Scheduling & Booking · head to head
Acuity Scheduling vs Oyster
The short version
- Only Oyster 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; Oyster employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
- They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Oyster covers Global Employment.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Oyster actually diverge.
| Attribute | Acuity Scheduling | Oyster |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $16/month | Free |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Ios, Android |
| Category | Scheduling & Booking | Payroll & Benefits |
| Founded | 2003 | 2020 |
Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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 Oyster
- Global Employment
- Payroll
- Benefits
- Compliance
- Contractor Management
- Time Off
- Expenses
- BambooHR
Both cover
- QuickBooks
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 Oyster
- HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Oyster
- Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Oyster
- Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Oyster
Oyster
- Hiring employees abroad without setting up a local legal entitynot Acuity Scheduling
- Onboarding and paying international contractorsnot Acuity Scheduling
- Getting country specific employment compliance advice for distributed teamsnot 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
Oyster
- Employer of Record is $699 per employee per month, with the discount tied to annual billing
- A refundable deposit is required before an EOR engagement starts
- Contractor management is free for 30 days then $29 per contractor per month
- HR advisory through People Partner Services is billed at $300 per hour on top of the subscription
- A currency conversion fee applies when you pay Oyster in a currency other than the contract currency
- Payments are accepted only by direct debit or wire in USD, EUR, GBP or CAD
Pricing, plan by plan
Acuity Scheduling
$16/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.
Oyster
Free- Contractor$29/month
- Contractor Payments
- Compliant Contracts
- Invoicing
- Employee$599/month
- Global Employment
- Payroll
- Benefits
Which should you pick?
Choose Acuity Scheduling if
- You need online booking.
- You also want appointment types.
Choose Oyster if
- You need global employment.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want payroll.
Questions people ask
- Is Acuity Scheduling or Oyster better?
- Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/month and Oyster at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Oyster?
- Oyster has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $16/month for Acuity Scheduling and Free for Oyster.
- Does Acuity Scheduling or Oyster run on more platforms?
- Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Oyster runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Oyster for free?
- Yes. Oyster 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 Oyster is typically brought in for.
- What can Acuity Scheduling do that Oyster cannot?
- Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Oyster covers Global Employment, Payroll, Benefits, Compliance. Both handle QuickBooks.
Related pages
More on Acuity Scheduling
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