Top 18 Best FREE Appointment Scheduling Software for Small Businesses in 2024

Running a small business is a juggling act. Appointments are vital, but scheduling them shouldn't be another headache. Here's where appointment scheduling software swoops in to save the day!

Imagine this: Your clients can book appointments 24/7, directly from your website, emails, texts, social media – anywhere they find you. No more endless phone tag or missed connections.

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Here's why appointment scheduling software is your secret weapon:

• ‍Effortless Booking:  Clients can snag appointments anytime, anywhere, on any device. This flexibility keeps them happy and your calendar humming.
• No More No-Shows:  Automated text and email reminders ensure appointments are remembered, reducing those frustrating last-minute cancellations.
• Goodbye Scheduling Ping-Pong:  Seamless integration with your existing calendar (think Google, Outlook, or Office 365) puts an end to calendar juggling.
• Happy Customers, Happy Business:  By simplifying the booking process and offering 24/7 access, you create a customer experience that keeps them coming back for more.

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But wait, there's more! Appointment scheduling software caters to a wide range of industries, including:

• Professional Services: Lawyers, accountants, realtors  – you name it!
• Solopreneurs & Freelancers: Streamline your client bookings and reclaim control of your time.
• Consultants: Manage client meetings with ease and focus on delivering top-notch services.
• Healthcare Professionals: Doctors, dentists, chiropractors – simplify appointment scheduling for your patients.
• Beauty & Wellness: Salons, spas, massage therapists –  offer a convenient booking experience that keeps clients pampered and coming back.

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‍Choosing the Right Software:

With a plethora of options out there, here's what to keep in mind:

• First, the software should be compatible with your business existing calendar system such as Google/GSuite/Outlook/Office 365 Calendars.
• Second, it should be user-friendly and allow small business owner or their clients to easily schedule, reschedule, and cancel appointments.
• Third, it should offer flexibility in terms of scheduling options.
• Fourth, it should give the flexibility to your clients to book appointments using their email address or mobile number without the back-and-forth messages or emails.
• Fifth, it should have a built-in email and text message reminder system to help ensure that appointments are not forgotten or missed.
• Finally, it should be affordable.
  

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Top 18 Best Appointment scheduling software for small business

There are many great appointment-scheduling software programs available, but which one is right for your small business? Here are the top 18 appointment scheduling software programs for small businesses, based on features, ease of use, and price.

1. Leadmonk
2. Calendly
3. Acuity Scheduling
4. SimplyBook.Me
5. Appointlet
6. 10to8
7. Setmore
8. Savvycal
9. Doodle
10. Google Appointment Scheduler
11. Book Like A Boss
12. Zoho Bookings
13. Square Appointments
14. CalendarHero
15. Thryv
16. vCita
17. Bookeo
18. HoneyBook
    

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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.

Leadmonk is ideal for small businesses and customer facing teams. It also helps B2B revenue teams convert leads into meetings by qualifying, routing, and scheduling in real-time. You can build a qualification track in Leadmonk and let prospects self-qualify to capture all the insights you need without hurting conversion. Instantly route leads based on complex conditions and display a calendar on your website for prospects to book meetings. And make it easy for your customers to schedule meetings on demand without the back and forth.

It's great for anyone scheduling any type of meeting, from individuals to businesses of all sizes.

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We think Leadmonk is the truly versatile inbound lead conversion and scheduling software available in the market for the following reasons:

• ‍Book Meetings From Your Web Form - Leadmonk seamlessly integrates with Marketo, HubSpot form, Pardot, and custom web forms such as webflow form. When a form is submitted on your website, Leadmonk instantly qualifies the lead, routes it to the right sales rep, and displays the booking page so your prospect can book a meeting - all in a matter of seconds.

• ‍Scheduling Simplified - Make it easy for your customers to schedule meetings on demand without the back and forth. Distribute incoming meetings fairly using round robin, prioritizing availability, or with equal weight or a weighted average.
• ‍Boost your conversion rate by 150% - Schedule meetings quickly by adding Leadmonk to your website, emails, text messages, WhatsApp, or social profiles. Watch conversion skyrocket by up to 150%.

