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Scheduling · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Timely

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Scheduling

Scheduling made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Timely logo

Timely

Scheduling

Smart scheduling software with AI-powered features

From
$11/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

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; Timely starter is capped at 20 projects and a maximum of 5 users, at $11 per user per month billed monthly or $9 billed yearly
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Timely covers AI-powered scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Timely actually diverge.

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Timely differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingTimely
Starting priceFree$11/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20032015

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), 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
  • Payment processing
  • Email reminders
  • Client self-scheduling
  • Packages & memberships
  • Timezone detection
  • Squarespace

Only in Timely

  • AI-powered scheduling
  • Automated reminders
  • Staff management
  • Client management
  • Resource allocation
  • Analytics and reporting
  • Mobile app
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Online booking
  • Google Calendar
  • Stripe
  • PayPal
  • Zapier
  • 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 Timely
  • HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Timely
  • Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Timely
  • Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Timely

Timely

  • Team time tracking for professional servicesnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Project billing and utilization reportingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Workforce capacity planningnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Multi-team time management across currenciesnot 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

Timely

  • Starter is capped at 20 projects and a maximum of 5 users, at $11 per user per month billed monthly or $9 billed yearly
  • Premium is capped at a maximum of 50 users, at $20 per user per month billed monthly or $16 billed yearly
  • Unlimited users requires the Unlimited plan at $28 per user per month billed monthly or $22 billed yearly
  • Capacity management and reporting, overtime and undertime tracking, Azure user management and 50+ currencies are all on the Unlimited plan only
  • Team management, budgets and costs, and accounting and project management integrations are excluded from Starter
  • The Enterprise plan is contact sales only with no published price
  • Tasks is sold as a paid add-on rather than being included

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

Timely

$11/month
  • Starter$11/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • Up to 20 projects
    • Basic time tracking
  • Premium$20/month
    • Up to 50 users
    • Unlimited projects
    • All Starter features
  • Unlimited$28/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • All Premium features
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • All features

Which should you pick?

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

  • You need appointment types.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want calendar sync.
Acuity Scheduling review

Choose Timely if

  • You need ai-powered scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want automated reminders.
Timely review

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Timely better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Timely at $11/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Timely?
Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and $11/month for Timely.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Timely run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Timely runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Acuity Scheduling for free?
Yes. Acuity Scheduling has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Timely starts at $11/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 Timely is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Timely cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing, Email reminders. Timely covers AI-powered scheduling, Automated reminders, Staff management, Client management. Both handle Online booking, Google Calendar, Stripe, PayPal.

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.

Source
Timely: Does Timely offer a free trial?

Yes, Timely provides 14 days of full feature access without requiring a credit card.

Source
Acuity 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.

Source
Timely: What annual discounts does Timely offer?

Annual billing discounts range from 20% to 22% off monthly prices. Starter saves 20%, Premium saves 21%, and Unlimited saves 22% when billed yearly.

Source
Acuity 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.

Source
Timely: Can I add team members to the Starter plan?

Starter plan supports a maximum of 5 users. For larger teams, Premium supports up to 50 users and Unlimited supports unlimited users.

Source
Timely: What is the cost of Timely's Tasks feature add-on?

The Tasks feature starts at $5 per person per month and is available across all Timely plans.

Source
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