BookingMachine vs Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling is a mature appointment system. It takes payments and deposits, sells packages and memberships, and scales to many calendars. It has no free plan: you start on a trial and then pay monthly.
BookingMachine covers the same ground for booking and deposits, and adds what a job-based business needs around the appointment: a price worked out from the customer's answers, quotes, invoices and review requests. It has a free plan to start on.
| Feature | BookingMachine | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes | No, a 7-day free trial |
| Paid plans from | $18 a month | $16 a month, billed annually |
| Online payments | Paid plans, through Stripe | Through Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo |
| Deposit at booking | Yes, on paid plans | Yes |
| Price that changes with the customer's choices | Yes, shown live in the booking form | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Quotes | Yes | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Invoices | Yes | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Review requests after the job | Yes, with photos and video | Not listed on their pricing page |
| Packages, memberships and gift certificates | Voucher and discount codes on paid plans | Standard plan and above |
| Staff and calendars | One on the free plan, more on paid plans | 1 on Starter, up to 6 on Standard, up to 36 on Premium |
Acuity Scheduling details are taken from the Acuity Scheduling pricing page, checked on 11 October 2026. Plans and prices change, so confirm with Acuity Scheduling before you decide. BookingMachine prices are on our pricing page.
Choose BookingMachine if
- You want to start free and pay when the bookings justify it.
- Your price varies by job and you want the customer to see it before they book.
- You send quotes and invoices and want them tied to the booking.
- You want a review request to go out automatically when the job is done.
Choose Acuity Scheduling if
- You sell appointment packages, memberships or gift certificates.
- You want to take payment through Square, PayPal or Venmo instead of Stripe.
- You run a large number of calendars across staff or locations.
Questions
Does Acuity Scheduling have a free plan?
Not at the time of writing. Its pricing page says it does not offer free scheduling and gives a 7-day free trial on every plan. BookingMachine has a free plan with a monthly booking limit.
Do both take deposits?
Yes. Acuity takes payments and deposits through several processors. BookingMachine takes a deposit at booking through Stripe on its paid plans and can charge the balance when the job is complete.
Which is better for a mobile service business?
If your price depends on the job, such as vehicle size, property size or travel, BookingMachine shows the customer that price as they book. If you sell fixed appointments and packages, Acuity is well suited to that.
Try it on your own bookings
Set up your services and prices on the free plan and see how BookingMachine handles a real booking before you pay for anything.