• Round Robin Meeting Distribution - Distribute incoming meetings fairly using round robin, prioritizing availability, or with equal weight or a weighted average. Suitable for sales calls, support calls, and client onboarding.
• ‍One form: many forms - Build a routing form in Leadmonk in minutes. Easy to customize and can be embedded on your website or shared as a link. You can build one-at-a-time form, step form or all-at-once form easily. Leadmonk also works with your existing forms such as HubSpot,Pardot, and Custom web forms.

• Schedule any type of meeting: Meet one-on-one or in a group or as a team (multi-host scheduling 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.🎁
• Give multiple duration options to invitees. At the time of meeting booking, the invitee can choose his/her preferred meeting duration. ⏱️
• ‍Multiple calendars support - 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 standard behavior can be changed as per your requirements. 🔄
• Easily restrict personal, temporary, and bot email domains from booking the meetings. Make use of a curated list of 4768 email domains known to fall under these categories to further restrict bookings.

• Collect payments using Stripe and PayPal.

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• All-in-One Meeting Hub for Every Team: Single platform that meets the needs of Sales, marketing, customer success, recruiting, and other meeting heavy teams.

• Connected to your revenue stack: It integrates natively with G-Suite, Google Calendar, Google Meet, Outlook, Office365 Calendar, MS Teams, Zoom, Salesforce, HubSpot, Pipedrive, Zoho CRM, and other popular business apps to support your business in a wide range of prospect and customer scheduling scenarios.

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Who is it for?

Leadmonk simplifies scheduling meetings with your prospects, customers, candidates, and other external stakeholders. 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 is perfect for any person or business no matter if you are starting off or have been around for a while.

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Pricing

• Free trial for 14 days - no credit card required.
• Free plan: In this plan, you'll have access to basic scheduling features with unlimited one-on-one meeting types. Its suitable for individuals.
• Professional plan: $8/user/month - When you need professional scheduling features.
• Team Plan - $12/user/month - When you need team scheduling features.
• Advanced Plan - $30/user/month - For teams requiring routing form, lead qualification and routing automation features.
• ‍No Admin License: Admins do not require a subscription for any of our paid plans in Leadmonk. We only charge for users who have meetings booked on their calendars. Users who access Leadmonk for account setup and reporting purposes are not charged a subscription fee.

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Leadmonk FAQs

1. Can I restrict bookings from personal email addresses, temporary email addresses, and suspected bot emails?

Yes, Leadmonk allows you to easily restrict bookings from these types of email addresses. You can also use Leadmonk's curated list of email domains known to fall under these categories for further restrictions.

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2. Can I set specific time slots or days for meeting bookings?

Yes, you can set specific time slots and days for meeting bookings to ensure availability and avoid scheduling conflicts.

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3. Can I redirect users to a landing page or thank you page after booking a meeting?

Yes, you can redirect users to a specified landing page or thank you page after they have successfully booked a meeting.

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4. Can I allow multiple location options for meetings (e.g., in-person, Zoom, Google Meet)?

Yes, you can offer multiple location options to your invitees, allowing them to choose their preferred meeting location while booking the meeting.

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5. Can I set limits on the number of meetings that can be booked per day or month?

Yes, you can set daily or monthly meeting limits for individual users or specific meeting types.

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6. Can I set lead times and buffer times for appointments?

Yes, you can set lead times to ensure you have enough time to prepare for appointments and buffer times to avoid back-to-back appointments.

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7. Does Leadmonk offer automatic time zone detection?

Yes, Leadmonk automatically detects the time zone of your customers, ensuring they see the booking page in their local time.

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8. Can I fix the time zone for in-person appointments (conferences or in-person events) to ensure an accurate time display for invitees?

Yes, you can fix the time zone for in-person appointments to ensure that invitees see the correct time based on their location.

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9. Does Leadmonk offer branded email and SMS notifications?

Yes, Leadmonk allows you to send branded email (SMTP setup) and SMS notifications (Twilio integration) to keep customers informed and maintain your brand consistency.

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10. Can I use a custom domain for my Leadmonk booking page?

