Acuity Scheduling vs Square
Acuity Scheduling
Cloud-based appointment scheduling and payment collection software for service professionals.
Salons, spas, coaching, consulting, fitness trainers, therapists, and any service business requiring robust appointment management and client engagement.
Square
Point-of-sale and merchant services platform with integrated hardware, inventory, and staff management for physical retail.
Retail stores, restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, gyms with retail components, and small businesses needing integrated payments, inventory, and employee management.
Short Answer
Acuity Scheduling is a dedicated appointment booking platform optimized for service-based businesses with advanced scheduling features, while Square is a broader payment and point-of-sale system that includes basic scheduling as an add-on. Acuity excels at appointment management; Square excels at retail and payment processing.
Our Verdict
AI-assistedChoose Acuity Scheduling if you're a service-based business (salon, coaching, consulting, fitness) prioritizing appointment management, client retention, and marketing automation without payment processing fees. Choose Square if you run a retail business, food service operation, or need integrated POS with payments, inventory, and basic scheduling as a secondary feature.
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Choose Acuity Scheduling if
Salons, spas, coaching, consulting, fitness trainers, therapists, and any service business requiring robust appointment management and client engagement.
Choose Square if
Retail stores, restaurants, food trucks, coffee shops, gyms with retail components, and small businesses needing integrated payments, inventory, and employee management.
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Key Differences at a Glance
Key Facts & Figures
| Metric | Acuity Scheduling | Square | Diff |
|---|---|---|---|
| Setup Time to Launch(hours) | 15-30 minutes | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $16 | Free | — |
| Transaction Fee (Online Payments)(%) | None (3rd party) | 2.6% + $0.10 | — |
| No-Show Reduction (Typical)(%) | ~25% (via reminders) | ~10% (basic reminders) | +150% |
| Starting Monthly Price (USD)(USD) | $16 | — | — |
| Available Integrations(count) | 120+ (via Zapier and native) | — | — |
| Setup Time to First Booking (minutes)(minutes) | 30-60 minutes | — | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(count) | 500+ via Zapier | 1,200+ integrations | -58% |
| Mobile App Platforms(platforms) | iOS and Android | — | — |
| Starter Plan Price(USD/month) | $15 (Standard) | — | — |
| Setup Time to First Booking(minutes) | 15-25 minutes | — | — |
| Zapier Integration Count(integrations) | 150+ apps | — | — |
| Starting Monthly Price(USD) | $15 | — | — |
| Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD/month) | $55 | — | — |
| Available API Integrations(count) | 500+ | — | — |
| Average Setup Time(minutes) | 1-2 days | — | — |
| Free Trial Period(days) | 14 days | — | — |
| Free Plan Cost(USD) | $0 | $0 | — |
| Mid-Tier Plan Cost(USD/month) | $49 (Plus plan) | $49 (Plus plan) | — |
| Supported Sales Channels(count) | 4 (in-person, online, invoices, social) | 4 (in-person, online, invoices, social) | — |
| App Ecosystem Size(count) | ~300 apps | ~300 apps | — |
| Maximum Plan Cost(USD/month) | $299 (Premium plan) | $299 (Premium plan) | — |
| New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)(features) | 34 new features and improvements | 34 new features and improvements | — |
| Base Monthly Cost (Single Location)(USD) | $0 (Lite plan) | $0 (Lite plan) | — |
| Setup Time (Typical)(hours) | Less than 1 hour | Less than 1 hour | — |
| Monthly Hardware Lease Cost(USD) | $0 (purchase model) | $0 (purchase model) | — |
| Contract Term Length(months) | Month-to-month | Month-to-month | — |
| Inventory SKU Limit (Free Plan)(SKUs) | 100 SKUs | 100 SKUs | — |
| Available Terminal Hardware Models(models) | 4 certified models | 4 certified models | — |
| Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5) | 4.2/5 stars | 4.2/5 stars | — |
| Countries Supported(count) | 15 countries | 15 countries | — |
| Supported Currencies(count) | Primarily USD, CAD, AUD | Primarily USD, CAD, AUD | — |
| Minimum POS Hardware Cost(USD) | $49 (Square Reader) | $49 (Square Reader) | — |
| Year Founded(year) | 2009 | 2009 | — |
All figures sourced from publicly available data. Last updated Jun 2026.
