ShareAvailability vs Acuity Scheduling
Client appointment booking versus pasteable free times for conversational scheduling.
Acuity Scheduling (a Squarespace product) is an online appointment scheduler used by many service businesses: clients pick a service and book a time through a booking page, with confirmations and calendar sync as part of that product category.
ShareAvailability is not an appointments platform. It helps you copy free times from Google Calendar into an email or chat when you want a human back-and-forth instead of a client booking flow.
Acuity is built for appointment-based businesses that want clients to book services online. ShareAvailability is built for pasting free times into messages — not running a booking storefront.
Side-by-side
| Feature | ShareAvailability | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Primary use | Share free times as text | Client self-booking for appointments/services |
| Recipient experience | Reads your message | Uses a booking page to reserve a slot |
| Service menus / packages | Not part of the product | Common in appointment platforms like Acuity |
| Google Calendar | Read-oriented free/busy for text output | Typically syncs to keep bookable inventory accurate |
| Best fit | Ad-hoc professional conversations | Studios, consultants, and shops taking inbound appointments |
| Price (high level) | Free core product | Paid scheduling product — see Squarespace/Acuity for current plans |
When ShareAvailability fits
- You are not taking public appointment inventory — just answering when you are free.
- A client or contact is already in email/Slack and a booking page feels heavy.
- You want a free tool focused only on availability text.
When Acuity Scheduling fits better
- Clients need to book defined services with durations and buffers.
- You want intake forms, reminders, or payment tied to booking.
- You are running an appointments business on Acuity/Squarespace.
Frequently asked questions
Is ShareAvailability an Acuity alternative?
Not for appointment commerce. It is an alternative to typing free times by hand, and to sending a booking link when you only needed to share openings.
Can I use ShareAvailability with Acuity clients?
You could still paste free times for a custom follow-up, but Acuity remains the better system of record if clients should self-book a service.
Does ShareAvailability take payments or deposits?
No. It only helps you generate availability text from Google Calendar.
Which should freelancers use?
If you sell bookable sessions at scale, an appointments product fits. If most scheduling is threaded negotiation, plain-text availability may be enough.
Just need pasteable free times?
Connect Google Calendar, generate plain text, paste anywhere. The other person does not need a link or account.
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