Top 6 Calendly Alternatives in 2023
A scheduling app, e.g. Calendly, is a cloud-based scheduling software with either a completely free version or a paid plan that allows people to create events, and share custom meeting links, which can be used to schedule appointments or organise group and one on one meetings.
Overview
- What is Calendly?
- What Should You Consider When Choosing Appointment Scheduling Software?
- Top 6 Calendly Alternatives for 2023
- Calday
- Acuity Scheduling
- Doodle
- OnceHub
- SimplyBook.me
- Google Calendar
You can be a small business owner or a manager of sales teams in a big company, but when you're looking for scheduling software, you think about its costs, if it works with the other tools you're already using, and whether you can customize it. You also have to consider a specific industry and what app features should be a priority.
If you don't have enough time to review all apps described below, we have a little spoiler - Calday is the best alternative to Calendly.
Here is quick comparison...
What is Calendly?
Calendly is a scheduling software that simplifies scheduling by automating the meeting lifecycle. Although it allows users to create a personalized scheduling page, it may not be the best fit for solopreneurs and small businesses with a limited budget due to its limited customization options and relatively expensive pricing, especially for larger teams.
Calendly is pretty popular for scheduling appointments, but there are other options out there that let you make a booking page, coordinate group meetings, and integrate with your personal calendar with more simplicity.
What Should You Consider When Choosing Appointment Scheduling Software?
Features
Some of the critical features play a more crucial role than others. Availability preferences, meeting buffers, SMS notifications, time zone detection, and support for group bookings, such as email reminders or email scheduling, can significantly improve your performance.
Booking page
Booking pages are essential for any Calendly alternative as it navigates the process of online scheduling.
These appointment scheduling tools improve the customer experience and optimize resources through scheduling links. It gets rid of inefficient communication, and sometimes even provides custom branding, increasing satisfaction.
Integration
Ensure that the app you are using has calendar integrations with other apps, e.g. Microsoft Teams bookings through Outlook Calendar, and video conferencing platforms like Google Meet.
Recurring appointments
This is an excellent feature if you are tired of opening a mobile app each time you are scheduling appointments. Make sure that the booking app offers support if the sessions are ongoing.
Customization
Customization is extremely relevant in scheduling apps. It offers tailored solutions for small business owners.
Custom branding and optional form fields maintain a professional image while capturing relevant information. Such appointment scheduling software allows for unlimited appointments, efficient sales calls, and seamless scheduling across time zones but users have an option of choosing their style and incorporating logos.
With customization, businesses can optimize their scheduling process, while improving their brand image at the same time.
Top 6 Calendly Alternatives for 2023
calday
Acuity Scheduling
Doodle
Oncehub
simplybook.me
Google Calendar
Some other apps might be cheaper or have better interfaces for the same price. Plus, depending on what other tools you use, some managing apps might work better with your workflow and within your industry. And while Calendly lets you customize things a lot, it has limited features.
Based on the criteria above, we've prepared a list of the best Calendly alternatives that you should consider.
Calday
The best app for service-based businesses
About
Calday is a fantastic app that makes scheduling with service professionals a breeze.
What makes Calday stand out?
It is the best tool for small- and medium-sized businesses, e.g. hair salons, dancing studios, photographers, etc.
Create event templates with service prices and meeting durations, incorporate them into your custom booking page, and watch the magic happen! Clients can easily schedule appointments with just a few clicks through your link.
The use of Calday is very intuitive. No more confusion with back-and-forth emails & calls.
Calday is minimalistic, so you would not be overpowered by unnecessary features that could distract professionals from doing their work.
With this mobile app, you can easily set up meetings on a weekly or monthly basis, saving you precious time and effort. It seamlessly syncs with Google Calendar, making it even more convenient for you to manage your schedule.
One of its biggest advantages is that Calday offers both free and paid plans to suit your needs, where small businesses can get all basic functions for unlimited bookings absolutely at no cost.
With a paid version, a growing business would be able to access some key features like client notifications, multiple calendar integration options, unlimited event types (for multiple services), and business statistics.
With Calday's optional custom form fields, you can gather specific information from your clients during the booking process, streamlining your sales process and ensuring you have all the necessary details upfront.
Our personal favourite is that Calday takes security seriously. It provides a secure platform for appointment scheduling, and safeguarding your data.
With its client database feature, you can manage your clients' details easily and safely, giving them peace of mind.
Last but not least, Calday offers exceptional support. The app's user-friendly interface makes it easy to navigate, and the dedicated support team is there to assist you every step of the way.
