7 Tried and Tested Acuity Scheduling Alternatives for 2025

Acuity Scheduling is one of the most trusted tools for managing appointments online. It helps thousands of professionals automate bookings, send reminders, and stay organized. Still, no single platform fits every workflow. Some users find Acuity’s calendar syncing unreliable, while others want deeper integrations or more flexible pricing options.

If you’re looking for an alternative to Acuity Scheduling, this guide is for you. We’ve tested seven leading options to help you find a solution that better fits your needs. For each tool, we’ll cover:

• Features
• Pros and cons
• Pricing
• How it compares against Acuity

Let’s jump in!

Acuity Scheduling is an online appointment scheduling platform designed to help businesses manage bookings, payments, and client communication effortlessly. It allows users to customize availability, host virtual sessions, and automate appointment reminders and confirmations.

1. Calendar issues

One of the most common reasons given by users is that they find calendar issues frustrating, particularly disappearing appointments and difficulties in syncing multiple calendars.

For example, one user stated:

It is not easy to add another calendar when hosting special events.”

Elsewhere, a different user acknowledged having similar issues with calendar syncing:

Another problem we encountered was being unable to merge accounts for different businesses under one Acuity Calendar. Syncing different calendars is a big deal, or even having multiple users under one Acuity profile.“

2. Cost 

Users also complain about Acuity Scheduling's high cost, which makes it rather pricey for infrequent or casual use. Unlike other scheduling tools, Acuity doesn’t offer a free option. It’s also more expensive across all of its pricing tiers.

In fact, one user mentioned that they were testing another scheduling app and considering switching due to the cost:

Pricing is on the higher end scale of what I would want to purchase for a scheduling app where I am also currently testing another scheduling app to possibly change over.”

3. Scheduling issues and flexibility

Another issue is that users find the meeting invitation limitations restrictive, which reduces scheduling flexibility and participant communication during appointments. Users also face scheduling issues, crashes, and confusion as a result of client record merges, which disrupt their workflow.

For one Digital Business Consultant, this resulted in chaos:

If a client makes a booking with the same name as an existing client, Acuity will treat them as one client and merge their records. For a busy business, this situation is inevitable and will cause chaos when your older client receives emails relating to the new client.”

Best overall	Best for class & event scheduling	Best for enterprise scheduling
YouCanBookMe Best for small businesses and teams that want branded, automated booking pages.	Bookeo Best for managing classes, workshops, and group sessions.	Calendly Best for larger teams that need a robust scheduling solution.

Every scheduling app brings something different to the table; some focus on customization, others on automation or team collaboration. To make fair comparisons, we looked at four key areas that matter most when choosing the right booking software for your business.

• Ease of use: How quickly can you and your team get started? A great scheduling tool should feel intuitive from day one and save you time, not add more work.
• Integrations: The best tools fit seamlessly into your workflow. We looked at how well each platform connects with popular calendars, CRMs, payment processors, and communication tools.
• Value for money: It’s not just about price, it’s about what you get for it. We considered whether each tool’s features and limits make sense for freelancers, small teams, and growing businesses.
• Customization: Your booking page should feel like an extension of your brand. We assessed how much flexibility each tool offers, from colors and logos to forms, footers, and embedded widgets.

Now, let’s take a closer look at each tool.

If you love the idea of automated scheduling but want something more intuitive, flexible, and affordable than Acuity Scheduling, YouCanBookMe (YCBM) should be at the top of your list.

YouCanBookMe combines the ease of a plug-and-play booking tool with the power of advanced customization. It lets you design fully branded booking pages that match your website, logo, and colors, so your client experience stays seamless from start to finish. You can also define appointment types, accept payments for your meetings, and effortlessly automate confirmations, reminders, and follow-up emails and SMS notifications.

