Calendly vs Acuity Scheduling vs Setmore: Scheduling Software Comparison

Booking tools for service businesses. Here's which one actually wins.

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Quick Comparison

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Calendly (The Simple One)

Pricing

• Free: 1 calendar type, basic
• Premium: $12/month (unlimited calendar types)
• Teams: $20/month per seat (team management)

What's Included

• ✅ Scheduling links
• ✅ Calendar sync
• ✅ Email reminders
• ✅ Timezone handling
• ✅ Mobile app
• ✅ Integrations (100+)
• ✅ Custom questions
• ✅ Basic automation

Pros ✅

1. Simplicity - Easiest scheduler
2. Free version useful - 1 calendar type free
3. Beautiful - Clean interface
4. Calendar sync - Syncs with Google/Outlook
5. Email reminders - Automatic for no-shows
6. Mobile app - Works great
7. Integrations - 100+ apps (Slack, etc)
8. Group scheduling - Can book multiple people
9. Round-robin - Distribute among team
10. No payment needed - Not designed for payments

Cons ❌

1. No payments - Can't collect payment
2. Limited (free) - Only 1 calendar type
3. No invoicing - Can't invoice from Calendly
4. No SMS reminders - Email only
5. Limited customization - Can't customize much
6. Team features (paid) - Limited in free
7. No intake forms - Limited questions
8. No reporting - Can't see analytics

Best For

• Consultants
• Coaches (who bill separately)
• Freelancers
• Salespeople
• Anyone booking calls/meetings
• Knowledge workers (not service businesses)

Verdict

Calendly is best for meeting scheduling only.

If you just want people to book 1:1 calls and bill separately, Calendly is perfect.

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Acuity Scheduling (The Service Business Tool)

Pricing

• Emerging: $15/month
• Growing: $45/month
• Established: $99/month

What's Included (base)

• ✅ Unlimited appointments
• ✅ Online payments (Stripe/Square)
• ✅ Automated reminders (email + SMS)
• ✅ Custom intake forms
• ✅ Invoicing
• ✅ Client portal
• ✅ Staff management
• ✅ Integrations

Pros ✅

1. Payments built-in - Collect upfront
2. SMS reminders - Text + email
3. Invoicing included - Bill from same tool
4. Intake forms - Detailed questionnaires
5. Client portal - Clients see everything
6. Multiple staff - All tiers
7. Automation - Workflows included
8. Excellent UX - Beautiful interface
9. No transaction fees - Just subscription
10. Best for service businesses - Made for this

Cons ❌

1. Expensive (base) - Starts at $15 but limited
2. Growing plan needed - Real features at $45+
3. Learning curve - More complex than Calendly
4. Integrations - Fewer than Calendly
5. Mobile app - Good but not as polished

Best For

• Service providers (coaches, stylists, photographers)
• Wellness providers (therapists, yoga)
• Service businesses taking payments
• Teams needing payment collection
• Businesses wanting all-in-one scheduling

Verdict

Acuity is best for service businesses that need payments.

If you book appointments and collect payment, Acuity is unbeatable.

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Setmore (The Customizable One)

Pricing

• Free: Basic scheduling
• Pro: $29/month (payments, SMS)
• Business: $59/month
• Business+: $99/month

What's Included (free)

• ✅ Scheduling
• ✅ Calendar sync
• ✅ Email reminders
• ✅ Custom form (limited)
• ✅ Mobile app
• ✅ Multiple staff (free!)

Pros ✅

1. Free version complete - Better than Calendly free
2. Multiple staff (free) - Setmore unique benefit
3. Highly customizable - Change almost everything
4. Payments (Pro) - Stripe/Square/PayPal
5. SMS (Pro) - Text reminders
6. Intake forms - Detailed questionnaires
7. Class booking - Can book group classes
8. Mobile app - Good for on-the-go
9. Team members (free) - Unlimited staff free
10. No transaction fees - Just subscription

Cons ❌

1. Less polished - Not as beautiful as Acuity
2. Fewer integrations - Smaller ecosystem
3. Learning curve - More complex
4. Payments need Pro - $29 minimum for payments
5. Support - Not as responsive

Best For

• Service businesses on budget
• Teams with multiple staff
• Class/group bookings
• Customization lovers
• Yoga studios, fitness, salons

Verdict

Setmore is best for customizable, budget-friendly scheduling.

If you want customization and team features cheap, Setmore wins.

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Head-to-Head Scenarios

Scenario 1: Consultant Booking 1:1 Calls (Solo)

Needs: Schedule calls, sync calendar, send reminders

Recommendation: Calendly Free

• No cost
• Perfect for scheduling
• Calendar sync works
• Email reminders good

Runner-up: Setmore Free (more features, but overkill)

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Scenario 2: Therapist/Coach (Collecting Payment)

Needs: Schedule, collect payment, intake forms, SMS reminders

Recommendation: Acuity $45/month

• Payments included
• SMS + email reminders
• Intake forms
• Built for this

Runner-up: Setmore $29/month (cheaper but less polished)

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Scenario 3: Yoga Studio (Classes + 1:1)

Needs: Group classes, 1:1 appointments, multiple staff, payments

Recommendation: Setmore $29/month

• Class booking
• Multiple staff
• Payments
• Very customizable

Runner-up: Acuity $45/month (more polished, less class features)

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Scenario 4: Salon/Beauty (Multiple Stylists, Book Specific Person)

Needs: Assign to staff, payments, customization, branding

Recommendation: Acuity $45/month or Setmore $29/month

• Both handle staff assignment
• Both have payments
• Acuity more polished
• Setmore cheaper

Pick: Acuity if budget allows, Setmore if cost-conscious

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Feature Comparison

Scheduling Features

Payment & Billing

Customization

Team Features

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Pricing for Different Service Types

Solo Consultant

Winner: Calendly (simplest) or Setmore (more features)

Solo Coach Collecting Payment

Winner: Setmore ($29) or Acuity ($45) depending on polish preference

Salon/Beauty (3 staff)

Winner: Acuity or Setmore (unlimited staff cheaper)

Yoga Studio (10 classes/week + 1:1s)

Winner: Setmore (built for classes)

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When to Choose Each

Choose Calendly if:

• Just booking calls/meetings
• Solo practitioner
• Not collecting payment
• Want simplicity over features
• Free version is enough

Choose Acuity if:

• Service business
• Need payments
• Want most polished tool
• Budget: $45+/month
• Don't need class booking

Choose Setmore if:

• Budget-conscious
• Need multiple staff
• Want customization
• Class/group booking
• Willing to learn interface

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The Honest Truth

Calendly: Best for consultants who don't collect payment. Overkill for service businesses.

Acuity: Best for service businesses. Most polished. Worth the money if you're booking 10+ appointments/week.

Setmore: Best value for service businesses. Cheaper, more customizable, handles classes better. Less polished but capable.

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My Recommendation

For consultants: Calendly free (done)

For service providers collecting payment:

• If budget: Setmore $29/month (best value)
• If want polish: Acuity $45/month (best experience)

For studios/salons: Setmore (class features are key)

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Related Guides:

• Best Tools for Service Businesses
• Best CRM for Startups
• Perfect Software Stack

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Last updated: July 2026 From: App Buyer Guide