Square Appointments Review: Features, Pricing, & Alternatives

Our Verdict

Square Appointments is a cloud-based scheduling software for small businesses. Read our review to learn about its features, use cases, and pricing.

This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you buy after clicking on our links.

Read our review guidelines.

Square Appointments Square Appointments
Software Type: Appointment scheduling software
Best For: Individuals and small businesses that offer services by appointment, such as salons, spas, fitness studios, consultants, coaches, etc.
Pricing: Free - $69/mo
Pros:
  • Free for individuals
  • All-in-one point of sale
  • Lots of integrations
  • Flexible cancellation policy
Cons:
  • Limited customization options
  • Calendar sync only on paid plans

For small businesses relying on appointments, choosing the right scheduling software is crucial. 

Square Appointments is one such tool that offers a comprehensive solution, managing calendars, reducing no-shows, accepting payments, and facilitating client communication. 

In this review, we explore its features, use cases, pricing, pros, and cons, helping you determine if Square Appointments is the ideal fit for your business.

SMB Guide’s Verdict for Square Appointments

In this review of Square Appointments, I’ve followed SMB Guide’s detailed criteria for evaluating the appointment scheduling software. 

SMB Guide’s overall rating for Square Appointments is 8.7 out of 10

Here’s the detailed breakdown of the scoring for each factor:

FactorRating (out of 10)
Pricing & Plans8
Appointment Workflow Automation9
Customization Options9
Calendar Management Features9
Automated Reminders and Notifications9
Client Management and Communication10
User Interface and User Experience8
Integrations, Compatibility, & Supported Platforms9
Customer Support8
SMB Guide Rating8.7

Pricing & Plans

Square Appointments is cloud-based scheduling software that helps businesses manage their appointments, clients, and staff.

Square Appointments pricing

It also integrates with other Square products, such as payments, invoices, and loyalty programs.

Square Appointments currently offers three plans to suit different business sizes and needs: Free, Plus, and Premium.

The higher-tier subscriptions include lower transaction fees and more capabilities for teams, resource management, and class reservations.

Here is a brief overview of each plan and its value proposition for businesses.

Free Plan

The Free plan is ideal for solo entrepreneurs who want to streamline their booking process and accept online payments. 

Price

  • $0 per month

Features

  • Create a free online booking site with your business information and services
  • Send automated reminders and confirmations to your clients via email or text
  • Accept payments online or in person with Square apps
  • Access reports and analytics to track your performance and revenue
  • Booking APIs with read access

Who it’s for:

  • Best for freelancers and solo service providers who work remotely or on the go
  • Also suitable for businesses that offer simple or fixed-price services

Plus Plan

The Plus plan is designed for growing businesses that have multiple staff members or locations. 

Price

  • $29 per month per location

Features

  • Manage multiple locations, and staff members’ schedules, and availability
  • Sync with Google Calendar
  • Custom notifications
  • Assign different services and prices to each staff member
  • Bookings API write access

Who it’s for

  • Small to medium-sized service businesses that operate remotely or across multiple locations
  • Salons, spas, fitness studios, wellness centers, etc.

Premium Plan

The Premium plan is tailored for large or complex businesses that need more advanced features and support. 

Price

  • $69 per month per location

Features

  • Integrate with third-party apps, such as QuickBooks, Mailchimp, Zapier, etc.
  • Priority support from Square experts
  • Get a custom domain name for your booking site
  • Custom contract fields
  • Resource management

Who it’s for:

  • Large or enterprise-level service businesses that have complex operations or workflows
  • Franchises, chains, or multi-brand businesses
Square Appointments

Square Appointments is an all-in-one solution for booking and scheduling appointments, sending reminders, and accepting payments.

Get started
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.

Appointment Workflow Automation

Square Appointments is dedicated to simplifying the booking process for both clients and administrators.

Square Appointments creating an appointment

It achieves this through auto-assigning appointments to available staff members based on skills and availability, enabling recurring appointments for clients in need of regular services, and providing self-service booking options via a customizable online scheduling page or a booking widget on the business website.

Moreover, the software automates follow-up communication by sending emails or messages after appointments, facilitating feedback collection, review requests, and the provision of additional resources. 

One more unique feature is that customers can book using social media links and accounts also.

Customization Options

Square Appointments offers businesses extensive customization for their scheduling processes. This includes the ability to create diverse appointment types and durations for various services, establish booking rules and buffer times, and customize availability settings.

You can also set fixed or varying price ranges for each of these appointment types.

