The Acuity Scheduling Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about Acuity Scheduling in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
Acuity Scheduling
The Insider’s Guide
Appointment booking, payments and reminders for service businesses
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among calendar and scheduling apps, read from Acuity Scheduling’s own pages.
Made by Squarespace, Inc. · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from Acuity Scheduling’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on Acuity Scheduling’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.2
GPA, above 5 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade
Acuity Scheduling is appointment software from Squarespace for businesses that sell their time, such as salons, studios, coaches and tutors. Clients book, reschedule and pay on a branded page, and the business gets intake forms, reminders, calendar sync and invoicing behind it. Plans are flat monthly prices that differ mainly in the number of staff or location calendars; there is no free plan, only a 7-day trial.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about Acuity Scheduling, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Clients booking themselves from a link is the easy half.
- 1
Best for taking bookings and payment in one go
Acuity Scheduling is a booking page for businesses that sell their time, such as salons, coaches and tutors: clients book, fill in a form and pay a deposit or the full fee.
- 2
Paid plans start at $16 a month
As its pricing page puts it: $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
- 3
You can try it first
7-day free trial of any plan, no credit card needed
- 4
It runs on 3 platforms
Web, iOS and Android.
- 5
Branded booking page
Clients self-schedule, reschedule or cancel on a page with your logo and colors. Share it as a link or QR code, or embed it in a Squarespace site or another website.
- 6
Payments, deposits and invoicing
Take full payment, a deposit or a card on file at booking through Stripe, Square or PayPal, and send invoices. The mobile app accepts in-person payments, including tap-to-pay.
- 7
Reminders and intake forms
Automated email confirmations, updates and reminders on every plan, with custom intake forms at booking. Text message reminders start on Standard.
- 8
A 2.2 GPA, above 5 of 74
That is against the other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of Acuity Scheduling you could make: invoicing. What surrounds it you could not. The 6 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
Acuity Scheduling at a glance
- Pricing
- Free trial, from $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
- Free plan
- No
- Free trial
- 7-day free trial of any plan, no credit card needed
- Runs on
- Web, iOS, Android
- Made by
- Squarespace, Inc., since 2006
- Category
- Calendar & Scheduling
- Our grade
- 2.2 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for taking bookings and payment in one go
Acuity Scheduling is a booking page for businesses that sell their time, such as salons, coaches and tutors: clients book, fill in a form and pay a deposit or the full fee. There's no free plan, only a 7-day trial, and Starter at $16 a month billed annually covers one calendar. Text reminders, packages and memberships need Standard at $27, and logo removal and a HIPAA agreement need Premium at $49.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | D | Starter is $16 a month billed annually, $20 monthly, and buys exactly one calendar. The dear end of this category is $10. Then the things a real business needs climb further: text reminders, packages and memberships on Standard at $27, and the HIPAA agreement and logo removal on Premium at $49, against a $6 middle. |
| Free plan and trial | C | Nothing free to keep. There's a 7-day trial of any plan with no card asked, and a week is short to build a booking page, set your availability and test a payment before the bill starts. |
| Features | B | Covers the whole booking job: a branded page, intake forms, deposits or full payment through Stripe, Square or PayPal, invoices, email reminders, buffers and daily limits, group classes, and tap-to-pay in the phone app. Text reminders, packages and the AI assistant wait on higher plans. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record, and the work falls on you before any client sees it: services to define, availability rules, buffers, daily limits, intake forms, a payment processor and a calendar to sync. Clients booking themselves from a link is the easy half. |
| Platforms and integrations | B | Web plus iPhone and Android, with no desktop app of its own. It does sync with Google Calendar, Outlook and iCloud so busy time is blocked, and connects out to Stripe, Square, PayPal, Zoom and Squarespace, with the custom API Premium only. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who Acuity Scheduling is for
- Fits if you run a salon, studio, tutoring or coaching business and want clients to book and pay themselves
- Works for businesses that take a deposit or the full fee at booking to cut no-shows
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you want to start free: there's no free plan, and the trial lasts 7 days
- Pricey if you're one person who just needs a booking link, at $16 a month ($20 monthly) for one calendar
- Tight if you have staff or locations: Starter has 1 calendar, Standard 6 and Premium 36
- Watch out: text reminders, the waitlist, packages, memberships and gift certificates start on Standard at $27
- Pricey if you need a HIPAA BAA, the Acuity footer removed, or the custom API: all Premium only, at $49
Good to know
Good for
- Salons, studios, coaches, tutors and other appointment-based businesses
- Taking a deposit or full payment at the time of booking
- Selling packages, memberships and gift certificates alongside appointments
Worth knowing
- There is no free plan. When the 7-day trial ends, a paid plan is needed to keep using the account.
