Comparison
Acuity is now part of Squarespace and no longer offers a free plan. Meetario gives you a generous free tier with messenger notifications.
Acuity is a strong product for service businesses that need specialized features like package pricing and HIPAA compliance. But its lack of a free plan, Squarespace lock-in, and missing messenger notifications make it less attractive for general scheduling needs. Meetario offers a better deal for most professionals — especially those who want free video calls and instant messenger alerts.
Acuity Scheduling was one of the original online booking tools, trusted by therapists, coaches, and service businesses for over a decade. In 2020, Squarespace acquired Acuity, integrating it into their website builder ecosystem. The product is still solid — but it's no longer the independent tool it once was.
The biggest change post-acquisition: Acuity no longer offers a free plan. Their cheapest option starts at $16/month. For solo professionals who were drawn to Acuity's generous free tier, this was a dealbreaker. Many started looking for alternatives.
Meetario offers what Acuity used to: a genuinely useful free plan with professional scheduling features. It adds messenger notifications that Acuity has never offered, plus free built-in video calls. And there's no platform lock-in — Meetario works independently of any website builder.
Meetario is a standalone scheduling platform with a free plan, instant messenger notifications (Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber, Discord, Slack), free Jitsi video calls, and no lock-in to any website builder. Works with any website or as a standalone booking page.
Acuity Scheduling (by Squarespace) is a mature booking platform with strong features for service businesses: intake forms, package pricing, recurring appointments, and deep Squarespace integration. It's been refined over 10+ years and is especially popular among therapists, coaches, and beauty professionals.
| Feature | Meetario | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | ||
| Telegram notifications | ||
| WhatsApp notifications | ||
| Viber notifications | ||
| Free Jitsi video meetings | ||
| Google Calendar sync | ||
| Zoom integration | ||
| Stripe/PayPal payments | ||
| Team scheduling | ||
| No platform lock-in | Squarespace | |
| API access |
Acuity removed their free plan after the Squarespace acquisition. The cheapest option is now $16/month — even for a solo user with basic needs. Meetario offers a permanent free plan with multiple event types, calendar sync, team scheduling, and messenger notifications. For cost-conscious professionals, this is a significant advantage.
Acuity has solid email notifications with customizable templates and SMS reminders (at extra cost through Twilio). But it doesn't support Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber, or Discord. Meetario delivers instant booking alerts across 6+ messaging platforms at no additional cost. For international clients who prefer messaging apps over email, Meetario has the edge.
Acuity was built specifically for service businesses and it shows. Package pricing, recurring appointments, intake forms with conditional logic, gift certificates, and HIPAA compliance (on higher plans) are all features that Meetario doesn't yet match. If you run a therapy practice or salon, Acuity's specialized features may be worth the premium.
Acuity is now deeply integrated with Squarespace. While it still works standalone, many new features are Squarespace-first. If you use WordPress, Wix, or any other platform, you're a second-class citizen. Meetario is platform-agnostic — it works equally well embedded on any website or as a standalone booking page.
Acuity integrates with Zoom and Google Meet but charges extra for video integration on lower plans. Meetario includes free Jitsi video meetings on all plans — every booking page can generate a video call link automatically. No Zoom subscription required.
Free plan with team scheduling, messenger notifications, and API access. Pro from $8/month. No platform lock-in — works with any website.
No free plan. Emerging: $16/month (1 calendar). Growing: $27/month (6 calendars). Powerhouse: $49/month (36 calendars). All tied to the Squarespace ecosystem.
Free plan — Acuity removed theirs after Squarespace acquisition
No Squarespace lock-in — standalone product
Telegram, WhatsApp, Viber notifications included
Built-in Jitsi video calls at no extra cost
After Squarespace acquired Acuity in 2020, the free plan was discontinued. All plans now start at $16/month. This pushed many solo professionals to look for alternatives with free tiers, like Meetario.
Absolutely. Meetario works with any website — WordPress, Wix, Webflow, custom HTML, or as a standalone booking page. Just share your Meetario booking link or embed it on your site. No Squarespace required.
Meetario supports custom booking fields (text, dropdown, checkbox, etc.) that guests fill out when booking. While not as advanced as Acuity's conditional logic forms, it covers the most common use cases for collecting pre-meeting information.
Meetario takes security seriously but does not currently offer a signed BAA for HIPAA compliance. If you need HIPAA-compliant scheduling, Acuity's Powerhouse plan ($49/month) includes a BAA. Meetario's Jitsi video calls are end-to-end encrypted.
Meetario supports per-booking payments via Stripe and PayPal. Package pricing (e.g., "10 sessions for $500") is not currently available — this is an area where Acuity still has an advantage for service businesses.
Free plan available. No credit card required. Set up in 2 minutes.