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Scheduling · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Zen Planner

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Scheduling

Scheduling made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zen Planner logo

Zen Planner

Sports

Member management for fitness businesses

From
$99/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; Zen Planner limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Zen Planner covers Member management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Acuity Scheduling and Zen Planner actually diverge.

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Zen Planner differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingZen Planner
Starting priceFree$99/month
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android
CategorySchedulingSports
Founded20032006

Identical on both: 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 Zen Planner

  • Member management
  • Automated billing
  • Class scheduling
  • Workout tracking
  • Marketing tools
  • Mailchimp
  • SugarWOD
  • Wodify

Both cover

  • Stripe

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 Zen Planner
  • HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Zen Planner
  • Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Zen Planner
  • Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Zen Planner

Zen Planner

  • Workout trackingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Nutrition managementnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Health monitoringnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Fitness coachingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Wellness improvementnot 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

Zen Planner

  • Limited staff app features compared to desktop version
  • System crashes and occasional bugs reported by users
  • Integration difficulties with certain third-party platforms
  • Customers report continued charges after completed cancellation

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

Zen Planner

$99/month

No published plan breakdown. See the Zen Planner review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Acuity Scheduling if

  • You need online booking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want appointment types.
Acuity Scheduling review

Choose Zen Planner if

  • You need member management.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated billing.
Zen Planner review

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Zen Planner better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Zen Planner at $99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Zen Planner?
Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and $99/month for Zen Planner.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Zen Planner run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Zen Planner 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. Zen Planner starts at $99/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 Zen Planner is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Zen Planner cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing. Zen Planner covers Member management, Automated billing, Class scheduling, Workout tracking. Both handle Stripe.

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
Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner have a free tier?

No, Zen Planner does not offer a free tier. Pricing starts at $99 per month with no free trial mentioned in their standard offerings.

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
Zen Planner: Can Zen Planner integrate with ClassPass?

Yes. ClassPass seamlessly integrates with Zen Planner, allowing gyms to sync their schedule and avoid overbooking when offering ClassPass to members.

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
Zen Planner: Does Zen Planner work with SugarWOD?

Yes. Zen Planner integrates with SugarWOD, making it a popular choice for CrossFit gym owners who want to manage both WOD tracking and gym operations in one system.

Source
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