Calendly vs Acuity: Which Booking Tool Suits You?

If you want clients to book time with you online, Calendly and Acuity Scheduling are two of the names that come up first. They look similar from a distance, since both give you a booking page, sync with your calendar and send reminders. Up close they're built for slightly different jobs. This comparison uses only what each company says on its own website, so you can see where they overlap and where they don't.

I'm writing for small business owners: coaches, consultants, therapists, tutors, photographers, salon owners and trades. If you'd like a wider view afterwards, my pages on Calendly alternatives and client booking software for small businesses cover other options.

What Calendly is, and what Acuity Scheduling is

Calendly describes itself as a scheduling tool that handles the work around meetings. It's built around sharing a link so people can pick a time that works with your calendar. Its own site now also mentions add-ons such as meeting notes and an AI assistant.

Acuity Scheduling describes itself as online booking and appointment software for service businesses, and it's owned by Squarespace. Its own site talks about intake forms, packages, subscriptions, gift certificates, class scheduling, deposits and cancellation policies. The language is about clients and services, not just meetings.

That difference in wording is a fair clue. Calendly starts from the meeting. Acuity starts from the appointment someone books and, often, buys.

Calendly vs Acuity: the features side by side

The table below is a plain summary of what each company's own site says. Features can sit on different plans, so check the current details for the plan you'd choose.

Area	Calendly	Acuity Scheduling
Main focus	Meeting links and team scheduling	Appointments for service businesses
Free option	A free plan with one event type and one connected calendar	A seven-day free trial, with no ongoing free plan
Intake forms	Questions on the booking page; routing forms on Teams plans	Custom intake forms on every plan
Group bookings	Group events on upgraded plans	Class and group scheduling
Packages and gift certificates	Not a headline feature	Packages, memberships and gift certificates on higher plans
Team scheduling	Round robin and routing on Teams plans	Several staff calendars on higher plans
Payments	Stripe and PayPal on upgraded plans	Online payments, deposits and invoicing
Reminder messages	Automations and reminders on upgraded plans	Email reminders, with text reminders on higher plans

Booking pages and ease of setup

Both tools let you set the days and hours you're available, add buffers between appointments and connect a calendar so a booking blocks that time. Calendly's free plan is a gentle way in: one event type and one calendar is enough to send a link the same afternoon. Acuity gives you a trial instead, so you'll want to set aside a short stretch to try it out.

Acuity's setup has more steps because it does more. You'll create appointment types, decide which questions to ask, and perhaps set up packages or classes. If you're a one-person business that only does calls, that may be more than you need. If you sell sessions, it may suit you well.

Intake forms and client information

This is where many owners notice the biggest gap. Acuity's plans page lists custom client intake forms even on its starter plan, so you can ask for notes, preferences or background before the first session. That suits therapists, trainers, tutors and photographers, who all need a bit of information up front.

Calendly lets you add questions to a booking, and its Teams plans add routing forms that send people to the right person. It's less about collecting detailed client records and more about getting the right meeting on the calendar.

Classes, groups and packages

If you teach a class or run a workshop where several people book the same slot, Acuity lists class scheduling as a feature, along with packages, subscriptions and gift certificates. That makes it a natural fit for yoga teachers, music tutors and anyone selling a block of sessions.

Calendly offers group events on its upgraded plans, which works well for webinars or small group calls. If your main need is selling bundles of sessions, check carefully that the plan you want includes it.

Calendar connections, reminders and integrations

Both tools sync with your calendar to prevent double bookings. Calendly's own plan table shows one connected calendar on the free plan and more on the upgraded ones, and it lists integrations such as HubSpot, Mailchimp, Stripe and PayPal on its Standard plan. Acuity lists integrations with payment services and automation tools, and it works with Squarespace and other website builders.

For reminders, check the detail. Email reminders are common, but text reminders on Acuity sit on its higher plans, and Calendly's reminders and automations are on its upgraded plans too. If you're in a business where no-shows hurt, test the reminder flow before you decide.

Teams and multiple staff

Calendly's Teams plans list round robin and routing, which share incoming meetings across a group. Acuity's own plans page describes more calendars on higher plans, with different time zones for staff or locations at the top level. A salon with several stylists and a sales team sharing leads are different problems, so match the tool to yours.

Choose Calendly if you recognise yourself here

• You mainly book calls and meetings rather than services.
• You want to start on a free plan and upgrade only if you need to.
• You share a link in emails and messages, and want it to look familiar to clients.
• You have a small sales or advisory team who want to share bookings.

Choose Acuity Scheduling if you recognise yourself here

• You sell appointments, sessions or classes and want to collect details before they start.
• You want packages, memberships or gift certificates built into the booking.
• You use Squarespace, or want the booking page to sit neatly inside your website.
• You're happy to try it for a week before you commit.

Mistakes to avoid when choosing between them

• Picking on brand familiarity alone, without checking which plan includes the feature you need.
• Setting up the booking page but not connecting every calendar you use.
• Asking clients too many questions, so fewer of them finish booking.
• Never making a test booking from a phone before sharing the link.
• Forgetting to check how time zones show for clients in other countries.

If your needs fall between the two, my guide to choosing online scheduling tools for client bookings gives you a longer checklist.

Frequently asked questions

Is Calendly or Acuity Scheduling better for a small business?

It depends on what you book. Calendly suits owners who mostly arrange calls, while Acuity suits owners who sell appointments, classes or packages and want to collect client details first.

Does Acuity Scheduling have a free plan?

Its own plans page describes a free trial of seven days rather than an ongoing free plan. Check the current page, because offers can change.

Does Calendly have a free plan?

Yes. Its own plans page describes a free plan with one event type and one connected calendar, with more features on upgraded plans.

Can I use either tool on my own website?

Both let you share a booking link, and Acuity also works with Squarespace and other website builders. Check each tool's help pages for the embed steps for your site.

Which one handles classes and group bookings?

Acuity lists class scheduling as a feature. Calendly lists group events on its upgraded plans. Look at the plan you'd choose before deciding.