There’s a saying that claims that “time is gold” – and this is particularly true for service professionals and business owners. Appointment slots that go by without a customer can mean lost revenue, which is why incidents like absentee appointments or mistakenly turning away customers for a certain time when there actually isn’t anyone booked for that slot can be frustrating. Or, when a business accidentally double-books for a timeslot and cannot accommodate the extra customer, it can lead to unhappy customers and lost revenue.
Acuity Scheduling and Square are popular appointment booking apps, but which one is better for your business? The answer can vary depending on the type and size of your business, so it’s best to shop around and weigh your options. In this article, we’ll compare two appointment scheduling software: Acuity Scheduling vs. Square Appointments.
Acuity Scheduling is an online appointment software that can work for various types of businesses. It was acquired by Squarespace in 2019, but it can be used for websites hosted by other platforms. Acuity Scheduling can allow your customers to choose available timeslots on your schedule block (with automatic time zone adjustment) showing real-time calendar availability, reschedule if necessary, fill out client intake forms, and receive automatic email reminders so they don’t forget their upcoming appointments. On top of scheduling, Acuity Scheduling can also take touchless payments.
Square is originally a digital payments company that allowed businesses of all sizes to accept credit card payment options, but expanded to provide a complete business solution through additional products and third-party apps. One of its products, Square Appointments, is a scheduling tool that allows businesses in various industries to manage scheduling and booking confirmations through app, in-store, or online booking while also taking care of payments, customer profiles, employee commissions, advanced payroll exports, and more.
| Acuity Scheduling | Square Appointments | |
| Pricing | Starts at $14 per month Free 7-day trial available No credit card required | As low as no monthly fee plus a 2.6% + 10-cent in-person processing fee for one staff calendar. Custom pricing available for more than 10 employee scheduling. No credit card required |
| Features and Services | Integrates with other Squarespace products and other third-party apps and tools. Available in all countries. Offers fully-customizable features. | Integrates with Square products (which entails a wide range of business tools and advanced features) and other third-party apps. Available for businesses in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Offers pre-designed layouts so business owners can spend less time on administrative matters and focus on the main operations of the business. |
| Customer Size | FreelancersSmall businesses and startupsMid size businesses | Small businesses and startupsMid size businessesLarge businesses |
| Compatibility | Web-basediOS mobile appAndroid mobile app | Web-basediOS mobile appAndroid mobile app |
| Customer Service | Email support available Monday to Friday, 7am to 8pm EST. | Phone supportOnline chat |
| Choose Acuity Scheduling If... | Chose Square Appointments If... |
| You want a fully customizable scheduling platform. If your business is willing to invest the time and money to design a scheduling platform to your exact requirements, Acuity Scheduling is the better option. You want more flexibility. Acuity Scheduling relies on integration with other apps and third-party tools. Although acquired by Squarespace, you have the option to host and build your own website on any platform – Acuity is compatible with most of them. You need a HIPAA-compliant scheduling platform. Acuity Scheduling’s Powerhouse plan allows you to sign a BAA for HIPAA compliance. However, keeping your platform fully HIPAA-compliant may mean removing some third-party apps that are not compliant. | You want an easy-to-use scheduling platform. Square Appointments aren’t as customizable as Acuity Scheduling, but their minimalist design templates can match any brand’s style. This is the better option if you want templates that work for your business without doing too much work integrating and adding tools. Square Appointments has multiple personalized recommendations for businesses in various industries. You already have Square products. Square has launched products like POS system, credit card reader, email marketing providers, marketing suites and other ways to process payments. If your business leans more towards credit card purchases than contactless payments like Paypal and Stripe, Square products are a much better solution. Cost-effective solution. Square Appointments is free to use on top of Square’s other products like its dashboard, POS, etc. However, it earns by charging credit card transactions. For some businesses, this may be a more profitable business model in the long run. |
The better app between Acuity Scheduling and Square Appointments can vary between businesses, so it’s best to weigh your options and see which ones you can benefit most from. Both can be effective solutions for your business’ scheduling needs: Acuity Scheduling is the more flexible and customizable solution, while Square Appointments are for Square-based businesses that want to focus more on the main operations of the business.
Calysta is the all-in-one EMR solution for aesthetic practices, aesthetic physicians, and dermatologists. From appointment setting, to email notification and other reminders, to videoconferencing, to touchless payments, we provide the software to improve your business’ operations and customer satisfaction. Try out our appointment software today in a free 30-day trial.
Learn More: Online Appointment Scheduling Software: Vagaro vs. Acuity Scheduling
Streamline Operations, Elevate Patient Care, and Future-Proof Your Success with the Right IV Therapy EMR…
Read More
How the Right EHR Can Transform Your Center Community health centers provide essential medical services…
Read More
The Complete Guide to Leveraging the Cloud for Better Patient Care In today's digital world,…
Read More
Elevate Efficiency and Data Security in Your Practice with Calysta EMR In the dynamic world…
Read More
The healthcare landscape is rapidly shifting towards the use of electronic medical records (EMRs). For…
Read More
Electronic Medical Records (EMR) are like digital filing cabinets for doctors and medical practices. Just…
Read More
