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Calendly vs Acuity Scheduling: which booking tool fits
Both let clients book time on your calendar. Calendly is simpler and has a free plan. Acuity adds back-office tools for client-based businesses but has no free plan.
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Read this first. Our main source is published by SavvyCal, a competitor of both tools, and was updated October 2026. Treat its criticism of both as a rival's view, and confirm prices on each vendor's site.
The short answer
Calendly for quick, free scheduling, Acuity if you also want intake forms, packages and client management.
- Calendly. Pick it if you want easy scheduling, many integrations and a free plan.
- Acuity Scheduling. Pick it if you are a solo professional who wants scheduling plus intake forms, packages and client info.
Side by side
| Calendly | Acuity Scheduling | |
|---|---|---|
| Best for | Individuals and teams, especially those wanting free or basic scheduling | Solo freelancers and creative professionals who want scheduling and client management |
| Free plan | Yes, with one calendar connection, one active meeting type and limited reminders | No, only a 7-day free trial |
| Starting paid price | $10 per seat per month on yearly billing | $16 per month on yearly billing, about 25% more if billed monthly |
| Strengths | Easy setup, many integrations and automatic time zone detection | Client info, intake forms, accounting integrations, memberships and packages |
| Watch out for | Limited availability customisation and a restrictive free plan | Limited team features, and the source reports slower updates since its 2019 Squarespace acquisition |
Details are from SavvyCal (a competitor), updated 7 October 2026. Confirm on each vendor's site.
Each tool in a little more detail
Calendly
Good for
- Easy to set up, with many integrations.
- Automatically detects time zones.
- A free plan is available.
Watch out for
- The free plan is restrictive.
- Limited control over your availability.
- The source says the booking page feels impersonal and has no personalised links.
Acuity Scheduling
Good for
- Intake forms, client records, memberships and packages.
- Unlimited appointments and HIPAA compliance, according to the source.
Watch out for
- No free plan, only a 7-day trial.
- Limited team functionality.
- The source reports more customer service complaints since 2019.
Who should pick which
- You just need people to pick a time with youStart with Calendly's free plan.
- You sell sessions or packages and need client intake formsStart with Acuity Scheduling.
- You are not sureUse Calendly free for a few weeks. Move to Acuity only if you keep wishing you had intake forms or packages.
Related reading: Zoom vs Google Meet vs Microsoft Teams: which video call tool. Zoom for meetings with outside clients, Google Meet if you use Google Workspace, Teams if you use Microsoft 365.
Common questions
Is there a free option?
Calendly has a free plan with limits. Acuity offers a 7-day free trial, per our source.
Do I need one at all?
Not if you take a few calls a week. It pays off when you spend time emailing back and forth to find a time.
Our hands-on testing
Researched from sources
We have not tested these tools ourselves yet. Everything above comes from the sources listed below. When we test a tool, our own notes and screenshots will appear here and this label will change.
Sources
We have not hands-on tested every tool on this page. Details come from the sources above. See how we review.