Beauty & Salon · head to head
Shedul vs Acuity Scheduling
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Shedul hidden costs beyond subscription including 20% marketplace commission, payment processing fees (2.19% + 20 cents), SMS fees (5-15 cents each), and $500 card terminal requirement; Acuity Scheduling starter tier limited to 1 calendar only
- They diverge on capability: Shedul covers Appointment scheduling, Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Shedul and Acuity Scheduling actually diverge.
| Attribute | Shedul | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $14.95/month | $16/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android | Web |
| Category | Beauty & Salon | Scheduling & Booking |
| Founded | 2015 | 2003 |
Identical on both: free tier (No), 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 Shedul
- Appointment scheduling
- Client database
- Point of sale
- Inventory tracking
- Marketing campaigns
- Reports & analytics
- Mobile apps
Only in Acuity Scheduling
- Appointment types
- Calendar sync
- Payment processing
- Email reminders
- Client self-scheduling
- Packages & memberships
- Timezone detection
- Squarespace
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.
Shedul
- Free salon managementnot Acuity Scheduling
- Appointment schedulingnot Acuity Scheduling
- Payment processingnot Acuity Scheduling
- Client marketingnot Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling
- Client self-scheduling with automated time zone conversionnot Shedul
- HIPAA-compliant scheduling for healthcare practitionersnot Shedul
- Multi-location scheduling with multiple staff membersnot Shedul
- Membership, package sales, and gift certificate managementnot Shedul
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Shedul
- Hidden costs beyond subscription including 20% marketplace commission, payment processing fees (2.19% + 20 cents), SMS fees (5-15 cents each), and $500 card terminal requirement
- Premium support (phone and live chat) requires additional paid add-on, base plan only includes email support
- Limited customization and branding options in free tier compared to competitors
- Complex pricing structure with many add-on fees makes true cost of ownership difficult to calculate upfront
- Card payment terminal ($500) must be purchased separately for in-person payments instead of supporting third-party terminals
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
Pricing, plan by plan
Shedul
$14.95/month- Independent$19.95/month
- Single calendar
- Single login
- Appointment scheduling
- Team$14.95/month per team member
- Multiple calendars
- Multiple team logins
- All Independent features
Acuity Scheduling
$16/monthNo published plan breakdown. See the Acuity Scheduling review.
Which should you pick?
Choose Shedul if
- You need appointment scheduling.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android.
- You also want client database.
Choose Acuity Scheduling if
- You need appointment types.
- You also want calendar sync.
Questions people ask
- Is Shedul or Acuity Scheduling better?
- Neither clearly leads. Shedul starts at $14.95/month and Acuity Scheduling at $16/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Shedul or Acuity Scheduling?
- Shedul starts at $14.95/month and Acuity Scheduling at $16/month.
- Does Shedul or Acuity Scheduling run on more platforms?
- Shedul runs on Web, iOS, Android. Acuity Scheduling runs on Web.
- What is Shedul best used for?
- Shedul is most often used for free salon management, appointment scheduling, payment processing, client marketing. Of those, free salon management and appointment scheduling are not what Acuity Scheduling is typically brought in for.
- What can Shedul do that Acuity Scheduling cannot?
- Shedul covers Appointment scheduling, Client database, Point of sale, Inventory tracking. Acuity Scheduling covers Appointment types, Calendar sync, Payment processing, Email reminders. Both handle Online booking, Google Calendar, Stripe, PCI DSS.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Shedul: Is Shedul/Fresha free to use?
No. Shedul, now rebranded as Fresha, charges $19.95 USD per month for the Independent plan (one person) and $14.95 per month per team member for the Team plan. However, there are additional costs beyond the base subscription including 20% commission on marketplace bookings, payment processing fees of 2.19% + 20 cents per transaction, SMS messaging fees of 5 to 15 cents per message, and a $500 card payment terminal if processing in-person payments.
SourceShedul: What features are included in Shedul/Fresha?
Shedul/Fresha includes appointment scheduling, client management with history and preferences, automated appointment reminders, online booking through website or Facebook, point-of-sale (POS) system, inventory and product management, client loyalty programs, and basic reporting and analytics. All features are available on all paid plans without additional feature-based tiers.
SourceShedul: What are the hidden costs beyond the subscription price?
Shedul/Fresha charges 20% commission on new client bookings through the Fresha marketplace, 2.19% plus 20 cents for card payment processing, SMS messaging at 5 to 15 cents per message, and requires a $500 card payment terminal for in-person credit card processing. According to industry analysis, true annual costs run approximately 70% higher than the published subscription price.
SourceShedul: Does Shedul/Fresha work on mobile devices?
Yes, Shedul/Fresha is available as a web platform and has native mobile apps for iOS and Android. Clients can book appointments through the mobile apps, and staff can manage appointments from their phones.
SourceShedul: What support options are available?
Free and Team plans include email support only. Live chat and phone support (24/7) are only available with an optional premium add-on that costs extra per month. The Fresha Plus premium support is required to access phone and chat support.
SourceShedul: Can I export my salon data from Shedul/Fresha?
While Shedul/Fresha provides reporting and analytics features, the platform does not clearly document export options for bulk data transfer. Users should contact support to determine data export capabilities and formats.
Source