Acuity Scheduling is built for paid appointments, with multiple payment processors, intake forms and packages. Calenix offers paid bookings and deposits alongside service pages and a free plan. Here is how they compare.
Quick answer
Acuity Scheduling is the more specialised tool for paid client appointments: every plan supports Stripe, Square, PayPal and Venmo, intake forms come as standard, and higher tiers add packages, memberships, gift certificates and SMS reminders. Calenix is the better fit if you want to take paid bookings and deposits through Stripe while also presenting your services on landing and service pages, with a free plan to start and lower entry pricing.
What each tool is built for
Acuity Scheduling is appointment software for coaches, therapists, wellness practitioners and other service professionals who charge for their time. Its strengths are client intake forms, multiple payment processors and ways to sell packages, memberships and gift certificates. There is no free plan, but a seven-day trial is available without a card.
Calenix is a scheduling and professional-presence workspace. Paid plans include paid bookings and deposits, custom booking questions, buffers, advanced reminders and workflows, alongside landing pages, service pages with prices and details, digital business cards, email signatures and LinkDock.
Feature comparison
Based on official pricing pages at the time of writing (October 2026):
| Feature | Calenix | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | Yes (paid bookings require a paid plan) | No; seven-day trial |
| Payment processors | Stripe | Stripe, Square, PayPal and Venmo |
| Deposits | Yes, on paid plans | Check current plan details |
| Intake questions | Custom questions on paid plans | Intake forms on every plan |
| Packages, memberships, gift certificates | Not listed | Standard plan and above |
| SMS reminders | Not listed | Standard plan and above (country availability varies) |
| Branding removal | Individual plan and above | Premium plan |
| Service pages, landing pages, digital cards | Included | Not listed |
Taking payment at the point of booking
Collecting payment when a client books is the simplest way to reduce no-shows and chasing invoices. Acuity offers the broadest choice here, with Stripe, Square, PayPal and Venmo on every plan. That flexibility helps if your clients prefer a particular method or you already run Square in a physical studio.
Calenix supports paid bookings and deposits on its Individual plan and above, with Stripe listed on its integrations page. Deposits suit businesses where a full upfront charge feels heavy, such as a Gold Coast life coach charging a deposit to hold a 90-minute first session and invoicing the balance afterwards.
Whichever platform you use, state the price, the refund rules and what happens if the client reschedules before they pay.
Intake, packages and repeat clients
Acuity's intake forms are included on every plan, which matters for practitioners who need health information or goals before a session. From the Standard plan, you can sell packages and memberships, offer gift certificates and run a waitlist. For a yoga teacher selling ten-class passes or a nutritionist offering a three-session programme, these features remove a lot of manual tracking.
Calenix offers custom booking questions on paid plans so you can collect key details before a session, and workflows can trigger follow-ups after an appointment. It does not list packages, memberships or gift certificates, so if those are central to your revenue, Acuity has the edge.
Reminders that protect paid time
A paid booking is only valuable if the client turns up. Acuity adds SMS reminders from the Standard plan, subject to country availability. Calenix includes email confirmations and basic reminders on Free, with advanced reminders and workflows on paid plans.
Good reminder content matters as much as the channel. Our guide to appointment reminders that clients actually read covers timing and what to include, and our appointment reminder email templates give you wording to adapt.
Presenting your paid services
Clients are more willing to pay upfront when they understand exactly what they are buying. Calenix's service pages let you publish each offer with availability, price and details, and landing pages can group several offers for a campaign or location. A Melbourne family therapist could have separate pages for individual, couples and online sessions, all linked from their LinkDock and email signature.
Acuity provides a booking page with appointment types and descriptions, and its Premium plan allows custom CSS for deeper design control.
Branding also affects trust at the payment step. Acuity removes its logo and branding on Premium, while Calenix lets you remove its branding and add a branded domain from the Individual plan. If clients will enter card details, a page that clearly carries your name helps them feel confident they are paying the right business.
A practical checklist before you charge online
Before you switch on payments in either tool, work through a short checklist. It will save you refunds, disputes and awkward emails later.
- Decide the payment model. Full payment upfront suits short, fixed-price sessions. A deposit suits longer or higher-value appointments where the final scope may change.
- Write a clear cancellation policy. Say how much notice clients must give and whether payments are refunded, credited or forfeited.
- Check your processor's fees and currency. Confirm which currencies you can accept and when funds reach your account.
- Collect only the information you need. Long intake forms reduce completed bookings, so ask for essentials at booking and the rest later.
- Test as a client. Book, pay, reschedule and cancel a test appointment on your phone and check every email you receive.
Running this test on both platforms during a trial will tell you more than any feature list.
Pricing compared
Prices from official pricing pages at the time of writing (October 2026). Check current pricing, taxes and plan details before buying.
- Calenix (AUD): Free at A$0; Individual at A$12 per month billed annually or A$15 monthly, including paid bookings and deposits; Professionals from A$29 per month billed annually; Enterprise on quote.
- Acuity Scheduling (USD, excluding tax): Starter at $16 per month billed annually or $20 monthly; Standard at $27 annually or $34 monthly; Premium at $55 annually or $69 monthly. No free plan; seven-day trial.
Where Acuity Scheduling is the stronger choice
Acuity is stronger if you need several payment processors, intake forms on every plan, packages, memberships, gift certificates or a waitlist, or SMS reminders. Its Premium plan also offers HIPAA support with a signed BAA and custom API and CSS, which suits some health and wellness practices.
Where Calenix is the stronger choice
Calenix is stronger if you want a free starting point, lower entry pricing for paid bookings and deposits, and branding removal from the Individual plan. It also gives you service pages, landing pages, digital cards and email signatures, so clients see a consistent, professional brand from first click to confirmation.
Frequently asked questions
Does Acuity Scheduling have a free plan?
No. According to its pricing page at the time of writing, Acuity offers a seven-day trial with no card required, then paid plans starting at $16 per month billed annually.
Can Calenix take deposits for appointments?
Yes. Calenix supports paid bookings and deposits on its Individual plan and above, with Stripe listed as its payments integration.
Which is better for coaches who sell session packages?
If packages, memberships or gift certificates are central to your business, Acuity is the better fit. If you mainly sell individual paid sessions and want strong service pages, Calenix is worth considering.
Next step
Price one of your services, set a deposit or full payment and run a test booking end to end. Start with Calenix for free and upgrade when you are ready to take payments, or review Calenix pricing.