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Scheduling · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Cloudbeds

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Scheduling

Scheduling made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cloudbeds logo

Cloudbeds

Travel

Cloud-based hospitality management platform unifying PMS, channel management, and booking engine

From
On request
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; Cloudbeds pricing requires custom quote; no published pricing tiers visible, making budgeting and comparison difficult
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Cloudbeds differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingCloudbeds
Starting priceFreeOn request
Pricing modelsubscriptionquote
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, iOS, Android, API
CategorySchedulingTravel
Founded2003Unknown

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 Cloudbeds

Nothing recorded that Acuity Scheduling does not also cover.

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

Cloudbeds

  • Independent hotels and boutique hospitality businesses automating PMS and distributionnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Vacation rental hosts (Airbnb, VRBO) consolidating multi-channel bookings and messagingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Hostels and backpacker accommodations using commission-free booking engine to reduce dependency on OTAsnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Small-chain hospitality operators managing multiple properties from one interfacenot Acuity Scheduling
  • Properties seeking revenue management and dynamic pricing without enterprise-level PMS costsnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Hospitality businesses using AI-driven guest messaging and support automationnot 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

Cloudbeds

  • Pricing requires custom quote; no published pricing tiers visible, making budgeting and comparison difficult
  • Per-property pricing model means costs scale rapidly for multi-property management; portfolio growth increases operational expenses
  • Revenue Intelligence (AI pricing) locked behind premium tier; base offering lacks dynamic pricing automation
  • Limited offline functionality; properties with poor connectivity face operational challenges
  • Chatbot and messaging automation require configuration; setup complexity increases for non-technical operators

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

Cloudbeds

On request

No published plan breakdown. See the Cloudbeds 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 Cloudbeds if

  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, API.
Cloudbeds review

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Cloudbeds better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Cloudbeds at On request, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Cloudbeds?
Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and On request for Cloudbeds.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Cloudbeds run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Cloudbeds 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. Cloudbeds 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 Cloudbeds is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Cloudbeds cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Online booking, Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing.

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
Cloudbeds: Does Cloudbeds have a commission-free booking engine?

Yes. Cloudbeds provides a commission-free booking engine allowing guests to reserve directly on the property website without OTA transaction fees. This reduces distribution costs compared to Booking.com and Airbnb.

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
Cloudbeds: What channels does Cloudbeds distribute to?

Cloudbeds distributes to 450+ booking channels including Airbnb, Booking.com, Expedia, Agoda, and regional OTAs, all managed from one interface.

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
Cloudbeds: Does Cloudbeds provide revenue management?

Yes. Revenue Intelligence uses AI-powered demand forecasting (95% accuracy) to recommend dynamic pricing, maximising revenue per available room (RevPAR).

Source
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