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Acuity Scheduling vs Calendly 2026: Payments vs Simplicity

Acuity Scheduling is built for service-based businesses needing advanced payment processing and client management, while Calendly excels as a lightweight scheduling tool for professionals prioritizing simplicity and quick setup. Acuity charges 15-40% more but includes integrated payments, whereas Calendly requires third-party integrations for invoicing.

AS

Acuity Scheduling

Client management and scheduling software with integrated payments for service professionals.

Therapists, coaches, salons, consultants, personal trainers, and any service business collecting payments and managing repeat clients.

Score71%
VS
C

Calendly

Simple, fast scheduling software for individuals and small teams to manage meetings and availability.

Freelancers, consultants, sales professionals, HR teams, and anyone who needs lightweight scheduling without payment collection or complex client management.

Score63%
132 attributes7 differences15 pros/cons

Quick Answer

AI Summary

Acuity Scheduling is built for service-based businesses needing advanced payment processing and client management, while Calendly excels as a lightweight scheduling tool for professionals prioritizing simplicity and quick setup. Acuity charges 15-40% more but includes integrated payments, whereas Calendly requires third-party integrations for invoicing.

Our Verdict

AI-assisted

Choose Acuity Scheduling if you run a service business (coaching, therapy, consulting, salons) that processes payments, manages recurring clients, and needs marketing automation built-in—it pays for itself through payment processing fees saved. Choose Calendly if you're an individual professional, freelancer, or enterprise user who needs fast setup, simplicity, and don't require payment collection—it's the leaner option for straightforward scheduling.

Community feedback

Was this verdict helpful?

A
Acuity Scheduling
7.1/10
Calendly
7.9/10
C
A

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

Therapists, coaches, salons, consultants, personal trainers, and any service business collecting payments and managing repeat clients.

C

Choose Calendly if

Best pick

Freelancers, consultants, sales professionals, HR teams, and anyone who needs lightweight scheduling without payment collection or complex client management.

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Key Differences at a Glance

  • Integrated Payment Processing:Acuity Scheduling wins(Built-in (Stripe, PayPal, Square) vs Requires third-party integration)
  • Starting Monthly Price:Calendly wins($10/month vs $16/month)
  • Client Portal & CRM Features:Acuity Scheduling wins(Comprehensive with notes, tags, custom fields vs Basic contact info only)
See all 7 differences

Key Facts & Figures

58 numeric metrics compared

MetricAcuity SchedulingCalendlyRatio
Setup Time to Launch(minutes)15-30 minutes
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)$16
No-Show Reduction (Typical)(%)~25% (via reminders)
Starting Monthly Price (USD)(USD)$16Free
Available Integrations(integrations)500+ (via Zapier + native)100+
Setup Time to First Booking (minutes)(minutes)30-60 minutes5-10 minutes
Mobile App Platforms(count)iOS and Android
Starter Plan Price(USD/month)$15 (Standard)$0 (Free tier) / $10 (Basic monthly)
Setup Time to First Booking(minutes)15-25 minutes5 minutes
Zapier Integration Count(integrations)150+ apps90+ apps
Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD)$55
Available API Integrations(count)200+60+
Average Setup Time(days)1-2 days
Free Trial Period(days)14 days, no credit card
Native Integrations(count)150+100+ (via Zapier, native, and marketplace)
Supported Languages(languages)8
Notification Channels(integrations)4 (SMS, email, WhatsApp, push)
Starting Monthly Price(USD)$16/month$10/month
Maximum Monthly Price (Premium Tier)(USD)$99
Free Trial Duration(days)14 days
Monthly Cost (Basic Tier)(USD)$15
Third-party Integrations(count)1,000+ (via Zapier)100+
Custom Form Fields(count)Unlimited with conditional logic5 (free) / 5+ (paid)
Monthly Starting Price(USD)$15
Pro Tier Monthly Price(USD)$31/month$20/month
Client Storage Capacity (Pro)(GB)Unlimited1GB
Initial Setup Time(minutes)15-20 minutes5 minutes
Custom Client Fields(count)Unlimited custom fieldsBasic fields only
Monthly Cost (Basic Paid Plan)(USD)$12$12
User Base Size(millions of developers)10+10+
Integration Count(integrations)90+90+
Free Plan Event Types(count)1 event type1 event type
Annual Premium Cost (Individual)(USD)$168/year$168/year
iOS App Rating(stars out of 5)4.8/5 (180K reviews)4.8/5 (180K reviews)
Average Booking Response Time(hours)24 hours (78% rate)24 hours (78% rate)
Calendar Sync Types(platforms)Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud, ExchangeGoogle Calendar, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange
Minimum Paid Monthly Cost(USD)$10/month$10/month
Total Users Worldwide(millions)15+ million15+ million
Pre-Built Integrations(count)100+ integrations100+ integrations
Starting Price (USD/month)(USD)FreeFree
Professional Plan Price (USD/month)(USD)$12/month (billed annually)$12/month (billed annually)
Global User Base(millions)10+ million10+ million
Native Integrations Count(integrations)100+100+
Annual Pricing Tier Cost(USD/year)$144/year$144/year
Monthly Cost Per User (Base)(USD)$10 (Free tier available)$10 (Free tier available)
Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations)100+100+
No-Show Reduction Rate(percent)20% (with reminders)20% (with reminders)
Calendar Sync Latency(minutes)Real-time (native integrations)Real-time (native integrations)
Starting Price(USD/month)$12/month$12/month
Platform Uptime SLA(percent)99.99%99.99%
Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD)$12/month (Standard plan)$12/month (Standard plan)
Starter Plan Monthly Cost(USD)$12/month$12/month
Mobile App Rating (iOS)(stars out of 5)4.7/54.7/5
Mobile App Reviews (iOS)(count)145,000 reviews145,000 reviews
Standalone Monthly Cost(USD)$12/month (Standard plan)$12/month (Standard plan)
Active User Base(users)1,000,000+ globally1,000,000+ globally
Setup Time (Minutes)(minutes)5-10 minutes5-10 minutes
Mobile App Completeness(percent)90% feature parity90% feature parity

