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Software · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Cal.com

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Software

Scheduling made simple

From
$16/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Software

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Cal.com has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only; Cal.com free plan limited to single user only
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Cal.com covers Custom booking pages.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Cal.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Cal.com differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingCal.com
Starting price$16/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app, Browser extension
Founded20032021

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Acuity Scheduling

  • Online booking
  • Appointment types
  • Calendar sync
  • Payment processing
  • Email reminders
  • Client self-scheduling
  • Packages & memberships
  • Timezone detection

Only in Cal.com

  • Custom booking pages
  • Team scheduling
  • Collective scheduling
  • Routing forms
  • Webhooks
  • Google Meet
  • Web support
  • Self-hosted support

Both cover

  • Zoom
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Stripe

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Acuity Scheduling

  • Client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversionnot Cal.com
  • HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Cal.com
  • Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Cal.com
  • Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Cal.com

Cal.com

  • Schedule meetings and manage availabilitynot Acuity Scheduling
  • Accept payments via Stripe and PayPalnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Integrate with Salesforce and HubSpotnot Acuity Scheduling

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Acuity Scheduling

  • Starter tier limited to 1 calendar only
  • SMS/text reminders, memberships, and gift certificates require Standard or Premium tier
  • HIPAA compliance (BAA signature) exclusive to Premium tier at $49/month
  • Custom API and CSS access, and Acuity branding removal require Premium tier

Cal.com

  • Free plan limited to single user only
  • Free plan restricted to 1 user account
  • Teams plan requires yearly billing at $12/user/month
  • Organizations plan requires yearly billing at $28/user/month
  • Free plan lacks team collaboration features

Pricing, plan by plan

Acuity Scheduling

$16/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.

Cal.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cal.com review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

  • You need online booking.
  • You also want appointment types.
Acuity Scheduling review

Choose Cal.com if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
  • You also want team scheduling.
Cal.com review

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Cal.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Cal.com at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Cal.com?
Cal.com has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $16/month for Acuity Scheduling and Free for Cal.com.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Cal.com run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
Can I use Cal.com for free?
Yes. Cal.com has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month.
What is Acuity Scheduling best used for?
Acuity Scheduling is most often used for client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversion, hipaa-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitioners, multi-location scheduling with multiple staff members, membership, package sales, and gift certificate management. Of those, client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversion and hipaa-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitioners are not what Cal.com is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Cal.com cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms. Both handle Zoom, Google Calendar, Outlook, Stripe.
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Related pages

More on Acuity Scheduling

More on Cal.com

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