operate1 vs Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Emerging is $16/mo for one calendar; Powerhouse with HIPAA is $49/mo. operate1 Pro is $19/mo flat for the whole account. We do not offer HIPAA at any tier and we hold no BAA, because it is a United States statute covering specific health plans and providers. Plus you skip the Squarespace billing-and-redesign drama Trustpilot reviewers keep flagging.
Try operate1 freePricing comparison
operate1
$19/month flat
All features included, whole account
Acuity Scheduling
$16-49/month + tier upgrades
Varies by plan, as the vendor publishes it
operate1 is priced in US dollars, flat for the whole account. Acuity Scheduling publishes in the currency shown above, before any local tax. Where the currencies differ, convert at the rate on the day before you compare the totals.
Feature comparison
| Feature | operate1 | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Entry paid tier | $19/mo flat (Pro) | $16/mo annual (Emerging, 1 calendar) |
| Multi-calendar / staff | Unlimited on Pro | 6 calendars at $27 (Growing), 36 at $49 (Powerhouse) |
| HIPAA compliance | Not offered, and no BAA. We build consent, retention and deletion mechanisms instead | Powerhouse only ($49/mo) |
| Session packages and gift certificates | Built-in on Pro | Gated to higher tiers |
| Built-in client CRM | Yes: profile, notes, history, tags | Client list only |
| Branded micro-website | Included on Pro | Lives inside Squarespace site builder |
| Payment commission | Zero on every plan | Stripe processing fees only |
| Pricing model | Flat per account | Per account, escalating by calendar count |
TL;DR: which should you choose?
Choose operate1 if you…
- You want a single flat price for the entire team instead of climbing the Emerging-Growing-Powerhouse ladder
- You want a built-in CRM with client history and tags, not just a list of past appointments
- You sell session packages or memberships and don't want them gated to a higher Acuity tier
- You're tired of the Squarespace billing complaints on Trustpilot: recurring charges after cancel, export crashes, the post-acquisition UI redesign
- You want a branded booking page that doesn't require also paying for Squarespace
Choose Acuity Scheduling if you…
- You already run your business inside Squarespace and the bundle pricing makes sense
- You need HIPAA and a signed BAA, which operate1 does not offer on any tier
- You have one provider with one calendar and Emerging at $16/mo annual is genuinely enough
- You depend on Acuity-specific Squarespace integrations like the storefront product feed
How to switch from Acuity Scheduling to operate1
Sign up for operate1
Create your account and set your working hours and buffers. Two minutes. Calendar sync is not built, so availability lives in operate1 for now.
Recreate your appointment types and packages
Copy your service durations, intake questions, and any 4-pack or 8-pack package math. operate1's package primitive handles auto-deduction with discount math out of the box.
Update the booking link on your website
Replace the Acuity embed or link with operate1.com/p/yourname. If you're moving off Squarespace too, point your custom domain at the operate1 micro-site.
Cancel Acuity carefully
Trustpilot has multiple reports of recurring billing continuing after cancel. Ask for written confirmation, screenshot it, and dispute through Squarespace billing if needed. Source: trustpilot.com/review/acuityscheduling.com.
Frequently asked questions
Acuity has been around forever. Isn't operate1 too new to bet on?+
Acuity's age is also why Trustpilot reviews keep surfacing the post-Squarespace-acquisition UI redesign and recurring-billing complaints. operate1 is newer but flat-priced at $19/mo and ships continuously. The 14-day free trial removes the trial-quality risk before any money moves, and monthly billing with cancel-any-month caps the bet-on-a-new-vendor risk at one month.
Does operate1 have HIPAA compliance like Acuity Powerhouse?+
No, and we do not plan to. Acuity gates HIPAA to Powerhouse at $49/mo. operate1 makes no HIPAA claim on any tier and holds no BAA, because HIPAA is a United States statute covering specific health plans and providers, and most independent practices sit outside it. What we build instead are the mechanisms every privacy regime asks for: consent capture, a retention clock, a deletion log, and an audit trail. If you bill United States insurance or your clients require a BAA, Acuity Powerhouse is the right fit.
Can I sell session packages on operate1 the way I do on Acuity?+
Yes. operate1 has a packages primitive on Pro: define a 4-pack or 8-pack with auto-deduction, expiry windows, and a percentage discount. Clients can buy packages on the booking page, balance shows in their CRM record. Acuity gates packages to higher tiers; operate1 includes them on the $19/mo Pro tier.
What about gift certificates?+
operate1 supports gift-certificate-style pre-paid balances via the package primitive on Pro. The booking page displays available balance per client. If you need a separate gift-certificate product type with codes, that's a Phase 6 line-item. Talk to us if it's a hard requirement before you switch.
I'm worried about getting stuck in another billing system after the Acuity-Squarespace mess+
Two things. First, billing is monthly with self-serve cancellation: cancel in the app any month, no retention call, and the next charge simply never happens. Second, you can export your operate1 data at /account/data-export anytime. We don't need to lock you in because flat pricing is the moat. There's no per-seat surprise to walk you up.
How does pricing work as my practice grows past one calendar?+
It doesn't change. operate1 Pro at $19/mo is one price for the whole account, however many providers you add. Acuity moves you from Emerging at $16 to Growing at $27 (6 calendars) to Powerhouse at $49 (36 calendars). A 4-provider practice sits on Acuity Growing at $27/mo; operate1 stays at $19/mo, or $190 a year for the whole account, with the CRM, packages, and micro-site bundled in. You stop paying more as you grow.
Other tools people weigh against Acuity Scheduling
Each page below sets out the same feature grid, the price of both tools for a real team size, and the cases where the other tool is the better answer.