Built for beauty salons, not just any business.
An honest comparison to help you choose the right salon software for your business.
Quick facts at a glance
A side-by-side overview of key differences
Prices shown in AUD (inc. GST)
Bella Booking: Starter plan for 1-3 team members, Professional for 4+ (unlimited). Competitor pricing from official sources, verified January 2026.
Which is right for you?
An honest look at when each platform makes sense
Consider Bella Booking if...
- Purpose-built for salons (not generic scheduling)
- Staff pricing tiers (Junior/Senior/Master)
- SMS reminders included (50-500/month)
- Sydney-based company with global support
- Easy personal onboarding
- Free data migration assistance
- Salon-specific client history and formulas
- Family/dependent booking (not available on Square Appointments)
- Client reviews included (Professional plan)
- Loyalty programme included (Professional plan)
- AI Assistant for business insights (Beta)
- Better waitlist management
- Client confirmation system with one-click links
- Service-level deposit and cancellation policy overrides
- Client document storage (consent forms, photos)
- 13 comprehensive reports
Consider Square Appointments if...
- You're a solo practitioner wanting a free solution
- You already use Square POS and want integration
- Payment processing fees are your primary concern
- You need resource management (rooms, chairs, equipment)
- You don't need salon-specific features like pricing tiers
- You want access to Square's hardware ecosystem
We believe in helping you find the right fit, even if it's not us.
Detailed feature comparison
A comprehensive look at what each platform offers
Scheduling & Booking
Client Management
Team Management
Payments & POS
Communication
Business Management
Platform & Support
Salon-Specific Features
Pricing breakdown
What you'll actually pay
Prices shown are starting prices and include GST. Bella Booking Starter includes up to 3 team members; Professional includes unlimited team members. Competitor pricing may vary based on team size.
Bella Booking
Solo (1 team): A$25/month AUD • Starter (1-3 team): A$47/month AUD • Professional (4+): A$79/month AUD
Square Appointments
Pricing information based on publicly available data as of January 2026. Visit each provider's website for current pricing.
Cost comparison by team size
Team Size Pricing Comparison
Monthly cost for different numbers of bookable team members
Note: "Team members" means bookable staff
Team member limits apply to staff who can be booked for appointments. Non-bookable users (receptionists, managers who don't take appointments) don't count toward limits.
| Team Size | Bella Booking | Square Appointments | Savings with Bella |
|---|---|---|---|
1 person | A$25/mo(Solo) | A$0/mo Free (1 user) | A$25/mo more |
3 people | A$47/mo(Starter) | A$40/mo A$40/location (Plus) | A$7/mo more |
6 people | A$79/mo(Professional) | A$40/mo A$40/location (Plus) | A$39/mo more |
12 people | A$79/mo(Professional) | A$40/mo A$40/location (Plus) | A$39/mo more |
Bella Booking: Official pricing (Starter A$47/mo, Professional A$79/mo)
Square Appointments: Official pricing page • Last verified: January 2026
Pricing may change. Please verify current prices on official websites before making decisions.
What Square Appointments does well
We believe in honest comparisons. Here's what Square Appointments excels at:
- 1Free plan for solo practitioners
- 2Extensive POS hardware ecosystem
- 3Lower payment processing fees (2.2% in AU, 2.9-3.3% + 30¢ in US for online)
- 4Established brand
- 5Native mobile apps
- 6Seamless integration with Square ecosystem
- 7Resource management (rooms, equipment)
- 8Gift cards included
Square Appointments might be better if...
We believe in helping you find the right solution, even if it's not us. Here are some scenarios where other options might serve you better:
- 1Free plan for solo practitioners
- 2Lower in-person payment processing fees (1.6% in AU vs 2.7% + 30c)
- 3Extensive POS hardware ecosystem
- 4Native mobile apps
- 5Larger platform with more integrations
Still not sure? - we'll give you an honest assessment of whether Bella Booking is right for your business.
Switching from Square Appointments?
We make it easy. Free data migration and 1-on-1 onboarding included with every plan.
Sources: Information gathered from squareup.com. Last verified: January 2026.
Found an error? and we'll correct it promptly.
Important Notice
The information about Square Appointments on this page is based on publicly available data as of January 2026 and is provided for general comparison purposes only. Pricing, features, and policies may change at any time without notice. We make reasonable efforts to keep this information accurate, but we cannot guarantee its completeness or current accuracy.
Always verify directly with Square Appointments before making any business decisions. This comparison reflects our understanding and may not capture all nuances of their offerings.