Compare
Studioloop vs Square Appointments
The payments ecosystem with appointments built on top. Strong if you're already all-in on Square.
Flat pricing
Per location, cap at $249/mo
Branded app + loyalty
Built-in, not an add-on
No marketplace tax
No feature gating
The short version
“Square Appointments is powerful within the Square ecosystem, but the best features require paid tiers and you're locked into Square's payment infrastructure. StudioLoop is built specifically for salons with retention tools included.”
Feature by feature
How they compare
15 metrics that matter when choosing salon software. Every row shows what you get with Studioloop versus Square Appointments.
Studioloop
Square Appointments
Studioloop
$99/mo flat, per location. Price caps at $249/mo for 4+ locations. Every feature included.
Square Appointments
Free for solo. $29/mo (Plus) or $69/mo (Premium). Per-location fees on paid tiers.
Studioloop
Stripe-powered. Cards, wallets, and pay-later where available. Direct deposits to your bank.
Square Appointments
Square ecosystem. 2.5-2.6% + 15c per transaction. Digital wallets in booking flow.
Studioloop
Embeddable widget with 6 themes. Guest-first booking (no login required). QR codes and link sharing.
Square Appointments
Booking website, embed widget, Book Now button, QR code.
Studioloop
No marketplace. Clients book through your channels only. No competitor listings inside the app.
Square Appointments
No consumer marketplace. Client acquisition through your own marketing channels.
Studioloop
Configurable per service. Full prepay or percentage deposits. Card on file.
Square Appointments
Deposits and prepayments. Available on Plus and Premium tiers only.
Studioloop
Card-on-file enforcement. Automated no-show and late cancellation fees.
Square Appointments
Cancellation policy + no-show fees. Card on file. Plus/Premium tiers only.
Studioloop
Push notifications, email, and SMS reminders included in every plan, subject to fair use and anti-abuse protections.
Square Appointments
Auto text + email reminders. Square Assistant handles SMS replies.
Studioloop
Built-in loyalty program with points and tiers. Custom rewards. Branded app drives retention.
Square Appointments
Email + SMS marketing with included message counts. Overage rates apply.
Studioloop
Gift cards (email, SMS, print), service packages, and memberships. All included.
Square Appointments
Gift cards, packages, classes supported across Square ecosystem.
Studioloop
Retail POS, inventory tracking, barcode scanning, and cash drawer management.
Square Appointments
Strong retail tools if in Square ecosystem. Full POS hardware lineup.
Studioloop
Staff scheduling, roles, permissions, automated commissions. No per-staff fees.
Square Appointments
Multi-staff booking, staff calendars, shift scheduling.
Studioloop
Multi-location with shared clients, central reporting, and a price cap at $249/mo total.
Square Appointments
Multi-location management. Per-location fees on paid tiers.
Studioloop
Revenue analytics, staff performance, retention metrics, and booking insights.
Square Appointments
Future bookings report, service cost tracking. Advanced reports on higher tiers.
Studioloop
Stripe Connect, embeddable booking widget, QR codes. API access.
Square Appointments
Instagram, Facebook, Google integrations. Square App Marketplace.
Studioloop
Free migration assistance. Full data export anytime. Email and chat support.
Square Appointments
Customer data export. Square support ecosystem.
Why salons switch
Common reasons salons move
to Studioloop
Ecosystem lock-in
Square Appointments ties you to Square's payment hardware and processing. StudioLoop uses Stripe Connect, giving you more flexibility.
Best features gated behind paid tiers
Deposits, no-show fees, and advanced reports require Plus ($29/mo) or Premium ($69/mo). StudioLoop includes all features at every price point.
Built for payments, not salons
Square is a payments company with appointments as an add-on. StudioLoop is built specifically for salon operations, loyalty, and client retention.
No branded app or loyalty program
Square Appointments has no equivalent to StudioLoop's branded client app or built-in loyalty program with points and tiers.
Who it's for
Which one is right for you?
Square Appointments is best for
Solo practitioners or businesses already using Square for payments who want a free starting point with room to upgrade.
Studioloop is best for
Salon teams who want a purpose-built salon platform with loyalty, branded app, and team tools included at a flat rate.
Common questions
Studioloop vs Square Appointments FAQ
Is Square Appointments cheaper than StudioLoop?
Square Appointments has a free tier for solo users, but it lacks deposits, no-show fees, and advanced features. Paid tiers cost $29-$69/mo per location. StudioLoop is $99/mo per location with every feature included and no per-staff charges.
Does Square Appointments have a branded app?
No. Square Appointments provides a booking website and widget, but no branded mobile app for your clients. StudioLoop includes a branded iOS app where clients see only your salon and loyalty program.
Can I migrate from Square to StudioLoop?
Yes. Square allows customer data export through its dashboard. StudioLoop offers free migration assistance to import your client data and service catalog.
Does Square Appointments include a loyalty program?
Square has a separate Loyalty product that may cost extra. StudioLoop includes a full loyalty program with points, tiers, and custom rewards in every plan at no extra cost.
Ready to switch?
Try Studioloop
Flat-rate pricing. Every feature included. No marketplace. No per-staff fees. Free migration.
Early access opening soon