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Acuity Scheduling vs Cal.com

A side-by-side of Acuity Scheduling and Cal.com on pricing and our methodology scores, drawn from each tool's category Listings. They compete in Appointment Scheduling Software.

The verdict

Cal.com is the stronger overall pick. In the Appointment Scheduling Software ranking it scores 4.20 to Acuity Scheduling's 3.85 out of 5. That said, Acuity Scheduling wins on individual criteria below, so read the breakdown against your own priorities.

At a glance

Acuity Scheduling Cal.com
Starting price $16/mo Free
Free tier No Yes
Appointment Scheduling Software score 3.85 (#2) 4.20 (#1)

Head to head: Appointment Scheduling Software

scored / 5
Calendar Integration 25% weight
Acuity Scheduling 4.5

Real-time two-way sync with Google, Outlook, Office 365, and iCloud rates highly and is repeatedly credited with preventing double-bookings; the only recurring gripe is occasional setup delay.

Cal.com 4.5

Independent reviews consistently confirm Google, Outlook, and Apple/iCloud sync across eight calendar apps, with a public API for custom links and iCloud support called out as an edge over competitors.

Scheduling Flexibility 20% weight
Acuity Scheduling 4.0

Individual and paid bookings, packages, memberships, and subscriptions are strongly rated, but group-class scheduling scores lower and a few scaling businesses find it limiting.

Cal.com 4.5

One-on-one, collective, and round-robin event types are built in, alongside buffers, minimum-notice, and booking-frequency limits that model real business scenarios — reviewers rate this a top strength.

Routing & Forms 15% weight
Acuity Scheduling 3.5

Customizable intake forms earn consistent praise for collecting client info before sessions, though there's little evidence of round-robin or team distribution rules.

Cal.com 4.5

Routing forms with 12 question types and conditional, attribute-based distribution are described as a genuine power feature that needs no Zapier, though they sit behind the Teams plan.

Branding & Booking Pages 15% weight
Acuity Scheduling 3.5

Booking-page branding rates above average and brand colors and logo come on every plan, but deeper customization can require CSS or HTML and reviewers flag the design options as limited.

Cal.com 2.5

The most consistent weakness: booking pages allow only one brand color and a few layouts, the free tier carries Cal.com branding, even if the underlying booking UX reads as clean and intuitive.

Value for Money 25% weight
Acuity Scheduling 3.5

Reviewers call it good value for startups and rate it well overall, but the missing free tier, features gated behind pricier upgrades, and being roughly double a competitor's price all recur as complaints.

Cal.com 4.5

Reviewers call the free tier the most capable in the category, unlocking core features rivals paywall, with the caveat that paid plans can feel pricey and self-hosting trades licensing cost for DevOps effort.

Acuity Scheduling

Pros

  • Takes deposits and full payment at booking through Stripe, Square, or PayPal
  • Bidirectional sync with Google, Outlook, Office 365, and iCloud rates highly for stopping double-bookings
  • Customizable intake forms gather client info and surface your cancellation policy before the session
  • Handles 1:1 sessions, group classes, packages, memberships, and subscriptions out of the box

Cons

  • No free tier; entry pricing starts at $16/month and reviewers call it expensive versus competitors
  • Deeper booking-page design often needs CSS or HTML that non-technical owners find awkward
  • Group-class scheduling rates noticeably weaker than individual appointments
  • Growing businesses occasionally hit a ceiling and describe the feature set as basic

Cal.com

Pros

  • Free tier covers unlimited event types, eight calendar apps, and built-in video with no booking caps
  • Round-robin, collective, and one-on-one events plus buffers and minimum-notice rules ship from day one
  • Routing forms with 12 question types and conditional, attribute-based distribution — no Zapier needed
  • Native Google, Outlook, and iCloud sync, with iCloud support reviewers flag as a real edge over rivals
  • Open-source, so you can self-host and keep full control of your booking data

Cons

  • Booking pages barely customize — one brand color and a few layouts is the ceiling
  • The free tier puts Cal.com branding on your booking page; removing it means paying for Teams
  • Setup feels overwhelming for non-technical users, and self-hosting needs real DevOps work
  • Routing forms and round-robin are locked to the $12/user/month Teams plan

FAQ

Is Acuity Scheduling or Cal.com better?
Cal.com edges ahead in our scoring. In the Appointment Scheduling Software ranking Acuity Scheduling scores 4.20 and Cal.com scores 3.85 out of 5. Acuity Scheduling still wins on specific criteria, so the right pick depends on what you weight most.
Is Acuity Scheduling cheaper than Cal.com?
Cal.com has the lower entry price: Acuity Scheduling starts at $16/mo and Cal.com starts at Free.
What is the difference between Acuity Scheduling and Cal.com?
Acuity Scheduling is positioned as Scheduling built for service businesses with paid bookings. Cal.com is positioned as Open-source scheduling with a generous free tier. They go head to head in Appointment Scheduling Software.
Read the full Acuity Scheduling review → Read the full Cal.com review →

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