With over 10 million global users, Calendly is undoubtedly an industry leader in online scheduling. In fact, Calendly’s success is beyond its niche. It’s one of the most used small business apps ever.
So, it’s no surprise that you might be considering it for your business, and we’re here to help you make that decision.
In 2013, Tope Awotona founded Calendly as a single-link scheduler. His mission was to cut back on the repetitive email requests and simplify the process of, “Let’s schedule a meeting.”
He understood that time is as valuable as currency in the business world. Since then, his company has grown into “an omnichannel scheduling automation platform” for teams around the world.
Here’s a rundown of its best features:
Now that you know Calendly has a few incredible scheduling features, what about the nitty gritty?
Is Calendly free? Yes, Calendly has a free version and a free 14-day trial – but only for the basics. The cooler, more robust features require a paid plan, which runs between $10 to $20 per user if billed monthly. (Annual plans can save you up to 20%.)
Enterprise plans are available for teams with 30+ users, but you must contact their sales team.
Is Calendly HIPAA compliant? Calendly offers an entire FAQ and a whitepaper about their security measures. They’re GDPR-compliant, AICPA SOC-safe (for those in the accounting and tax industries), and PCI-compliant for all payment processing transactions.
What integrations does Calendly offer? This online scheduler connects to six digital calendars, including Google Calendar, Office 365/Outlook, Outlook Desktop, Microsoft Exchange, and iCloud.
Its most popular integrations include:
For a full list of Calendly integrations, click here.
Do they accept payments? If you’re on a paid plan, you can access Calendly Events. Using this feature, you can accept payments through Paypal, Stripe, or Stax Payments.
Can you embed Calendly into a website? Users can embed this online scheduling tool via Wix, Intercom, Squarespace, and WordPress. They also offer custom APIs.
Does it account for time zones? Yes, Calendly automatically adjusts meetings for time zones.
Does Calendly have an app? All users can access Calendly through the web version (which also includes browser extensions) or Android or iOS mobile apps.
Does it send reminders? Only users on paid plans can send email reminders and follow-ups to invitees. Only users with the Professional, Teams, or Enterprise accounts can customize email and text notifications and reminders.
Is Calendly the best? It depends.
Here’s the main takeaway between Calendly and other online scheduling software: Calendly is made for meetings.
If you’re considered a service provider, like a hair stylist or nail tech, Calendly is probably not your best option. It’s made for meetings, and you have appointments – lots of ‘em. Here’s a list of the best Calendly alternatives for small businesses.
If we’re talking about online scheduling alternatives, Vagaro absolutely belongs on the list. Vagaro is built specifically for service-based businesses—especially those in the hair, beauty, fitness, and wellness industries—and it goes far beyond basic appointment booking.
Like Calendly (and then some), Vagaro offers powerful scheduling features designed for real-world service providers:
Customize your schedule by service, staff member, location, or room. Clients book on their own—no back-and-forth required—and can discover you through the Vagaro Marketplace.
Add buffer time for color processing, cleanup, prep, or travel. You can also block off personal time so days off stay days off.
Share a personal booking link anywhere—your website, Instagram, Google Business Profile, or emails—to make booking frictionless.
Offer multiple booking types, including recurring appointments, classes, workshops, memberships, and group sessions.
Automate reminders and confirmations via text or email to reduce no-shows, plus send rebooking prompts, birthday messages, and promotional campaigns.
Set custom policies, forms, and digital waivers, and require clients to acknowledge them before booking to protect your business.
Sync with external calendars like Google Calendar so everything stays aligned.
Accept payments online and in person with integrated POS, deposits, packages, gift cards, and tipping.
Vagaro doesn't offer a permanent free plan, but it does provide a 30-day free trial. Paid plans start around $23.99 per month for a single-location business, with pricing scaling based on features, users, and locations—making it a flexible option for solo providers and growing teams alike.
We hear a lot about Acuity Scheduling by Squarespace, and there’s a handful of good reasons.
What’s similar between Acuity and Calendly?
What makes Acuity different?
Acuity is a bit more expensive than your typical appointment book. It does not offer a free plan, but it does have a 7-day free trial.
Paid plans run between $14 and $45 per month. If you prefer to pay annually, you can save around 6 to 10%.
As a fairly new player, Microsoft Bookings made its appearance in 2017. This online competitor allows customers of small businesses to book appointments.
It’s part of the Microsoft product line and is automatically integrated with your Microsoft 365 or Outlook calendars to quickly find available time slots and avoid double-booking. It offers self-scheduling for clients and manual booking for businesses.
Bookings also integrates with Microsoft Teams “to help you create calendars, assign staff, schedule new appointments, and meet without ever leaving Teams,” according to its website.
Microsoft Bookings vs Calendly: What’s Better?
According to their Capterra page, Microsoft Bookings does offer a free trial and a free version. Paid plans start at $6 per month per user, but that’s for all of Microsoft 365 Business Basic, which might be too much for a single business owner.
Standard is $12.50 and Premium is $22 at the same billing rate.
Doodle is the closest alternative to Calendly. It’s an online scheduling tool made for business meetings: Recruitment, board meetings, sales, education, non-profits, freelancers, and enterprises.
That’s a little different than scheduling a haircut or massage appointment…
Still! Doodle offers basic scheduling features:
Doodle vs Calendly: What’s the Best for Scheduling Meetings?
Again, it depends!
Doodle has a few unique features:
Doodle is a simple, straightforward online scheduler, and its pricing reflects that. It offers a free version for one booking page and unlimited group polls.
Paid versions are between $6.95 to $8.95 per user per month – if you pay annually. The software also offers an Enterprise Plan for larger organizations.
The biggest difference in the paid plans for Doodle is the level of customer support, from none to total onboarding.
… is a hard decision! Calendly is a great option for basic scheduling, but remember: It’s best for businesses that hold meetings.
If you’re looking for a Calendly alternative, like an online appointment app, Acuity and Vagaro are worthy competitors at an affordable price.