Acuity Scheduling pricing: Plans, costs, and a better alternative

Key takeaways

• Acuity Scheduling offers multiple subscription tiers—Starter, Standard, and Premium—designed to provide appointment management and scheduling automation for businesses.
• The platform focuses primarily on scheduling, meaning payment processing, marketing, and website features require separate third-party integrations.
• Beauty, wellness, and health businesses may find better value with all-in-one solutions like GlossGenius, which includes built-in payments and marketing with its booking features.

How much does Acuity Scheduling cost?

Acuity Scheduling pricing ranges from $20 to $61 per month across three main plans: Starter, Standard, and Premium. Acuity Scheduling lets you choose between monthly and annual plans, with annual payments saving users 20% off their monthly cost.

All plans come with a free seven-day trial.

Want to quickly calculate how much Acuity will cost you? Jump to our Acuity pricing calculator down below.

Because Acuity Scheduling does not come with any built-in payment processing, there are no processing fees from Acuity itself. Instead, your processing fees will come directly from the POS integration you decide to use.

Acuity integrates with Stripe, Square, or PayPal for streamlined online and in-person payments.

Starter plan ($20/month)

The Starter plan costs $20 per month for a monthly subscription or $16 per month for a yearly subscription. It is best suited for small or new businesses with few clients.

This entry-level tier includes one bookable calendar, unlimited appointments, email confirmations and reminders, and basic scheduling features.

The Starter plan only supports email reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups. That means no text message reminders — a fairly critical feature for reducing no-shows in any salon, spa, or medspa.

If text reminders are a must-have, you will need to upgrade to the Standard plan.

Standard plan ($34/month)

For the Standard plan, you'll pay $34 per month when billed monthly. With annual billing, that rate drops to $27 per month.

This tier unlocks up to six bookable calendars, text message reminders, intake forms, and group scheduling — making it a better fit for small businesses with a few employees.

You also gain access to basic customization options.

If you need SMS reminders and manage a small staff, this is likely the tier you will land on.

Premium plan ($61/month)

Priced at $61 per month on a monthly schedule, the Premium plan reduces to $49 per month when billed yearly.

The Premium tier supports up to 36 calendars and throws in HIPAA compliance, multiple time zones, and better customization. If you are running a larger operation or dealing with sensitive health information, this might be your ticket.

Due to its support for employees in multiple time zones, Premium is best suited for businesses looking to expand across different locations.

Enterprise pricing

The price of the Enterprise plan is not publicly available on Acuity's website. Rather, Acuity offers customized price points for your business according to its scheduling needs.

Acuity offers custom-made solutions for larger organizations that need 100 or more calendars and/or those that need multiple accounts under a single billing plan.

Acuity Enterprise clients get access to unlimited calendars, a dedicated account manager, multiple accounts, simplified billing through invoices, and a centralized dashboard.

To find out how much your business would pay for this plan, contact the sales team.

Does Acuity Scheduling offer a free trial?

Yes, Acuity Scheduling offers a one-week free trial for all plans, but there is no permanent free plan available. The platform lacks a complimentary version yet provides a trial period to test the tool out.

This testing phase does not require a credit card, and Acuity will not charge you once it concludes unless you opt in to continue.

During the trial, you can test most features, though you will not be able to customize automated email notifications or send automated text messages.

For comparison, Square Appointments offers a free plan for individual business owners, and GlossGenius offers a 14-day free trial with access to its full suite of booking, payments, and marketing features.

Start your free trial with GlossGenius here.

Acuity Scheduling pricing calculator

If you want to understand how much Acuity Scheduling might cost you and your business, try out this calculator.

Keep in mind that the results reflect subscription costs only — you will also want to factor in payment processing fees from your chosen third-party integration and any additional tools you may need for marketing or website hosting.

[CALC_MODULE]

What is the total cost of using Acuity Scheduling?

The total cost of using Acuity Scheduling extends beyond the monthly subscription fee. Because Acuity focuses solely on scheduling, you will likely need to budget for several additional tools and services to run your business effectively.

Here is what to consider:

• Payment processing fees: Acuity does not process payments directly. You will need to integrate Square, Stripe, or PayPal, each with their own transaction fees (typically 2.6%–2.9% + a per-transaction fee).
• Website costs: Acuity partners with Squarespace for website creation, but that is a separate subscription.
• Marketing tools: Acuity does not include email or SMS marketing features, so you will need a third-party marketing platform.
• Text message reminders: Only available on the Standard plan and above — not included in the Starter plan.
• Inventory management: Acuity does not offer inventory management or expense tracking, which means you'll also have to invest in software to manage your service and retail products.
• HIPAA compliance: Only available on Premium or Enterprise plans

Payment processing fees

Since Acuity relies on third-party payment processors, your transaction costs will vary depending on which integration you choose.