Whether you're new to online scheduling or an experienced user, Calday is here to assist you with this scheduling journey.
To sum it all up, Calday is the go-to schedule management app for service-based businesses. Its comprehensive feature set, flexibility, and top-notch support make it the best Calendly alternative in the market - give Calday a try today!
Pros
- Personal booking page
- Unlimited number of appointments
- Effortless creation of event templates with service prices and duration
- Synchronization with all your favourite apps
- Customer notification
CONS
- Not suitable for large businesses
PRICING
The free plan offers basic functions but growing businesses can upgrade it to a premium plan for only $12/month.
Doodle
The top scheduling tool for large group meetings
About
Doodle is a popular appointment scheduling software that simplifies the process of meeting scheduling.
What features does Doodle offer?
It integrates with Google Calendar and offers a booking page for easy coordination. Doodle offers other calendar integrations, automatic reminders and automatic time zone adjustments, therefore it ensures smooth scheduling across different locations.
Doodle serves as a free Сalendly alternative that offers additional features and team scheduling functionality. It gets rid of back-and-forth emails, making it ideal for big business owners or independent workers.
It's a great choice for companies of all sizes, whether you're a solo entrepreneur or part of a sales team. You also have the option of scheduling virtual meetings.
Doodle's features include custom branding that contributes to its appeal. It supports unlimited appointments, making it suitable for businesses with multiple users.
However, paid plans of other Сalendly alternatives are worth considering if your business requires more advanced functionalities.
Pros
- Scheduling polls for multiple attendees
- No account is required for one-time scheduling
- Time zone detection
CONS
- Limited integrations
- Overly simplistic features
- Only paid versions for professionals
- Ad in free plan
PRICING
There is a basic free plan recommended for individuals. If you are the business owner, you will have to pay $15/month for a Pro plan, or $20/month for a Team plan.
Acuity Scheduling
A number-one tool for customization
About
Acuity Scheduling is a cool appointment scheduling tool that simplifies the lives of businesses.
There, you can create slick booking pages for hassle-free appointment scheduling, while managing bookings and staying organized. Clients love how easily they can see your availability and book appointments.
What major attributes does it have?
It syncs seamlessly with your calendar, sends automated reminders to avoid no-shows, and even lets you accept payments during the booking process.
You can also customize it to match your brand and set up different appointment types and durations. Alert: it will hurt your wallet.
When it comes to flexibility, this scheduling software gives you more control. You can tweak appointment rules, like adding buffer times between appointments or setting specific availability for different services.
You can go beyond reminders and set up automated follow-up emails. It's like having a personal assistant that you don't have to pay. Yeap, that's right.
This Calendly alternative offers, however, only different paid plans.
It gives you more choices for payment processing, so you can collect those coins in a way that works best for you.
In a nutshell, this app is the real deal when it comes to managing appointments. However, it might not suit everyone's budget. If that's not what you're looking for, consider our next Calendly alternative.
Pros
- An option for clients to tip you
- Easy for businesses to add coupons and vouchers
- Automatic time zone conversion
CONS
- Not user-friendly
- Most custom branding is available only through the most expensive plan
- No text reminders, package offers or gift cards in the cheapest plan
PRICING
There are three paid plans available, where the more expensive one presents users with more functionality: Emerging for $20/month, Growing for $34/month, and Powerhouse for $61/month.
OnceHub
The first choice for scheduling online meetings
About
OnceHub, formerly known as ScheduleOnce, is a website that simplifies appointment management for businesses. It offers a range of features to streamline meeting scheduling and book appointments efficiently.
What are the features provided by OnceHub?
Let's explore how OnceHub works and discuss its main features, including its flexible smart forms, free plan, and integration with Microsoft Bookings.
OnceHub operates by allowing you to set your availability and enable others to easily organise meetings with you. Whether you're coordinating one-on-one appointments or group sessions, OnceHub makes the process seamless.
One notable advantage of OnceHub is its flexibility and availability of a free plan. With the free plan, you can access essential scheduling features without incurring any costs. This makes it a suitable alternative to other platforms like Calendly, especially if you're just starting or have budget constraints.
In terms of group scheduling, OnceHub provides robust functionality to handle meetings involving multiple participants.
They have a ChatBot that can perform all your tasks! Whether you're scheduling team meetings, client presentations, or group sessions, OnceHub simplifies the coordination process, ensuring everyone is on the same page.
