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Scheduling · head to head

Acuity Scheduling vs Fresha

Acuity Scheduling logo

Acuity Scheduling

Scheduling

Scheduling made simple

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Fresha logo

Fresha

Scheduling

Free salon and spa software

From
149.95/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; Fresha team and Enterprise pricing not publicly displayed; custom quotes required
  • They diverge on capability: Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Fresha covers Appointment management.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Acuity Scheduling and Fresha differ
AttributeAcuity SchedulingFresha
Starting priceFree149.95/month
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebWeb, Ios, Android
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 Fresha

  • Appointment management
  • Client database
  • Point of sale
  • Inventory management
  • Staff scheduling
  • Marketing tools
  • Reports & analytics
  • Apple Calendar

Both cover

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

Fresha

  • Salon managementnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Spa schedulingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Appointment bookingnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Beauty service businessesnot Acuity Scheduling
  • Wellness centersnot 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

Fresha

  • Team and Enterprise pricing not publicly displayed; custom quotes required
  • All pricing excludes 5% sales tax; actual cost will be higher

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

Fresha

149.95/month
  • Independent$149.95/month
    • Single calendar column
    • For one-person businesses
    • 7-day trial available
  • Team$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • Multiple calendar columns
    • For businesses with multiple team members
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • For high-volume businesses with 20+ team members
    • All core 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 Fresha if

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

Questions people ask

Is Acuity Scheduling or Fresha better?
Neither clearly leads. Acuity Scheduling starts at Free and Fresha at 149.95/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Acuity Scheduling or Fresha?
Acuity Scheduling has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Acuity Scheduling and 149.95/month for Fresha.
Does Acuity Scheduling or Fresha run on more platforms?
Acuity Scheduling runs on Web. Fresha 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. Fresha starts at 149.95/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 Fresha is typically brought in for.
What can Acuity Scheduling do that Fresha cannot?
Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing, Email reminders. Fresha covers Appointment management, Client database, Point of sale, Inventory management. Both handle Online booking, Google Calendar, Stripe, PCI DSS.

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
Fresha: How much does Fresha cost?

Fresha's Independent plan starts at AED 149.95 per month (excludes 5% sales tax), which includes a single calendar column for one-person businesses. A 7-day free trial is available. Team and Enterprise plans use custom pricing based on business needs and team size.

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
Fresha: What does the Fresha Team plan add?

The Team plan offers multiple calendar columns for businesses with multiple team members. Pricing is customized based on team size and needs. It includes all core features like scheduling, point of sale, client management, online store, and marketing tools, with a 7-day trial available.

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
Fresha: Does Fresha charge additional fees beyond the subscription?

Yes, Fresha offers optional pay-as-you-go add-ons including SMS messaging (AED 0.15 per message after 20 free monthly), marketing emails (AED 0.08 each after 50 free monthly), and premium features like Google Rating Boost (AED 35.95/location monthly), Team Connect, and Xero Accounting integration. Payment processing charges 4.90% plus AED 0.75 per transaction.

Source
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