YCBM also plays nicely with your existing tools. It integrates with Google, Microsoft, Apple, and Fastmail calendars, as well as Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and 6,000+ apps via Zapier. You can even set smart rules, like buffers between meetings, minimum notice periods, or booking requests that require approval, to keep your schedule balanced and avoid overbooking.

Key features

• Fully-branded booking pages with your logo, colors, custom background, and personalized confirmation screens
• Appointment types for different services, durations, or team members
• Payment collection via Stripe, Apple Pay, Google Pay, and major credit cards. You can also offer promo codes with redemption limits, minimum order values, and expiration dates
• Analytics dashboard tracking total bookings, cancellations, reschedules, and no-shows
• Meeting polls for group scheduling
• Chrome extension that makes accessing bookings fast and easy

YouCanBookMe vs. Acuity Scheduling

Both YouCanBookMe and Acuity Scheduling cater to service-based businesses, but they focus on different strengths.

Acuity shines in client management, offering memberships, gift certificates, and recurring payments, while YouCanBookMe focuses on automation and personalization. YCBM offers stronger integrations, greater control over the booking experience, and more advanced customization for branding and communication.

If you need robust automation and a polished customer journey, YouCanBookMe edges out as the more flexible, all-around solution.

YouCanBookMe pricing

While both tools offer strong scheduling features, YouCanBookMe delivers greater value across all pricing tiers. Acuity doesn’t offer a free plan, whereas YCBM’s free plan includes robust features. You can also save significantly with YouCanBookMe by choosing a 2-year subscription, something Acuity Scheduling does not currently offer.

Use YouCanBookMe if:

• You’re a small business or solopreneur who wants a booking page that reflects your brand.
• You want to personalize every part of the customer journey—from booking to follow-up.
• You need a dependable scheduling tool that works seamlessly with your existing tech stack.

Need an easier way to manage bookings?

Design your own booking page, collect payments, and automate your client communications in one place.

Bookeo is a versatile scheduling tool designed for service providers, schools, and event-based businesses. It helps users manage everything from one-on-one appointments to group classes, workshops, and tours—all within one platform.

Bookeo’s standout strength is flexibility. You can manage staff calendars, customize availability, send automated meeting reminders, and even handle client forms or promotional codes directly through the system.

Key features

• Customizable booking pages for services, classes, and group events
• Two-way calendar synchronization with Google and Outlook
• Online payments and discount code support
• Staff scheduling and resource management
• Integration with major CRM, marketing, and website platforms

Bookeo vs. Acuity Scheduling

Both Bookeo and Acuity Scheduling are built for service-based businesses, but with a slightly different target user. Acuity leans toward solo professionals and health or wellness providers, while Bookeo is better suited for classes, group events, and multi-staff businesses.

Acuity also offers more client management tools like memberships and recurring billing, whereas Bookeo shines when handling multiple calendars. If your business involves managing numerous team members or class-based bookings, Bookeo provides a more structured and scalable option.

Bookeo pricing

If you want to try Bookeo’s features, you can do so with its 30-day free trial. Paid appointment plans start at $14.95 per month for solo users, with additional tiers at $29.95, $39.95, and $79.95 per month.

Each plan increases the number of consultants, staff logins, and monthly bookings available, making it a flexible option for individuals, small teams, and larger organizations alike.

Use Bookeo if:

• You run classes, workshops, or group sessions that need structured scheduling.
• You manage multiple staff, resources, or locations and want a centralized system.
• You want a scheduling tool that integrates easily with your website and marketing tools.

For people who love flexibility, Cal.com is the go-to scheduling tool. It’s open-source, privacy-first, and fully customizable, perfect if you want your booking flow to look and feel exactly like your brand.

You can tweak everything: from your booking link and page design to advanced workflows and meeting rules. Developers love Cal.com for its open API and self-hosting options, but even non-technical users get a clean, minimalist interface that’s easy to use. 

