Collect payments for appointments using Stripe, Square, or PayPal.
To accept payments through Acuity, you need to first connect at least one payment processor. You can connect to Stripe, Square, or PayPal.
This guide explains the differences between the three processors. After choosing a payment processor, connect it to your Acuity account.
Before you begin
- Payment processors in Acuity are separate from Squarespace Commerce payment processors.
- Payment processors are a third-party service. You need to create an account with one of them and agree to their terms and conditions before connecting to Acuity. Squarespace Payments is currently not available for Acuity customers.
- You can manage your account and preferences for your payment processor through their online portal or mobile app.
Payment processor features
Each payment processor has different features:
|
Payment feature |
Stripe |
Square |
PayPal |
|
Pay on scheduler |
Yes |
Yes |
No (redirected to PayPal.com) |
|
Pay after booking |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Accept tips |
Yes |
Yes |
Yes** |
|
Offer subscriptions |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Vault cards for later |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
|
Use a card reader |
No |
Yes* |
No |
|
Collect payments in person |
Yes |
Yes |
No |
* You can only use card readers with the Acuity Scheduling Admin mobile app and if your business is in the United States. To learn more, visit Accepting Acuity payments in person with Square.
** It’s only possible to accept tips through PayPal if you’re using the new scheduler.
Stripe
Stripe offers these features:
- Clients pay directly on your scheduler.
- You can collect the remaining amount owed on appointments after booking.
- You can store client card information to charge later.
- Clients can buy subscriptions from you.
- You can accept tips.
- Collect payments for appointments in person using Stripe with the Acuity Scheduling Admin mobile app. It’s not possible to use a card reader to do this.
- Strong Customer Authentication (SCA) is automatically enabled for all Acuity payments made through Stripe. To learn more, visit Strong Customer Authentication (SCA).
Accepted payment methods
- Visa
- MasterCard
- American Express
- Discover (US merchants only)
- Diner's Club
- JCB
Processing fees
Stripe’s processing fees vary by country. Visit Stripe’s documentation for details:
If you don’t see your country listed above, contact Stripe for help.
Note: When using Stripe, most currencies, including the United States dollar, the British pound, and the euro, have a minimum charge amount of .50. Charges of .49 or less won't be processed. A handful of currencies have a higher minimum charge. The maximum amount for all currencies is 999,999.99.
Google Pay
If you connect to Stripe and are using our new scheduler, clients who have enabled Google Pay will have the option to use it to pay for appointments. By using Google Pay they can use an already-saved card and take advantage of Google's security infrastructure.
Google Pay is enabled as soon as you connect to Stripe and can't be separately disabled. The availability of Google Pay depends on your client's device and browser settings. It's not possible for clients to use Google's tap-to-pay feature or use Google Pay to pay for packages, gift certificates, or subscriptions.
Square
Square offers these features:
- Clients pay directly on your scheduler.
- You can collect the remaining amount owed on appointments after booking.
- You can store client card information to charge later.
- Clients can buy subscriptions from you.
- You can accept tips.
- If you're in the United States, you can use Square hardware to accept card swipes or taps in person with the Acuity Scheduling Admin mobile app. It's not possible to use Acuity with the Squarespace point of sale device.
Accepted payment methods
- Visa
- Mastercard
- American Express
- Discover
- Discover Diners
- JCB
- UnionPay International
Square’s processing fees vary based on how the payment is made.
PayPal
PayPal offers these features:
- Clients are redirected to PayPal to pay, then redirected back to your scheduler after payment.
- You can accept deposits on appointments, but any payments after booking, including the remaining cost of appointments with deposits, can’t be handled through the PayPal integration.
- You can accept tips if you're using our new scheduler. If you aren’t on the new scheduler, you can accept tips by connecting PayPal in combination with Stripe or Square, but clients will only have the option to leave a tip if they choose Stripe or Square.
Accepted payment methods
- Bank account
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Discover
- American Express
- PayPal account balance
Visit PayPal’s documentation to learn more about their processing fees.
Using multiple payment processors
You can connect PayPal with either Stripe or Square, though Stripe and Square can't be connected at the same time. When you connect multiple processors, keep in mind:
- It's not possible to specify which payment processor clients use for individual appointment types.
- If you have options enabled that PayPal can't support, these options are only offered if the client chooses the other processor you offer.
- It's not possible to connect to more than one account for each payment processor.
- It's not possible to split payments between multiple payment processor accounts.
- If you combine PayPal with another processor, you won’t have the option to vault cards.
Acuity processing fees
For almost all users, Acuity doesn’t charge any additional fees when you collect payment, but Stripe, Square, and PayPal have their own fees. A few users with legacy pricing pay a small fee when they sell subscriptions with Acuity.
Data sent to payment processors
The payment processor of your choice may request more information to process a transaction. We may send the following information on your behalf at the request of the payment processor.
- Full name on payment card
- Expiration date of payment card
- Billing zip/postal code associated with the payment card
- Charges for the appointment
- Appointment date and time
- Appointment ID
Gift cards
You can sell Acuity gift certificates, and clients can redeem them when booking appointments. It's not possible to use gift cards issued by your payment processor to pay for transactions in Acuity.