Acuity Scheduling vs Calendly: Full Comparison (2026)
Pricing, features, scores, and a clear verdict on which one is right for you.
The bottom line
Acuity Scheduling positions itself as "appointment scheduling for service businesses" while Calendly goes after "scheduling automation for individuals and teams" — so the right pick depends on which problem you're actually solving. They take different commercial approaches — Acuity Scheduling uses a subscription-based model and Calendly a freemium approach, which affects how costs scale as your team grows. Calendly lets you start for free, which means you can validate the fit before committing budget. Acuity Scheduling requires a paid commitment upfront, so make sure it matches your workflow before signing. Acuity Scheduling (founded 2006) has had more time to build out its ecosystem and integrations, while Calendly (2013) tends to move faster on modern UX and newer workflows.
At a glance
| Acuity Scheduling | Calendly | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 79/100 | 82/100 |
| Starting price | $16/mo | $12/mo |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Best for | Appointment scheduling for service businesses | Scheduling automation for individuals and teams |
Pricing comparison
Calendly
Pricing verified 2026-04-16
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Feature comparison
core
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Calendly |
|---|---|---|
| Scheduling pages | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar sync | Yes | Yes |
| Payment processing | Yes | No |
| Intake forms | Yes | No |
| Reminders | Yes | Yes |
| Time zones | No | Yes |
| Buffer times | No | Yes |
advanced
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Calendly |
|---|---|---|
| Packages/subscriptions | Growing+ | No |
| Gift certificates | Growing+ | No |
| Group classes | Yes | No |
| Custom branding | Powerhouse | No |
| API access | Powerhouse | No |
| Routing forms | No | Standard+ |
| Round-robin | No | Teams+ |
| Group events | No | Standard+ |
| Payments | No | Standard+ |
| CRM routing | No | Teams+ |
integrations
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Calendly |
|---|---|---|
| Stripe | Yes | No |
| Square | Yes | No |
| PayPal | Yes | No |
| Zoom | Yes | Yes |
| Mailchimp | Yes | No |
| Zapier | Yes | Yes |
| Google Calendar | No | Yes |
| Outlook | No | Yes |
| Salesforce | No | Teams+ |
| HubSpot | No | Teams+ |
Ratings breakdown
What the data tells us
Key capabilities you'd miss
Choosing Acuity Scheduling means going without Time zones, Buffer times, Routing forms (which Calendly offers). Choosing Calendly means losing Payment processing, Intake forms, Packages/subscriptions. These are the features that typically drive the final decision — check whether your workflow depends on any of them before committing.
What company size tells you
Acuity Scheduling (51-200 employees) has the engineering bench to ship features across many fronts but may iterate slower on individual requests. Calendly (501-1,000 employees) typically ships faster on its core product but may lag on peripheral features. Consider which matters more for your roadmap.
Choose Acuity Scheduling if...
- You're ready to invest from $16/mo
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Choose Calendly if...
- You want a free tier to get started
- You value an intuitive, easy-to-use interface
- Getting strong value for money is a priority
Frequently asked questions
Is Acuity Scheduling or Calendly better?
Calendly scores 82/100 compared to Acuity Scheduling's 79/100 on VendorVS. However, the best choice depends on your needs — Acuity Scheduling excels at ease of use (8/10) while Calendly scores 9/10.
How much does Acuity Scheduling cost compared to Calendly?
Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/mo. Calendly starts at $12/mo (free tier available). Calendly is the more affordable option.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Calendly have a free plan?
Calendly offers a free tier. Acuity Scheduling does not — its cheapest plan starts at $16/mo.
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