Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Calendly VS Square Appointments

Compare Calendly VS Square Appointments and see what are their differences

Calendly logo Calendly

Say goodbye to phone and email tag for finding the perfect meeting time with Calendly. It's 100% free, super easy to use and you'll love our customer service.

Square Appointments logo Square Appointments

Add an online booking link. Easily embed the customizable widget directly on your website. Any changes to your online scheduling, prices, or services update automatically.
  • Calendly Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-14
  • Square Appointments Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-06-13

Calendly features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Calendly has an intuitive and easy-to-use interface, which simplifies the process of scheduling meetings for both the scheduler and invitee.
  • Integration Capabilities
    Calendly integrates seamlessly with various calendar services (Google Calendar, Outlook, iCal) and other tools like Zoom, Slack, and Salesforce.
  • Customizable Availability
    Users can set their availability preferences down to the minute, allowing for precise control over when they are available for meetings.
  • Automated Reminders
    Calendly automatically sends out reminders to meeting participants, thereby reducing no-shows and ensuring everyone is prepared.
  • Group and Collective Scheduling
    Calendly supports scheduling for groups and teams, making it easier to coordinate meetings with multiple participants.

Possible disadvantages of Calendly

  • Limited Free Plan Features
    The free version of Calendly offers limited features, such as restricted event types and fewer integration options compared to the paid versions.
  • No Option for Meeting Notes
    Calendly does not have built-in functionality for adding detailed meeting agendas or notes directly within the booking system.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic usage is straightforward, some users may find a steeper learning curve when trying to utilize Calendly's more advanced features.
  • Dependency on Internet Connection
    Calendly relies on a stable internet connection for real-time updates and notifications, which can be a drawback in areas with unreliable connectivity.
  • Privacy Concerns
    Sharing available time slots publicly can sometimes raise privacy concerns, especially for users who are particular about their personal information.

Square Appointments features and specs

  • User-Friendly Interface
    Square Appointments offers an intuitive and easy-to-navigate interface, making it simple for both business owners and customers to book and manage appointments.
  • Integration with Square Ecosystem
    It seamlessly integrates with other Square products such as Square POS, Square Payments, and Square Marketing, providing a unified system for managing appointments, transactions, and marketing efforts.
  • Automated Reminders
    The platform allows businesses to send automated appointment reminders to clients via email or SMS, reducing no-show rates and ensuring better schedule adherence.
  • Online Booking
    Square Appointments offers a customizable online booking site where clients can book appointments 24/7, which enhances customer convenience and captures more bookings.
  • Flexible Payment Options
    The service supports various payment options, including prepayments, deposits, and cancellation fees, which help secure revenue and manage the financial aspects of appointments effectively.

Possible disadvantages of Square Appointments

  • Cost
    While there is a free tier, advanced features and additional staff management capabilities come with a monthly fee that might be costly for small businesses with limited budgets.
  • Limited Customization
    Though user-friendly, the platform may have limited customization options for businesses with specific needs or branding requirements compared to other more flexible scheduling solutions.
  • Dependence on Internet
    As a cloud-based service, an internet connection is required to access Square Appointments, which can be a drawback in areas with unreliable internet connectivity.
  • Limited International Availability
    Square Appointments primarily caters to the US market, and businesses operating in other countries may face limitations in terms of availability and support.
  • Performance Issues
    Some users have reported occasional performance issues such as slow loading times or glitches, potentially affecting the booking experience for customers and the management of appointments.

Analysis of Calendly

Overall verdict

  • Calendly is considered a good choice for individuals and businesses looking for an efficient way to manage appointments and streamline their scheduling process. Its ease of use and robust feature set make it a valuable tool for enhancing productivity.

Why this product is good

  • Calendly is a highly regarded scheduling tool due to its user-friendly interface, seamless integrations with other calendar apps like Google Calendar and Outlook, and its ability to automate appointment scheduling. It eliminates the back-and-forth emails needed to find a convenient meeting time. Users appreciate the numerous customization options, such as setting availability, buffer times between meetings, and limiting the number of meetings per day.

Recommended for

  • Professionals who need to manage multiple appointments and meetings.
  • Businesses seeking to provide clients with a straightforward way to schedule consultations.
  • Teams that require coordination and scheduling across different time zones.
  • Freelancers looking to automate client booking processes.

Analysis of Square Appointments

Overall verdict

  • Square Appointments is a robust and user-friendly solution that is well-suited for businesses looking for an integrated appointment scheduling and payment processing system. Its seamless integration with Square's ecosystem and affordable pricing model make it an appealing choice for many small and medium-sized enterprises.

Why this product is good

  • Square Appointments is a popular scheduling and point-of-sale solution offered by Square, known for its ease of use and integration capabilities. It provides small to medium-sized businesses with an efficient way to manage appointments, handle payments, and integrate seamlessly with other Square services. Key features include online booking via a customizable website, automated text and email reminders, and user-friendly interfaces for both administrators and clients. Its affordability and scalability make it an attractive choice for diverse businesses, from salons to healthcare providers.

Recommended for

  • Salons and spas
  • Fitness trainers and gyms
  • Healthcare providers
  • Therapists and consultants
  • Any service-based business needing a reliable scheduling solution

Calendly videos

Calendly Sucks! Here's What I'm Using Now Instead...

