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Scheduling · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Booksy

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Scheduling

Scheduling made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Booksy logo

Booksy

Scheduling

Book local beauty services

From
$29.99/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; Booksy the Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Booksy covers Calendar management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Booksy differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingBooksy
Starting priceFree$29.99/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
Founded20032014

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 Booksy

  • Calendar management
  • Client database
  • Automated reminders
  • Marketing tools
  • Reviews management
  • Mobile apps
  • Analytics dashboard
  • Apple Calendar

Both cover

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

Booksy

  • Appointment booking and client management for salons and barbersnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Taking payments and deposits against bookingsnot 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

Booksy

  • The Boost marketplace feature charges a one time 30% fee on the first visit cost for each client it brings in
  • Additional team members are $20 a month each on top of the $29.99 base
  • Card processing runs from 2.49% plus $0.10 to 2.69% plus $0.30 depending on how the payment is taken
  • Getting paid out within 30 minutes costs a further 1.5%
  • Card readers are bought separately at $53.10 or $219.85 plus shipping

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

Booksy

$29.99/month
  • Solo$29.99/month
    • Unlimited bookings
    • Client management
    • Mobile app
  • Team$49.99/month
    • Everything in Solo
    • Multiple staff
    • Staff scheduling
  • Business$79.99/month
    • Everything in Team
    • Multi-location
    • Priority support

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 Booksy if

  • You need calendar management.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want client database.
Booksy review

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Booksy better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Booksy at $29.99/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Booksy?
Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and $29.99/month for Booksy.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Booksy run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Booksy 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. Booksy starts at $29.99/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 Booksy is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Booksy cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing, Email reminders. Booksy covers Calendar management, Client database, Automated reminders, Marketing tools. Both handle Online booking, Google Calendar, Stripe, SSL encryption.

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
Booksy: How much does Booksy cost?

Booksy pricing information is not available on their public website. Contact Booksy directly for pricing on appointment scheduling and booking management solutions.

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
Booksy: Does Booksy offer a free plan?

Free plan details for Booksy are not publicly documented. Reach out to Booksy sales for information on free trial or freemium plan options.

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
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