Yes, you can use a custom domain for your Leadmonk booking page to enhance your brand presence.

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11. Is Leadmonk GDPR compliant?

Yes, Leadmonk is GDPR compliant, ensuring the protection of your data.

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12. Does Leadmonk offer a no-show feature?

Yes, Leadmonk allows hosts to mark invitees as no-shows, preventing them from receiving post-appointment workflow notifications.

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13. Can I customize the booking form to include additional fields or questions?

Yes, you can create custom fields and questions to gather more information from potential meeting attendees.

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14. Does Leadmonk offer integration with Google Analytics?

Yes, Leadmonk integrates with Google Analytics to provide valuable insights into how clients engage with your booking page.

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‍15. Can I customize the booking page with my branding?

Yes, Leadmonk allows you to customize the booking page with your branding to match your website's design.

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It's great for anyone scheduling any type of meeting, from individuals to businesses of all sizes.

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2. Calendly

It needs no introduction. Calendly is an online scheduling tool that enables users to schedule appointments, meetings, and events with ease.

Pros of Calendly

• Integrates with popular calendar tools such as Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud, and it provides users with customizable scheduling pages and booking forms.
• With Calendly, users can easily create different types of events, set their availability, and share their booking links with clients, colleagues, and friends.
• Calendly also sends automatic reminders and confirmation emails to both users and invitees, and it allows for rescheduling and cancellation of appointments.
• It is ideal for busy professionals who need to manage their time efficiently and avoid the hassle of manual scheduling.
• Calendly supports 1:1, group, round-robin, and collective meeting scheduling algorithms.

Cons of Calendly

Here's a breakdown of some limitations and missing features in Calendly:

• Limited form support: Calendly offers basic forms, but you cannot create multi-step forms or connect webforms to qualify and route leads. It only integrates with HubSpot, Marketo, and Pardot forms.
• Basic lead qualification and routing: Calendly's qualification and routing capabilities are limited, making it unsuitable for complex scenarios or large organizations.
• ‍Limited to Salesforce and Enterprise plans: Lead-to-account matching is only available for Salesforce users with a minimum 30-seat enterprise plan and requires SF Package installation and customization. Not compatible with HubSpot CRM.
• ‍Limited reporting: Calendly offers basic reporting features, but lacks in-depth analysis of form submissions and lead conversion statistics.
• ‍No real-time email verification: Calendly doesn't support real-time email verification to improve lead quality and reduce unqualified leads.
• Limited lead distribution: Calendly doesn't offer weighted average round robin algorithms for distributing meetings based on lead weightage.
• No meeting allocation calibration: You cannot calibrate meeting allocation for factors like no-shows, cancellations, vacations, or manager overrides.
• Hand-off limitations: Calendly lacks functionality to hand-off leads across different stages of the sales funnel.
• No cross-rep scheduling: BDRs/SDRs cannot directly book meetings on AEs' calendars based on lead distribution logic.
• Meeting caps: Calendly only allows meeting caps at the event type level, not daily or monthly breakdowns per user.
• Calendar limitations: You can connect up to 6 calendars, but meeting booking is restricted to the primary calendar.
• Limited meeting duration options: Cannot define multiple durations for a single meeting type.
• No mobile appointment scheduling: Scheduling appointments using mobile numbers is not supported.
• WhatsApp notifications: Sending text notifications via WhatsApp is not supported.
• Shared resource booking: Calendly lacks centralized management for booking shared resources.
• Package/session sales: You cannot sell packages or multiple sessions at once (e.g., 5 branding consultations for a set price).
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• Limited booking page themes: Calendly offers minimal customization options for booking page themes.
• Custom Domain and notification branding: You cannot host booking pages on your domain (CNAME) or send branded email/SMS notifications using your own email domain and phone number (SMTP and Twilio integration not supported).

Read more: Leadmonk vs Calendly.

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Pricing

• Standard: $12 per user per month.
• Teams: $20 per user per month.
• Enterprise Plan: For larger teams. Min 30 licenses have to be purchased.

