🇪🇺 European Alternative

The Booking System That Gives You Freedom

Square Appointments locks you into their payment processing and hardware. Baluu gives you the freedom to run your business your way — appointments, classes, and courses without the "Square tax."

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✓ No hardware lock-in  •  ✓ GDPR-native  •  ✓ Cancel anytime

Are you working for your software, or is it working for you?

Square is fantastic for coffee shops, but for service businesses it's a trap. They force you to use their payment processing, their card terminals, and their ecosystem. Baluu is platform-independent. We focus on building the best booking software for European service businesses, with powerful tools for complex courses and events that Square simply can't handle.

Retail tools vs. service-first booking

Square treats everything like a product. Baluu treats it like an experience.

FeatureSquare AppointmentsBaluu
Hardware🔒 Required (Square Reader)🔓 Optional / flexible
Payment Processor🔒 Square only✅ Stripe (industry standard)
Business TypeRetail & salonsClasses, courses & events
Data Hosting🇺🇸 USA🇪🇺 Europe (GDPR)
Multi-Day Courses❌ Difficult setup✅ Native support
Website Integration❌ Limited customization✅ Full white-label embed

Built for European services, not American retail

Square is built for the US high street. Baluu is built for the European studio. We understand VAT-compliant invoicing (including reverse charge) and data privacy that meets GDPR standards. Don't let a US retail giant dictate how you handle local compliance.

Square is great for a haircut. But a 6-week pottery course?

Square struggles when bookings get complicated. If you need to sell a semester-long course, a membership with credits, or a ticketed workshop, Square feels clunky. Baluu was built to handle complex bookings effortlessly.

Why Choosing European Matters

When you use Square Appointments, you are sending your data and your money to a Silicon Valley giant subject to the US CLOUD Act. This allows US authorities to access data stored on American servers, even if it belongs to a European citizen.

Baluu is different. We are a proudly independent European business with real people working across the UK, Portugal, Spain, and Lithuania.

We do not just follow GDPR because we have to; we follow it because we live here. We understand your market, your values, and your timezone because we share them.

Area
The American Way (Them)
The European Way (Baluu)
Data Sovereignty
🇺🇸 US CLOUD Act: Gov can access data.
🇪🇺 GDPR Native: 100% Private & Local.
Your Support Team
😴 Pacific Time: Waiting for California to wake up.
⏰ GMT/CET: Real humans in London and Lisbon.
Invoicing
🧾 Generic: "Sales Tax" (Confusing for accountants).
💶 Compliant: VAT and Reverse Charge ready.
The Money Trail
🏦 Silicon Valley: Profits go to US investors.
🌍 Local Ecosystem: Supports European tech.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does Baluu compare to Square Appointments?▼
Square Appointments is a general scheduling tool built around their POS system. Baluu is purpose-built for activity providers, offering richer booking types, memberships, group classes, and a branded booking website.
Does Baluu handle payments like Square?▼
Yes. Baluu processes payments through Stripe, supporting cards, bank transfers, and recurring billing for memberships. You get lower transaction fees on paid plans compared to Square's processing rates.
Can I use Baluu without a POS system?▼
Absolutely. Baluu is a complete online booking solution that doesn't require any hardware. Customers book and pay online through your branded booking page or embedded widget.
Is Baluu better for class-based businesses than Square?▼
Yes. Square focuses on individual appointments. Baluu excels at group classes, workshops, courses, and events — with features like capacity management, waitlists, and recurring schedules built in.

Bookings without lock-in

Flexible payments, white-label booking, and GDPR-native hosting.

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Run appointments, classes, and courses in one place