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.
Square Appointments
Square Appointments is an all-in-one scheduling and point-of-sale solution designed to help service-based businesses manage online bookings, process payments, and track customer relationships from a single platform.
Quick Comparison
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Square Appointments |
|---|---|---|
| Website | acuityscheduling.com | square.com |
| Pricing Model | Subscription | Freemium |
| Starting Price | $20/month | Free |
| FREE Trial | ✓ 7 days free trial | ✘ No 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 | 2009 |
| Headquarters | New York, USA | San Francisco, USA |
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.
Square Appointments
Square Appointments is a flexible scheduling tool that lets you manage your calendar and payments in one place. You can create a professional online booking website where clients can see your availability and book services 24/7. It handles the heavy lifting of administrative work by sending automated SMS and email reminders to reduce no-shows and keep your schedule full.
Beyond simple booking, you can process payments instantly, manage staff schedules across multiple locations, and keep detailed customer profiles. Whether you are a solo barber or manage a large salon team, the platform scales with your business needs. You can access your entire business from a desktop or use the mobile app to manage appointments and take payments while on the move.
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.
Square Appointments Features
- Online Booking Site. Create a free, professional booking page so your clients can schedule services and view your availability at any time.
- Automated Reminders. Send automatic text and email notifications to your clients to confirm bookings and significantly reduce costly no-shows.
- Integrated Payments. Accept credit cards, digital wallets, and touchless payments directly through your scheduling app or at your front desk.
- Customer Profiles. Store contact details, appointment history, and personalized notes to provide a tailored experience for every returning client.
- Staff Management. Manage multiple employee schedules, set individual permissions, and track performance metrics across your entire team from one dashboard.
- Inventory Tracking. Monitor your retail stock levels in real-time and receive alerts when items are running low so you never miss a sale.
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
Square Appointments Pricing
- Single staff account
- Custom online booking site
- Unlimited appointments
- Automated email & text reminders
- Square POS integration
- Basic customer profiles
- Everything in Free, plus:
- Multiple staff accounts
- Google Calendar sync
- Automated text confirmations
- No-show protection
- Advanced reporting tools
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
Square Appointments
Pros
- Seamless integration with the broader Square payment ecosystem
- Very easy for clients to book through the mobile-friendly site
- Free tier is highly functional for solo entrepreneurs
- Intuitive interface requires almost no technical training to master
Cons
- Customization options for the booking site are somewhat limited
- Processing fees can add up for high-volume businesses
- Advanced features require moving to higher paid tiers