Deputy
Workforce management platform for scheduling, time tracking, and task management. Used by accounting firms to track billable hours.
Acuity Scheduling
Website: acuityscheduling.com
Acuity Scheduling at a glance
- Best for
- Firms selling paid consultations or needing intake forms
- Pricing model
- Monthly subscription by calendar count
- Deployment
- Cloud, with mobile apps
- Regions
- Global
- Key integrations
- Google Calendar, Outlook, Stripe, Zoom
Last reviewed . Pricing and features change frequently — confirm current details with the vendor.
Acuity Scheduling is an online appointment scheduling tool with customisable booking pages, automated reminders, intake forms, and calendar syncing, now part of Squarespace.
How accounting firms use it
It suits firms whose consultations are a product rather than a courtesy. Where a practice sells a paid advisory session or an initial consultation, taking payment at booking and collecting context beforehand changes the economics: no-shows drop, invoicing disappears, and the meeting starts with the accountant already informed.
Firms configure appointment types for each service, with distinct durations, availability, staff assignment, and forms. Clients choose the service, pick a preferred staff member, complete the form, and pay in one flow.
Key features
Booking pages are branded to the firm, with appointment types carrying their own duration, buffer, availability window, and pricing.
Intake forms collect information at booking, with responses attached to the appointment so the meeting starts with context rather than discovery.
Payment collection runs through Stripe, PayPal, or Square, taking full payment or deposits. Automated email and SMS reminders reduce missed appointments, and calendar sync covers Google, Outlook, and iCloud with video conferencing links generated automatically.
Who it’s best for
Firms offering paid consultations or advisory sessions, and those wanting a branded booking experience with information gathered upfront.
Calendly is the main competitor and simpler where scheduling is straightforward and unpaid. Firms whose practice management already includes scheduling — TaxDome or Canopy — should check that before adding a separate subscription.
Acuity Scheduling FAQ
- Can clients pay when they book?
- Yes, through Stripe, PayPal, or Square, taking full payment or a deposit at booking. This is the main reason firms choose it over lighter scheduling tools — for paid advisory or consultation sessions, collecting at booking removes both the invoicing step and the no-show risk that comes with unpaid appointments.
- What are intake forms used for?
- Collecting information before the meeting — entity type, the issue to be discussed, prior year details. For an initial consultation that means the firm arrives prepared rather than spending the first fifteen minutes on background, which materially changes how much can be covered.
- How does it compare to Calendly?
- Calendly is simpler and quicker to configure, optimised for booking a meeting with minimum friction. Acuity offers more customisation, intake forms, payment collection, and branded booking pages. Firms whose scheduling is straightforward usually prefer Calendly; those selling consultations or needing information upfront need Acuity.
- Is it still part of Squarespace?
- Yes, it was acquired by Squarespace and continues as a standalone product. Firms using Squarespace for their website get closer integration, though it works independently of that.
Acuity Scheduling Alternatives
Other scheduling tools for accounting firms, ordered by how much of Acuity Scheduling's functionality they cover.
Calendly
Scheduling automation platform that eliminates back-and-forth emails. Accounting firms use it for client and prospect meetings.