- Naveen S G
Top 10 Best Calendly Alternatives and Competitors in 2023
Updated: 7 days ago
If you're like most busy professionals, you understand the importance of scheduling and managing your time efficiently. And one tool that has made scheduling a breeze for many people is Calendly.
Calendly may not be the best fit for everyone, and there are plenty of alternatives out there that could be better suited to your needs. If you are tired of using Calendly for scheduling meetings and appointments? or if you've encountered some limitations with their features or pricing that just don't work for your needs, check this blog. In this blog post, we’ll be discussing the ten best Calendly alternatives that you can consider for your business.
What is Calendly?
Calendly needs no introduction. It’s been around for several years and many businesses use its software.
Calendly is a web-based scheduling tool that helps users schedule and manage appointments and meetings with others. It allows individuals and teams to easily schedule meetings without the back-and-forth emails that are often associated with finding a mutually convenient time.
Calendly supports 1:1, group, round-robin, and collective meeting scheduling algorithms.
To get started with Calendly, create an account on their website using your email or Google, Office 365, or Outlook account. Then, create events by choosing a date, time, and duration, and add a title, location, and description. Share your event by sending a link or embedding your Calendly page on your website or email signature.
However, you might be looking for the best Calendly alternatives if you’ve realized the free version lacks some helpful features and isn’t intuitive to use. Or perhaps you’re willing to pay for flexible booking software and more direct integrations with other software. Calendly may not be the perfect fit for everyone, so it's important to explore other options to find the best scheduling solution for your business or personal needs.
Features not available in Calendly
Below are some of the features which are not available in Calendly:
There is no option to have multiple duration options on the appointment booking page. Calendly requires you to create an event type for each duration option.
No provision to centrally manage shared resources booking.
No provision for recurring appointments
It does not support mobile number-based appointment scheduling. The flexibility to book appointments using an email address or mobile number reduces customer friction and increases bookings.
No provision to sell packages or multiple appointment bundles at once (e.g.: 5 sessions of Brand Building consulting for $500)
No provisions for subscriptions or membership management
No provision to host your booking pages on your website domain (CNAME feature).
There is no native integration to connect your own email account via the SMTP option to send branded email notifications.
There is no native integration with Twilio to connect your own phone number to send branded SMS notifications.
It does not have WhatsApp integration to send meeting notifications/reminders. SMS notifications work only from the professional plan onwards. And their SMS notifications also don't work for all countries (e.g.: it does not work for Indian mobile numbers). WhatsApp is the preferred text messaging channel in countries such as Europe, India, Brazil, and Indonesia.
Text message notifications work from the Professional plan onwards. Round Robin is part of the team plan and its expensive ($20/user/month).
Even though you can connect up to 6 calendars to your Calendly account, you can take appointments only to the primary calendar.
There is no provision to specify co-workers' email address as automatic meeting participants in all the appointment bookings.
Calendly is not suitable for services-based businesses such as Salon, Spa, and other Beauty Services.
In this blog, we will discuss the top 10 best Calendly alternatives and competitors in 2023, both free and paid options.
List of popular Calendly alternatives
Leadmonk
Acuity Scheduling
SimplyBook.me
Setmore
10to8
ScheduleOnce
HubSpot Meeting Scheduler
Chilipiper
Appointlet
SavvyCal
The 10 Best Calendly Alternatives
Here is our list of the best alternatives to Calendly, starting with our own:
1. Leadmonk
Leadmonk is a mobile-first scheduling platform that offers flexible booking options, automated reminders, and promotional landing pages. It reduces the booking friction by giving the flexibility to your customers to book appointments using their mobile number or email address without the back-and-forth emails or messages. You can let invitees opt-in for WhatsApp or SMS notifications if they book with their mobile number, so they get updates on the go.
Meet one-on-one or in a group or as a team (Collective, and Round Robin appointment types). Meet online or in person. Leadmonk supports all meeting combinations.
It is built for customer-facing teams such as Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Freelancers/Consultants. It is also suitable for industry sectors such as Doctors, Dentists, Chiropractors, Entrepreneurs, Educators, Coaches, Recruiters, and Professional Services companies such as Legal, Accounting, and Real Estate.
It integrates natively with Google, G-Suite, Outlook, and Office 365 Calendars, Google Meet, MS Teams, Zoom, Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, HubSpot, and other popular business apps to support your business in a wide range of prospect and customer scheduling scenarios.
It is perfect for any person or business no matter if you are starting off or have been around for a while.
