CalioCalio vs Acuity Scheduling: simple, and with a free plan
Acuity Scheduling (part of Squarespace) is an established name among service businesses, but it has no free plan — after the trial you pay at least $16 a month — and it runs entirely on US servers.
Calio offers the core features with a free plan that stays free, EU payment methods and your data inside Europe.
Calio and Acuity Scheduling side by side
| Feature | Calio | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Public booking page | Unlimited event types, including on the free plan | No free plan (7-day trial) |
| Double bookings | Impossible — enforced at database level | Prevented through calendar checks |
| Confirmations & reminders (email) | Automatic, 24 hours and 1 hour before | Yes, SMS on higher tiers |
| Guests reschedule or cancel themselves | Through the link in their email | Yes |
| Google & Microsoft calendar sync | Busy-time sync + bookings written to your calendar | Yes, plus other calendar providers |
| EU data hosting | Servers and database in Amsterdam | No — US hosting (Squarespace) |
| European company & support | Dutch company; guest flow in Dutch, English and German | No — US company |
| iDEAL payments | Pay in full or a deposit at booking, through Mollie | No — payments through Stripe/Square/PayPal |
| Round-robin for teams | One link, meetings shared across the team | Yes, with multiple staff members |
| AI booking in plain language | Guests type what they need; Calio offers real open slots | Limited |
| AI agent that negotiates over email | on the roadmapSchedules with the other party’s calendar on its own | No |
Acuity Scheduling features based on public information and reviews; they may differ per subscription and may have changed since.
What does it cost?
Acuity charges (as of February 2026) $16 a month for Starter (billed yearly; $20 monthly) up to $49–61 for Premium, with no free plan (there is a 7-day trial). Calio has a free plan that stays free; paid plans start at €8 per user per month billed yearly. Prices may have changed since; always check the vendor’s current pricing page.
Why people switch to Calio
Staying free is an option
Acuity has no free plan. With Calio a sole trader schedules for free — unlimited event types, reminders and calendar sync included.
Your data in Europe
Acuity runs on US infrastructure. Calio runs entirely in the EU — which matters for GDPR-sensitive work such as healthcare and coaching.
European payment methods
iDEAL and card payments through Mollie, paid straight into your own account — no detour through a US processor.
Frequently asked questions
Does Calio have intake forms like Acuity?
Yes. You set your own questions per event type — free text, dropdowns or required answers — and the answers appear with the booking and in your confirmation email.
Can I take payments the way Acuity does?
Yes. Through Mollie your guests pay in full or leave a deposit while booking, with iDEAL or card; the money goes straight to your own account via Mollie Connect. You can also set a no-show fee per event type and send it afterwards as a payment request.
What does Calio cost compared to Acuity?
Calio has a free plan that stays free; Acuity starts at $16 a month (billed yearly, as of February 2026) and has no free plan. Calio’s paid plans start at €8 per user per month.
Try Calio for free
Booking link in 2 minutes, calendar connected, data in Europe. No credit card needed.
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