{"id":"cmrdu9de4001j9aymquf21srp","slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-square)","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs Square Appointments","shortAnswer":"Acuity Scheduling is a dedicated appointment booking platform with superior customization and integrations, while Square Appointments is a payment-first scheduling solution best for businesses already using Square's payment ecosystem. 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Many service businesses use it for appointment scheduling only and collect payments offline or through a separate system. However, you can optionally integrate Stripe or PayPal for online payments."},{"question":"Do I need to be a Square merchant to use Square Appointments?","answer":"Yes, Square Appointments requires an active Square merchant account. This means even if you only use scheduling and don't process payments initially, you'll be subject to Square's account requirements and transactional fees if you eventually process payments."},{"question":"Which platform has better client reminders and notifications?","answer":"Both offer SMS and email reminders, but Acuity Scheduling provides more customization options for reminder timing and content. Square Appointments includes automated reminders at the basic tier, while Acuity charges per message tier ($25-75/month depending on volume)."},{"question":"Can I sync Acuity or Square Appointments with my website?","answer":"Both platforms provide embeddable booking widgets and calendar pages. Acuity integrates with any website builder and offers more customization options for the booking widget. Square Appointments integrates natively with Square Online or can embed in other sites but with fewer styling options."},{"question":"Which is better if I also sell retail products?","answer":"Square Appointments is superior for hybrid retail-service businesses because it connects directly to Square's inventory management and POS system. Acuity Scheduling focuses purely on appointment management and lacks retail product features, though it integrates with inventory tools via Zapier."}],"relatedComparisons":[{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-calendly","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs Calendly","category":"software"},{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-vagaro","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs Vagaro","category":"software"},{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-mindbody","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs Mindbody","category":"software"},{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-square","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs Square","category":"software"},{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-hubspot","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs HubSpot","category":"software"},{"slug":"acuity-scheduling-vs-simplybook-me","title":"Acuity Scheduling vs SimplyBook.me","category":"software"},{"slug":"wordpress-vs-wix","title":"WordPress vs Wix","category":"software"},{"slug":"canva-vs-photoshop","title":"Canva vs Photoshop","category":"software"},{"slug":"slack-vs-microsoft-teams","title":"Slack vs Microsoft Teams","category":"software"},{"slug":"figma-vs-sketch","title":"Figma vs Sketch","category":"software"},{"slug":"iphone-17-vs-samsung-s26","title":"iPhone 17 vs Samsung Galaxy S26","category":"technology"},{"slug":"mac-vs-windows","title":"Mac vs Windows","category":"technology"}],"relatedBlogPosts":[{"slug":"best-streaming-services-in-2026-top-picks-for-every-budget-interest","title":"Best Streaming Services in 2026: Top Picks for Every Budget & Interest","excerpt":"Navigating the crowded streaming landscape in 2026 can be overwhelming. 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See pricing, features & which is best for you.","publishedAt":"2026-07-09T18:26:58.903Z","updatedAt":"2026-07-09T21:40:59.298Z","isAutoGenerated":true,"isHumanReviewed":false,"viewCount":0}}