Acuity scheduling alternative for modern booking
Cicini vs Acuity Scheduling — a modern booking experience with SMS reminders, automation, and payments built in, without Squarespace lock-in.
30-day free trial on paid plans · Free plan at $0 • Cancel anytime
Choosing the right booking platform
Acuity Scheduling, now a Squarespace company, is a well-established booking tool known for flexible appointment types and detailed intake forms. If you already live inside Squarespace and your needs are mostly intake-heavy solo scheduling, it does the job.
Cicini is a modern Acuity Scheduling alternative built for service businesses that run a whole operation, not just a calendar. SMS reminders, automated workflows, Stripe payments, and multi-staff scheduling are part of the platform — and you can start free, with no credit card and a 30-day trial, rather than a short trial and no free plan.
How Cicini and Acuity Scheduling differ
Acuity centers on the booking form. It captures appointments and intake details well, but several of the features small teams treat as essential — SMS text reminders, packages, more calendars — live behind higher-priced tiers. A common complaint is feeling nickel-and-dimed to unlock the basics.
Cicini centers on the operation. Online booking, email reminders, branded booking pages, Google outbound calendar sync (beta), and automation work together out of the box, with SMS reminders and full-price Stripe checkout on paid plans. You manage multiple staff and services from one system instead of upgrading tiers to reach parity.
And because Cicini is independent, your scheduling is never tied to a Squarespace subscription. You keep your booking system separate from whatever website builder you use.
The difference isn't quality — it's how much of the operation is included, and at what price.
Feature-by-feature comparison
| Capability | Cicini | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Online appointment booking | ||
| Customizable intake forms | On roadmap | Yes — a core strength |
| Free plan | Yes — $0/mo forever | No — paid plans only |
| Free trial | 30 days, no credit card | Short trial |
| SMS text reminders | Yes — on paid plans | Higher-tier plans only |
| Email reminders | Yes — all plans | |
| Automated workflows | Yes — built in | Limited — relies on integrations |
| Payments & deposits at booking | Full/deposit Stripe + gift cards (paid plans) — packages/memberships on roadmap | Yes — payments supported |
| Multi-staff scheduling | Yes — role-based availability | Calendar count gated by plan |
| Multi-location support | On roadmap | Limited |
| Calendar sync | Google sync + FreeBusy busy-block (beta) — Outlook/Apple on roadmap | Google / Outlook on paid plans |
| Waitlist management | On roadmap | Limited |
| API access | API keys + webhooks (Pro+) — limited quotas on Pro | Limited |
| Branded / embeddable booking pages | Branded page live; iframe embed on roadmap | Yes |
| Independent of website builder | Owned by Squarespace | |
| Client profiles and notes | Yes — full client history | Basic |
| HIPAA compliance support | HIPAA-compliant security · BAA / Health tier on Enterprise roadmap | Higher-tier plans only |
Acuity plans and feature availability change over time — always confirm current details on their pricing page.
When businesses choose Cicini over Acuity
When businesses choose Cicini over Acuity
- They want SMS reminders and automation included on paid plans, not gated behind the top tier
- They want to start on a real free plan with no credit card and a 30-day trial
- They run multiple staff, services, or locations and need scheduling that scales without per-calendar upgrades
- They want full-price Stripe checkout at booking (deposits and packages on roadmap)
- They'd rather not tie their scheduling to the Squarespace ecosystem
- They've felt nickel-and-dimed for features they consider essential
See everything Cicini includes on the appointment scheduling features page, or compare plans on transparent pricing.
Switching from Acuity Scheduling
Switching from Acuity Scheduling
You can run a 30-day free trial alongside Acuity before you switch, and our team helps with every step of the migration.
Get migration supportBetter value, built to grow with you
Better value, built to grow with you
Whether you run a single calendar or a multi-location team, Cicini is designed to grow with you — including for wellness scheduling and other appointment-based businesses.
Compare plans and pricingCicini vs Acuity Scheduling: frequently asked questions
Clear answers about booking, clinic workflows, pricing, and getting started with Cicini.
Ask us a questionCicini product specialist
Here to help with your questions
Still have questions?
Tell us about your clinic and the workflow you want to simplify. We'll help you understand whether Cicini is a good fit.
Contact our teamFrequently asked questions
Is Cicini a good Acuity Scheduling alternative?
Yes. Cicini is a strong Acuity Scheduling alternative for service businesses that want modern booking with SMS reminders, automated workflows, payments, and staff scheduling in one platform. Unlike Acuity, Cicini offers a free plan with no credit card required and a 30-day free trial, so you can evaluate the full product before paying.
How does Cicini pricing compare to Acuity Scheduling?
Cicini has a Free plan at $0/mo, Starter at $19/mo, Professional at $49/mo, and a custom Enterprise tier. Acuity has no free plan and starts with a short trial, with paid tiers that gate features like SMS reminders behind higher plans. Cicini includes automated reminders and automation across paid plans, so you pay less to get more of what running a booking business actually requires.
Does Cicini include SMS reminders like Acuity?
Yes. Cicini includes email reminders on every plan and SMS reminders on paid plans, so you can cut no-shows without juggling add-ons. With Acuity, SMS text reminders require a higher-tier plan, which pushes solo operators and small teams to upgrade for a feature many consider essential.
Do I need a Squarespace account to use Cicini?
No. Cicini is fully independent — you do not need a Squarespace website or subscription to run your booking pages, calendars, payments, or automation. Acuity is owned by Squarespace and billed through it, which can tie your scheduling into that ecosystem. With Cicini you keep your booking system separate from whatever website builder you use.
How hard is it to switch from Acuity Scheduling to Cicini?
Switching is straightforward. You recreate your appointment types and availability, connect Google Calendar sync (beta), set up staff schedules, and publish your branded booking page — usually in an afternoon. Our support team helps you migrate from Acuity Scheduling without downtime, and you can run a 30-day free trial in parallel before you flip the switch.
Does Cicini support payments at booking?
Cicini connects to Stripe for full-price checkout at booking on paid plans. Deposits and packages are on the roadmap. Prepayment at booking helps reduce no-shows today; per-service deposit rules are planned.
Does Cicini offer HIPAA-compliant security for clinics and wellness practices?
Cicini uses HIPAA-compliant security practices on the platform. A signed Business Associate Agreement (BAA) and Health compliance tier are on our Enterprise roadmap — not available on Free, Starter, or Professional plans today. Acuity also gates a formal BAA to higher tiers. If your practice needs a BAA for protected health information, contact us via /demo to discuss Enterprise planning.
See the difference in practice
Start a free trial or book a demo to see how Cicini compares with Acuity Scheduling for real-world booking, payments, and automation.
30-day free trial on paid plans · Free plan at $0 • Cancel anytime