Doodle vs. Square Appointments: What scheduling software is good for you?

Video Time: 7 minutes

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Doodle Content Team

Updated: Aug 29, 2023

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Comparing key features

Both Doodle and Square Appointments offer essential features for effective scheduling, but they differ in their approach. 

Doodle's strength lies in its simplicity and focus on scheduling efficiency. It excels in scenarios where quick availability sharing, group scheduling and one-on-one meeting coordination are paramount. 

Square Appointments, on the other hand, integrates appointment scheduling with payment processing and customer management.

Ease of use: In terms of user-friendliness, both Doodle and Square Appointments offer intuitive interfaces that require minimal learning curves. 

Doodle's straightforward design and minimalistic approach make it easy for users to navigate the platform and schedule appointments efficiently. Square Appointments, however, may require a slightly longer familiarization period. 

That said, once users become acquainted with its capabilities, they can harness its power to manage multiple aspects of their business beyond scheduling alone.

Integration Capabilities: Syncing with other business tools is an important consideration when selecting a scheduling software solution. 

Doodle offers integrations with popular calendar applications such as Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar, ensuring seamless synchronization with existing scheduling systems. 

Square Appointments, as part of the broader Square ecosystem, provides extensive integration options with Square Point of Sale, Square Payments and other Square tools, enabling businesses to connect their scheduling operations easily if they use the wider Square network.

Customer service: In terms of support, both Doodle and Square Appointments strive to assist users with their inquiries and technical issues. 

Doodle offers email support, an extensive knowledge base and live webinars where users can find answers to common questions. 

Square Appointments provides support through email and chat, ensuring prompt assistance when needed. Both platforms understand the importance of responsive customer service to help businesses maintain smooth scheduling operations.

Pricing: How do the tools compare when it comes to cost? 

Doodle offers annual and monthly plans, so depending on your circumstances, you can have it for as little or as much as you need. 

Square Scheduling starts at $29 a month for their Plus plan or you can sign up for their Premium Plan at $69 a month.

Doodle, by contrast, comes in at $6.95 a month when paid for annually or $14.95 on a monthly subscription. With comparable features to Square Appointments, you can save over $169 a year using Doodle over Square Scheduling. 

Unique selling points: Doodle's USP lies in its simplicity, ease of use and efficiency-focused features. It excels in scenarios where quick scheduling is vital, such as organizing group meetings or arranging one-on-one appointments. 

Square Appointments, on the other hand, integrates scheduling and payment processing, providing businesses with a holistic approach to managing their operations.

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So what is best for me?

While both Doodle and Square Appointments offer valuable features, our recommendation leans toward Doodle for businesses primarily seeking an efficient scheduling solution. 

Its user-friendly interface, specialized scheduling features and seamless integration options make it a strong choice for streamlining the availability processes. 

However, if your business wants to include payment processing and customer management, Square Appointments may be the better fit. 

Assess your specific needs and consider the unique strengths of each platform before making your final decision.

Selecting the right scheduling software solution is crucial for businesses to effectively manage appointments and optimize their operations. 

Doodle and Square Appointments offer distinct features and approaches to meet different business needs. Evaluate your requirements, consider factors such as key features, ease of use, integration capabilities, customer support and unique selling points to make an informed decision. 

Whether you opt for Doodle's efficiency-focused scheduling tools or Square Appointments' payment-focused scheduling suite, integrating the right software into your operations will enhance productivity, streamline processes and ultimately contribute to the success of your business.

What is Doodle

Doodle is a versatile appointment booking tool that offers three core products: Booking Page, Group Poll and 1:1s. 

Booking Page allows users can easily share their availability by simply providing a link.

Group Poll allows for quick and efficient scheduling among multiple participants, ensuring meetings are organized in minutes. 

With 1:1s you can simplify the process of arranging one-on-one meetings by automatically having an agreed-upon meeting time added to both parties' calendars. 

Doodle's user-friendly interface and intuitive, but simple design make it a popular choice for businesses seeking efficient scheduling solutions.

What about Square Appointments

Square Appointments is another business management tool that includes appointment scheduling as one of its key features. 

With it, users can seamlessly manage their entire scheduling process, from booking appointments to sending reminders and processing payments. The platform offers customizable online booking options, allowing clients to easily schedule appointments at their convenience. 

Square Appointments also provides integrated payment processing, customer management and reporting tools, making it a robust solution for businesses looking to streamline their operations.

Efficient appointment scheduling is essential for businesses of all sizes. Nowadays, you’ll be hard-pressed to find someone who hasn’t felt inundated with requests for meetings, catch-ups and feeling lost in rounds of emails to find a time. 

That’s why utilizing the right scheduling tool can streamline operations, save time and enhance customer experience. Two popular options in the market are Doodle and Square Appointments. We’ll explore the features, benefits and differences between these platforms, allowing you to make an informed decision when selecting the ideal scheduling software solution for your business.

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