Key Differences
Acuity Scheduling
Appointment scheduling & client management
Square
Payment processing & retail POS
Acuity Scheduling
Advanced (buffer time, group bookings, waitlists, custom forms)🏆
Square
Basic (simple appointment slots)
Acuity Scheduling
No payment processing fees (3rd party integration)🏆
Square
2.6% + $0.10 per online transaction
Acuity Scheduling
$16/month (Lite plan)
Square
$0/month (free basic tier, scheduling in paid plans)🏆
Acuity Scheduling
Not included
Square
Full inventory tracking & multi-location support🏆
Acuity Scheduling
Unlimited clients & appointments (all plans)🏆
Square
Varies by plan (limited on free tier)
Acuity Scheduling
Built-in with campaigns & automation🏆
Square
Requires 3rd party integration
Full Comparison
| Attribute | Acuity Scheduling |  Square |
|---|---|---|
| Transaction Fees Per Payment(percentage + fixed) | 2.2% (Stripe external) | — |
| Starting Monthly Cost(USD) | $16 | Free |
| Transaction Fee (Online Payments)(%) | None (3rd party) | 2.6% + $0.10 |
| Starting Monthly Price (USD)(USD) | $16 | — |
| Free Tier Availability | No (14-day free trial only) | — |
Show 15 more attributesStarter Plan Price(USD/month) $15 (Standard) — Payment Processing Fee (if applicable)(percent + USD) 2.2% + $0.30 (native Acuity processing) — Starting Monthly Price(USD) $15 — Mid-Tier Plan Price(USD/month) $55 — Free Trial Period(days) 14 days — Online Transaction Fee(percentage + fixed fee) 2.9% + $0.30 — In-Person Card Payment Fee(%+$) 2.6% + $0.10 — Free Plan Cost(USD) $0 — Mid-Tier Plan Cost(USD/month) $49 (Plus plan) — Maximum Plan Cost(USD/month) $299 (Premium plan) — Base Monthly Cost (Single Location)(USD) $0 (Lite plan) — Card-Present Transaction Fee(percentage + fixed) 2.6% + $0.10 — Payment Processing Fee (Card-Present)(% + fixed amount) 2.6% + $0.10 — Monthly Hardware Lease Cost(USD) $0 (purchase model) — In-Person Transaction Fee(percentage + fixed fee) 2.6% + $0.10 — | ||
| Setup Time to Launch(hours) | 15-30 minutes | — |
| Setup Complexity(time to first transaction) | Simple (plug-and-play) | — |
| Built-in Email Marketing | Yes (automated campaigns) | No (3rd party required) |
| Maximum Clients(unlimited) | Unlimited | Varies by plan |
| Waitlist & Cancellation Policy Support(yes/no) | Yes | No |
| Maximum Calendars (Scheduling Types)(count) | Unlimited | — |
| Custom Form Fields(count) | Unlimited | — |
Show 20 more attributesEmail Automation Capabilities(level) Advanced (25+ templates, conditional logic, delays) — 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) — Custom Domain Support(domains) Yes (Professional plan+, $59/month) — API Access Availability Yes (Professional tier, $59/month) — Email Marketing Tools Included(boolean) No — Sales Pipeline Management(feature level) Basic (not primary focus) — Appointment Booking Customization(level) Highly specialized (primary function) — Global Currency Support(currencies) Not specified — API Customization Level Limited Custom Integration — POS Hardware Included Full hardware suite included — Supported Sales Channels(count) 4 (in-person, online, invoices, social) — Inventory Locations Support(locations) Multiple with basic sync — Inventory Variance Reporting Not available — Employee Scheduling Features Basic time tracking only — Mobile POS Capability Full mobile POS with Square Reader — Inventory SKU Limit (Free Plan)(SKUs) 100 SKUs — Inventory Management Features(capability level) Advanced (Multi-location sync, SKU tracking) — | ||
| Native Mobile App Available(platforms) | Web-based only | — |
| Maximum Staff Accounts(users) | Unlimited | — |
| Multi-Location Support(locations) | Yes (via platform) | Up to 200 locations on highest tier |
