Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Microsoft Bookings VS Acuity Scheduling

Compare Microsoft Bookings VS Acuity Scheduling and see what are their differences

Microsoft Bookings logo Microsoft Bookings

Microsoft Bookings brings online appointment scheduling to your customers, and brings booking software to any size business. Manage appointments right from the Bookings app.

Acuity Scheduling logo Acuity Scheduling

Automate your client bookings, cancellations, reminders & payments using the worlds friendliest online scheduling software.
  • Microsoft Bookings Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-03
  • Acuity Scheduling Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-08-29

Meet the personal assistant for your schedule (only better) that works 24/7 behind the scenes to fill your calendar and take work off your plate. From the moment clients book with you, Acuity is there to automatically send branded & customized booking confirmations, deliver text reminders, let clients reschedule on their own, and process payments so your day-to-day runs smoother even as business get busier. All you need to do is show up at the right time.

A responsive scheduling page means that clients can book appointments from their desktop, tablet, or phone. You can also manage appointments directly from your desktop, tablet, or phone too.

Join the thousands of businesses who have booked millions of appointments already through Acuity Scheduling!

Microsoft Bookings features and specs

  • Integration with Microsoft 365
    Microsoft Bookings seamlessly integrates with other Microsoft 365 tools, such as Outlook and Teams, allowing for efficient scheduling and communication within the Microsoft ecosystem.
  • Ease of Use
    The user interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, making it accessible for users with varying levels of technical expertise.
  • Customizable Scheduling Options
    Bookings offers a high degree of customization, allowing businesses to set specific hours of availability, buffer times between appointments, and custom booking forms.
  • Automated Notifications
    Automated notifications and reminders can be sent to both staff and clients, reducing the likelihood of missed appointments.
  • Mobile Access
    The app provides a mobile version that allows users to manage their bookings on the go, enhancing flexibility and responsiveness.
  • Multi-Calendar Support
    Bookings supports multiple calendars, making it ideal for teams and businesses that need to manage multiple schedules simultaneously.

Possible disadvantages of Microsoft Bookings

  • Cost
    Microsoft Bookings requires a subscription to Microsoft 365 Business, which could be a disadvantage for small businesses with limited budgets.
  • Limited Third-Party Integrations
    While it integrates well within the Microsoft ecosystem, it lacks extensive third-party integrations compared to competitors like Google Calendar or Calendly.
  • Learning Curve for Advanced Features
    While basic features are easy to use, mastering advanced customization options may require some time and effort.
  • Geographical Restrictions
    Certain features and functionalities may be limited or unavailable in some regions, potentially restricting global operations.
  • Dependence on Internet Connection
    Like most cloud-based solutions, it requires a reliable internet connection to access and manage bookings, which could be a limitation in areas with poor connectivity.

Acuity Scheduling features and specs

  • Free Trial
  • Analytics and Reporting
  • Integrations
  • Mobile prioritized UI
  • Easy to Set-up and use

Analysis of Microsoft Bookings

Overall verdict

  • Overall, Microsoft Bookings is a robust scheduling tool for businesses that are already embedded in the Microsoft ecosystem or those looking for a straightforward, reliable solution to manage appointments and bookings efficiently. While it might lack some advanced features that specialized booking software offers, its integration capabilities provide significant value.

Why this product is good

  • Microsoft Bookings is a cloud-based scheduling tool that is part of the Microsoft Office 365 suite. It's designed to simplify the process of booking and managing appointments for small businesses and service providers. One key advantage is its integration with other Microsoft products like Outlook and Microsoft Teams, which facilitates seamless calendar management. Additionally, it offers automatic email notifications and reminders, reducing the chances of no-shows and last-minute cancellations. Its ease of use and accessibility from any device with internet access adds to its appeal, especially for businesses that need a reliable and flexible booking system.

Recommended for

    Microsoft Bookings is particularly well-suited for small to medium-sized service-based businesses, such as gyms, salons, law firms, healthcare providers, and consultants who need a simple, integrated tool to manage client appointments. It's also ideal for organizations already using Microsoft 365, benefiting from seamless integration across their existing tools.

Analysis of Acuity Scheduling

Overall verdict

  • Acuity Scheduling is highly recommended for those looking for a dependable and efficient scheduling solution. Its range of features caters to various needs, from small businesses to larger enterprises.

Why this product is good

  • Acuity Scheduling is considered a good scheduling tool because it offers a user-friendly interface, robust feature set, and seamless integration capabilities. It allows businesses and individuals to automate appointment bookings, manage schedules efficiently, and reduce no-show rates with automatic reminders. Additionally, it integrates with popular calendar and payment systems, which streamlines administrative tasks.

