scheduling, Square Appointments covers Online booking.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Mindbody and Square Appointments actually diverge.
| Attribute | Mindbody | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $75/month | Free |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Founded | 2001 | 2009 |
Identical on both: 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 Mindbody
- Appointment scheduling
- Class booking
- Membership management
- Marketing automation
- Staff scheduling
- Business analytics
- ClassPass
- Mailchimp
Only in Square Appointments
- Online booking
- Payment processing
- Automated reminders
- Instagram booking
- Google booking
- Mobile app
- Square POS
- Google Calendar
Both cover
- Point of sale
- Client management
- QuickBooks
- PCI DSS
- SSL encryption
- Cloud deployment
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Mindbody
- Spa managementnot Square Appointments
- Class schedulingnot Square Appointments
- Membership salesnot Square Appointments
- Client retentionnot Square Appointments
- Business growthnot Square Appointments
Square Appointments
- Online appointment booking for salons, barbers and personal servicesnot Mindbody
- Taking card payments and deposits at the time of bookingnot Mindbody
- Managing staff calendars, waitlists and no-show policiesnot Mindbody
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Mindbody
- Pricing is expensive with frequent price increases over time
- Essential features require paid add-ons increasing total cost significantly
- Complex pricing model with multiple tiers makes cost comparison difficult
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
Mindbody
$75/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Mindbody 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 Mindbody if
- You need appointment scheduling.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want class booking.
Choose Square Appointments if
- You need online booking.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want payment processing.
Questions people ask
- Is Mindbody or Square Appointments better?
- Neither clearly leads. Mindbody starts at $75/month and Square Appointments at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Mindbody or Square Appointments?
- Square Appointments has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $75/month for Mindbody and Free for Square Appointments.
- Does Mindbody or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
- Mindbody runs on Web, iOS, Android. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Square Appointments for free?
- Yes. Square Appointments has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Mindbody starts at $75/month.
- What is Mindbody best used for?
- Mindbody is most often used for spa management, class scheduling, membership sales, client retention. Of those, spa management and class scheduling are not what Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
- What can Mindbody do that Square Appointments cannot?
- Mindbody covers Appointment scheduling, Class booking, Membership management, Marketing automation. Square Appointments covers Online booking, Payment processing, Automated reminders, Instagram booking. Both handle Point of sale, Client management, QuickBooks, PCI DSS.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Mindbody: What are Mindbody's pricing tiers?
Mindbody plans start at $159/month and include class scheduling and client data storage. The popular Ultimate Plus plan starts at $599/month. Entry-level pricing ranges from $75-$99/month depending on the plan selected.
SourceMindbody: Does Mindbody have an API for third-party integrations?
Yes. Mindbody provides an open API with webhooks and multiple API types for integration. The platform integrates with 700+ partner solutions.
SourceRelated pages
More on Square Appointments
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