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3. Acuity Scheduling

Acuity Scheduling is a cloud-based appointment-scheduling software solution that enables business owners to manage their appointments online. Acuity Scheduling is now part of Squarespace.  The product caters to the needs of small and midsize businesses as well as individual professionals. 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.

Pros of Acuity Scheduling

• You can allow clients to choose recurring appointments, complete intake forms, and pay in advance for services.
• You can also offer coupons and add-on services.
• Acuity offers multiple ways to share your booking page, including direct links, embedding options, booking buttons, booking bars, and QR codes.
• Acuity integrates with many powerful apps, such as QuickBooks, ClassPass, Salesforce, and Zoom.
• Standout feature is "Make me look busy" setting to hide available times.
• 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

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Cons of Acuity Scheduling

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.

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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.
• No free plan available.

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4. 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.

Pros of SimplyBook.me

• 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.
• Because of how many languages and international payment options it supports, SimplyBook.me is the best scheduling app for international businesses.
• SimplyBook.me's booking pages are available in 32 different languages, from Arabic to Greek to Icelandic to Ukrainian.
• It also offers integration with 38 payment processing services so that you can offer a system that works for your customers.
• 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

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Cons of SimplyBook.me

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.
• If you conduct frequent Zoom or Google Meet 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.

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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

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5. Appointlet

Appointlet is a cloud-based appointment scheduling solution that helps businesses to connect with their prospects through emails, landing pages, and a sales funnel. Key features include individual or organization scheduling pages, automated reminders, multiple time zone support, and calendar integration.

Pros of Appointlet

• One of the key features of Appointlet is its online scheduling page, which can be embedded on your website or shared as a link. This allows clients to easily schedule appointments with you, without having to send emails or make phone calls.
• Appointlet integrates with your Google or Outlook calendar, so you can see all your appointments in one place and avoid double bookings.
• Another key feature of Appointlet is its flexible scheduling options, which allow you to set availability rules, define custom time zones, and choose the length of appointments. This means that you can schedule appointments with clients from around the world, at a time that works for both of you.

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Cons of Appointlet

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.

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Pricing

• Premium plan - $8/user/month - When you need advanced scheduling features

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6. 10to8

10to8 is an online scheduling and appointment reminder software system, built to be easy to use for businesses.

Pros of 10to8

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.

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Cons of 10to8

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.
• They don’t have a mobile app.

Pricing

• Basic - $9.6/month - 100 appts/month - 2 staff logins
• Grow - $20month - 300 appts/month - 3 staff logins
• Bigger Business - $40month - 600 appts/month - 6 staff logins

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7. Setmore

SetMore is an online appointment scheduling platform that enables businesses to manage their appointments and bookings with ease. Designed for small businesses, SetMore offers a range of features to help businesses manage their time more efficiently and reduce the time spent on manual scheduling tasks.

Pros of SetMore

• One of the key features of SetMore is its online booking page, which allows customers to view your availability and book appointments directly from your website. This feature not only saves you time, but also provides a convenient and easy-to-use experience for your customers.
• SetMore also offers integrations with Google and iCal calendars, allowing you to keep your schedule up to date and avoid double bookings.
• In addition to appointment scheduling, SetMore also offers a range of features to help you manage your appointments, including appointment reminders, staff scheduling, and custom branding options. With these features, you can ensure that your appointments run smoothly and that you and your staff are always prepared.
• 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's more suited for services businesses such as spas/salons/doctor's clinics.

Cons of SetMore

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.
• They don’t have a mobile app.

Pricing

• Premium - Up to 2 users - $9/user/month
• Pro - 3+ users - $5/user/month

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8. SavvyCal

SavvyCal is a user-friendly scheduling platform that makes it easy for you and your guests to book meetings. With its calendar-like interface, your guests can easily view your availability and overlay their calendar with yours to find a time that works for both of you.

SavvyCal simplifies the meeting scheduling process with its straightforward design and integration with other apps. You can easily sync SavvyCal with your existing Google and Outlook calendars, and integrate it with Zoom, Google Meet, and Zapier to automate your scheduling.