Recommended for

  • Small to medium-sized businesses
  • Freelancers
  • Consultants
  • Healthcare providers
  • Therapists
  • Coaching professionals
  • Any service-based industry needing to manage appointments

Microsoft Bookings videos

How to use Microsoft Bookings

More videos:

  • Review - Microsoft Bookings Review
  • Review - Microsoft Bookings - Getting started

Acuity Scheduling videos

Acuity Scheduling Review and Walkthrough - Why I

More videos:

  • Review - Acuity Scheduling V Schedule Once V Calendly
  • Review - Acuity Scheduling Beginner Introduction 2019

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Microsoft Bookings and Acuity Scheduling)
Appointments and Scheduling
Appointment Scheduling
Event Scheduling
100 100%
0% 0
Appointment Booking
0 0%
100% 100

User comments

Share your experience with using Microsoft Bookings and Acuity Scheduling. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Microsoft Bookings and Acuity Scheduling

Microsoft Bookings Reviews

We have no reviews of Microsoft Bookings yet.
Be the first one to post

Acuity Scheduling Reviews

The Best 24 Appointment Scheduling Apps and Booking Software
Acuity Scheduling makes it easy to book appointments with clients and prospects. It’s an online assistant where prospects, customers, and clients can see your real-time availability and book their own appointments. The tool allows you to send customized confirmations that reflect your branding. And you can send appointment reminders and follow-up messages by email or text.
The Best Alternatives to Doodle That You Should Check Out
One drawback is having to add available time slots by hand, making Acuity Scheduling time-consuming.
Source: trafft.com
The 6 Best Calendly Alternatives in 2022 (Free & Paid Options)
Service-based businesses need more than a scheduling app — they need something like Acuity Scheduling that lets customers book appointments and pay for services at the same time.
10 Zenoti Alternatives 2020 | Salon & Spa Scheduling Software
Acuity Scheduling enables the prompt visualization of real-time availability and an easy method for scheduling appointments. The major feature is the calendar coordination. Acuity Scheduling sends notifications about scheduling the appointments; hence, it assures that you don’t miss any. The customers can book the appointments with you without leaving the website or the...
Best Salon Software 2020: The Ultimate Guide
There are several reasons why you may not want to go for an All-in-One Salon Software and instead choose an Appointment Software (like Square Appointments or Acuity Scheduling) + specialized tools.

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Acuity Scheduling seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 6 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Microsoft Bookings mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Microsoft Bookings yet. Tracking of Microsoft Bookings recommendations started around Mar 2021.

Acuity Scheduling mentions (6)

  • Booking appointments online with payment processing
    I love (acuityscheduling.com). All the best to you. If you need a website please reach out. All the best to you!! (proquestdigital.com). Source: almost 2 years ago
  • Recommendations for online scheduling app for a one-man tutoring business
    Have you checked acuity? https://acuityscheduling.com seems to be very popular and simple to use. Source: about 3 years ago
  • Need help finding a scheduling platform for my online kids classes business. what do you use?
    In my search, I stumbled upon https://acuityscheduling.com and it seems to check the boxes (wihtout havign actually tried their demo yet) but it is definitely more expensive than corsizio and I wonder if I need everything it can do. Do any of you have any experience with Acuity Scheduling? Would it be a good fit for my small business or is there something better? Source: about 3 years ago
  • What do you use to help with interview booking availability?
    Acuity scheduling does what you're asking https://acuityscheduling.com. Source: over 3 years ago
  • [question] is there an app for scheduling someone else?
    Acuity or Calendly would also let you do this. People normally use these sites to allow their clients to schedule meetings or classes, but you could certainly set up a calendar for your boss where you are the only "client" — you're the only person who schedules meetings. It's a bit more complicated than the Google Calendar option, but it might give you what you want. I'm a professional leadership and executive... Source: over 3 years ago
View more

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Microsoft Bookings and Acuity Scheduling, you can also consider the following products

Calendly - Say goodbye to phone and email tag for finding the perfect meeting time with Calendly. It's 100% free, super easy to use and you'll love our customer service.

ManageEngine RecoveryManager Plus - RecoveryManager Plus is one such enterprise backup solution which has the ability to easily backup and restores both the domain controllers and virtual machines.

YouCanBookMe - Give your clients a better booking experience Stand out from your competitors with a completely customized scheduling experience that simply works. Create your free booking page! No credit card required. Free forever. Upgrade anytime.

Heroku Enterprise - Heroku Enterprise is a flexible IT management for developers that lets them build apps using their preferred languages and tools like Ruby, Java, Python and Node.

Doodle - Make meetings happen. With Doodle, scheduling becomes quick and easy.

Appointy - Appointy is an advanced web-based scheduling software tool.