We think Leadmonk is the truly versatile appointment scheduling software available in the market for the following reasons:
All the other tools available in the market support appointment scheduling only using the email address.📧 Whereas Leadmonk is the first online appointment booking software that lets your customers book time with you using their mobile number or email address without the back-and-forth. 📱
Leadmonk is good in traditional email bookings as well. 📧
Give multiple duration options to invitees. At the time of appointment booking, the invitee can choose his/her preferred meeting duration. ⏱️
Give multiple meeting location options to invitees. At the time of appointment booking, the invitee can choose his/her preferred location. 🗺️️
Give notification options to your customers to choose between WhatsApp and SMS to receive appointment notifications. 📱💬
Meet one-on-one or in a group or as a team (Collective and Round Robin). Meet online or in person. Leadmonk supports all meeting combinations. 🤝
Easy Repeat Business with Packages - Sell multi-appointment bundles, combine different types of appointments, and even include group classes in your packages.🎁
Provision to make each appointment type behave as a standalone calendar for free-busy availability checks instead of checking the connected calendar. This avoids the need to have multiple Leadmonk user accounts or multiple calendars. This is helpful for managing shared resources such as meeting rooms or gaming devices.📅
Not only you can connect 6 calendars to your account but also you can take appointments to any of these calendars. This is helpful to manage your work life efficiently.🗓️
Invitees can reschedule/cancel appointments before the start of the appointment by default, but this behavior can be changed based on your requirements.🔄
Leadmonk's "no-show" feature allows hosts to mark whether an invitee attended a previously scheduled event, and if marked as a no-show, they will not receive post-appointment workflows.🚫
Leadmonk offers two types of notifications by default: calendar invitation and email confirmation, both of which provide detailed information about the booking, including date, time, location, and any additional notes or instructions. Additionally, the email confirmation includes an ICS file that can be added to the invitee's calendar.📩
If you know your invitee's availability and would like to schedule on their behalf, you can make use of the Schedule Invitee Again feature to go through the booking flow and their information will be pre-populated in the form to expedite the booking process.🤖
It integrates natively with G-Suite, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Outlook, Office365 Calendar, MS Teams, Zoom, HubSpot, and other popular business apps to support your business in a wide range of prospect and customer scheduling scenarios. 🔌
Automatic time zone detection, setting lead time and buffer time for appointment booking, automatic SMS/WhatsApp/Email reminders to reduce no-shows, and many more.⏰
Collect payments using Stripe and PayPal.💰
Collect required details using custom intake forms at the time of appointment booking.📝
You can have a personalized booking page for the team.👥
The org owner and admin have access to all team members’ bookings.👀
Integrate Google Analytics with Leadmonk to get valuable insights into how your clients engage with your booking page.📈
Add UTM parameters to your booking links to track conversions directly within Leadmonk.
You can pre-populate the booking page form with invitee information using URL parameters.🌐
Promote your branding at every touch point using a custom domain, branded email notifications, and branded SMS notifications.🎉
Who is it for?
Leadmonk is perfect for any person or business no matter if you are starting or have been around for a while. It meets appointment booking requirements of customer-facing teams such as Sales, Marketing, Customer Success, and Freelancers/Consultants. It can also be used to manage bookings of Meeting Rooms and shared resources. It is also suitable for industry sectors such as Doctors, Dentists, Chiropractors, Entrepreneurs, Educators, Coaches, Recruiters, and Professional Services companies such as Legal, Accounting, and Real Estate. It can also be used as an online event booking software or online meeting booking software.
Pricing
Basic Plan - Enjoy our free forever plan, designed for those seeking the essentials. This plan offers a generous range of features, including unlimited event types and appointments with seamless integration options for HubSpot, Zoho CRM, and Zapier. Additionally, you can take advantage of our multi-host event type and round-robin event type functionalities, supporting up to three team members within this plan.
Teams Plan - $12/user/month (annual plan) - For teams requiring advanced features with personalized branding at every touchpoint
Enterprise Plan - For larger teams that need advanced security, control, and support
2. Acuity Scheduling [Squarespace Scheduling]
Acuity Scheduling is a cloud-based appointment-scheduling software solution that enables business owners to manage their appointments online. The product caters to the needs of small and midsize businesses as well as individual professionals. Acuity Scheduling is feature-rich scheduling software that offers automatic rescheduling, payment integration, and the ability to book multiple appointments at once. It also allows you to customize your booking forms and create custom booking pages. Plus, it has a calendar sync function to help you manage your schedule easily.
Offer more than just appointments like gift certificates, packages, memberships, or group classes.
You can accept online payments via integrations with Stripe, Square, or PayPal.
Manage multiple locations and employees to show your clients the calendar you want them to see.
