Feature by feature comparison
See the full breakdown
| Feature | Pronto | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes — $0 forever | Yes — $0, limited features |
| Paid tiers | $19 / $39 / $79 per month | Plus $29/mo, Premium $69/mo (per location) |
| Commission on bookings | 0% | 0% |
| Payment processor | Any — external terminal | Square Payments only — mandatory |
| Payment processing rate | Not applicable — bring your own | 2.5%–2.6% + $0.15/transaction |
| Country availability | Any country — self-hosted or SaaS | US, Canada, Australia, UK, Japan only |
| Self-hosted option | Yes — Docker, MIT | No — cloud only |
| Open source | Yes — MIT license | No — proprietary |
| WhatsApp notifications | Native, included | Not available |
| Telegram notifications | Native, included | Not available |
| Apple Pay / Google Pay | Not available | Yes, native |
| Square ecosystem integration | Not applicable | Yes — POS, Payroll, Marketing, hardware |
Verify current rates at squareup.com/appointments/pricing — updated regularly by Square.
Quick verdict
TL;DR — which one should you choose?
Choose Pronto if
✓ You’re outside the US, Canada, Australia, UK or Japan
✓ You want to use your own payment processor, not be locked to one
✓ You want WhatsApp and Telegram notifications included
✓ You don’t want per-location subscription fees
✓ You want a free, self-hosted option
Choose Square Appointments if
→ You already use Square POS, Payroll or Marketing tools
→ You want native Apple Pay, Google Pay and Square hardware
→ Your business operates only within Square’s 5 supported countries
Real numbers
What multiple locations actually cost
Pronto
Starting at $0/month
✓ Free plan: $0/month — 1 staff, 100 clients
✓ Starter: $19/month — 5 staff, unlimited clients
✓ Pro: $39/month — 15 staff, unlimited
✓ Agency: $79/month — multi-location, flat
✓ 0% commission, always
✓ Bring your own payment processor
Square Appointments
$29–69/month, per location
→ Free: $0/month, limited features
→ Plus: $29/month — charged per location
→ Premium: $69/month — charged per location
→ 3 locations on Plus = $87/month before a single transaction
→ Payment processing: 2.5%–2.6% + $0.15/transaction, Square only
→ Only available in 5 countries
Verify current rates at squareup.com/appointments/pricing
A business with 5 locations on Square’s Plus tier pays $145/month just for the subscription, plus mandatory Square payment processing on every transaction. Pronto’s Agency plan covers unlimited locations for $79/month flat, and lets you use any payment processor you already have.
Common frustrations
What business owners
say about Square Appointments
Locked into Square’s payment ecosystem
Square
Only works with Square Payments — you cannot use a different processor. If your card processing costs are high, you have no alternative within Square Appointments.
Pronto
Accepts cash, card and bank transfer with any payment terminal, with no mandatory processor or processing fee going to Pronto.
Per-location pricing adds up fast
Square
Plus charges $29/month per location. A business with 3 locations pays $87/month before a single transaction. 5 locations = $145/month just for the subscription.
Pronto
The Agency plan covers multiple locations for $79/month flat — no per-location charges.
No WhatsApp or Telegram
Square
Sends email and SMS reminders. WhatsApp and Telegram are not available — a real gap for the 2+ billion people who use WhatsApp daily, particularly outside North America.
Pronto
Includes WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email on all plans, free.
Only available in 5 countries
Square
Requires Square Payments to function, which is only available in the US, Canada, Australia, UK and Japan. Businesses in Brazil, Spain, Mexico, Eastern Europe, the Middle East, or most of Asia cannot use it at all.
Pronto
Works in any country — both self-hosted and SaaS.
Being fair
Where Square Appointments has
a real advantage
The Square ecosystem is genuinely powerful
If your business already uses Square POS, Square Payroll, Square Marketing or Square hardware, adding Square Appointments creates a fully integrated operation — one dashboard, one payment flow, one support team. For US-based businesses built on Square, this integration is difficult to replicate. Pronto does not integrate with Square’s ecosystem.
Apple Pay, Google Pay and physical hardware
Square Appointments supports Apple Pay, Google Pay, contactless payments and Square’s full range of card readers and terminals. For businesses that want in-person payments handled by the same vendor as their scheduling software, Square delivers this out of the box. Pronto does not process card payments directly.
Questions
Got questions?
Is Pronto available outside the US, unlike Square Appointments?
Yes. Square Appointments requires Square Payments to function, which is only available in the US, Canada, Australia, UK and Japan. Pronto works in any country, both self-hosted and as SaaS.
Does Square Appointments charge a commission like other platforms?
No. Square Appointments does not charge a marketplace commission — same as Pronto. The real differences are payment processor lock-in, per-location pricing and country availability.
Can I use my own payment processor with Pronto, unlike Square Appointments?
Yes. Pronto accepts cash, card and bank transfer through any payment terminal you choose. Square Appointments only works with Square Payments — there is no alternative processor option within the platform.
Can I send WhatsApp reminders with Pronto, unlike Square Appointments?
Yes. Pronto sends automated reminders via WhatsApp, Telegram, Viber and Email at no extra cost. Square Appointments’ native reminders are limited to SMS and email.
Is Square’s ecosystem integration a real advantage?
Yes, honestly — if your business already uses Square POS, Payroll or Marketing tools, Square Appointments creates a fully integrated operation with one dashboard and one support team. Pronto does not integrate with Square’s ecosystem, and does not process card payments directly.
Can I switch from Square Appointments to Pronto?
Yes. Export your client list from Square Appointments and import it into Pronto’s CRM. Since Square Appointments has no long-term contracts, you can switch at the end of any monthly billing period. Pronto SaaS at trypronto.app takes minutes to set up, or self-host on your own server with one command.