# Square Go vs The Barkstead

The clearest difference is ratings volume: Square Go at 187K against The Barkstead's 9. Square Go also leads on update cadence (fortnightly vs every 6 weeks) and chart position (#37 vs unranked). On price, rating, ads and in-app purchases there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.9 for Square Go against 5.0 for The Barkstead. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Square Go has 187K ratings behind it against 9, so its average is the more settled of the two.

Square Go ships an update fortnightly, The Barkstead every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 14, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Square Go | The Barkstead |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.9 (187K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-go/id1623896123/reviews) | **[5.0 (9 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-barkstead/id6777022327/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **187K** | 9 |
| Positive reviews | 83.3% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Fortnightly** | Every 6 weeks |
| Monetization | Free | Free |
| Best chart rank | **#37** | — |
| Size | 26 MB | 150 MB |
| Requires iOS | **16.0** | 17.0 |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone |
| Age rating | 12+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Block, Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/335393791) | [iTrust Ventures LLC](https://appshunter.io/developer/1317767149) |

## What reviewers say

### Square Go

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/square-go/id1623896123)

**Currently charting:** #37 Top Free · Lifestyle (US App Store)

Discover and manage your favorite local businesses. Reorder services, rebook appointments, and track your history with ease. Find new spots with personalized recommendations and communicate directly with businesses.

**Highlights:** Search businesses by name and map, Explore 250K+ local businesses, Rebook and reschedule appointments, Track order and appointment history, Personalized recommendations, Direct business messaging, Leave verified reviews and ratings

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases:** none

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 Easy to use
- 🚀 Convenient appointment booking
- 💡 Integrated with past appointments
- 🤩 Excellent service and results
- 🥰 Friendly and professional staff

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Unreliable appointment reminders
- 🤔 Confusing search and filtering options
- 🤨 Promotes competitors to customers
- 🤯 Requires full calendar access
- 😒 Interrupts audio playback

**Reported bugs**

- Constant loading screen, app never loads
- Inability to confirm appointments
- Calendar view issues (scrolling, month navigation)
- Sign-up flow problems

**Requested features**

- Favorite/bookmark frequently used businesses
- Ability to restrict search to specific locations
- In-app tipping functionality
- Seamless calendar integration (write-only access)
- Improved notification and reminder system


### The Barkstead

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/the-barkstead/id6777022327)

Manage your pet's care with ease. Schedule appointments, receive real-time updates and photos of your pet, communicate directly with staff, and handle payments seamlessly. Experience top-tier pet services.

**Highlights:** Schedule appointments, Receive pet status updates, Get pet pictures, Chat with staff, Contactless payments, Pet care services

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Square Go free?

Square Go is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is The Barkstead free?

The Barkstead is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Which has better reviews, Square Go or The Barkstead?

The Barkstead is rated higher. Square Go averages 4.9 out of 5 from 187K ratings, while The Barkstead averages 5.0 from 9 ratings.

### Do Square Go or The Barkstead have ads?

Neither Square Go nor The Barkstead shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Square Go or The Barkstead?

Square Go ships an update fortnightly, and The Barkstead every 6 weeks. Most recently, Square Go was updated on November 14, 2026 and The Barkstead on November 10, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*