SavvyCal offers both single-use and multi-use meeting options. Single-use meetings are ideal for one-time events, while multi-use meetings can be scheduled repeatedly. You can also create multiple meetings under a single scheduling page and share it with guests. And if you want to get input from your guests on when to schedule a meeting, you can create a meeting poll and convert the most popular time slot into a meeting.

With SavvyCal, you're in complete control of your meetings. You can choose to connect different calendars for different meetings, offer guests multiple meeting durations to choose from, manually approve booked meetings, and decide whether to show all your availability or only your preferred time slots.

Pros of SavvyCal

• Integrates with popular calendar tools such as Google Calendar and Outlook, and it provides users with customizable scheduling pages and booking forms.
• User-friendly calendar-like interface
• Easy to sync with Google and Outlook calendars
• Integration with Zoom, Google Meet, and Zapier
• Single-use and multi-use meeting options
• Meeting polls
• It is ideal for busy professionals who need to manage their time efficiently and avoid the hassle of manual scheduling.

Cons of SavvyCal

Here's a breakdown of some limitations and missing features in SavvyCal:

• No provision to send text notifications as SMS or WhatsApp message.
• Only one calendar you can connect to your account.
• It does not support weighted average round robin meeting scheduling.
• No lead qualification or routing option.
• Not possible to restrict personal or temporary or spam email domains from booking the appointment.
• No support for mobile number-based appointment scheduling.
• 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.
• They don’t have a mobile app.
• No routing form support

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Pricing

• The Basic Plan: $12/user/month
• The Premium Plan: $20/user/month

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9. Doodle

Doodle is a popular online meeting scheduler that is well-suited for organizations with a high volume of internal meetings. It offers a range of features, including polls, surveys, and bookable calendars, to help you find the most suitable meeting time for everyone.

Doodle's polls are a great way to determine the most popular meeting time for a group. Simply create a poll with your available times, and let your colleagues vote for their preferred option. The results will be displayed in real time, so you can quickly see which time works best for everyone.

Doodle's surveys are also helpful for gathering multiple opinions at once. For example, you could create a survey to ask your colleagues about their preferred meeting length, location, or agenda. The results will help you plan your meetings more effectively.

Doodle's bookable calendars allow you to share your availability with others and let them schedule meetings with you directly. This is a great way to reduce the number of back-and-forth emails about meeting times.

To cater to the needs of larger organizations, such as universities, Doodle offers several additional features. These include Single Sign-On (SSO) for enhanced security, a mobile app available for Android and iOS platforms, a dedicated success manager to assist with your requirements, a 99.9% uptime Service Level Agreement (SLA) ensuring reliable service, training options, and priority support.

Pricing

• Pro: $14.95/user/month
• Team: $19.95/user/month - min 5 users

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10. Google Calendar Appointment Schedule

Google Calendar Appointment Schedule is focused on booking external meetings. It lets individuals create professional-looking booking pages. Each page is specific to every individual user and their personal calendar. It updates as meetings are scheduled, then sends out automatic notifications through emails. In this way, Google Calendar further helps workers master their busy schedules, even if meetings are requested and booked outside internal domains/servers.

To use Google Calendar Appointment Schedule:

• Open your Google Calendar account
• Click on the “Create” button on the left-hand side of your home page
• The button will create a drop-down list with many options, including Appointment Schedule
• Click "Appointment Schedule” to make a new booking page
• Enter appointment details such as title, duration, meeting location, and more.
• Share your booking page with your invitees.

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Pros of Google Calendar Appointment Schedule

Google Calendar Appointment Schedule includes a wide variety of features, including:

• You can limit how people who book early or last minute can book an appointment with you.
• You can limit the max number of appointments per day.
• You can customize the window for appointments.
• You can automatically add custom buffer time in between appointments.
• You can collect extra information from people who book appointments through the appointment booking form.

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Cons of Google Calendar Appointment Schedule

Google Calendar's ‘Appointment Schedule’ Is Good, Not Great.