Businesses can tailor the look of their scheduling page to align with their brand, incorporating logos, colors, images, and even custom QR codes for your landing page. 

You can also color code your calendar based on different staff availability so the customers can book accordingly.

Calendar Management Features

Square Appointments enables businesses to manage multiple staff members’ schedules and resources through a shared calendar.

Square Appointments calendar management

The calendar can display appointments across different time zones and automatically convert them to the client’s or staff’s local time.

Square Appointments unfortunately only syncs up with Google Calendar as of now, but provides additional functionalities like custom appointment fields and color coding. 

Additionally, Square Appointments makes it easy to reschedule or cancel appointments with a few clicks.

The software will notify both parties of any changes and update the calendar accordingly.

Automated Reminders and Notifications

Square Appointments can send automated reminders to clients before their appointments via email or text message.

Square Appointments reminders

The reminders can help reduce no-shows, late arrivals, or cancellations. Businesses can customize the reminder messages to include relevant information such as the appointment date, time, location, or instructions.

You can also choose when to send the reminders, for example, 24 hours or 1 hour before the appointment.

Furthermore, Square Appointments can notify administrators of any new bookings or changes via email or push notifications.

The notifications can help administrators stay updated on their schedule and respond quickly to any issues. 

These features can help businesses communicate effectively with their clients and staff and ensure a smooth appointment process.

Client Management and Communication

One of the key features of the software is its client/contact database, which allows users to store and access client information, such as contact details, appointment history, and even relevant images.

Square Appointments communication

The software also enables users to communicate with their clients in various ways, such as email notifications, or SMS reminders, and even a dedicated in-app messaging system.

Your clients may simply use their own Square accounts to organize appointments, change contact information, and view prior appointments.

They can even arrange for appointments directly from their accounts. 

Card on file is another alternative method that your customers have for paying for items or services without having to bring out their cards every time they visit your location.

User Interface and User Experience

The user interface and user experience of Square Appointments is designed to be intuitive and user-friendly.

Square Appointments interface

The software has a simple and clean layout, with a dashboard that shows the user’s calendar, appointments, clients, and revenue.

Users can easily navigate through the different tabs and menus, and access the settings and features they need.

The software also offers customization options, such as choosing the color scheme, adding a logo, or creating a custom URL. 

Users can also personalize their booking page, which is where their clients can see their availability, services, prices, and policies.

The software also provides an easy onboarding process, with tutorials, tips, and videos to help users get started.

Integrations, Compatibility, & Supported Platforms

Square Appointments integrates well with other tools and systems commonly used in the space. The software connects seamlessly with Square’s suite of products, such as Square Point of Sale, Square Invoices, Square Marketing, or Square Loyalty.

Users can also integrate the software with popular platforms, such as Google Calendar, Instagram, Facebook, or Mailchimp.

The software provides APIs and webhooks for developers who want to create custom integrations. The software is compatible with different operating systems, such as Windows, macOS, or Linux. 

Users can access the software through any web browser or download the mobile app for iOS or Android devices.

The responsive mobile app allows users to manage their appointments and clients on-the-go.

Customer Support

Square Appointments provides a high level of customer support to its users. The software has a dedicated support team that is responsive and helpful.

Square Appointments customer support

Users can contact the support team via email, live chat, or phone. The support team is available from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. PT Monday through Friday. 

Users can also access self-help resources on the Square website, such as articles, guides, videos, or webinars. Users can also join the Square Seller Community forum to interact with other users and experts.

Square Appointments — Unique Features

Here are three unique features I loved about Square Appointments that made it stand out.

Square product integrations

Square Appointments offers a full suite of tools to help you run and grow your business, such as payment processing, invoicing, reporting, marketing, and customer loyalty programs.

You can minimize ease of booking by integrating Square Appointments with Square apps, and other apps like Google Calendar, and even Instagram, and QuickBooks.

Square Appointments is also compatible with Square Cash, making it easy for you to send and receive payments from your customers.

It integrates seamlessly with Square POS, which means that you can accept payments and schedule appointments from the same app. 

You can also add customer loyalty programs to your business by integrating Square Appointments with apps like MailChimp, and Giftya.

Booking methods

Square Appointments distinguishes itself with its flexible booking options, which allow businesses to take appointments not just through its platform, but also directly from their own website, social network sites like Instagram or Facebook, or the free Square Online Store and website builder.

This helps improve consumer accessibility, online exposure, and streamlines the whole booking process by connecting many booking channels, delivering greater client engagement and satisfaction.

