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Square Appointments alternatives: 5 apps ranked by verified data

Facts checked Oct 25, 2026AppBreakup editorialHow we rank

Common reasons people leave Square Appointments: revenue comes from processing fees, so you're tied to Square payments, and many staff and resource features need a paid plan per location. We ranked 5 alternatives by how directly each one replaces Square Appointments, then by reviews, real visits and how recently each app's facts were checked against its own website. Fresha currently ranks first.

Quick comparison

#AppPricingOpen sourcePlatformsVerified factsScore
1Fresha logoFreshaPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 466.5
2Booksy logoBooksyPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 462.6
3Setmore logoSetmoreFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android +24 of 459.6
4Acuity Scheduling logoAcuity SchedulingPaidNoWeb, iOS, Android5 of 557.2
5SimplyBook.me logoSimplyBook.meFree plan + paidNoWeb, iOS, Android4 of 455.3
  1. Fresha logo

    1. FreshaTop pick

    Best for: Salons, barbers and spas that want booking software plus marketplace exposure

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    66.5

    score / 100

    Why switch from Square Appointments

    Salon-focused booking with a large consumer marketplace for finding new clients.

    Pros

    • Large consumer marketplace for new client discovery
    • Calendar, POS, payments and marketing in one app
    • No marketplace fee on returning clients

    Cons

    • No longer free: subscription plus per-member fees
    • Commission on new marketplace clients
    • Built for beauty and wellness, less so for other industries
    Visit Fresha Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.3100
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Fresha a good Square Appointments alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free trial
    7 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fresha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplace commission
    20% one-time, on new clients only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fresha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Returning clients
    No marketplace fee
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fresha.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Marketplace reach
    25+ million customers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026fresha.com(opens source in a new tab)
  2. Booksy logo

    2. Booksy

    Best for: Barbers, stylists and beauty pros whose clients like booking from an app

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    62.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Square Appointments

    Flat monthly price and a client app popular with barbers and beauty pros.

    Pros

    • Flat monthly price with all features included
    • Consumer app helps clients rebook easily
    • Built-in marketing messages and reminders

    Cons

    • Extra charge for every additional team member
    • Focused on beauty and grooming businesses
    • No free plan
    Visit Booksy Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.387
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Booksy a good Square Appointments alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Starting price
    $29.99/month plus tax
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biz.booksy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Extra team members
    $20/month each
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biz.booksy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biz.booksy.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Client app
    Free for customers
    Checked Oct 25, 2026biz.booksy.com(opens source in a new tab)
  3. Setmore logo

    3. Setmore

    Best for: Small service businesses that want free online booking for a few staff

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android, Windows, macOS

    59.6

    score / 100

    Why switch from Square Appointments

    Free for four staff with any payment processor you like.

    Pros

    • Free plan covers up to four users with unlimited appointments
    • Low per-user price on Pro
    • Phone, chat and email support on all plans

    Cons

    • Text reminders and two-way calendar sync require Pro
    • Free plan carries Setmore branding
    • Reporting is basic for multi-location businesses
    Visit Setmore Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.377
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Setmore a good Square Appointments alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Up to 4 users
    Checked Oct 25, 2026setmore.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Pro plan
    $5 per user/month, billed annually
    Checked Oct 25, 2026setmore.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Mobile apps
    iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026setmore.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Live receptionist add-on
    $99/month, US only
    Checked Oct 25, 2026setmore.com(opens source in a new tab)
  4. Acuity Scheduling logo

    4. Acuity Scheduling

    Best for: Solo practitioners and small service businesses that need intake forms, payments and packages

    PaidWeb, iOS, Android

    57.2

    score / 100

    Why switch from Square Appointments

    Payment-processor agnostic, with intake forms and packages.

    Pros

    • Intake forms, deposits, packages and gift certificates built in
    • Works with any website, and natively with Squarespace
    • Mature reminder and client self-rescheduling options

    Cons

    • No free plan, only a short trial
    • Admin interface feels dated next to newer tools
    • Not designed for sales-team routing or round-robin
    Visit Acuity Scheduling Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.369
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is Acuity Scheduling a good Square Appointments alternative?

    Verified facts

    5 of 5 verified
    Starting price
    $16/month billed annually ($20 monthly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026acuityscheduling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Premium plan
    $55/month billed annually ($69 monthly)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026acuityscheduling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    7 days, no credit card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026acuityscheduling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Free plan
    No
    Checked Oct 25, 2026acuityscheduling.com(opens source in a new tab)
    Customers
    250,000+ businesses
    Checked Oct 25, 2026acuityscheduling.com(opens source in a new tab)
  5. SimplyBook.me logo

    5. SimplyBook.me

    Best for: Service businesses that want booking plus add-ons like memberships, POS and classes

    Free plan + paidWeb, iOS, Android

    55.3

    score / 100

    Why switch from Square Appointments

    Many add-on modules if you need more than salon basics.

    Pros

    • Large library of optional feature modules
    • Choice of data location
    • HIPAA and SSO available on higher tiers

    Cons

    • Free plan has a low monthly booking cap
    • Module system makes plan choice confusing
    • Admin interface has a steep learning curve
    Visit SimplyBook.me Details and reviews
    How this score is calculated
    Editorial fit ×0.363
    Reviews ×0.363
    Clicks (90 days) ×0.150
    Freshness ×0.1585
    Votes ×0.150

    0 counted reviews, 0 up and 0 down votes. Full formula

    Is SimplyBook.me a good Square Appointments alternative?

    Verified facts

    4 of 4 verified
    Free plan
    Yes, forever free
    Checked Oct 25, 2026simplybook.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Free trial
    14 days, no credit card
    Checked Oct 25, 2026simplybook.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Data location
    Selectable (UK, US, AU and more)
    Checked Oct 25, 2026simplybook.me(opens source in a new tab)
    Admin app
    iOS and Android
    Checked Oct 25, 2026simplybook.me(opens source in a new tab)

The best Square Appointments alternative for…

The highest-ranked app in this list for each need.

Fresha logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for most people

Fresha

Salon-focused booking with a large consumer marketplace for finding new clients.

Setmore logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for a free plan you can upgrade

Setmore

Free for four staff with any payment processor you like.

Setmore logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for Mac

Setmore

Free for four staff with any payment processor you like.

Setmore logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for Windows

Setmore

Free for four staff with any payment processor you like.

Booksy logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for iPhone and Android

Booksy

Flat monthly price and a client app popular with barbers and beauty pros.

Acuity Scheduling logo

Best Square Appointments alternative for working in the browser

Acuity Scheduling

Payment-processor agnostic, with intake forms and packages.

Square Appointments alternatives: common questions

What is the best alternative to Square Appointments?

Fresha ranks first right now. Salon-focused booking with a large consumer marketplace for finding new clients. Booksy and Setmore follow it in our ranking.

Is there a free alternative to Square Appointments?

Yes. Setmore (free plan + paid) and SimplyBook.me (free plan + paid) have a free option. Check each app's verified facts for current plan limits.

Is there an open-source alternative to Square Appointments?

None of the 5 alternatives in this list is open source.

Why do people switch from Square Appointments?

The complaints we hear most: revenue comes from processing fees, so you're tied to Square payments; many staff and resource features need a paid plan per location; less suited to meeting-style scheduling.

How is this list ranked?

Every app is scored with the same published formula: how directly it replaces Square Appointments, reviews (weighted by verification), visits from AppBreakup, how recently its facts were checked against its own website, and reader votes.