Acuity Scheduling
Doodle
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Doodle |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $20/mo | Free / from $6.95/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | service-providers, consultants, salons-spas, fitness-trainers | group-organizers, event-planners, managers, committees |
| Founded | 2006 | 2007 |
| Online Booking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payment Processing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reminders | ✓ | ✓ |
| Packages Memberships | ✓ | ✗ |
| Intake Forms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Sync | ✓ | ✗ |
| Group Classes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gift Certificates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Group Polls | ✗ | ✓ |
| Booking Pages | ✗ | ✓ |
| Calendar Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
| Custom Branding | ✗ | ✓ |
| Time Zone Support | ✗ | ✓ |
| Admin Console | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Acuity Scheduling Pros
- Highly customizable for service businesses
- Integrated payment processing (Stripe, Square, PayPal)
- Robust reminder and follow-up email system
- Supports packages, memberships, and gift certificates
✗ Acuity Scheduling Cons
- No free plan available
- Interface feels dated compared to modern alternatives
- Limited to Squarespace ecosystem for some features
✓ Doodle Pros
- Best-in-class group scheduling with polls
- Participants don't need accounts to vote
- Simple and intuitive for non-technical users
- 1:1 booking pages for professional scheduling
✗ Doodle Cons
- Free plan has ads and limited features
- Less suited for complex recurring scheduling
- Integration options fewer than competitors
The Verdict
Acuity Scheduling is built for service providers and consultants, with a focus on online-booking and payment-processing. Doodle targets group organizers and event planners and leads with group-polls and booking-pages.
On pricing, Doodle is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6.95/mo compared to $20/mo for Acuity Scheduling. That $13.05/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Doodle has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Acuity Scheduling requires a paid subscription from day one.
Feature-wise, Acuity Scheduling offers broader built-in capabilities (8 features vs 7), while Doodle takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.