Scheduling & Booking · head to head
Acuity Scheduling vs Namely

Namely
Payroll & Benefits
The HR platform that employees love
- From
- $18/employee/month
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only; Namely limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
- They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Namely covers HR Management.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Namely actually diverge.
| Attribute | Acuity Scheduling | Namely |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $16/month | $18/employee/month |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Category | Scheduling & Booking | Payroll & Benefits |
| Founded | 2003 | 2012 |
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 Namely
- HR Management
- Payroll
- Benefits Administration
- Time Off Management
- Performance Management
- Onboarding
- Slack
- Google Workspace
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 Namely
- HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Namely
- Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Namely
- Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Namely
Namely
No use cases recorded yet. See the Namely review.
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
Namely
- Limited customization for complex HR processes: workflows and customization options are limited compared to enterprise solutions
- Payroll limitations: better served for less complex organizations and struggles with complex time-and-attendance or multi-FEIN scenarios
- Missing ATS and surveys: lacks built-in applicant tracking system and pulse survey capabilities
- Slow support response times: pod-based support model has led to slow response times for customers
- Designed for specific market segment: best fit is mid-sized companies with 50-350 employees
Pricing, plan by plan
Acuity Scheduling
$16/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.
Namely
$18/employee/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Namely 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 Namely better?
- Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Namely at $18/employee/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Namely?
- Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Namely at $18/employee/month.
- Does Acuity Scheduling or Namely 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 Namely is typically brought in for.
- What can Acuity Scheduling do that Namely cannot?
- Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Namely covers HR Management, Payroll, Benefits Administration, Time Off Management.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Namely: Does Namely support global payroll?
Namely primarily focuses on mid-sized US-based companies with 50-350 employees. While it can handle complex payroll scenarios, it is better served for less complex organizations and does not have extensive global payroll capabilities compared to enterprise platforms.
SourceNamely: What is included in Namely's Premium pricing?
Premium plans cost $18-24 per employee per month plus implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs. Plans include payroll, HR, benefits administration, time management, and talent management features.
SourceNamely: Does Namely include performance management features?
Yes, Namely offers customizable performance review modules enabling dynamic, ongoing feedback rather than traditional annual-only reviews. This is one of Namely's standout features.
SourceNamely: How long does Namely implementation typically take?
Namely is designed for mid-sized companies and implementation timelines vary based on complexity. The platform includes implementation fees of 10-25% of annual software costs in addition to monthly per-employee pricing.
SourceRelated pages
More on Acuity Scheduling
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- Namely vs Sage Intacct
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