It does not support mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
Also, it does not have WhatsApp integration to send appointment notifications.
Features missing in Acuity Scheduling
No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
No provision to send text notifications on WhatsApp.
Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
No provision to define multiple durations for an event type.
Not possible to have the booking pages on your domain (CNAME)
Not possible to send email and SMS notifications using your own email domain or phone number (SMTP and Twilio number integration). Having booking pages on your domain or sending branded notifications helps to promote your branding at every customer touch point.
Supported payment systems: PayPal, Square, or Stripe; also works with in-person payments
Supported calendars: Google Calendar, iCloud, Microsoft Exchange, Office 365, Outlook.com; with the option to choose between 2-way and 1-way syncing
Who is it for?
Acuity Scheduling is suitable for service-based businesses such as training and tutoring centers, coaching and consulting, photography and video production companies, fitness studios, salons and spa centers, and health and dental clinics.
Pricing
Acuity Scheduling’s plans start at $20 a month. Number of staff/locations: 1.
The Growing plan costs $34 a month. Number of staff/locations: 6.
Finally, the Powerhouse plan costs $61 a month. Number of staff/locations: 36.
You can try these plans for free for a maximum of one week.
3. SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me is an online appointment booking system for small and mid-size businesses. It simplifies the booking process and enables businesses to market their services. SimplyBook.me provides a centralized platform that automates online booking and client communication. It does not support mobile number-based appointment scheduling. Also, it does not have WhatsApp integration to send meeting notifications.
The setup process is user-friendly, with clear instructions and the ability to customize appointment types and add-on services. The app also offers Facebook and Instagram integrations, a dashboard with reports to monitor your business, and Zapier integrations to connect to other apps.
If you conduct frequent Zoom meetings, SimplyBook.me may not be the ideal scheduling app for you as it offers limited video conferencing options. While Microsoft Teams is the only built-in video conferencing integration for remote appointments, you can use Zapier to create specific links for other platforms such as Zoom and Google Meet.
Supported payment systems: 38 options, including Square, Stripe, PayPal, TapPay, Virtual Card Services, 2Checkout, Alipay, Asiapay, Authorize.net, Bitcoin, and more.
Supported calendars: Google Calendar, Outlook
Pricing
$8.25/month for 100 bookings/15 providers
$24.9/month for 500 bookings/25 providers
$49.9/month for 2000 bookings/50 providers
4. Setmore
Setmore offers a free online scheduling platform for you to connect with your customers. Manage all your appointments through one simple calendar system and give your business the freedom to grow. Every account comes with a customizable Booking Page that enables you to display your services, availability, and pricing online. Setmore has numerous integrations, including Square or Stripe integrations for online payments. It also links to Slack accounts and syncs with most major calendars. It does not support mobile number-based appointment booking. Also, it does not have WhatsApp integration to send meeting notifications. It's more suited for services businesses such as spas, salons, and doctor's clinics.
Pricing
Free plan – for basic scheduling needs
Premium - Up to 2 users - $9/user/month
Pro - 3+ users - $5/user/month
5. 10to8
10to8 is an online scheduling and appointment reminder software system, built to be easy to use for businesses. It comes with a web-based booking calendar, for you and your clients, and supports email and SMS notifications. It does not support mobile number-based appointment booking. Also, it does not have WhatsApp integration to send meeting notifications. They don’t have a mobile app.
Pricing
Starter: Free plan - 10 appointments/month
Pro: $7.2/seat/month - 40 appointments/month
Premium: $19/seat/month - 100 appointments/month
6. ScheduleOnce
ScheduleOnce is designed to simplify the scheduling of appointments and meetings. This flexible meeting scheduler enables users to create booking forms, set availability, and receive notifications when appointments are booked. Additionally, it offers integration with Google Calendar and Zapier, providing easy collaboration opportunities for team members.
One of the most significant advantages of ScheduleOnce is its flexibility and customization options, which enable users to tailor the scheduling process to their specific needs. As a result, the process becomes more streamlined and efficient.
Furthermore, ScheduleOnce provides reporting capabilities that allow users to gain valuable insights into their meetings. Users can create reports on various aspects of their meetings, such as performance, meeting type, team member, customer, and revenue. These insights can help track progress and enable data-driven decisions to optimize meeting outcomes.
Features missing in Schedule Once:
No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
No provision to send text notifications on WhatsApp.
Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
No provision to define multiple durations for an event type.