| Maximum Locations Supported(locations) | Unlimited (with basic reporting) | — |
| Inventory Management | No | Yes (multi-location) |
| No-Show Reduction (Typical)(%) | ~25% (via reminders) | ~10% (basic reminders) |
| Native Payment Processing | Yes (Stripe, PayPal, Square) | — |
| Available Integrations(count) | 120+ (via Zapier and native) | — |
| Setup Time to First Booking (minutes)(minutes) | 30-60 minutes | — |
| Setup Time to First Booking(minutes) | 15-25 minutes | — |
| White-Label/Rebranding Options(level) | Full (complete removal of branding) | — |
| Payment Processing Fees(percentage + fixed) | 2.9% + $0.30 | — |
| Third-Party Integrations(count) | 500+ via Zapier | 1,200+ integrations |
| Available API Integrations(count) | 500+ | — |
| Mobile App Platforms(platforms) | iOS and Android | — |
| Automated Marketing Tools | Basic (via integrations) | — |
| Zapier Integration Count(integrations) | 150+ apps | — |
| Average Setup Time(minutes) | 1-2 days | — |
| Setup Time (Typical)(hours) | Less than 1 hour | — |
| Bitcoin Processing Fees(%) | 0% through 2026 | — |
| Transaction Fee (Standard)(percentage + fixed) | 3.3% + $0.30 | — |
| App Ecosystem Size(count) | ~300 apps | — |
| New Features (Feb-Mar 2026)(features) | 34 new features and improvements | — |
| Customer Acquisition Cost (Industry Avg)(USD) | 12M+ businesses using; free-to-try model | — |
| Contract Term Length(months) | Month-to-month | — |
| Available Terminal Hardware Models(models) | 4 certified models | — |
| Customer Satisfaction Rating(stars out of 5) | 4.2/5 stars | — |
| Countries Supported(count) | 15 countries | — |
| Supported Currencies(count) | Primarily USD, CAD, AUD | — |
| Minimum POS Hardware Cost(USD) | $49 (Square Reader) | — |
| Monthly Active Users(millions) | 3+ million merchants | — |
| Year Founded(year) | 2009 | — |
SquareShow 15 more attributes
Show 20 more attributes
Visual Comparison
Side-by-side comparison of numeric attributes
Pros & Cons
Acuity Scheduling
Pros
- Advanced scheduling logic: buffer time, group bookings, waitlists, cancellation policies
- Built-in email marketing with automated campaigns and reminders (reduces no-shows by ~25%)
- Unlimited clients and appointments across all pricing tiers
- Custom intake forms and client portal for pre-appointment questionnaires
- No transaction fees when integrated with external payment processors
Cons
- Limited to appointment-based businesses; not suitable for retail inventory management
- Requires manual payment processing setup or 3rd-party integrations
Square
Pros
- Comprehensive POS system with real-time inventory tracking across multiple locations
- Industry-leading payment processing: 2.6% rate (competitive for online, lower than Acuity integration)
- Free tier available with core payment and basic scheduling features
- Integrated employee management, timesheets, and payroll (Square Payroll add-on)
- Strong retail and restaurant focus with built-in menu management and kitchen display systems
Cons
- Scheduling features are basic and secondary to payment processing; no waitlists or advanced logic
- 2.6% + $0.10 transaction fees add up for high-volume appointment businesses
- Steeper learning curve for service businesses unfamiliar with POS systems
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Acuity Scheduling does not charge transaction fees directly. Instead, you integrate with external payment processors (Stripe, PayPal) that charge standard rates (2.9% + $0.30 for Stripe). This is often cheaper than Square's 2.6% + $0.10, especially for lower transaction volumes. However, Acuity does not offer native payment processing like Square does.
Resources & Learn More
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