An Acuity Scheduling alternative for businesses with a front desk.
Acuity is a clean scheduler for people who sell their time online. Once a business has a front desk, a team and walk ins, it often needs more than a scheduler. Here is how the two compare.
Who looks for a Acuity Scheduling alternative
Coaches and solo practitioners do well on Acuity. Studios and clinics with several staff start to feel its plan limits.
- Calendars are capped by plan. Starter has 1 calendar, Standard up to 6 and Premium up to 36.
- Texts and packages need Standard. Starter sends email reminders only; text reminders, packages, memberships and gift certificates start on Standard (USD 27 a month yearly, USD 34 monthly).
- No counter sales. Acuity takes payment for bookings through Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo, but a front desk selling products or walk in services needs a till.
Acuity Scheduling and Timeo side by side
Acuity Scheduling facts are taken from its own pages on 9 November 2026. "Not stated" means we did not find it on the pages we checked, not that the product lacks it.
| Acuity Scheduling | Timeo | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Starter USD 16 (yearly) or 20; Standard USD 27 or 34; Premium USD 55 or 69 a month | USD 29 to USD 49 a month per location (Basic, Advance, Team), the same whatever the client count |
| Staff calendars | 1, up to 6, or up to 36 by plan | 1 login on Basic (USD 29), 5 on Advance (USD 39), unlimited on Team (USD 49) |
| Reminders | Email on Starter; text reminders on Standard and Premium | WhatsApp from your own business number: unlimited appointment reminders plus 500 other automated messages a month, and email too |
| Packages and memberships | Standard and Premium, with gift certificates | From Advance (USD 39), with gift cards and store credit |
| Payments | Stripe, Square, PayPal or Venmo on every plan | One off online payments and deposits go into your own Airwallex account, in your own currency; auto-renewing memberships charge cards through your own Stripe account |
| Counter POS | Not stated on the pages we checked | POS with receipts on every plan |
| Trial and contract | 7 day trial, no card; cancel any time | Every plan has a 7 day free trial with no contract. Paying yearly gets 14 months for the price of 12. |
When Acuity Scheduling is the better choice
- You handle protected health information in the US. Acuity Premium states it can sign a BAA for HIPAA. Timeo makes no HIPAA claim, so a US practice that needs one should stay with a vendor that does.
- You are a solo coach or consultant. Starter at USD 16 a month (yearly) is below Timeo Basic at USD 29, and you may not need a POS at all.
- You want PayPal or Venmo. Acuity takes PayPal and Venmo alongside Stripe and Square. Timeo uses your own Airwallex and Stripe (or Malaysian gateways).
When Timeo is the better fit
- A front desk and walk ins. Timeo’s POS sells services, products and packages at the counter on the same customer record as the booking.
- Rooms with staff. Timeo books a free room of the right type with the staff member on every plan, so treatment rooms are never double booked.
- Reminders on WhatsApp. Appointment reminders go from your own WhatsApp number and are unlimited.
Moving from Acuity Scheduling to Timeo
We could not check Acuity’s export steps because its help site refused our check, so ask Acuity support for your client list and any package balances as spreadsheets.
- Save clients as CSV with Name and Email or Phone.
- To bring live memberships and session packs across, add Plan, Expiry date, Total sessions and Sessions used columns: one row per member per package. Create the same plan names under Catalog > Membership plans first and the imported packages link to them.
- In Timeo, open Customers and choose Import customers. Choose CSV file (or paste the sheet), then Preview import. Timeo matches the columns, flags rows it cannot read, and matches people you already have by email, then phone. Nothing is saved until you confirm the plan.
- Add appointment types under Booking setup > Services and set each staff member’s hours.
Upcoming appointments and intake form answers do not import; keep Acuity’s records for your files. If you would rather not do it yourself, our team can run the import and set up services as part of hands-on setup, which is quoted separately.
Questions about switching from Acuity Scheduling
- How much does Acuity Scheduling cost?
- From its pricing page, in USD before tax: Starter 16 a month on an annual subscription or 20 monthly, Standard 27 or 34, Premium 55 or 69, with a 7 day trial.
- Is Timeo HIPAA compliant?
- Timeo makes no HIPAA claim. If you need a signed BAA for US patient data, Acuity Premium states it can sign one.
- Can Timeo sell packages of sessions?
- Yes, from Advance. Each client sees what they have left, and imported packages keep their sessions used and expiry date.
- Can I take PayPal on Timeo?
- No. Online payments go through your own Airwallex or Stripe account outside Malaysia, and Billplz, iPay88 or Revenue Monster in Malaysia.
- What does Timeo cost in Malaysia?
- In Malaysia, Timeo is billed in ringgit: RM79 to RM119 a month, with FPX and DuitNow QR through your own Billplz account.
- Can I try Timeo first?
- Every plan has a 7 day free trial with no contract.
Related: Clinic booking · Studio software · Setmore alternative · SimplyBook.me alternative · All comparisons
Sources
Acuity Scheduling's own pages, checked on 9 November 2026.