Minimal booking page theme
No provision for recurring appointments
No provision to sell packages or multiple sessions at once (e.g.: 5 sessions of Brand Building consulting for $500)
No provisions for subscriptions or membership management
Not possible to have the booking pages on your domain (CNAME)
Not possible to send email and SMS notifications using your own email domain or phone number (SMTP and Twilio number integration). Having booking pages on your domain or sending branded notifications helps to promote your branding at every customer touch point.
Pricing
Starter: Generous FREE plan for up to 3 users
Growth: Advanced features for unlimited users - $10/user/month
Enterprise: Advanced security, compliance, and support. Custom plans for large teams.
7. HubSpot Meeting scheduler
The HubSpot platform includes a useful feature called the HubSpot Meeting Scheduler that enables businesses to schedule and manage meetings from within the HubSpot CRM. This feature offers a convenient and efficient way for sales and customer service teams to engage with their prospects and customers, ultimately saving time and boosting productivity.
Using the HubSpot Meeting Scheduler, you can send a personalized meeting link to prospects and customers, who can select the most suitable time based on your availability. The tool integrates with your calendar, enabling easy scheduling management and preventing double bookings. Moreover, you can personalize the meeting request with a personalized message to enhance the customer experience.
One of the most significant benefits of HubSpot Meeting Scheduler is that it is an integral part of the HubSpot CRM platform, storing all customer interactions and meeting details in one location. This creates a single source of truth for your team, streamlining workflows, and improving efficiency.
Pricing
HubSpot Meeting Scheduler is available as part of the HubSpot CRM, which is free to use. The CRM includes a variety of other features such as lead capture forms, email tracking, and contact management, making it an all-in-one solution for businesses looking to streamline their customer interactions. For businesses looking for more advanced features and integrations, HubSpot offers a range of paid plans starting from $50 per month.
8. Chili Piper
Chili Piper is a cloud-based appointment scheduling platform designed to simplify the booking process for sales and marketing teams. The platform enables prospects to schedule appointments with the appropriate person at a convenient time without the need for manual intervention.
One of the most impressive features of Chili Piper is its “Form Concierge,” which allows prospects to book appointments directly from your website. The software integrates with your calendar, keeping all appointments in one location to prevent double bookings. The appointment booking process is efficient and convenient for both you and your prospects.
Chili Piper also offers several other noteworthy features, including Distro, Handoff, and Instant Booker. The platform has lead routing capabilities that direct leads to the appropriate person based on pre-established rules, improving lead handling efficiency and enhancing the customer experience.
Furthermore, Chili Piper provides a suite of tools to manage appointments and leads, such as appointment reminders, real-time analytics, and custom branding options. These features ensure seamless appointment management and lead tracking. Chili Piper also integrates smoothly with Salesforce and HubSpot CRMs.
Pricing
Instant Booker: $15/user/month
HandOff: $25/user/month
Form Concierge: $30/user/month
Distro: $20/user/month
9. Appointlet
Appointlet is a cloud-based appointment scheduling solution designed to help businesses connect with prospects through email, landing pages, and a sales funnel. Key features of the platform include individual or organization scheduling pages, automated reminders, support for multiple time zones, and calendar integration.
One of the standout features of Appointlet is its online scheduling page, which can be embedded on your website or shared as a link. This enables clients to easily schedule appointments with you without having to send emails or make phone calls. Appointlet integrates with your calendar, providing a unified view of all your appointments and helping you avoid double bookings.
Another significant feature of Appointlet is its flexible scheduling options. You can set availability rules, define custom time zones, and choose the length of appointments. This allows you to schedule appointments with clients from anywhere in the world, at a time that works for both parties.
However, it is worth noting that Appointlet does not support mobile number-based appointment scheduling, and it does not have WhatsApp integration for sending meeting notifications. Additionally, there is no mobile app available for the platform.
Pricing
Basic - Free-forever plan when you just want the basics
Premium plan - $8/user/month - When you need advanced scheduling features
10. SavvyCal
SavvyCal is a scheduling platform with an intuitive calendar interface that allows guests to view your availability and schedule meetings easily. It simplifies the scheduling process by integrating with Google and Outlook calendars, as well as other apps like Zoom, Google Meet, and Zapier to automate scheduling.
SavvyCal offers both single-use and multi-use meeting options, making it ideal for one-time events as well as recurring meetings. You can create multiple meetings under a single scheduling page and share it with guests. Additionally, SavvyCal gives you complete control over your meetings, allowing you to connect different calendars for different meetings, offer multiple meeting durations to guests, manually approve booked meetings, and choose to show all your availability or only preferred time slots.
The software's user-friendly design and integration capabilities streamline the scheduling process, making it easy to manage meetings and appointments efficiently. With SavvyCal, you can create a seamless scheduling experience for both yourself and your guests.