The Top 8 Square Appointments Alternatives [2026]
Explore the top 8 alternatives to Square Appointments for salons, spas, and wellness.
1/28/2026•BY STAFF
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If you’re a beauty pro, esthetician, or solo stylist who’s out here building your brand from the ground up— just making it happen—then you have to know that choosing the right booking and business software will quite literally make or break your momentum.
Today we’re breaking down two heavy hitters in the game: GlossGenius and StyleSeat. Which one’s going to support your hustle best? Let’s get into it.
GlossGenius uses a tiered pricing setup designed to scale from solo pros to larger beauty businesses. All plans include a 14-day free trial, allowing you to test the platform before committing to anything.
Here’s how GlossGenius's pricing breaks down:
Standard Plan — $24/month (billed annually, or about $28 month-to-month)
This first tier covers the essentials: a branded booking website, 24/7 online booking, built-in payment processing, unlimited SMS and email reminders, and basic marketing tools. It’s well-suited for independent pros who want an all-in-one system without extra complexity.
Gold Plan — $48/month (billed annually, or about $56 monthly)
Designed for growing businesses, the Gold plan adds features like waitlists, intake forms and waivers, time tracking, Google integrations, and expanded marketing capabilities. It’s a strong option for small teams or busy solo providers scaling up.
Platinum Plan — $148/month (billed annually, or about $168 monthly)
Built for larger or enterprise-level businesses, this plan includes unlimited team members, enhanced analytics, higher marketing limits, and priority support. It’s best suited for salons and studios that need deeper operational insights and team management tools.
Across all plans, Gloss Genius charges a flat 2.6% payment processing fee on transactions, which is competitive with industry standards and consistent across payment types.
What to factor in: Payroll is offered as a paid add-on, and hardware such as card readers is typically purchased separately.
Overall, GlossGenius’s pricing is transparent. Most core features are included in the first subscription tier, making it easier for business owners to understand their costs as they grow, without juggling multiple third-party tools.
StyleSeat’s pricing model is simple, offering professionals a flat monthly subscription.
Here’s how it breaks down:
Premium Plan — $35/month
StyleSeat currently offers one subscription tier: Premium. StyleSeat's Premium subscription provides full access to StyleSeat’s features—online booking, calendar management, automated reminders, client management tools, marketing support, and marketplace placement—without paying commission on new client bookings.
Payment Processing Fees
StyleSeat charges standard credit card processing fees: 2.2%–2.5% + $0.30 (for card-present transactions) and 2.2%–2.6% + $0.3 (for card-on-file).
Optional Feature Fees
Certain marketplace-related tools, like Smart Pricing (dynamic pricing for busy slots) and new client connection features, include additional percentage-based fees when used, so costs increase only if you leverage those specific tools.
Note: StyleSeat charges all clients a Booking Fee: $2.35 at time of booking.
In practice, StyleSeat can be very affordable upfront if you don’t want a monthly subscription, but costs may add up through commissions and booking fees if you rely heavily on the marketplace for new clients. The Premium subscription swaps commission complexity for predictable monthly pricing, which many experienced pros prefer.
Overall, StyleSeat’s pricing makes it a solid option for solo professionals, though understanding the trade-off between commissions and predictable monthly costs is key.
Offers 24/7 online booking with client intake forms, recurring appointments, and optional prepayments. Clients can book through your StyleSeat profile or the StyleSeat app, which also functions as a marketplace.
Provides a fully branded booking website with automatic confirmations and a sleek, client-facing interface. The booking experience feels polished by default, without depending on a marketplace.
Marketplace visibility is a major advantage—clients can browse, review, and book local professionals directly through the StyleSeat app, helping businesses gain new clients organically.
No marketplace exists. Discovery relies entirely on your marketing, social media presence, and direct booking links.
Integrated payments via StyleSeat’s own processor or Stripe. Supports mobile payments, tips, and instant deposits, but POS capabilities are basic compared to dedicated POS platforms.
Built-in POS with card readers, Apple Pay, and tap-to-pay. Payments are fully integrated across booking, marketing, and client management, no third-party processor required.
Real-time calendar sync with Google Calendar. Supports multi-staff scheduling, service-specific availability, and buffer times.
Smart, built-in calendar with availability rules baked directly into scheduling. Clean, simple, and tightly integrated with booking and payments.
Automated SMS and email reminders are included, with the option to customize timing and messaging.
Unlimited SMS and email reminders are standard, helping reduce no-shows without worrying about limits or extra costs.
Basic client profiles with booking history, notes, and client communication. Functional, but less robust for data-driven marketing or retention strategies.
Built-in CRM stores client history, payment details, past purchases, and preferences. Automated marketing features, like birthday discounts, are included.
Dashboards provide appointment tracking, revenue summaries, and client trends. Advanced reporting options are limited compared to platforms with built-in analytics.
Comprehensive reporting for revenue, appointments, client retention, and inventory—all within one app.
Supports basic inventory tracking and retail product sales through your StyleSeat profile.
More robust inventory tools with low-stock alerts, product sales tracking, and detailed retail reporting.
Loyalty programs and rebooking incentives exist but may require manual setup and extra management.
Automated loyalty programs reward clients based on visits, with no extra tools or setup needed.
Offers Instagram and Facebook booking integrations, plus exposure via the StyleSeat marketplace.
Direct integrations with Instagram and Facebook, paired with a free, customizable booking website for every user.
Custom branding options exist but are limited, and the overall experience is tied to the StyleSeat platform.
Branding is native—custom booking pages, cohesive client-facing design, and full platform customization come standard.
When it comes down to it, this isn’t just a choice between two apps, it’s a choice about how you run your business. GlossGenius gives you control with full branding, built-in POS, automated loyalty, and a seamless client-facing experience. StyleSeat provides discoverability and marketplace exposure, a shortcut to new clients if you are just getting started.
If you're serious about owning your brand and scaling without compromise, GlossGenius is the powerhouse. If you need visibility and a foot in the door while you build your reputation, StyleSeat earns its keep. Either way, pick the tool that matches your hustle, run with it, and keep building. Your momentum does not wait and neither should you.