Square Appointments alternative
Compare OperMae and Square Appointments for service businesses
Square Appointments sits inside Square's payments and point-of-sale system. Square has a $0 plan and paid plans per location, plus card hardware. OperMae is appointment software that takes payments through Stripe. It is not a replacement for Square's retail register.
At a glance
OperMae
Appointments, then Stripe
Clients book a service and a provider. Deposits or full payment can be collected through the Stripe account you connect.
Pro and Team
Pro is $29 per month or $290 per year, with up to 2 users and 1 location. Team is $59 per month or $590 per year, with 6 users and 1 location. An extra Team user is $10 per month or $100 per year. An extra location is $20 per month on either plan, with no annual discount.
No hardware
OperMae does not sell card readers, a cash register, or in-person retail checkout.
Square Appointments
Three Square plans
The Square Appointments pricing page lists $0 per month per location, $49 per month per location, and $149 per month per location. Square's FAQ names these Square Free, Square Plus, and Square Premium.
Processing depends on the plan
In-person tap, dip, or swipe is listed at 2.6% plus 15¢, 2.5% plus 15¢, and 2.4% plus 15¢ across the three columns. Online card payments are listed at 3.3% plus 30¢ on the first column and 2.9% plus 30¢ on the other two. Square says Premium has the lowest processing fees.
A free plan, and trials on the paid plans
Square Free has no monthly subscription. You pay processing fees when you take a payment. Plus and Premium each offer a 30-day trial.
What each product publishes
Monthly software price
OperMae. Pro $29 or Team $59 per month, or the annual totals of $290 and $590. Not charged per location beyond the $20 location add-on.
Square Appointments. Square Free $0 per location. Square Plus $49 per location. Square Premium $149 per location.
Trial
OperMae. 14-day free trial · Card required, $0 due today. There is no free OperMae plan.
Square Appointments. Square Free has no monthly fee. Plus and Premium include a 30-day trial.
Online booking
OperMae. Available.
Square Appointments. An online booking site is listed on the appointments pricing page.
Staff calendars
OperMae. Pro includes up to 2 users. Team includes 6, then paid extra users.
Square Appointments. The pricing page says you can add as many staff calendars as you need and that there is no employee limit.
Reminders
OperMae. Email reminders are available. Text reminders require the client to opt in and follow the plan allowance.
Square Appointments. Appointment reminders are listed. Text marketing is not on Square Free. Plus includes 500 texts, then 3¢. Premium includes 2,500, then 1.5¢.
Waitlist
OperMae. Available on Pro and Team.
Square Appointments. Listed on the appointments page. The feature grid does not show it on every plan.
Deposits
OperMae. Optional on each service, collected through Stripe.
Square Appointments. Appointment deposits and prepayments are listed.
In-person card hardware
OperMae. Not currently offered.
Square Appointments. Square sells hardware and takes tap, dip, and swipe payments. Hardware options are listed starting at $59.
Classes
OperMae. Not currently offered.
Square Appointments. Class booking is listed, and the page does not show it on every plan.
Service packages
OperMae. Prepaid visit packages and customer memberships are included on Pro and Team. A package is a one-time purchase of visit credits. A membership is a recurring subscription with service credits, a discount, or both, while it stays paid. A gift card is prepaid money, separate from both.
Square Appointments. Packages are listed, and the page does not show them on every plan.
Processing
OperMae. Card payments use the Stripe account the business connects. OperMae does not add a platform fee. Stripe's processing fees still apply, and OperMae does not hold the funds.
Square Appointments. Plan-based Square rates. In-person rates on the page run from 2.6% plus 15¢ to 2.4% plus 15¢.
Appointments, or appointments plus a register
Square is a payments company that also books appointments
In-person cards, hardware, invoices, and a point of sale are part of the Square pricing page. OperMae never sees the card and does not sell a register. If the business rings up retail at a counter, Square covers that and OperMae does not.
Square Free is a real $0 software plan
OperMae has no free plan. Its trial requires a card and lasts 14 days. Square Free has no monthly subscription and charges processing fees when a payment is taken.
Staff pricing is not the same shape
Square says staff calendars have no employee limit. OperMae limits users by plan: 2 on Pro and 6 on Team, then $10 per extra Team user. A large staff can cost less in software on Square's $0 or $49 plan than on OperMae, before processing fees.
Which product may fit
OperMae may fit when
The business sells appointments, not a retail counter.
You want Stripe Connect, with payouts to your Stripe account and no OperMae platform fee.
Pro or Team's user count matches the people who need access.
Square Appointments may fit when
You take in-person cards and want Square hardware.
You want a $0 software plan and will pay Square's processing rates.
You need classes, or several locations priced inside Square's per-location plans.
Before you switch
If you already run Square for the register, Square Appointments keeps booking and checkout in that system. OperMae would be a second payments setup.
If you only need a booking page and Stripe, OperMae Pro is $29 per month. Square Plus is $49 per location, and Square Free is $0 with Square's processing rates.
Do not choose OperMae to replace inventory, a cash drawer, or Square hardware. Those are outside the product.
Pricing, as published
Pro is $29 per month or $290 per year, with up to 2 users and 1 location. Team is $59 per month or $590 per year, with 6 users and 1 location. An extra Team user is $10 per month or $100 per year. An extra location is $20 per month on either plan, with no annual discount. 14-day free trial · Card required, $0 due today. There is no free OperMae plan.
Square Free is $0 per location. Square Plus is $49 per location per month. Square Premium is $149 per location per month. In-person processing on the appointments pricing page is 2.6% plus 15¢, 2.5% plus 15¢, and 2.4% plus 15¢ across those columns.
Competitor information checked October 2026. Verify current pricing and features with the provider.
Questions
Can OperMae replace Square's point of sale?
No. Square sells in-person payments and hardware. OperMae does not.
Does OperMae have a free plan like Square Free?
No. 14-day free trial · Card required, $0 due today. There is no free OperMae plan. Square Free has no monthly subscription and charges processing fees when you take a payment.
Does OperMae add a fee on top of Stripe?
No. OperMae's platform fee is 0%. Stripe's processing fees still apply.
Where is the waitlist on Square?
Square lists a waitlist on the appointments pricing page and does not show it on every plan. OperMae includes a waitlist on Pro and Team.
Sources checked October 2026
See OperMae's booking page
Start a trial when the product fits. 14-day free trial · Card required, $0 due today.