Birrdi is built around a direct integration with Square, and Square is a core part of the Birrdi platform. It is not simply an optional payment processor — many of Birrdi's features depend on the Square integration.
If you do not use Square POS, or decide to switch from Square to another POS or payment provider, you may still be able to use Birrdi for basic reservations, but there are significant limitations.
What Happens If I Don't Use Square?
Without Square, Birrdi would need to operate with Pre-Payment turned OFF.
Customers could still reserve simulator time through your Birrdi booking site, but Birrdi would not collect payment during checkout.
Instead, you would need to collect payment separately through your other POS or payment system.
This effectively turns Birrdi into a reservation system rather than the complete booking, payment, membership, and facility management experience it is designed to provide.
What Features Would I Lose?
Because so much of Birrdi's functionality is connected to Square, switching away from Square affects considerably more than reservation payments.
Without Square:
Online pre-payment would not be available. Pre-Payment would need to be turned OFF.
Cards on file would not be available through Birrdi.
Memberships would not work as intended. Birrdi would not be able to automatically charge a member's card on file or process recurring membership payments and renewals.
Packs would not work, since purchasing Packs and their associated payment flow relies on Square.
Paid leagues would not work, since league registration payments rely on Square.
Credits would not be available, since Birrdi's credit functionality is tied into its payment and pricing system.
Complimentary Credits would also not be available.
Loyalty would not work, as Birrdi's loyalty functionality is integrated with Square Loyalty.
Promo codes would not work, since discounts are applied through the integrated checkout and payment flow.
Integrated refunds and payment processing would not be available.
Other features that depend on Square payments, customer information, discounts, or transactions may also be unavailable.
In practice, without Square, Birrdi would primarily function as a basic reservation system with payment collected outside of Birrdi.
Why Is Square Such a Large Part of Birrdi?
Birrdi and Square are designed to work together.
The Square integration powers or supports functionality throughout Birrdi, including:
Reservation payments
Cards on file
Membership billing and renewals
Packs
League registration payments
Credits
Loyalty
Promo codes and discounts
Taxes
Refunds
Payment and transaction records
Payment reporting
This allows your customer's reservation, payment, membership, credits, and other activity to stay connected rather than requiring separate systems to be manually reconciled.
Can I Just Collect Payment in Another POS?
Yes, but only if you are comfortable using Birrdi primarily for reservations.
You could leave Pre-Payment OFF, allow customers to reserve through Birrdi, and then collect payment separately using your other POS when the customer arrives.
However, using another POS does not replace the Square integration inside Birrdi. Connecting or using another POS separately would not restore Birrdi's memberships, Packs, credits, loyalty, promo codes, paid leagues, or other Square-dependent functionality.
Should I Use Birrdi If I'm Moving Away From Square?
If you only need a system for customers to reserve time online and pay separately at your facility, you may be able to continue using Birrdi with Pre-Payment turned OFF.
However, if you want to use Birrdi for:
Online pre-payment
Memberships
Packs
Leagues with paid registration
Credits
Complimentary Credits
Loyalty
Promo codes
Cards on file
Integrated payments and refunds
then Square is required.
If your facility has decided to move completely away from Square and these features are important to your business, Birrdi is probably not the right fit for your facility.
Square is a fundamental part of the Birrdi ecosystem, and Birrdi is not designed to provide its full functionality independently of Square.