SBM Portal vs Acuity Scheduling
A detailed comparison of two popular appointment booking platforms for service businesses.
Overview
Both SBM Portal and Acuity Scheduling help service businesses manage appointments online. But they target very different audiences and offer different levels of functionality. Here's how they compare.
Feature Comparison
| Feature | SBM Portal | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|
| Online booking | Yes | Yes |
| Invoicing & payments | Built-in (Stripe + Interac) | Stripe or Square only |
| SMS reminders | Included on Growing plan | Paid add-on |
| Multi-industry support | All service businesses | Mostly fitness and wellness |
| Multi-branch | Yes | No |
| Loyalty discounts | Auto-applied | No |
| Staff scheduling | Yes | Yes |
| Customer database | Full profiles with history | Basic client profiles |
| Reports & analytics | Revenue, busy days, popular services | Basic reporting |
| Pricing (CAD) | $29–$99/mo | $16–$49 USD/mo (~$22–$67 CAD) |
| Free trial | 14 days, no credit card | 14 days |
When to Choose SBM Portal
- You need invoicing and payments in the same platform
- You run an auto repair shop, salon, or multi-service business
- You want SMS reminders included without paying extra
- You manage multiple locations or branches
- You want to offer loyalty discounts automatically
When to Choose Acuity
- You're a solo practitioner (yoga instructor, personal trainer)
- You already use Squarespace for your website
- You only need basic scheduling without invoicing
- You don't need SMS reminders
The Bottom Line
Acuity Scheduling is a solid choice for solo service providers who need basic scheduling. But if you run a real business with multiple staff, need invoicing, want SMS reminders, and manage more than one location, SBM Portal gives you everything in one platform — at a competitive price in CAD.