Square, Stripe, and PayPal each have their own fee structures, and those costs add up over time.

If you are tired of chasing down payments and losing revenue to unpredictable fees, GlossGenius includes a built-in point of sale with a transparent, flat 2.6% processing rate (varies by region) — no additional per-transaction fees, no hidden costs.

Businesses save an average of 25% on processing fees by switching to GlossGenius's payments. That transparency means you always know exactly what you are paying.

Website and marketing costs

Acuity does not include website building or marketing tools in any of its plans. If you want a professional booking website, you will need a separate Squarespace subscription or another website builder.

And if you want to send email campaigns or text promotions to your clients, you will need yet another tool.

Instead of struggling to attract clients without a professional online presence or spending hours juggling multiple apps, you can use a comprehensive platform like GlossGenius where your personalized booking page, email marketing, and SMS campaigns are all included in your subscription.

Acuity Scheduling pricing pros and cons

Before committing to Acuity, it helps to weigh the strengths and limitations of its pricing structure. Here is a balanced look:

Pros:

• Affordable entry point for the Starter plan
• 20% discount available on all annual plans
• No setup fees, cancellation fees, or support fees
• Flexible tier structure lets you scale as your business grows
• Complimentary week-long trial with no credit card required

Cons:

• No permanent free plan available
• Essential features like SMS reminders are locked behind higher-priced tiers
• No native payment processing, marketing, inventory management, or website tools — all require separate purchases
• Total cost of ownership increases significantly when you add external apps
• Certain basic functionalities, like calendar syncing, text reminders, or branding removal, are only available in higher-priced tiers, which can be expensive for startups or individual business owners.

How does Acuity pricing compare to competitors?

Acuity Scheduling's pricing falls in the mid-range compared to competitors, but its scheduling-only focus means you may pay more overall when adding necessary outside software options.

Here is how Acuity stacks up against popular alternatives:

Acuity vs. Square Appointments pricing

Square Appointments offers a free plan for individual business owners with integrated payment processing, which gives it an edge over Acuity's $20/month starting price.

However, Square's paid plans for multiple employees can get expensive, and you are locked into Square's payment processing ecosystem.

For a deeper comparison, check out our breakdown of GlossGenius vs. Square.

Acuity vs. GlossGenius pricing

GlossGenius pricing starts at $24/month and includes a tailored scheduling site, integrated payments, email and SMS marketing, inventory management, reports and analytics, and more — all features that Acuity either does not offer or requires separate add-ons to access.

When you compare GlossGenius vs. Acuity on total cost — subscription plus necessary integrations — GlossGenius delivers significantly more value at a comparable (or lower) price point.

Businesses on GlossGenius have seen a 26%+ increase in revenue within their first year on the platform.

And with a standard 2.6% transaction fee and no hidden fees, you always know exactly what you are paying.

Is Acuity Scheduling worth the cost for beauty, wellness, and health businesses?

For most beauty, wellness, and health business owners, Acuity Scheduling may not provide the best value because it lacks out-of-the-box payment features, marketing, and industry-specific features.

Put simply — Acuity is for small businesses with a moderate budget looking purely for scheduling automation features.

Acuity does support payment processing, but you will have to integrate external systems like Square to do so.

[CTA_MODULE]

Where Acuity Scheduling may fall short for salons, spas, and medspas

Acuity is not for you if you are looking for an end-to-end platform for your salon, spa, or medspa that goes beyond scheduling features.

Even if all you’re considering is scheduling features, Square Appointments comes with a free plan — although you will run into the same problem of limitation if you are looking for additional features like marketing or inventory management.

If you are spending more time on admin than actual work and losing revenue to last-minute cancellations, solutions like GlossGenius offer specialized features for the beauty, wellness, and health industry—like stylish credit card readers, modern and customizable booking site templates, easy-to-use waitlists, a forms and waivers builder, and marketing tools, at more affordable subscription prices.

GlossGenius also offers transparent pricing and a predictable 2.6% payment fee with no additional add-ons.

Why GlossGenius is a cost-effective alternative to Acuity

The answer is simple: GlossGenius is a cost-effective alternative to Acuity Scheduling because you get more features at a lower total cost.

You get all the scheduling features Acuity comes with, plus advanced booking, payment, and marketing features that can help run your business smoothly.

Check out the table below, which highlights some features GlossGenius's Standard and Gold plans come with, both available for less than Acuity's Standard and Premium monthly plans.

GlossGenius realizes offerings like core marketing features are essential, not optional, to beauty, wellness, and health business owners.

More features at a lower price

When you compare the total cost of Acuity plus its required external integrations against GlossGenius's all-in-one pricing, the value difference becomes clear.

