Acuity Scheduling vs Cal.com

Compare Acuity Scheduling vs Cal.com — scheduling tools comparison. Acuity Scheduling USD 16/month, Cal.com USD 0/month.

Both tools are categorized under Scheduling Tools.

Who This Page Is For

You are comparing these two tools because you need scheduling tools and you are deciding between:

Acuity Scheduling (appointments with built-in payments) vs Cal.com (open-source calendly alternative, free forever plan)
Free plan available (Cal.com) vs No free plan (Acuity Scheduling)
Different pricing models — starting at USD 0/month vs USD 16/month
Teams compare it for payment collection capabilities available on all paid plans.

Quick Comparison

Feature	Acuity Scheduling	Cal.com
Key Strength	Appointments with built-in payments	Open-source Calendly alternative, free forever plan
Starting Price	USD 16/month	USD 0/month
Free Plan	No	Yes
Free Trial	Yes	No

Key differences at a glance

Cal.com offers a free plan while Acuity Scheduling does not.
Cal.com has a lower starting price (USD 0/month) compared to the alternative.
Acuity Scheduling offers a free trial.
Acuity Scheduling focuses on appointments with built-in payments. Cal.com focuses on open-source calendly alternative, free forever plan.

When to choose Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling is best for: Appointments with built-in payments.

Acuity Scheduling is commonly used for client-facing appointment bookings with integrated payments.
It is often evaluated for its intake forms, package and membership features, and multi-calendar support.
Teams compare it for payment collection capabilities available on all paid plans.

Appointment scheduling with client management, payment collection, and intake forms. Acuity Scheduling combines booking pages with client intake workflows, supports Stripe, Square, and PayPal payments, and includes appointment reminders and cancellation policies. Used by consultants, service providers, and client-facing businesses.

View full Acuity Scheduling details →

When to choose Cal.com

Cal.com is best for: Open-source Calendly alternative, free forever plan.

Cal.com is open-source under AGPLv3 and offers customizable scheduling solutions.
It is often chosen for self-hosting options, complete data ownership, and deep API integrations.
Teams compare it for free team features that competitors reserve for paid plans.

Open-source scheduling platform with self-hosting and cloud deployment options. Cal.com provides booking links, team scheduling, round-robin routing, and full API access for custom integrations. Supports complete source code access for workflow customization and data sovereignty requirements.

View full Cal.com details →

Bottom Line

Your Situation	Choose
You need a free plan	Cal.com
You want to try before committing	Acuity Scheduling
Lower starting price matters	Cal.com
You value: Appointments with built-in payments	Acuity Scheduling
You value: Open-source Calendly alternative, free forever plan	Cal.com

Frequently asked questions

What is the main difference between Acuity Scheduling and Cal.com?

Acuity Scheduling is best for appointments with built-in payments. Cal.com is best for open-source calendly alternative, free forever plan. Acuity Scheduling starts at USD 16/month. Cal.com starts at USD 0/month.

Does Acuity Scheduling have a free plan?

No, Acuity Scheduling does not offer a free plan. It does offer a free trial.

Does Cal.com have a free plan?

Yes, Cal.com offers a free plan.

What is Acuity Scheduling used for?

What is Cal.com used for?