Key features

• Built-in Cal Video conferencing
• Automated email and SMS reminders
• Advanced privacy and data control for enterprise users
• Cal.ai lifelike phone agents to book meetings, send reminders, and follow up through natural phone calls

Cal.com vs. Acuity Scheduling

While Acuity Scheduling focuses on service-based businesses with built-in client management and billing tools, Cal.com targets tech-forward teams that want to build or customize their own scheduling infrastructure.

Acuity offers more out-of-the-box features for client payments and recurring appointments, while Cal.com offers greater flexibility through open APIs, self-hosting, and deep integrations. In other words, if you want complete control over your scheduling experience from design to data privacy, Cal.com is the better option.

Cal.com pricing

You can try Cal.com’s Team plan for free, which makes it easy to test how it fits into your scheduling workflow before you commit. Cal.com also offers a solid free plan for individuals, with unlimited calendars and event types.

If you’re collaborating with others, paid plans start at $15 per user per month, and the Organizations tier comes in at $37 per user per month with more control and admin features.

Use Cal.com if:

• You want full control over your booking experience and data.
• You’re a developer or team that values open-source flexibility.
• You need a sleek, modern tool that scales with your business.

If you’re after a booking tool that gives you solid features without heavy costs, Setmore is a great middle ground. Its free plan covers up to four users and includes branded booking pages, online payments, integrations with Zoom and Google Meet, and automated email reminders, enough to run a small business smoothly.

It’s simple to scale, making it a good fit for growing teams that want flexibility without being locked into complex pricing—especially compared to other Setmore competitors.

With 24/7 human support, desktop and mobile apps, and integrations across popular tools like Stripe, Square, and PayPal, Setmore delivers strong value whether you stick with the free plan or go Pro.

Key features

• Automated email and SMS reminders
• Team collaboration features with role-based access
• Create recurring appointments for VIP priority spots
• iOS, Android, and desktop apps to manage your schedule no matter where your work takes you

Setmore pros	Setmore cons
Easy-to-use interface that's suitable for beginners Supports online payments and recurring appointments Works well across desktop and mobile apps	Some advanced features only on higher plans Lacks staple features like round-robin scheduling and meeting polls

Setmore vs. Acuity Scheduling

Setmore and Acuity Scheduling both cater to appointment-based businesses, but they differ in focus. Acuity offers deeper client management, built-in invoicing, and advanced billing options, making it ideal for businesses that rely heavily on recurring payments.

Setmore focuses on ease of use and accessibility. It’s faster to set up, provides stronger real-time collaboration for teams, and includes direct integrations with video platforms and payment processors. If you need a reliable, user-friendly scheduler that balances simplicity with core functionality, go for Setmore.

Looking for more advanced scheduling options?

YouCanBookMe might be a better fit! It includes round-robin booking, built-in meeting polls, support for 40+ languages, and Apple Calendar sync, making it easier to coordinate availability at scale.

Setmore pricing

There’s no free trial with Setmore. However, you can pay for one month of the Pro plan to test the features, then either keep the plan or cancel/downgrade to the free tier and request a full refund.

The free plan supports up to four users and includes 200 appointments per month. For growing teams, the Pro plan starts at $5 per user per month (billed annually) and adds unlimited appointments, payment features, and advanced customization tools.

Use Setmore if:

• You want a full-featured free plan with room to grow.
• You manage a small team and need a calendar, payments, and reminders all in one place.
• You like having live support and an intuitive app without paying enterprise prices.

5. Vagaro—Best for appointment-heavy businesses

If your business runs on appointments, think salons, spas, or fitness studios, Vagaro is built for you. It combines scheduling, payment processing, marketing, and customer management into one powerful platform.

You can create a sleek booking page, accept online payments, send reminders, and even manage memberships, loyalty programs, and waitlists. But the biggest bonus is that you’ll get listed on Vagaro’s marketplace, which helps new clients find and book you directly.

