2026 Software Comparison

PT PRO VS SQUARE APPOINTMENTS

Square is a generic booking tool built for cafes, barbers, and nail salons. PT Pro is built for personal trainers — card-on-file no-show fees, workout programs, client progress tracking, and AUD-native billing in one flat $29 AUD/mo plan.

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Quick Verdict

Square books appointments. PT Pro runs a PT business. Square has no no-show auto-charging, no workout programs, no progress tracking, and no PT-specific client portal. If you're a personal trainer using Square, you're duct-taping a tool designed for retail onto a service business that needs something different. PT Pro is $29 AUD/mo flat — unlimited clients, card-on-file no-shows built in, and every PT workflow in one place.

Pricing Comparison

WHAT YOU ACTUALLY PAY

Square starts free but quickly adds up. PT Pro is flat — no per-booking fees, no percentage of sales, no surprise charges.

PT Pro
BUILT FOR PTS
$29 AUD/mo
Unlimited clients — forever
  • Online booking & scheduling
  • Card-on-file auto no-show fees
  • Automated session reminders
  • Workout programs & logging
  • Client progress tracking
  • Client messaging
  • Revenue & payment tracking
  • Free client portal
  • Starter plan from $19 AUD/mo (up to 3 clients)
  • 14-day free trial — no credit card
Square Appointments
$0–$69+ USD/mo
Free tier + paid tiers for teams, plus processing fees
  • Appointment booking
  • Basic reminders
  • POS & payment processing
  • Calendar management
  • Card-on-file no-show auto-charge
  • Workout programs or exercise library
  • Client progress tracking
  • PT-specific client portal
  • AUD-native billing
  • Session package tracking

Square charges per-transaction processing fees on all payments. Higher-tier plans for teams scale to $69+ USD/mo. Prices are in USD — AU trainers pay conversion on top.

Feature Comparison

SIDE BY SIDE

Every feature that matters to a working personal trainer — not a retail store.

Feature PT Pro Square Appointments
Built specifically for personal trainers✓ PT-first✗ Generic (retail/service)
Card-on-file no-show auto-charge✓ Built-in✗ Not supported
Workout programs & exercise logging✓ Built-in✗ Not available
Client progress & body tracking✓ Built-in✗ Not available
AUD-native billing✓ Default✗ USD-first
Flat monthly pricing✓ $29 AUD/moPartial (free tier + processing %)
Unlimited clients✓ Pro planDepends on plan/team size
Online booking page✓ Built-in✓ Built-in
Automated session reminders✓✓
Session packages (pre-paid blocks)✓ Built-in✗
Client messaging✓✗
Revenue tracking dashboard✓ Built-inBasic POS reporting
PT client portal (book, log, track)✓ Free for clients✗
Personal bests tracking✓✗
14-day free trial, no credit card✓Free tier (limited features)
Our Recommendation

WHO SHOULD CHOOSE WHAT

One tool is built for personal training. The other isn't.

Choose PT Pro if… BUILT FOR PTS

  • You're a personal trainer (in-person, hybrid, or online)
  • You lose money to no-shows and want card-on-file auto-charge
  • You need workout programs and progress tracking in the same tool as booking
  • You want AUD pricing and GST-ready invoices
  • You want flat, predictable pricing without per-transaction fees
  • You want a client portal built for PTs — not a retail POS
  • You sell session packages (pre-paid credit blocks)

Choose Square if…

  • You run a business where bookings are the main workflow and no PT-specific tools are needed
  • You already use Square for POS payments at a studio and want everything in one retail ecosystem
  • You have a team of staff across multiple service types, not just PT
  • Online coaching delivery and client progress are not part of your service
Frequently Asked Questions

COMMON QUESTIONS


Why can't I just use Square Appointments as a personal trainer?
You can book sessions with Square. But the moment you want to charge a no-show fee automatically, track a client's workout history, or deliver a training program — Square can't do any of it. You'd need to bolt on separate tools for each. PT Pro combines booking, no-show protection, programs, and progress tracking in one $29 AUD/mo plan. See our AU personal trainer software guide for the full breakdown.
Does Square Appointments charge no-show fees automatically?
No. Square lets you collect a deposit or require a card at booking, but there is no automatic no-show charge. You have to manually chase the payment after the fact. PT Pro saves a card at booking, and the moment you mark a session no-show, the fee charges automatically through Stripe — no chasing required. One Australian PT with 15 clients and one no-show per week recovers $4,080 AUD/year in fees that would otherwise be lost.
Is Square Appointments priced in AUD for Australian trainers?
Square's core pricing is in USD. Australian trainers pay in AUD via Stripe or Square's AU payment rails, but subscription plans, invoices, and reporting are USD-first. PT Pro is AUD-native — all pricing, invoices, and reports default to AUD. GST-compliant invoices and Xero CSV export are shipping as part of the next AU-billing release.
Can I switch from Square to PT Pro easily?
Yes. Your existing bookings in Square don't transfer automatically, but PT Pro's onboarding is straightforward — booking page live in under 30 minutes, client invites sent in a few clicks. Start a 14-day free trial (no credit card required) and set up alongside Square to compare. Start your free trial here.
Does PT Pro have a mobile app?
PT Pro is a mobile-first installable PWA — clients add it to their iPhone or Android home screen from any browser, no app store download required. A native iOS/Android app is coming soon.

STOP USING A CAFE TOOL.
USE ONE BUILT FOR PTS.

Card-on-file no-show fees. Workout programs. Progress tracking. AUD-native. Everything Square doesn't have — for $29 AUD/mo flat. Try every Pro feature free for 14 days — no credit card required.

Start free trial

14-day free trial · no credit card · cancel anytime. Plans: Starter $19 AUD/mo (up to 3 clients), Pro $29 AUD/mo (unlimited).