Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling is a flexible online appointment booking software that automates your calendar management, client intake forms, and payment collection to streamline your entire scheduling workflow.
Doodle
Doodle is a professional scheduling platform that simplifies the process of finding the best time to meet with groups, clients, or colleagues through automated polling and calendar synchronization.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Doodle |
|---|---|---|
| Website | acuityscheduling.com | doodle.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $20/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✓ 14 days free trial |
| Free Plan | ✘ No free plan | ✓ Has free plan |
| Product Demo | ✓ Request demo here | ✓ Request demo here |
| Deployment | ||
| Integrations | ||
| Target Users | ||
| Target Industries | ||
| Customer Count | 0 | 0 |
| Founded Year | 2006 | 2007 |
| Headquarters | New York, USA | Zurich, Switzerland |
Overview
Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling acts as a 24/7 personal assistant for your business, allowing clients to view your real-time availability and book their own appointments. You can move beyond back-and-forth emails by sharing a customized booking page where clients select services, complete intake forms, and pay deposits upfront. The platform automatically handles time zone conversions and sends branded confirmations to ensure everyone stays on the same page.
You can manage multiple staff calendars, offer group classes, and set up recurring appointments with ease. It helps you reduce no-shows through automated text and email reminders while keeping your data organized in a centralized dashboard. Whether you are a solo consultant or manage a large clinic, the software scales to fit your specific booking requirements and administrative needs.
Doodle
Doodle is a scheduling tool designed to eliminate the back-and-forth of finding meeting times. You can create group polls where participants vote on their availability, allowing you to identify the best slot for everyone in seconds. It integrates directly with your existing calendars to ensure you never double-book and provides a centralized hub for managing all your appointments.
You can also set up personalized booking pages that let others book time with you based on your real-time availability. Whether you are organizing a board meeting, a team sync, or a one-on-one client consultation, the platform automates the administrative heavy lifting. It scales from individual users to large enterprises, offering a free version for basic polling and tiered paid plans for advanced branding and automation.
Overview
Acuity Scheduling Features
- Self-Service Booking Give your clients the freedom to book, cancel, or reschedule their own appointments based on your real-time availability.
- Custom Intake Forms Gather critical client information during the booking process so you are fully prepared before every meeting starts.
- Automated Reminders Reduce costly no-shows by sending automated, branded email and text notifications to your clients before their scheduled time.
- Payment Integration Collect full payments or deposits via Stripe, Square, or PayPal at the exact moment a client books with you.
- Time Zone Syncing Eliminate scheduling confusion for international clients with automatic time zone detection and conversion for every booking.
- Calendar Coordination Sync your schedule with Google Calendar, iCloud, and Outlook to prevent double-bookings across your personal and professional life.
Doodle Features
- Group Polls. Invite participants to vote on multiple time slots so you can find the best meeting time for everyone quickly.
- Booking Pages. Set your availability and share a personal link so clients and colleagues can book meetings with you instantly.
- Calendar Integration. Connect your Google, Outlook, or Apple calendars to see your full schedule and prevent any double-bookings automatically.
- Automatic Reminders. Send automated nudges to participants who haven't voted yet and reminders to guests before the meeting starts.
- 1:1 Meetings. Propose specific times for a private meeting and let your guest pick the one that works best for them.
- Video Conferencing Sync. Link your Zoom, Microsoft Teams, or Google Meet accounts to automatically generate meeting links for every booking.
Pricing Comparison
Acuity Scheduling Pricing
- 1 staff member/location
- Client self-scheduling
- Unlimited appointments
- Automatic confirmations & reminders
- Payment processing integrations
- Vaulting credit cards for later
- Everything in Emerging, plus:
- Up to 6 staff members/locations
- SMS/Text message reminders
- Packages, gift certificates, & subscriptions
- Appointment memberships
- Group classes and workshops
Doodle Pricing
- Unlimited group polls
- One active Booking Page
- One active 1:1 meeting
- Calendar integration
- Basic poll features
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Unlimited Booking Pages
- Unlimited 1:1 meetings
- Custom branding and logo
- No advertisements
- Zapier integration
Pros & Cons
Acuity Scheduling
Pros
- Highly customizable booking pages match your brand
- Excellent automated time zone management for global clients
- Reliable syncing with major third-party calendars
- Intuitive interface for both admins and clients
- Robust mobile app for managing bookings on-the-go
Cons
- Initial setup can be time-consuming for complex schedules
- SMS reminders are not available on the entry-level plan
- Limited design flexibility without knowledge of custom CSS
Doodle
Pros
- Extremely easy for participants to use without an account
- Visual layout makes finding common availability very intuitive
- Reliable synchronization with Google and Outlook calendars
- Saves significant time on group coordination tasks
Cons
- Free version contains heavy third-party advertising
- Mobile app interface can feel slightly cluttered
- Limited customization options on the basic tiers