Key features

• Custom-branded booking pages for salons, spas, and fitness studios
• Staff, location, and resource management in one dashboard
• Automated reminders, notifications, and recurring appointment options
• Built-in marketing tools for email, SMS, and social promotions
• Client loyalty programs, memberships, and gift certificates

Vagaro pros	Vagaro cons
Tailored for beauty, wellness, and fitness industries Combines scheduling, POS, and client management Excellent reporting and business analytics	Less flexible for non-service industries Interface can feel busy on mobile

Vagaro vs. Acuity Scheduling

Both Vagaro and Acuity Scheduling support appointment-driven businesses, but they serve different audiences. Acuity is ideal for solo professionals and service providers who need client management and payment handling in a simpler package.

Vagaro, on the other hand, is an ecosystem built for full-service operations—salons, spas, gyms, and studios. If your business offers classes or multiple services and values built-in marketing and loyalty features, Vagaro is the stronger fit.

Vagaro pricing

Vagaro’s offers a free trial. Paid plans start at $23.99 per month for one bookable calendar. Pricing increases with each additional calendar, making it a flexible option for solo professionals and growing multi-staff businesses.

Use Vagaro if:

• You run a salon, spa, or wellness business and want booking and payments in one place.
• You’d like to attract new clients through a built-in marketplace.
• You want advanced tools like memberships and marketing automations without breaking the bank.

6. Calendly—Best for enterprise scheduling

If you’re looking for a tool that’s more suited for enterprise organizations or larger teams, you might want to check out Calendly. It’s simple, clean, and built for people who want to spend less time emailing and more time meeting. With just a few clicks, you can set your availability, share your scheduling link, and let others pick a time that works best for them.

Calendly connects with most major calendars, integrates with popular video tools like Zoom, and offers enough features to keep scheduling effortless, no tech skills required.

Key features

• Simple and intuitive booking setup for individuals and teams
• One-click scheduling links that integrate with Google, Outlook, and Exchange
• Automated confirmations, reminders, and meeting follow-ups
• Round-robin and collective scheduling for teams

Calendly pros	Calendly cons
Clean, modern interface and easy onboarding Wide range of app integrations Excellent for quick setup and sharing links	Limited customization for branding, especially when compared to Calendly alternatives

Calendly vs. Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling and Calendly both simplify meeting management, but they appeal to slightly different needs. For example, Acuity focuses more on service-based businesses that require invoicing, client details, and recurring appointments.

Calendly, by contrast, is built around simplicity and speed. It’s perfect for business meetings where efficiency matters most. If you want a professional, polished scheduling experience with minimal setup, Calendly is the right fit. But if you need deeper client management and payment features, Acuity still leads.

Calendly pricing

Calendly offers a free 14-day trial. They also have a free plan for personal use, while paid plans start at $10 per user per month for professionals. The Teams plan costs $16 per user per month, and Enterprise options begin at $15,000 per year for large organizations needing advanced security and integrations.

Use Calendly if:

• You’re scheduling across larger teams and need standardized booking workflows everyone can follow.
• You want strong admin controls, centralized user management, and SSO support.
• Your organization relies on enterprise tools like Salesforce, HubSpot, Microsoft 365, or Zoom and needs smooth integrations.

👉 Want a deeper dive on how Calendly compares to Acuity? Check out our Calendly vs. Acuity guide.

7. TidyCal—Best for budget-friendly one-time pricing

If you’re on a tight budget and want to avoid monthly subscriptions, TidyCal is a great choice. You can start with the free plan, or make a one-time payment of $29 for individual users and solopreneurs, or $79 for agencies—no recurring fees, ever.

While TidyCal isn’t the most feature-rich tool on the market, it does the basics pretty well. It’s lean, quick to set up, and does what it says on the tin. Ideal for freelancers, consultants, and small teams that want solid scheduling without the ongoing costs.

