Acuity Scheduling vs Square Appointments
An honest side-by-side comparison of two of our top appointment scheduling picks — pricing, strengths, weaknesses, and who each one is really for.
Acuity Scheduling
Ranked #2 of 15 in this directory
Client self-scheduling that works while you sleep
Square Appointments
Ranked #3 of 15 in this directory
Free appointment booking integrated with Square payments
Our pick: Acuity Scheduling. Our editors rank Acuity Scheduling higher overall in Appointment Scheduling — but Square Appointments can be the better fit depending on your budget and use case below. How we review
Compare the details
| Acuity Scheduling | Square Appointments | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Paid | Freemium |
| Starting price | See website | See website |
| Category | Professional Services | Beauty Wellness |
| Editorial rank | #2 of 15 | #3 of 15 |
Strengths
Acuity Scheduling
- ✓Highly customizable booking forms with conditional logic
- ✓Built-in payment processing through Stripe, Square, and PayPal
- ✓Supports packages, memberships, subscriptions, and gift certificates
- ✓Advanced availability rules including buffer times and daily limits
- ✓Embeddable scheduling widget for any website
Square Appointments
- ✓Free plan for individuals with unlimited appointments
- ✓Seamless integration with Square POS and payment processing
- ✓Built-in no-show protection with prepayment and cancellation fees
- ✓Free booking website included with online scheduling
- ✓Instagram and Google integration for direct booking
Watch out for
Acuity Scheduling
- !Interface feels dated compared to newer competitors
- !No free plan available — starts at a monthly fee
- !Reporting and analytics are basic compared to industry-specific tools
- !Mobile app has limited functionality versus the web version
Square Appointments
- !Advanced features require paid Square Appointments Plus or Premium
- !Limited customization compared to dedicated scheduling platforms
- !Best suited for beauty and personal services — less flexible for other industries
Best use cases
Acuity Scheduling
- →Coaching businesses selling session packages and collecting intake info
- →Photography studios managing bookings across multiple photographers
- →Tutoring services with complex recurring appointment schedules
Square Appointments
- →Hair salons managing stylist calendars and accepting prepayments
- →Barbershops offering walk-in and appointment-based services
- →Massage therapists booking clients with automated text reminders
About each tool
Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling, now part of Squarespace, provides a highly customizable booking experience with intake forms, payment collection, and package management. It excels at letting clients self-book appointments while respecting complex availability rules and buffer times. The platform supports multiple staff calendars, location management, and timezone auto-detection.
Square Appointments
Square Appointments combines scheduling with the Square POS and payment ecosystem, making it ideal for service-based businesses that also sell products. It includes a free booking website, automated reminders, no-show protection, and Instagram booking integration. The platform handles multi-location, multi-staff scheduling with individual calendars and permissions.
Still deciding? Browse all 15 options with honest pros, cons, and pricing.
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