Sourced from publicly available data ·

Key Differences

7 attributes compared head-to-head

AS
5Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling leads
C
2Calendly
  • Integrated Payment Processing

    Acuity Scheduling

    Built-in (Stripe, PayPal, Square)(winner)

    Calendly

    Requires third-party integration

  • Starting Monthly Price

    Acuity Scheduling

    $16/month

    Calendly

    $10/month(winner)

  • Client Portal & CRM Features

    Acuity Scheduling

    Comprehensive with notes, tags, custom fields(winner)

    Calendly

    Basic contact info only

  • Setup Time to First Booking

    Acuity Scheduling

    15-20 minutes

    Calendly

    5 minutes(winner)

  • Available Integrations

    Acuity Scheduling

    200+ (Zapier, native integrations)(winner)

    Calendly

    60+ (Zapier, select native)

  • Email Marketing Features

    Acuity Scheduling

    Built-in automated sequences included(winner)

    Calendly

    Zapier-dependent workaround only

  • Mobile App Quality

    Acuity Scheduling

    Full-featured iOS/Android app(winner)

    Calendly

    Limited mobile interface

Full Comparison

AAcuity Scheduling
CCalendly
Transaction Fees Per Payment(percentage + fixed)
2.2% (Stripe external)
Starting Monthly Cost(USD)
$16
Transaction Fee (Online Payments)(%)
None (3rd party)
Starting Monthly Price (USD)(USD)
$16
Free
Free Tier Availability(boolean)
No (14-day free trial only)
Yes (unlimited 1:1 meetings)
Show 23 more attributes
Starter Plan Price(USD/month)
$15 (Standard)
$0 (Free tier) / $10 (Basic monthly)
Payment Processing Fee (if applicable)(percent + USD)
2.2% + $0.30 (native Acuity processing)
2.2% + $0.50 (via Stripe integration)
Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD)
$55
Payment Processing Fee(percent + fixed)
None (use Stripe/PayPal separately: 2.9% + $0.30)
Free Plan Available
Perpetual (1 service)
Starting Monthly Price(USD)
$16/month
$10/month
Maximum Monthly Price (Premium Tier)(USD)
$99
Monthly Cost (Basic Tier)(USD)
$15
Monthly Starting Price(USD)
$15
Pro Tier Monthly Price(USD)
$31/month
$20/month
Monthly Cost (Basic Paid Plan)(USD)
$12
Annual Premium Cost (Individual)(USD)
$168/year
Minimum Paid Monthly Cost(USD)
$10/month
Starting Price (USD/month)(USD)
Free
Professional Plan Price (USD/month)(USD)
$12/month (billed annually)
Annual Pricing Tier Cost(USD/year)
$144/year
Monthly Cost Per User (Base)(USD)
$10 (Free tier available)
Starting Price(USD/month)
$12/month
Free Tier Contact Limit(contacts)
Limited basic data
Monthly Cost (Base Plan)(USD)
$12/month (Standard plan)
Starter Plan Monthly Cost(USD)
$12/month
Free Plan Features(descriptive)
1 calendar, basic scheduling, limited automation
Standalone Monthly Cost(USD)
$12/month (Standard plan)
Setup Time to Launch(minutes)
15-30 minutes
Setup Time to First Booking(minutes)
15-25 minutes
5 minutes
Setup Time (Minutes)(minutes)
5-10 minutes
Native Mobile App Available(platforms)
Web-based only
Maximum Staff Accounts(users)
Unlimited
Maximum Team Members Supported(staff count)
Unlimited
Multi-Location Support(locations)
Yes (via platform)
Maximum Clients(unlimited)
Unlimited
Waitlist & Cancellation Policy Support(yes/no)
Yes
Inventory Management
No
Maximum Calendars (Scheduling Types)(count)
Unlimited
1 (free) / Unlimited (paid)
Show 42 more attributes
Email Automation Capabilities
Advanced (25+ templates, conditional logic, delays)
Basic (standard reminders)
Built-in POS System
No (integration required)
Native Inventory Management
No
Client Booking Page Customization
Advanced CSS/HTML editing
Intake Form Conditional Logic
Yes (all plans)
No (Pro plan has basic forms)
API Access Availability
Yes (Professional tier, $59/month)
Yes (Premium tier, $19.99/month)
Email Marketing Tools Included(boolean)
No
Sales Pipeline Management
Basic (not primary focus)
Appointment Booking Customization(level)
Highly specialized (primary function)
Form Customization Level
Advanced (conditional logic, branching)
Mobile App
iOS and Android
Custom Domain Included
Yes, on all plans
Mobile Apps Available
iOS and Android native apps
Included Staff Members (Basic Plan)(count)
Unlimited
Built-in CRM Capability(scope)
Basic (contacts only)