• No SMS or WhatsApp notifications or reminder feature
• You can not connect more than one calendar. If you are managing multiple businesses or multiple calendars, then this becomes an issue.
• No feature to book appointments using just the mobile number of the Invitee.
• No support for Outlook or Office365 calendar.
• No support for Zoom or MS Teams integration.
• Basic Custom Intake form.
• Website Embed option not available.
• No collective event support (feature to schedule meetings by taking multiple team members’ availability).
• No Round Robin event support (feature to pool the availability of all team members and automatically distribute new meetings to team members).
• No Stripe integration support to collect payments as part of appointment booking.
• No Webhooks or Zapier integration support.
• No workflow feature to send emails or SMS as part of the appointment life cycle.
• No integration with popular CRM such as HubSpot, Salesforce, and Zoho CRM.

Read more: Leadmonk vs Google Appointment Scheduler.

Pricing

Appointment schedules are a premium feature available to Google Workspace Individual, EDU, Business, and Enterprise plan subscribers (not available for Business Starter subscribers).

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11. Book Like A Boss

Good for:

• New businesses needing a simple website and scheduler in one
• Businesses offering a mix of services, products, and events
• Budget-conscious businesses - affordable combo website builder, scheduling software, and eCommerce tool

Not ideal for:

• Businesses with a professional website already - may be redundant
• Businesses needing a super simple scheduler - page creation can be clunky

Highlights:

• Unlimited booking pages
• Works as a mini-website with text-only pages
• Integrates with many tools (Google Analytics, Zoom, Mailchimp)
• Zapier integration for further automation
• Supported payment systems: Stripe, PayPal, Square

Pricing

• Solopreneur plans start at $9/month for basic meeting schedling.
• $19/month for features like charging for bookings, events and classes, and memberships.
• Company plans start at $35/month.

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12. Zoho Bookings

Good for

• Businesses needing a highly customizable scheduler
• Businesses with multiple locations, staff, or booking types
• Businesses already using Zoho - integrates well with other Zoho apps

Not ideal for

• Businesses overwhelmed by too many features
• Businesses not interested in Zoho's larger suite of tools - can be complex

Highlights:

• Highly customizable with multiple booking pages
• Auto-assign appointments to least busy staff member
• Integrates with various tools (Google Meet, Zoom)
• Zapier integration for further automation

Pricing

• Free for 1 person
• Basic plan starts at $8/user/month
• Premium plan starts at $12/user/month

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13. Square Appointments

Square Appointments goes beyond appointment scheduling, offering a comprehensive suite of tools to streamline your entire business. With a user-friendly interface and easy setup, you'll gain valuable insights into your business health through financial dashboards that track sales, payments, customers, and invoices. It doesn't stop there – create and send invoices, manage donations, generate detailed reports, and manage staff schedules. Plus, capture bookings through personalized links, website integration, a social media booking button, and even your Google Maps listing. While powerful for scheduling, Square Appointments shines in its ability to manage finances, staff, and appointments under one roof – ideal for businesses seeking a comprehensive solution, but potentially too complex for those needing just basic scheduling. Consider your needs – if you crave a feature-rich solution, Square Appointments is a strong contender, although the Plus plan starts at $29 per user per month.

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14. CalendarHero

For those seeking a dedicated meeting scheduling solution, CalendarHero streamlines the process, eliminating the time-consuming back-and-forth emails. Key features include automated scheduling for one-on-one or group meetings, attendee insights to prepare you beforehand, and powerful integrations with popular video conferencing tools and calendars.  

Its advantage is the powerful connections it has with your tech stack. Its notification system and smart time settings for meeting buffers make sure that you never run late to another meeting. While CalendarHero simplifies scheduling and saves you time, it may lack some broader business management functionalities offered by other platforms. Additionally, pricing details aren't readily available on their website, so factor that in during your research. For complex scheduling features, you can check other scheduling apps mentioned above.

It supports calendar Integrations such as Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and iCloud.

It has key features such as AI-powered scheduling assistant for virtual and in-person meetings, Automatic time zone detection, Customizable branding, and Group meeting options.

Pricing: Free plans are available. Pro plans cost $8 a month (Pro). Team plans cost $12 a user per month.