More videos:

  • Tutorial - Calendly Tutorial: Book Yourself Solid on Autopilot
  • Review - Review: Calendly

Square Appointments videos

Square Appointments Demo and Step by Step Setup Tutorial 2019

More videos:

  • Review - Square Appointments - 2018 UPDATE and Answers to YOUR Questions
  • Review - Getting started with Square Appointments

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Calendly and Square Appointments)
Appointments and Scheduling
Appointment Scheduling
Productivity
92 92%
8% 8
Appointment Booking
91 91%
9% 9

User comments

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Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Calendly and Square Appointments

Calendly Reviews

  1. Edi Malkovich
    Best scheduling app

    Very simple and easy to use. Eliminate this back and forth hustle with booking calls.


The Best 24 Appointment Scheduling Apps and Booking Software
I have frequently used Calendly in the past, primarily for scheduling job interviews. What I appreciate about Calendly is that the free version still allows you to connect one calendar, book unlimited meetings, create a custom Calendly link, and send out automatic email notifications and reminders to invitees who book with you.
neetoCal, a calendly alternative, is a commodity and is priced accordingly
neetoCal is not the first company to compete with Calendly. We are not even the second company to compete with Calendly. We are probably the 30th player in this crowded space. With so many players in the market, scheduling software seems like a commodity.
Source: blog.neeto.com
I've poked around a while ago at some Calendly alternatives (specifically was lo... | Hacker News
Calendly is only $12/month for their professional plan which saves you money if you even schedule only one meeting a month with it.
The Best Alternatives to Doodle That You Should Check Out
Some may remember the Zoom.ai application. This app has been rebranded as CalendarHero, which resembles Calendly. You can suggest different meetings at different times and then share a link with invitees. Invitees can then indicate their preferred meeting time.
Source: trafft.com
The 14 Best Meeting Scheduling Tools for 2022
Some meeting scheduling apps are more about keeping your calendar organized; making sure you don’t double-book or spread yourself too thin. Calendly is on our list of meeting scheduling tools for 2022 as it’s an easy and user-friendly solution to allow people a window into your availabilities. With a custom URL, people can book an appointment with you, which will integrate...

Square Appointments Reviews

The Best 24 Appointment Scheduling Apps and Booking Software
If you’re looking for a flexible booking and payment platform, Square Appointments is worth your consideration. Through Square Appointments, you can:
Best Salon Software 2020: The Ultimate Guide
In fact, Square Appointments is like a hybrid between a pure appointment scheduling software and an All-in-One Salon Software. When you start using Square Appointments, you also get access to their free POS system, free payment platform (only charged per transaction) and free team management features.
The 17 Best Appointment Scheduling Apps
If your business already uses the payment processing service Square, consider choosing the appointment booking app from the same company. Square Appointments is designed to help business owners get clients onto their schedule quickly and painlessly. As with any other appointment booking service, clients request appointments through an online booking page, which is based on...
Source: zapier.com

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Calendly seems to be a lot more popular than Square Appointments. While we know about 118 links to Calendly, we've tracked only 2 mentions of Square Appointments. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Calendly mentions (118)

  • Tools for Building a Modern JavaScript Booking Application
    However, if you are looking for an out-of-the-box solution with minimal technical involvement, it is reasonable to consider SaaS platforms such as Appointedd, Calendly, and Scheduly. These products may not provide the same level of flexibility and customization as the DHTMLX Booking widget, but they can be the right choice when speed and ease of deployment are the main priorities. - Source: dev.to / 4 months ago
  • Calendly and Accessibility Problems
    Calendly is a scheduling platform. I decided to use Calendly on my homepage, giving someone the ability to choose a time and book a call. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Using Clerk SSO to access Google Calendar and other service data
    BookMate is an open-source, publicly accessible, lightweight clone of popular booking services like cal.com or Calendly. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • A list of SaaS, PaaS and IaaS offerings that have free tiers of interest to devops and infradev
    CalendlyCalendly is the tool for connecting and scheduling meetings. The free plan provides 1 Calendar connection per user and Unlimited sessions. Desktop and Mobile apps are also offered. - Source: dev.to / over 1 year ago
  • $30 study "Test your hearing" by ucr.edu(UC Riverside) .. Question.... Im confused... Anyone else do(ing) this study?
    Hey, wondering if anyone else snagged this study on hearing tests, 170 min long, and requires scheduling a zoom web conference, using calendly.com, for a future date. My question is... Did you have to schedule it out days out too? How did you close the study until then? It didnt seem right to me.... The earliest available date they had to schedule this was on Tuesday morning (Its Sunday). I obviously had to... Source: almost 2 years ago
View more

Square Appointments mentions (2)

  • Best POS Solution?
    Ah I see. The driver I use has an online appointment reservation system for this. Square has an integration https://squareup.com/us/en/appointments. Source: over 2 years ago
  • Calendar options to handle personal & business schedule. I'm also lean towards being ADD with a HEALTHY dose of analysis paralysis.
    Otherwise, simplify if possible. Https://squareup.com/us/en/appointments So simple to book appointments, bill, get paid. Could be your ADD is adding a ton of unnecessary steps/details to quoting, invoicing, and billing. Source: over 3 years ago

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Calendly and Square Appointments, you can also consider the following products

Acuity Scheduling - Automate your client bookings, cancellations, reminders & payments using the worlds friendliest online scheduling software.

ManageEngine RecoveryManager Plus - RecoveryManager Plus is one such enterprise backup solution which has the ability to easily backup and restores both the domain controllers and virtual machines.

Doodle - Make meetings happen. With Doodle, scheduling becomes quick and easy.

Heroku Enterprise - Heroku Enterprise is a flexible IT management for developers that lets them build apps using their preferred languages and tools like Ruby, Java, Python and Node.

Cal.com - Cal.com (formerly Calendso) is the open source Calendly alternative.

Lastpass - LastPass is an online password manager and form filler that makes web browsing easier and more secure.