GlossGenius includes native payments, a custom booking portal, email and SMS marketing, inventory management, memberships and packages, plus sleek payment terminals — all starting at $24/month.

The monthly revenue earned by members who used email or SMS marketing was 29% higher (by $1,700 on average) than the monthly revenue earned by those who used neither.

That is the kind of built-in value that a scheduling-only tool like Acuity simply cannot match.

[CTA_MODULE]

How to choose between Acuity and alternatives

Choosing the right booking software for your business comes down to a few key questions. Use this checklist to guide your decision:

• Need for more than scheduling: If you want integrated payments, marketing, or a booking website, a unified system like GlossGenius will save you money and time compared to Acuity plus separate platforms.
• Importance of text reminders: If SMS reminders are essential for reducing no-shows, keep in mind that Acuity only includes them starting at the mid-tier plan.
• HIPAA compliance requirements: Acuity's HIPAA compliance is only available on the Premium plan. Factor that into your budget.
• Transparent payment processing: GlossGenius's flat 2.6% rate means no surprises. With Acuity, your processing costs depend entirely on which third-party tool you choose.
• Value of customer support: If live phone support matters to you, GlossGenius has you covered. Acuity relies on email and chat support.

Find the right fit for your business

Acuity Scheduling can work well for businesses that only need scheduling automation and are comfortable piecing together disparate tools for payments, marketing, and website hosting.

But for beauty, wellness, and health brands looking for a powerful, comprehensive solution, the total cost of Acuity plus its necessary add-ons often exceeds what you would pay for a more complete solution.

Rather than letting no-shows cost you revenue and struggling to manage client preferences across different apps, GlossGenius gives you everything you need to book, pay, and grow — starting at $24/month with a personalized booking site, built-in marketing, a straightforward 2.6% processing fee, and live customer support.

It is designed specifically for businesses like yours, so you can spend less time on busywork and more time doing what you love.

Start your free trial with GlossGenius and see the difference an integrated platform can make.

Read more

What is Acuity Scheduling software used for?

Acuity is an appointment scheduling software used for scheduling and managing online bookings. It is primarily built for small and midsize businesses looking to automate their scheduling processes.

Can I use Acuity for free?

No, Acuity does not offer a permanent free plan. It comes with a free 7-day test period for all of its plans.

After the trial, Acuity pricing starts at $20 per month for one location, and can reach up to $61 a month.

How much does Acuity Scheduling cost per month?

Acuity Scheduling costs between $20 and $61 per month depending on which plan you choose.

The Starter plan starts at $20/month, the Standard plan at $34/month, and the Premium plan plan at $61/month. Annual billing reduces these prices by about 20%.

Why is Acuity Scheduling so expensive?

Acuity may feel expensive because it only offers scheduling features, requiring separate purchases for payment processing, marketing, and website tools.

When you add up the cost of Acuity's subscription plus external integrations, the total can exceed what you would pay for a unified platform like GlossGenius.

What is better, Square Appointments or Acuity?

Square Appointments offers a free plan and integrated payments, while Acuity provides more customizable scheduling options but requires third-party payment integrations.

The right choice depends on your priorities — if built-in payments matter, Square has the edge. If scheduling customization is your focus, Acuity may be a better fit.

For service-based businesses that want both plus marketing tools, GlossGenius is worth considering.

What payment processors work with Acuity Scheduling?

Acuity Scheduling integrates with Square, Stripe, and PayPal for payment processing, each with their own transaction fees.

You can require full payment, collect deposits, or offer flexible payment options at booking time through these integrations.

Is Acuity Scheduling good for salons?

Acuity Scheduling can work for salons but lacks native payment processing, marketing tools, and industry-specific features that dedicated booking software for beauty, wellness, and health businesses provides.

Salons, spas, and medspas looking for an end-to-end solution with booking, payments, marketing, and modern POS hardware devices may find better value with a platform like GlossGenius.

How does Acuity pricing compare to GlossGenius?

GlossGenius pricing starts at $24/month and includes payments, marketing, a booking website, and more, while Acuity starts at $20/month for scheduling only.

When you factor in the outside software options needed to match GlossGenius's feature set, Acuity's total cost is typically higher.

Can I cancel Acuity Scheduling anytime?

Yes, you can cancel your Acuity Scheduling subscription at any time without penalty.

Acuity does not charge cancellation fees, and your settings and information will be saved even after cancellation — though clients will not be able to book new appointments.

Try GlossGenius free for 14 days!

‍

This information is provided for general educational purposes only. For legal, cybersecurity or compliance advice specific to your business or situation, please consult a professional.

All prices and feature comparisons are as of April 2026. GlossGenius has no affiliation, sponsorship, or endorsement with the other companies mentioned in this article or their affiliates. All trademarks, logos, and brand names are used for identification purposes only and remain the property of their respective owners.