BookingMachine vs Square Appointments
Square Appointments is the booking side of Square. It has a free tier for solo professionals with an online booking site and reminders, and paid tiers that add cancellation policies, no-show fees and tools for larger teams. Payments run through Square, so it suits a business that already uses a Square reader at the counter.
BookingMachine is for businesses that go to the customer or price by the job. The booking form works the price out from the customer's answers, takes a deposit, and the job ends with an invoice and a review request. It takes payment through Stripe and does not need any hardware.
| Feature | BookingMachine | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Service businesses that price by the job | Appointment businesses that take payment with Square |
| Free plan | Yes | Yes, for solo professionals |
| Paid plans | From $18 a month | Plus and Premium tiers; see their page for current prices |
| Takes payment through | Stripe | Square |
| Cancellation policy and no-show fees | Yes, on paid plans | Plus tier and above |
| Deposits and prepayment | Yes, on paid plans | Listed; the tier is not stated |
| Reminders | By email | Yes, on the free tier |
| Price that changes with the customer's choices | Yes, shown live in the booking form | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Quotes | Yes | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Review requests after the job | Yes, with photos and video | Not listed on their pricing page |
Square Appointments details are taken from the Square Appointments pricing page, checked on 11 October 2026. Plans and prices change, so confirm with Square Appointments before you decide. BookingMachine prices are on our pricing page.
Choose BookingMachine if
- You travel to customers and your price depends on the job.
- You want to take a deposit online with no card reader involved.
- You send quotes and want review requests to follow each job.
Choose Square Appointments if
- You already take payments with Square in a shop, salon or studio.
- You want booking, point of sale and payments from one provider.
- You run a larger salon and need a waitlist and resource management.
Questions
Is Square Appointments free?
It has a free tier aimed at solo professionals, which includes an online booking site and appointment reminders. Card processing fees apply to payments, and cancellation policies and no-show fees are on the paid Plus tier.
Do I need Square hardware to use BookingMachine?
No. BookingMachine takes deposits and payments online through Stripe. Customers pay by card, Apple Pay or Google Pay when they book or when the job is complete.
Which is better for a mobile business?
If you go to the customer and the price depends on the job, BookingMachine is built for that. If customers come to you and you already use Square at the till, Square Appointments keeps everything in one place.
Try it on your own bookings
Set up your services and prices on the free plan and see how BookingMachine handles a real booking before you pay for anything.