Acuity Scheduling
Routine
| Feature | Acuity Scheduling | Routine |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | From $20/mo | Free / from $10/mo |
| Free Plan | ✗ No | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | service-providers, consultants, salons-spas, fitness-trainers | busy-professionals, executives, solopreneurs, productivity-enthusiasts |
| Founded | 2006 | 2020 |
| Online Booking | ✓ | ✗ |
| Payment Processing | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reminders | ✓ | ✗ |
| Packages Memberships | ✓ | ✗ |
| Intake Forms | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Sync | ✓ | ✓ |
| Group Classes | ✓ | ✗ |
| Gift Certificates | ✓ | ✗ |
| Smart Scheduling | ✗ | ✓ |
| Unified Inbox | ✗ | ✓ |
| Natural Language | ✗ | ✓ |
| Focus Mode | ✗ | ✓ |
| Recurring Routines | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ Routine Pros
- Unifies calendar + tasks + notes
- AI auto-schedules tasks into free time
- Beautiful minimal design
- Natural language task creation
✗ Routine Cons
- Newer product with fewer integrations
- Limited team features
- AI scheduling needs training period
The Verdict
Acuity Scheduling is built for service providers and consultants, with a focus on online-booking and payment-processing. Routine targets busy professionals and executives and leads with smart-scheduling and unified-inbox.
On pricing, Routine is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $10/mo compared to $20/mo for Acuity Scheduling. That $10/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Routine 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 6), while Routine 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.