Square Alternative
Looking for a Square Appointments alternative? Try bbook.app
Square Appointments is the booking tool inside Square's point-of-sale system: free for one location, and at its best when every payment already runs through Square. If you want a booking system that is independent of your card provider and built around appointments rather than a till, bbook.app is made for that.
Why choose bbook.app over Square Appointments?
- Free to start: one user, 30 appointments a month, your own booking page, SMS and email reminders and the iOS and Android apps, with no card required.
- Your choice of payment provider: accept payments and collect deposits through Stripe, Mollie or SumUp instead of being tied to one processor.
- Priced per user, not per location: add staff logins as the team grows, each with their own calendar.
- Never miss a call: the AI receptionist answers the phone and books appointments straight into your calendar.
No credit card required. Enjoy the free version with all features unlocked.
bbook.app vs Square Appointments at a glance
Square Appointments is the scheduling product in Square's point-of-sale ecosystem: it is free for one location and makes most sense if you already run your payments through Square, with paid tiers priced per location. bbook.app is a standalone booking system for local service businesses with a free plan for one user, paid plans per user, your choice of Stripe, Mollie or SumUp for payments and deposits, SMS, WhatsApp and email reminders, and an AI receptionist that answers the phone.
| Feature | bbook.app | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Local service businesses that take client appointments: salons, barbers, beauty and nail studios, clinics, tutors, driving instructors | Businesses that already take payments with Square: salons, spas, barbers and other appointment-based services |
| Free plan | Yes: 1 user, 30 appointments a month, custom booking page, iOS and Android apps, SMS and email reminders. No credit card required | Yes: a free plan for a single location; Square's card-processing fees apply |
| Paid plans start at | Business Essential from €6.90 per user per month billed yearly (€9.90 monthly); Business Premium from €13.90 per user per month billed yearly (€16.90 monthly) | Plus from $29 per month per location; Premium from $69 per month per location |
| Custom booking page | Yes, on every plan including Free: your logo and colours, your services and staff, and a custom booking form | Free online booking site and widget |
| Clients book without an account | Yes, clients book from your booking page without creating an account or installing an app | Yes, clients book without an account |
| SMS, WhatsApp and email reminders | SMS and email reminders on every plan including Free; WhatsApp reminders on Business Premium | Automatic email and SMS reminders on all plans |
| Online payments and deposits | Yes: accept payments and collect deposits through Stripe, Mollie or SumUp (Business Premium) | Built in: Square card processing with prepayments, deposits and no-show protection |
| Staff logins and team calendars | Yes: staff logins, each with their own calendar (Business Essential and Premium) | Priced per location rather than per staff member |
| Mobile apps | iOS and Android apps for you and your staff, plus the web app | Square Appointments app for iOS and Android |
| Calendar sync | Yes (Business Essential and Premium) | Google Calendar sync |
| Recurring appointments | Yes (Business Essential and Premium) | Yes |
| AI receptionist that answers calls and books appointments | Yes: an optional add-on for Business Premium from €19.90 a month for 100 call minutes, billed yearly. It answers your phone, checks availability and books or reschedules appointments | No |
Square Appointments details checked in from Square Appointments' public pricing and feature pages and may have changed since. bbook.app prices are in EUR per user per month; see the pricing page for monthly billing and other currencies.
One of the favourite Square Appointments alternatives.
bbook.app is a powerful, user-friendly appointment scheduling tool designed for local businesses. With features that go beyond basic calendars, it streamlines appointment management and enhances client engagement.
Frequently asked questions about switching from Square Appointments
Yes. bbook.app has a free plan with 1 user, 30 appointments a month, a custom booking page, iOS and Android apps, and SMS and email reminders, with no credit card required. Paid plans start at €6.90 per user per month billed yearly. See all plans
Square Appointments is the scheduling product in Square's point-of-sale ecosystem: it is free for one location and makes most sense if you already run your payments through Square, with paid tiers priced per location. bbook.app is a standalone booking system for local service businesses with a free plan for one user, paid plans per user, your choice of Stripe, Mollie or SumUp for payments and deposits, SMS, WhatsApp and email reminders, and an AI receptionist that answers the phone.
Yes. SMS and email reminders are included on every plan, including Free. WhatsApp reminders are included in Business Premium. Reminders go out automatically and include links to cancel or reschedule.
Yes. Clients open your booking page, choose a service, staff member and time, and confirm. No account or app download is needed. They receive a confirmation and reminders by SMS or email.
Create a free account, add your services and staff, and share your booking page link or embed it on your website. Bringing over existing clients and appointments is covered in our switching guide. Read the switching guide
Yes. The bbook.app AI receptionist answers your business phone, checks availability and books or reschedules appointments directly in your calendar. It is an optional add-on for Business Premium (not available on Business Essential), from €19.90 a month for 100 call minutes, billed yearly. It currently answers in English; more languages are on the way. Learn about the AI receptionist