Bookatu vs Square Appointments
Bookatu vs Square Appointments: booking that works in New Zealand
Square Appointments is well known for its free starting tier and tidy card hardware. For businesses in the countries Square serves, it can be a neat all-in-one. There is one detail that matters a great deal if you are in New Zealand, and it is easy to miss until you try to take a payment.
Square does not process card payments in New Zealand (verify the current details for 2026). That means an NZ salon cannot take Square card payments, online or in person, no matter how good the booking side is. Bookatu plus your own Stripe account takes payments in New Zealand today, with 0% commission on your bookings.
Bookatu vs Square Appointments at a glance
Works in New Zealand
Bookatu
Yes. Connect your own Stripe account and take deposits and payments in NZ today.
Square Appointments
Square does not process card payments in New Zealand (as of 2026, verify current pricing on their site), so NZ businesses cannot take Square payments.
Booking commission
Bookatu
0% commission on every booking.
Square Appointments
No booking commission on the appointments product, but card processing fees apply per transaction where Square operates (as of 2026, verify current pricing on their site).
Pricing model
Bookatu
One subscription based on active clients, every feature on every plan.
Square Appointments
A free starting tier with paid tiers above it, plus card processing fees per transaction (as of 2026, verify current pricing on their site).
Where the money lands
Bookatu
Deposits and sales go straight into your own Stripe account.
Square Appointments
Payments are processed and held by Square, in the regions where it operates.
Who owns the client
Bookatu
Your clients are yours, on your own branded booking page.
Square Appointments
You keep your client list, but payments and hardware tie you to the Square ecosystem.
Competitor details are a general guide as of 2026 and can change. Please verify current pricing and availability on Square Appointments’s own site before deciding.
The bottom line
For a New Zealand business this is not a close call on payments. If the platform cannot process a card in your country, the booking features do not help when a client tries to pay. Bookatu works with your own Stripe account, which does operate in New Zealand, so you can take a deposit online and the balance in person.
Beyond that, Bookatu takes no commission on your bookings, puts every feature on every plan, and sends the money to your own Stripe account rather than holding it. You get a branded booking page, deposits, memberships, gift cards and reminders, and clients that stay yours.
Square may add New Zealand support in future, so check the current situation before you decide. As things stand, the practical wedge is simple: Bookatu plus your own Stripe takes payments in NZ today.
Ready to go independent?
Bookatu gives you a branded booking page, deposits, memberships, gift cards and reminders, with 0% commission on your bookings and your money in your own Stripe account.
Start freeCommon questions
Can I use Square Appointments in New Zealand?
You can look at the booking side, but Square does not process card payments in New Zealand (verify the current details for 2026). That means an NZ business cannot take Square card payments online or in person, which is the part that matters most.
Can Bookatu take payments in New Zealand?
Yes. Bookatu uses your own Stripe account, and Stripe operates in New Zealand. You connect Stripe once, then take deposits and online sales, with the money paid out to your NZ bank account.
Does Bookatu charge commission like a marketplace?
No. Bookatu takes 0% commission on every booking. You pay a simple subscription based on your number of active clients, and you keep the full service price every time.
Where does my money go with Bookatu?
Into your own Stripe account, then out to your bank on Stripe's regular schedule. Bookatu never holds your money or takes a cut of your bookings.