GudCalGudCal
Free Acuity Scheduling Alternative

The Free, Open-Source Acuity Scheduling Alternative

Acuity Scheduling (by Squarespace) is a reliable appointment tool built for service businesses. GudCal offers the same core features with open source, AI agents, and zero monthly costs.

Get Started FreeSelf-Host GudCal

What Acuity Scheduling Does Well

We respect what Acuity Scheduling has built. Here's where they shine.

Excellent appointment scheduling with intake forms, packages, and gift certificates
Deep Squarespace integration for website owners already on the platform
Built-in payment processing with Stripe and Square support
Client self-scheduling with automatic timezone detection and reminders
HIPAA compliance option for healthcare providers on higher tiers
Customizable booking pages with branding and custom CSS support

Where GudCal Goes Further

Acuity Scheduling is great, but here's what you get with GudCal.

Completely Free

No 7-day trial, no credit card required. 3 event types, unlimited bookings, and calendar sync at no cost.

AI Agent Ready

Built-in MCP server lets AI agents discover your availability and book meetings autonomously.

Open Source (GPL-3.0)

Full source code on GitHub. Audit it, modify it, self-host it. You own your scheduling infrastructure.

Self-Hostable

Deploy on your own servers with Docker. Full control over your data — perfect for compliance requirements.

Team Scheduling

Round-robin, collective scheduling, and organizations built in. Not locked behind enterprise tiers.

Developer-First

REST API, webhooks, and TypeScript SDK. Build custom workflows and integrations with ease.

Common Acuity Scheduling Limitations

  • No free tier — plans start at $20/month (billed annually) after the trial expires
  • Owned by Squarespace — tightly coupled to their ecosystem
  • No self-hosting option — all data stored on Squarespace servers
  • No AI agent or MCP integration — designed purely for human-driven scheduling
  • Closed source — no ability to audit, customize, or extend the platform
  • Limited API compared to developer-focused scheduling tools
  • No team scheduling features like round-robin or collective availability

Feature Comparison

FeatureAcuity SchedulingGudCal
Free tier7-day trialFree forever
Starting price$20/month$0
Unlimited bookings
Calendar sync
Payment processing
Custom booking pages
Open source
Self-hostable
MCP / AI agent support
REST APIBasicFull
Team scheduling
WebhooksLimited
HIPAA compliancePaidSelf-host

Ready to Try GudCal?

Free to use, open source, and self-hostable. No credit card required.

Start Scheduling FreeView Source