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 card-on-file no-show fees, 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 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)
  • Free during beta — 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 fees
  • 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 trainersPT-firstGeneric (retail/service)
Card-on-file no-show feesBuilt-inNot supported
Workout programs & exercise loggingBuilt-inNot available
Client progress & body trackingBuilt-inNot available
AUD-native billingDefaultUSD-first
Flat monthly pricing$29 AUD/moPartial (free tier + processing %)
Unlimited clientsPro planDepends on plan/team size
Online booking pageBuilt-inBuilt-in
Automated session reminders
Session packages (pre-paid blocks)Built-in
Client messaging
Revenue tracking dashboardBuilt-inBasic POS reporting
PT client portal (book, log, track)Free for clients
Personal bests tracking
Free beta access, no credit cardFree 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 no-show fees
  • 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 card-on-file 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, you tap Charge and Stripe bills the saved card — 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. Get beta access (no credit card required) and set up alongside Square to compare. Get beta access.
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. Every Pro feature is free while we're in beta — no credit card required.

Get beta access

Free during beta · no credit card · cancel anytime. Plans: Starter $19 AUD/mo (up to 3 clients), Pro $29 AUD/mo (unlimited).