Key features

• Simple booking setup for individuals and small teams
• Integrations with Google, Office 365, and Apple calendars
• Online payment options via PayPal and Stripe
• Translation and localization support for global users

TidyCal pros	TidyCal cons
Extremely easy to set up and use Allows customers to leave ratings and reviews after their booking ends Clean interface suitable for non-technical users	Limited booking page customization options

TidyCal vs. Acuity Scheduling

While Acuity Scheduling focuses on client management, payments, and workflow automation for service-based businesses, TidyCal aims to simplify booking logistics for individuals and small teams.

Acuity offers stronger booking analytics, recurring billing, and advanced customization, whereas TidyCal keeps things light, quick, and easy. If your business doesn’t need all the extra layers of automation or client tracking, TidyCal offers a smooth, distraction-free way to handle everyday scheduling.

TidyCal pricing

TidyCal doesn’t offer a free trial, but they have a free forever plan with unlimited bookings and essential scheduling features. Paid options include the Individual Plan for a one-time payment of $29 and the Agency Plan for $79, both unlocking advanced tools for professionals and teams.

Use TidyCal if:

• You want a one-time payment instead of recurring fees.
• You need an easy, no-fuss booking tool that still feels professional.
• You’re a freelancer, coach, or small agency looking to keep scheduling simple and affordable.

The final verdict

There’s no one-size-fits-all scheduler. The best Acuity alternative comes down to how you operate, who you serve, and how much control you need over the booking experience. The good news is that every tool on this list streamlines scheduling and helps you deliver a smoother client journey.

If you run classes or events, Bookeo is a strong fit. If you want full transparency and data control, Cal.com stands out. And if you’re a small business owner looking for an affordable platform with robust personalization and powerful automation, YouCanBookMe is hard to beat.

Ready to see the difference for yourself? Try YouCanBookMe for free today.

Frequently Asked Questions

Which Acuity alternative is best for small businesses?

For most small businesses, YouCanBookMe is the best all-around alternative to Acuity Scheduling. YCBM offers branded booking pages, 24/7 online scheduling, payment collection at booking via Stripe, Apple/Google Pay, automated email & SMS reminders, buffer-time settings, calendar sync with Google/Microsoft/iCloud, and strong customization—all tailored for solo professionals and small teams. 

Is there a free version of Acuity Scheduling?

Acuity Scheduling doesn’t offer a free plan. New users can try the platform through a 7-day free trial, but once the trial ends, you’ll need to select a paid subscription to continue using it.

If having a free plan is important to you, YouCanBookMe offers a generous free plan that includes essentials like:

• One linked calendar (Google, Microsoft, iCloud, or Fastmail)
• A branded booking page
• Website embedding
• Automated appointment confirmations
• Online payments via Stripe, Apple Pay, and Google Pay
• Custom booking forms
• Automatic time zone adjustments
• Instant video meeting links for virtual sessions

This makes it a strong option if you're just getting started or want to keep scheduling costs predictable.

What are the best scheduling tools for salons and spas?

If you run a salon, spa, or wellness studio, these are the best scheduling tools to choose from:

• YouCanBookMe for salons – Perfect for small salons or independent stylists who want a beautifully branded booking page, automated appointment confirmations, reminders, and follows, and easy payment collection. Ideal if you want to keep things simple, professional, and affordable.
• Vagaro – Is specifically built for appointment-heavy businesses like salons, spas, and fitness studios. Combines booking, payments, client management, and marketing tools in one platform, plus loyalty programs and memberships.
• Bookeo – Great for class-based or group sessions such as workshops and beauty training courses. Offers flexible scheduling for multiple staff or service types.
• Setmore – A solid all-around option with a generous free plan that supports up to four users, online payments, and integrations with Zoom and Google Meet.

Is Acuity or Calendly better?

Neither option is necessarily better. It really depends on your business type, scheduling needs, and budget. Acuity Scheduling works best for service-based businesses that need client management tools, recurring payments, and branded booking pages. Calendly, on the other hand, is handy for professionals, teams, and enterprise users who want quick, no-fuss scheduling for meetings or calls.