- Plans are capped by calendars, which map to staff or locations: 1 on Starter, 6 on Standard and 36 on Premium.
- Text reminders, the waitlist, memberships, packages and gift certificates need Standard or Premium.
- Hiding the "Powered by Acuity Scheduling" footer, signing a HIPAA BAA, and custom API and CSS are Premium-only.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$16
A month to start
Acuity Scheduling is a paid product with a free trial, starting at $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
Starter
$16
per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly)
1 calendar, payments through Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo, email reminders, custom client forms and automatic time zone conversion.
Standard
$27
per month, billed annually ($34 billed monthly)
Up to 6 calendars, plus text reminders, an appointment waitlist, memberships, packages and gift certificates.
Premium
$49
per month, billed annually ($61 billed monthly)
Up to 36 calendars, plus the AI Booking Assistant, a BAA for HIPAA compliance, logo removal, per-staff time zones, and custom API and CSS.
Enterprise
Custom
Unlimited calendars and scheduling instances, VIP account management, additional APIs and a central dashboard; priced through sales.
Trying it first
7-day free trial of any plan, no credit card needed
Read from acuityscheduling.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Annual discount
Save 20% by paying annually
Acuity's pricing page lists a 20% saving on annual billing: Starter is $16 instead of $20 per month, Standard $27 instead of $34 and Premium $49 instead of $61.
Stated on acuityscheduling.com
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
3
Places it runs: Web, iOS and Android
Appointment booking, payments and reminders for service businesses. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: public API, AI features, booking links, invoicing.
Text reminders, packages and the AI assistant wait on higher plans.
- Branded booking page
- Clients self-schedule, reschedule or cancel on a page with your logo and colors. Share it as a link or QR code, or embed it in a Squarespace site or another website.
- Payments, deposits and invoicing
- Take full payment, a deposit or a card on file at booking through Stripe, Square or PayPal, and send invoices. The mobile app accepts in-person payments, including tap-to-pay.
- Reminders and intake forms
- Automated email confirmations, updates and reminders on every plan, with custom intake forms at booking. Text message reminders start on Standard.
- Calendar sync and availability rules
- Syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook and iCloud to block busy times. Set daily appointment limits, buffers between bookings and room or resource restrictions.
- Classes, packages and memberships
- Offer one-to-one services or group classes and workshops. Standard and Premium can sell appointment packages, subscriptions, memberships and gift certificates.
- AI Booking Assistant
- An AI chat bot that helps clients get booked on the scheduling page. It is available on the Premium plan only.
Where it runs
- Web
- iOS
- Android
What it works with
- Google Calendar
- Microsoft Outlook
- iCloud
- Stripe
- Square
- PayPal
- Zoom
- Squarespace
Acuity Scheduling is made by Squarespace, Inc., and has been around since 2006.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
5/74
Other calendar and scheduling apps it is graded above
Acuity Scheduling's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, and level with 12.
It stands best on features (B, above 47 of 74) and worst on value for money (D, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $16 a month, against a middle price of $6 for the category: 47 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.7 out of 4. 17 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 75 calendar and scheduling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. Acuity Scheduling’s own letter is outlined.
- DValue for moneyAbove 0 of 74
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 74
- BFeaturesAbove 47 of 74
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 74
- BPlatforms and integrationsAbove 25 of 74
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 67 calendar and scheduling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. Acuity Scheduling is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of Acuity Scheduling you could make: invoicing. What surrounds it you could not. The 6 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 57 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps grade higher. It costs $192 a year.
What you could make
- Invoicing: an app builder makes this well.
What you could not
- Booking pages that read and write other people's calendars and send the emails.
- A real app for iOS and Android. Something home-made would be a web page.
- It plugs into other products, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook and iCloud among them, and has an API.
- AI features, unless you pay a model provider for each request yourself.
