Yes, Acuity Scheduling has a waitlist feature — but it only covers one-on-one appointments, not group classes. Acuity's native waitlist lets clients join a queue when an appointment slot is full and automatically texts them when that exact time opens up. For studio and class-based businesses, that leaves a real gap: there is still no built-in waitlist for group classes in Acuity in 2026. That is where an add-on like Aculio comes in.
Does Acuity Scheduling Have a Waitlist Feature?
Acuity Scheduling does have an appointment waitlist, available on the Standard/Growing and Premium/Powerhouse plans with SMS enabled. When a client wants a time that is already booked, they can click Join waitlist on your scheduling page, choose their preferred date and time (or a window up to 14 days out), and receive an automatic text message the moment that appointment opens up after a cancellation or reschedule.
- One-on-one appointments: Yes, fully supported with automatic text alerts.
- Group classes: No. Acuity's help center states the waitlist button appears "for all appointment types except classes."
- How clients are notified: A text message with a direct booking link goes out when a matching spot opens.
Does the Acuity Waitlist Work for Group Classes?
No. Acuity's own documentation is explicit that class-based waitlists are not available: the waitlist feature is currently limited to one-on-one appointments, and Acuity has described class waitlist support as "not yet" available. If you run yoga, fitness, workshop, or other class-based sessions, the native feature simply will not help you fill a full-class cancellation.
That is exactly the problem Aculio solves. Aculio adds a true class waitlist layer on top of Acuity: clients join through your existing Acuity booking flow, and when a class seat opens, everyone on that class waitlist gets an instant SMS alert with a reservation link.
| Capability | Native Acuity Waitlist | Acuity + Aculio |
|---|---|---|
| One-on-one appointments | Supported | Supported |
| Group classes | Not available | Supported |
| Automatic SMS seat-open alerts | 1-on-1 only | Classes + appointments |
| Reply-aware follow-up | No | Yes (YES / CANCEL / LATE) |
| Two-way replies inbox | No | Yes |
How Do Clients Join an Acuity Waitlist?
With the native feature, the flow is simple: a client picks an appointment type that is fully booked, clicks Join waitlist, selects their preferred date and time, and confirms their details. When that slot is canceled or rescheduled, Acuity texts the matching waitlisted clients a booking link, and the first to complete the booking secures the spot. With Aculio for classes, the experience mirrors this: clients book one dedicated Acuity waitlist-intake service, Aculio maps the intake booking to the correct class waitlist, and seat-open SMS alerts fire automatically.
The Practical Workaround for Class Waitlists in 2026
Because Acuity does not offer class waitlists natively, studio owners in 2026 use Aculio to bridge the gap. Set it up by connecting your Acuity account, creating one waitlist-intake appointment service, and letting Aculio convert those bookings into automated class waitlists. When a cancellation frees a seat, Aculio broadcasts the reopen alert to everyone waiting and keeps the queue visible in your dashboard. This recovers revenue from full classes that would otherwise end with an empty seat. See how the Aculio group class waitlist works, or combine it with Acuity SMS automation for no-show prevention and two-way messaging.
Start Your Free Trial
Ready to add class waitlists to Acuity? Start a 14-day free trial of Aculio, connect Acuity, and set up your first class waitlist in minutes — no credit card required. Review Aculio pricing to pick a plan that scales with your class volume.