Scheduling · head to head
Acuity Scheduling vs Square Appointments
Square Appointments
Scheduling
Free scheduling for beauty businesses
- From
- On request
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Acuity Scheduling 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; Square Appointments the free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
- They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Square Appointments covers Client management.
- Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Square Appointments actually diverge.
| Attribute | Acuity Scheduling | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | On request |
| Pricing model | subscription | usage-based |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | Web | Web, Ios, Android |
| Founded | 2003 | 2009 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).
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
- Appointment types
- Calendar sync
- Email reminders
- Client self-scheduling
- Packages & memberships
- Timezone detection
- Squarespace
- Zoom
Only in Square Appointments
- Client management
- Point of sale
- Automated reminders
- Instagram booking
- Google booking
- Mobile app
- Square POS
Both cover
- Online booking
- Payment processing
- Google Calendar
- QuickBooks
- PCI DSS
- SSL encryption
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 Square Appointments
- HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Square Appointments
- Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Square Appointments
- Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Square Appointments
Square Appointments
- Online appointment booking for salons, barbers and personal servicesnot Acuity Scheduling
- Taking card payments and deposits at the time of bookingnot Acuity Scheduling
- Managing staff calendars, waitlists and no-show policiesnot 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
Square Appointments
- The free plan is aimed at solo professionals; booking across multiple staff requires the paid Plus plan
- Cancellation policies, no-show fees and waitlists require the Plus plan
- Resource management, service cost tracking and the future bookings report require the Premium plan
- Custom processing rates are reserved for Square Pro, which is aimed at businesses processing over $250,000 a year
- Card processing fees are charged on top of the plan fee on every tier including the free one
Pricing, plan by plan
Acuity Scheduling
Free- Starter$20/month
- 1 calendar
- Payment processing (Stripe, Square, PayPal, Venmo)
- Email reminders
- Standard$34/month
- Up to 6 calendars
- Starter features
- Text message reminders
- Premium$61/month
- Up to 36 calendars
- Standard features
- HIPAA BAA compliance
Square Appointments
On request- Solo Professional Plan$null/transaction
- Processing fees apply
- For solo professionals taking payments and managing schedules
- Top appointments features
- Plus Plan$null/transaction
- Processing fees apply
- Free trial available
- For growing teams needing more advanced tools
- Premium Plan$null/transaction
- Processing fees apply
- Free trial available
- For large salons with complex staff management
- Square Pro$null/month
- Custom pricing for businesses processing over $250,000 annually
- Hardware discounts
- Onboarding support
Which should you pick?
Choose Acuity Scheduling if
- You need appointment types.
- You want to start without paying.
- You also want calendar sync.
Choose Square Appointments if
- You need client management.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want point of sale.
Questions people ask
- Is Acuity Scheduling or Square Appointments better?
- Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Square Appointments at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Square Appointments?
- Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and On request for Square Appointments.
- Does Acuity Scheduling or Square Appointments run on more platforms?
- Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Square Appointments runs on Web, Ios, Android.
- Can I use Acuity Scheduling for free?
- Yes. Acuity Scheduling has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Square Appointments starts at On request.
- 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 Square Appointments is typically brought in for.
- What can Acuity Scheduling do that Square Appointments cannot?
- Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Calendar sync, Email reminders, Client self-scheduling. Square Appointments covers Client management, Point of sale, Automated reminders, Instagram booking. Both handle Online booking, Payment processing, Google Calendar, QuickBooks.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Acuity Scheduling: How much does Acuity Scheduling cost?
Starter is $20/month (monthly) or $16/month (annual, 20% savings). Standard is $34/month (monthly) or $27/month (annual). Premium is $61/month (monthly) or $49/month (annual). All include a 7-day free trial with no credit card required. Annual billing is prorated based on signup date.
SourceSquare Appointments: How much do Square Appointments plans cost?
Square Appointments pricing is based on processing fees rather than monthly subscription fees. Specific percentages are not listed online. The Solo Professional, Plus, and Premium plans all charge processing fees on transactions. For businesses processing over $250,000 annually, Square Pro offers custom pricing including hardware discounts, onboarding support, and account management.
SourceAcuity Scheduling: How many calendars and staff can I manage per Acuity tier?
Starter supports 1 calendar. Standard supports up to 6 calendars. Premium supports up to 36 calendars. Text message reminders require Standard or higher. Multiple staff/location timezones are only available on Premium.
SourceSquare Appointments: Is there a free trial for Square Appointments?
Yes, the Plus and Premium plans offer free trials for an unspecified number of days. The Solo Professional plan does not appear to offer a trial period.
SourceAcuity Scheduling: Does Acuity Scheduling offer HIPAA compliance?
HIPAA Business Associate Agreement (BAA) compliance is only available on the Premium plan ($49-61/month). Premium also includes the ability to hide Acuity branding.
SourceSquare Appointments: What features does the Premium plan add compared to Plus?
The Premium plan includes all Plus features plus Future Bookings Report for tracking upcoming appointments, Service Cost Tracking to monitor service profitability, and Resource Management for scheduling equipment and facilities across multiple staff members.
SourceRelated pages
More on Acuity Scheduling
More on Square Appointments
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