- People on the other end: coaches. No app builder makes those.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. Acuity Scheduling’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Calendly, Square Appointments, Setmore, SimplyBook.me and YouCanBookMe
The 5 tools Acuity Scheduling is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.8GPA
Calendly
Free plan · from $10/mo
Booking links and team scheduling for external meetings.
- Calendly has a free plan. Acuity Scheduling does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Calendly lists a browser extension.
- Acuity Scheduling also covers invoicing.
- 3.2GPA
Square Appointments
Free plan · from $49/mo
Booking, point of sale and payments for appointment businesses.
- Square Appointments has a free plan. Acuity Scheduling does not, though it has a free trial.
- Square Appointments also covers reports.
- 2.8GPA
Setmore
Free plan · from $5/mo
Appointment booking app with a free plan for up to four staff.
- Setmore has a free plan. Acuity Scheduling does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Setmore lists macOS and Windows apps.
- Acuity Scheduling also covers invoicing.
- 2.4GPA
SimplyBook.me
Free plan · from €11.9/mo
Online booking system for service businesses, priced by volume.
- SimplyBook.me has a free plan. Acuity Scheduling does not, though it has a free trial.
- Acuity Scheduling also covers invoicing.
- SimplyBook.me also covers reports.
- 2.2GPA
YouCanBookMe
Free plan · from $7.20/mo
Customizable booking pages for small businesses and teams.
- YouCanBookMe has a free plan. Acuity Scheduling does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only Acuity Scheduling lists iOS and Android apps.
- Only YouCanBookMe lists a browser extension.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
14
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is Acuity Scheduling free?
No, Acuity Scheduling is a paid product, but you can try it first. 7-day free trial of any plan, no credit card needed.
How much does Acuity Scheduling cost?
Acuity Scheduling lists 4 plans. Starter: $16 per month, billed annually ($20 billed monthly).
What platforms does Acuity Scheduling work on?
Acuity Scheduling is available on Web, iOS and Android.
Does Acuity Scheduling offer any discounts?
Acuity Scheduling publicly lists the following: Save 20% by paying annually.
Does Acuity Scheduling have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Acuity Scheduling is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Does Acuity Scheduling have a macOS app?
No macOS app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. Acuity Scheduling is listed for Web, iOS and Android.
Is Acuity Scheduling open source?
Acuity Scheduling is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does Acuity Scheduling have an API?
Yes. Acuity Scheduling offers a public API, according to its own site.
What does Acuity Scheduling integrate with?
Acuity Scheduling's listing names Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, iCloud, Stripe, Square, PayPal, Zoom and Squarespace.
Who makes Acuity Scheduling?
Acuity Scheduling is made by Squarespace, Inc. It dates from 2006.
What are the alternatives to Acuity Scheduling?
The closest alternatives to Acuity Scheduling in our directory are Calendly, Square Appointments, Setmore, SimplyBook.me and YouCanBookMe.
How does Acuity Scheduling compare with other calendar and scheduling apps?
Acuity Scheduling's GPA of 2.2 is higher than 5 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, and level with 12.
Is Acuity Scheduling good value for money?
ToolGPA grades Acuity Scheduling D for value for money. Its paid plans start at $16 a month, against a middle price of $6 for the category: 47 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of Acuity Scheduling?
The plain part of Acuity Scheduling you could make: invoicing. What surrounds it you could not.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from Acuity Scheduling’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from Acuity Scheduling's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-08-14.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Squarespace, Inc. Prices change, so check acuityscheduling.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- Acuity Scheduling, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/acuity-scheduling
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "Acuity Scheduling: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/acuity-scheduling
Know someone choosing between calendar and scheduling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/acuity-scheduling/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded calendar and scheduling apps after Acuity Scheduling, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Calendar & Scheduling Insider's GuideEvery one of the 75 calendar and scheduling apps we grade, compared
- Notion Calendar Insider's GuideFree calendar app that connects to Notion databases3.6 GPA
- Google Calendar Insider's GuideOnline calendar from Google, free with a personal account3.4 GPA
- World Time Buddy Insider's GuideVisual time zone converter and world clock for planning calls3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what Acuity Scheduling’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Acuity Scheduling is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Squarespace, Inc. Prices and plans change: check acuityscheduling.com before you buy.