Scheduling & Booking · head to head
Acuity Scheduling vs Gusto
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only; Gusto customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues
- They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Gusto covers Automated payroll.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Gusto actually diverge.
| Attribute | Acuity Scheduling | Gusto |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $16/month | $49/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Category | Scheduling & Booking | All industries |
| Founded | 2003 | 2011 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), platforms (Web), user rating (Not yet rated).
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 Gusto
- Automated payroll
- Tax filing
- Benefits administration
- Time tracking
- Employee onboarding
- HR compliance
- Workers' comp
- 401(k) management
Both cover
- Google Calendar
- QuickBooks
- PCI DSS
- SOC2
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 Gusto
- HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Gusto
- Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Gusto
- Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Gusto
Gusto
- Payroll processingnot Acuity Scheduling
- Benefits administrationnot Acuity Scheduling
- Tax compliancenot Acuity Scheduling
- Employee onboardingnot Acuity Scheduling
- Time trackingnot 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
Gusto
- Customer service can be slow and unresponsive to issues
- Weak reporting capabilities, cannot export data to spreadsheets for analysis
- Support staff lacks deep payroll expertise and knowledge
- Rehired employees do not have settings reset, causing manual cleanup work
- City tax handling requires additional monitoring and monitoring
- Onboarding can have issues with bank account verification and tax registration
Pricing, plan by plan
Acuity Scheduling
$16/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.
Gusto
$49/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Gusto review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Acuity Scheduling if
- You need online booking.
- You also want appointment types.
Questions people ask
- Is Acuity Scheduling or Gusto better?
- Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Gusto at $49/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Gusto?
- Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Gusto at $49/month.
- Does Acuity Scheduling or Gusto run on more platforms?
- Both run on Web, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
- 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 Gusto is typically brought in for.
- What can Acuity Scheduling do that Gusto cannot?
- Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Gusto covers Automated payroll, Tax filing, Benefits administration, Time tracking. Both handle Google Calendar, QuickBooks, PCI DSS, SOC2.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Gusto: What is Gusto's starting price?
Gusto starts at $49 per month plus $6 per person. The company also offers a Contractor-only plan for $35 per month plus $6 per contractor.
SourceGusto: Does Gusto include unlimited payroll runs?
Yes, all Gusto plans include unlimited payroll runs at no extra charge, including off-cycle payrolls.
SourceGusto: What core features are included in Gusto?
All plans include payroll processing, tax administration, digital onboarding, benefits enrollment, time tracking, performance management, and next-day direct deposit for most plans.
SourceGusto: Does Gusto support integrations?
Yes, Gusto integrates with accounting software, applicant tracking systems, benefits providers, time-tracking tools, and other business platforms to reduce data entry.
SourceRelated pages
More on Acuity Scheduling
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