For solo entrepreneurs

The free plan tailored for solo entrepreneurs on Square Appointments extends beyond cost savings, providing a comprehensive suite of tools. 

This user-friendly and cost-effective approach is particularly advantageous for those starting or growing a solo venture, allowing them to efficiently manage appointments and transactions without the burden of fixed expenses. 

This makes Square Appointments a great choice for up and coming businesses.

What the Experts Say About Square Appointments

At the time of this review, Square Appointments has the following ratings:

  • 4.4/5 stars at Capterra (180+ reviews)
  • 4.3/5 stars at G2 (30+ reviews)
  • 8.6/10 votes at TrustRadius (20+ votes)

When I opened my practice I needed an appointment system that also worked with my merchant services. Square appointments was so easy to install and navigate. It also works great with google calendar which is a major plus for me. We have an online booking link where we were able to use Zapier as well to connect directly to square appointments with the help of google calendar. Truly fantastic!

Heather G., Business owner – Verified Capterra review

Setting up our clients too me forever, about 3 months. but that’s because we were a mess going in. Customer service is exceptional, and easier to get ahold of than you would expect. There are several bells and whistles tat we were not expecting. Things we didn’t know we need but now couldn’t live without. Our clients recognize the product, so they are happier using it. We would recommend this product.

Carolyn B., CEO – Verified Capterra review

Square Appointments Alternatives

If you are looking for other scheduling software options, you may want to consider these alternatives.

 
 
 
4.5
4.4
4.0
Free - $10/user/mo
Free - $20/mo
Free - $12/mo
4.5
Free - $10/user/mo
4.4
Free - $20/mo
4.0
Free - $12/mo

Appointlet

appointlet homepage

Appointlet is an easy and elegant scheduling software that integrates seamlessly with your website and email.

You can create unlimited booking pages for different services, locations, and staff members, and customize them with your brand colors and logo.

Appointlet also syncs with your Google or Office 365 calendar, and supports multiple payment methods like Stripe and PayPal. 

Appointlet starts from $8 per month per user, and offers a free plan for up to 5 bookings per month. It is best for small businesses and freelancers who want to offer online booking to their customers.

Try Appointlet for free today!

SavvyCal

SavvyCal homepage

SavvyCal is a smart and friendly scheduling software that helps you avoid the back-and-forth of finding a time to meet.

You can create multiple booking links for different types of meetings, and let your clients choose the best option for them.

SavvyCal also shows your availability in your client’s time zone, and allows you to overlay your own calendar to avoid double-booking. 

SavvyCal starts from $12 per month per user. It is best for professionals and consultants who want to streamline their scheduling process and impress their clients.

Try SavvyCal for free today!

YouCanBook.me

youcanbookme homepage

YouCanBook.me is a simple and powerful scheduling software that lets you create personalized booking pages for your clients.

You can sync your availability with your existing calendar, set your own rules and policies, and send automated reminders and confirmations.

YouCanBook.me also integrates with popular tools like Zoom, Stripe, Mailchimp, and Zapier. YouCanBook.me starts from $9.60 per month per calendar, and offers a 14-day free trial. 

It is best for small to medium-sized businesses that need a flexible and customizable booking solution.

Other options: Best Square Appointments Alternatives

Getting Started with Square Appointments

If you are looking for reliable and easy-to-use scheduling software that also handles your payment processing and point-of-sale needs, Square Appointments may be the best choice for you. 

You can sign up for a free plan if you are an individual or choose from one of the paid plans if you have a team or staff. 

Get started with Square Appointments!

FAQs

What is Square Appointments?

Square Appointments is an online web-based appointment booking and scheduling tool that helps users manage and automate their workflow.

Does Square Appointments have a free plan?

Yes, Square Appointments has a free plan with basic scheduling features. However, do note that Google Calendar integration is not supported on the free plan.

Does Square Appointments have a mobile App?

Yes, Square Appointments has both Android and iOS applications available on the respective app stores for free.

Related reading:

Square Appointments

Square Appointments is an all-in-one solution for booking and scheduling appointments, sending reminders, and accepting payments.

Get started
We earn a commission if you make a purchase, at no additional cost to you.
Square Appointments

Square Appointments is an all-in-one solution for booking and scheduling appointments, sending reminders, and accepting payments.

Product Brand: Square

Editor's Rating:
4.4

Beatrice is a seasoned productivity writer with a knack for uncovering game-changing productivity hacks that simplify life routines. Armed with a triple major in Commerce, Accounting, and Insurance, she also runs her own digital consulting firm. You'll usually find her immersed in crafting captivating literary novels and traveling the world.