Loyalty Program / Retail Management(included)
No (requires add-on)
Appointments Per Month (Included)(count)
Unlimited
Custom Form Fields(count)
Unlimited with conditional logic
5 (free) / 5+ (paid)
Client Portal Features(count)
Self-rescheduling, payment history, appointment notes
Native Payment Processing(null)
No (requires third-party)
No (Zapier only)
Integrated Staff Payroll(null)
No
Multi-Location Dashboard(null)
No
Built-in Marketing Automation(null)
No (email reminders only)
Payment Processing Integration
Native (Stripe, PayPal, Square)
Third-party only
Client Storage Capacity (Pro)(GB)
Unlimited
1GB
Email Marketing Automation
Built-in with sequences
Zapier workaround required
Custom Client Fields(count)
Unlimited custom fields
Basic fields only
Free Tier Available
Yes (unlimited basic features)
Meeting Recording & Transcription(available)
Recording only (via extensions)
Free Plan Event Types(count)
1 event type
Automated Workflow Rules(count)
Conditional routing, round-robin, payment collection
Pre-Built Integrations(count)
100+ integrations
Native Mobile Apps
iOS & Android native apps
Self-Hosting Capability
Not available - SaaS only
Meeting Prep Tools
Basic email reminders
Team Collaboration Features(count)
Calendar sharing, basic team links
Customizable Booking Fields(limit)
Unlimited (Professional+ plan)
Native CRM Capabilities
None
Payment Processing
Stripe, PayPal (Pro+ plans)
Customization Level
Advanced (branding, logic, workflows)
Conditional Logic Routing
Yes (round-robin, custom rules)
Conditional Logic & Workflows(availability)
Yes (Business+ tier, $20+/month)
No-Show Reduction (Typical)(%)
~25% (via reminders)
Average Booking Response Time(hours)
24 hours (78% rate)
No-Show Reduction Rate(percent)
20% (with reminders)
Calendar Sync Latency(minutes)
Real-time (native integrations)
Available Integrations(integrations)
500+ (via Zapier + native)
100+
Native Integrations(count)
150+
100+ (via Zapier, native, and marketplace)
Integration Count(integrations)
90+
Third-Party Integrations Available(integrations)
100+
Setup Time to First Booking (minutes)(minutes)
30-60 minutes
5-10 minutes
Average Setup Time(days)
1-2 days
White-Label/Rebranding Options(level)
Full (complete removal of branding)
None (Calendly always visible)
Payment Processing Fees(%)
2.9% + $0.30
Mobile App Platforms(count)
iOS and Android
Mobile App Support(platforms)
Native iOS & Android apps
Automated Marketing Tools
Basic (via integrations)
Built-in Email Marketing
Full campaign builder included
Zapier Integration Count(integrations)
150+ apps
90+ apps
Available API Integrations(count)
200+
60+
Calendar Sync Types(platforms)
Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange
Free Trial Period(days)
14 days, no credit card
Free Trial Duration(days)
14 days
Supported Languages(languages)
8
Notification Channels(integrations)
4 (SMS, email, WhatsApp, push)
API Access
Available on paid plans
Third-party Integrations(count)
1,000+ (via Zapier)
100+
CRM Native Sync(null)
Via Zapier/integrations only
Automatic CRM Data Logging(null)
Manual or Zapier-based
Custom Domain Support(available)
Yes (all plans)
Yes (Team plan+, $29/month)
Mobile App Staff Features(scope)
Booking view only
Mobile App Completeness(percent)
90% feature parity
Initial Setup Time(minutes)
15-20 minutes
5 minutes
iOS App Rating(stars out of 5)
4.8/5 (180K reviews)
Mobile App Rating (iOS)(stars out of 5)
4.7/5
Mobile App Reviews (iOS)(count)
145,000 reviews
CRM Integration
Third-party via Zapier
User Base Size(millions of developers)
10+
Sales Pipeline Integration(capability)
None (scheduling only)
Monthly Active Users(millions)
15+ million
Total Users Worldwide(millions)
15+ million
API Type & Power
REST API with 50+ endpoints
Global User Base(millions)
10+ million
Native Integrations Count(integrations)
100+
Team Size Capacity(team members)
Unlimited (Team plan required)
Setup Time(minutes)
15-30 minutes
Platform Uptime SLA(percent)
99.99%
Ideal Team Size(people)
1-10 (solo to small team)
Mobile App Availability(platforms)
iOS and Android
CalDAV Protocol Support(yes/no)
Yes
Sign-Up Required for Invitees(yes/no)
Yes (required)
Active User Base(users)
1,000,000+ globally
Customer Support Availability(hours/week)
24/7 email and chat