Additionally, OnceHub integrates with Microsoft Bookings, allowing you to leverage the power of both platforms. This integration enables you to book meetings seamlessly and sync them with your Microsoft Calendar, enhancing your scheduling efficiency.
Assessing the specific needs of your business will help you determine which platform aligns best with your requirements.
When considering the best Calendly alternatives, OnceHub is worth exploring for its features and compatibility with Microsoft services.
Whether you need to book meetings individually or as part of a group, OnceHub can streamline the process and enhance your scheduling efficiency.
Pros
- Customization available
- Great synchronization with other calendars
- ChatBot Assistance
CONS
- Not an app
- Complex set-up
PRICING
Free plan available and $15/month for Growth plan.
SimplyBook.me
Great multifunctional scheduler
About
SimplyBook.me is a mobile app that simplifies the process of scheduling and managing appointments for businesses. It offers a range of useful features, mainly your mobile-optimised booking website. Let's take a look and see how it compares to other Calendly alternatives.
Why is it useful?
With SimplyBook.me, you can easily schedule meetings and appointments with clients. It provides a multifunctional interface that allows you to set up your availability and support different types of services.
One of the great things about SimplyBook.me is its flexibility. Whether you need to schedule one-on-one meetings or group events, this platform has got you covered.
It allows you to customize your services and set up group meetings effortlessly. For example, they provide you with features like membership, coupons & gift cards, tickets, custom integration, and notifications via SMS/emails.
SimplyBook.me also offers a free plan, which is a fantastic option for businesses looking for cost-effective Calendly alternatives. You can enjoy the benefits of this scheduling software without spending a dime.
However, it's important to mention a few disadvantages of SimplyBook.me.
While it offers a range of features, some users have found the interface to be slightly outdated and not as visually appealing as other Calendly alternatives. The price of the paid plain is extremely high, considering the fact that the number of available bookings is limited.
Additionally, the customer support provided by SimplyBook.me can sometimes be slow in responding to inquiries or resolving issues.
To sum it up, SimplyBook.me is an excellent scheduling solution that offers a range of features for meeting scheduling.
Keep in mind the potential drawbacks and give it a try to experience the convenience of streamlined appointment management.
Pros
- Flexibility
- Booking reminders through SMS or emails
- Easy-to-use interface
CONS
- Bad customer support
- Too pricey for such basic features
- A limited number of bookings even with paid plans
- Bookings do not accept direct payments with cards
- SMS packages are not included in the plans
PRICING
There is the SimplyBook.me free plan that allows only one user and 50 bookings. The paid plans range between $10/month and $100/month, depending on number of users and bookings. For $10, customers receive 100 bookings and an account that can be used by 5 people. SMS reminders and additional bookings are sold in packages as add-ons.
Google Calendar
Your personal time-manager
About
This app probably does not need an introduction and does not necessarily align with the typical scheduling app that pops into our heads first. However, it is almost the Mona Lisa in the world of time management, especially if it is only for your personal use.
Why should I choose it?
One of the key advantages of Google Calendar is its user-friendly interface and ease of use.
With its intuitive design, you can quickly create events, schedule meetings, and set reminders with just a few clicks.
It offers various view options, including day, week, month, and agenda, allowing you to choose the most convenient format for your scheduling needs.
When comparing Google Calendar to Calendly, one notable advantage is its comprehensive integration with the entire suite of Google productivity tools. This means that you can seamlessly manage your emails, documents, and scheduling all within one ecosystem.
You can easily set up events directly from your emails, set up automatic event reminders, and even invite guests to meetings by simply adding their email addresses.
This seamless integration saves time and ensures that you never miss an important appointment or meeting.
Pros
- Great for personal use
- Good integration with other Google Apps
- Meeting reminders and color-coding
CONS
- Not suitable for businesses
- Can't be used for appointment booking
- Group meeting coordination through emails
PRICING
Free.
Selecting the right scheduling software is crucial for businesses to increase efficiency, improve customer experience based on received feedback, and boost the overall productivity of your team.
While Calendly is a popular choice, it's important to consider alternative options that may better suit the specific needs and requests of your business.
Users should consider factors such as booking page functionality, integration capabilities, support for recurring appointments, and customization options. The best Calendly alternatives is Calday, then followed by Doodle, Acuity Scheduling, OnceHub, SimplyBook.me, and Google Calendar, each offering unique advantages.
By considering these factors and exploring alternative options, businesses can find a scheduling tool that aligns perfectly with their requirements, ultimately optimizing their scheduling processes and achieving better results within their specific industry.