Option A
Calendly
Simple, beautiful scheduling for sales and consultations
Option B
Acuity Scheduling
Feature-rich booking for service businesses with intake and payments
Background
Both are mature scheduling tools, but they're optimized for different jobs. Calendly began as a sales-team meeting scheduler; Acuity began as a service-business booking platform. Their pricing and features still reflect those origins.
Side-by-side comparison
| Criterion | Calendly | Acuity Scheduling | Winner |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing (paid plans) | $10–$20 per seat per month | $20–$61 per location per month | Calendly |
| Intake forms with conditional logic | Available — moderate | Strong — multi-page, conditional, file uploads | Acuity Scheduling |
| Payment collection at booking | Yes (Stripe) | Yes (Stripe + Square + PayPal) | Acuity Scheduling |
| Packages and memberships | Limited | Native packages, gift certs, subscriptions | Acuity Scheduling |
| Classes and group scheduling | Available — basic | Strong — classes, group bookings, waitlists | Acuity Scheduling |
| Sales/consultation workflows | Best-in-class | Capable but heavier | Calendly |
| Calendar integrations | Google, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange | Google, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange | Tie |
| Mobile experience | Polished | Functional but dated | Calendly |
Which one for which scenario
B2B sales team booking discovery calls
CalendlyCalendly's UX and Salesforce/HubSpot integrations win.
Med spa with treatment intake forms and packages
Acuity SchedulingAcuity handles intake, payments, packages, and recurring bookings natively.
Coach or consultant selling 1:1 sessions and packages
Acuity SchedulingAcuity's package and gift-cert features replace a separate billing tool.
Agency or freelancer needing fast, polished consult booking
CalendlyCalendly is faster to set up and looks more modern.
Fitness studio or yoga business with classes
Acuity SchedulingClass scheduling is a core Acuity feature; Calendly is awkward at it.
Final verdict
Pick Calendly for simple meetings and sales workflows. Pick Acuity for service-business booking with intake, packages, classes, or memberships. Larger CRM-integrated workflows can also use the booking native to GoHighLevel or HubSpot instead of either standalone.
Frequently asked questions
What about SimplyBook.me, Square Appointments, or Setmore?
All viable. Square Appointments is excellent if you already use Square POS. SimplyBook.me serves the global market with strong customization. Setmore is solid for smaller teams.
Can either tool do automated reminders?
Yes — both include email and SMS reminders. Acuity's are deeper; Calendly's are cleaner.
Which integrates better with GoHighLevel?
Neither is required if you're on GHL — its native calendar handles most service-business booking. Calendly and Acuity both integrate via Zapier when teams insist on them.
Can we collect deposits at booking?
Yes on both — Acuity handles partial payment scenarios more flexibly.
What about HIPAA compliance for clinics?
Both offer HIPAA-compliant tiers. Confirm BAA execution and configure intake forms appropriately before going live.