Pros & Cons

10 pros·5 cons across both

AS
C
AS

Acuity Scheduling

+5-2

Pros

  • Native payment processing via Stripe, PayPal, and Square saves 2.9%+3% in intermediary fees
  • Client portal stores notes, tags, custom fields, and document storage for continuity
  • Email marketing automation with drip campaigns and customer journey sequences included
  • 200+ integrations including Zapier, WordPress, Facebook, and Instagram for lead capture
  • Advanced reporting on revenue, no-shows, and client lifetime value

Cons

  • Steeper learning curve with more features can overwhelm solo practitioners
  • Minimum $16/month entry price (40% more expensive than Calendly base tier)
C

Calendly

+5-3

Pros

  • Industry-leading simplicity—setup takes 5 minutes with no onboarding friction
  • Lowest starting price at $10/month for standard features across use cases
  • Embeddable scheduling widget works on any website without technical setup
  • 60+ integrations including Slack, Outlook, Google Calendar, and Zapier
  • Clean, intuitive UI requires zero training for end users

Cons

  • No native payment or invoicing features—requires external tools like Stripe or PayPal
  • Email marketing requires Zapier workaround (additional monthly cost for sequences)
  • Limited CRM—only stores basic contact fields, no client notes or custom data fields

Frequently Asked Questions

5 questions

  1. Yes with Acuity Scheduling—payments are processed natively via Stripe, PayPal, or Square during booking, and funds deposit directly to your account. With Calendly, you cannot collect payments; you must use a separate tool like Stripe Checkout or PayPal invoicing, requiring clients to complete two steps.

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