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15. Thryv: All-in-One Business Management for Busy Owners

Thryv goes beyond appointment scheduling. It's a comprehensive software that automates tasks, manages customers, and streamlines operations for small businesses.  Think of it as your business in a box!  From invoicing to social media, Thryv helps you:

• Stay Organized: Manage appointments, contacts, and projects with ease.
• Get Paid Faster: Send invoices, accept payments online, and automate reminders.
• Wow Your Customers: Deliver exceptional service with features like online booking, automated review requests, and a secure client portal.
• Thryv offers award-winning 24/7 support with experts who understand the unique challenges of small businesses.  Over 55,000 businesses across the U.S., Canada, and Australia trust Thryv to transform their operations.

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16. vcita: Simplify Client Management and Grow Your Business

Vcita is your one-stop shop for managing client interactions.  Imagine automating the busywork and focusing on what you do best!   vcita helps you:

• Reduce Admin Hassle: Automate tasks like scheduling, invoicing, and sending appointment reminders.
• Boost Client Satisfaction:  Offer a seamless booking experience and keep clients informed with automated communication.
• Get Paid on Time:   Accept online payments, send invoices, and manage all your finances in one place.
• Grow Your Business:  Run targeted marketing campaigns and capture new leads with vcita's built-in tools.  vcita's intuitive software empowers over 100,000 businesses worldwide to streamline their operations and deliver exceptional client experiences.

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17. Bookeo: Streamline Bookings and Payments

Bookeo makes appointment scheduling and payments a breeze.   Perfect for businesses that live on appointments!  Bookeo lets you:

• Manage Your Schedule Easily:  Offer online booking with customizable options and integrate your calendar with Bookeo.
• Accept Secure Payments:  Get paid online quickly and securely through Bookeo's integrated payment processing.
• Focus on Your Clients:   Spend less time managing appointments and more time delivering excellent service.
• Bookeo is a user-friendly booking software designed for any small business,  giving you the tools you need to streamline your operations and simplify client interactions.

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18. HoneyBook: Manage Your Client Workflow with Confidence

HoneyBook is a centralized platform designed to empower independent businesses to deliver exceptional client experiences and operate with confidence.  HoneyBook streamlines your client workflow  by offering features like:

• Effortless Invoicing and Proposals:  Create professional invoices and proposals that impress your clients.
• Seamless Online Payments:  Get paid quickly and securely with HoneyBook's integrated payment processing.
• Streamlined Scheduling:  Manage your schedule and appointments effortlessly.
• Client Communication Made Easy:  Communicate with clients through a secure portal and eliminate the need for endless email threads.
• Branded Brochures:  Create beautiful branded brochures to showcase your work and impress potential clients.
• Simplified Bookkeeping:  HoneyBook integrates seamlessly with QuickBooks, making it easier to manage your finances.

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Save time on scheduling. Spend time on the things that matter.

Incorporating appointment scheduling software into your small business operations isn't just an upgrade – it's a game-changer. Online booking systems and customization features streamline your schedule, boost customer satisfaction, and unleash your productivity.

Imagine this:

• Clients booking appointments 24/7: Convenience is king, and offering self-scheduling empowers your clients.
• Automated reminders: Say goodbye to no-shows! Gentle nudges ensure appointments are kept.
• Effortless management: Free yourself from scheduling headaches and focus on what matters most.

The best appointment scheduling software empowers small businesses like yours. It's time to take charge of your schedule, simplify the booking process, and watch your business flourish!

Ready to experience the magic of streamlined scheduling? Explore the free options we've shared and find the perfect fit for your needs.

Looking for a user-friendly champion? Leadmonk might be your match! It boasts exceptional ease of use, affordability, and powerful features designed to make your life easier. Give it a try and let us know what you think!

FAQs

1. What is an appointment scheduling solution?

An appointment scheduling solution is a software or online service that enables businesses to efficiently manage and schedule appointments with their clients or customers. These solutions automate the process of appointment booking, allowing businesses to streamline their operations and enhance customer experience.

2. Why should small businesses use appointment scheduling solutions?

Small businesses can benefit greatly from appointment scheduling solutions as they help automate and organize the booking process. These solutions save time, reduce errors, improve customer satisfaction, and enable businesses to focus on other important tasks. Additionally, they often provide features such as automated reminders and integrations with calendars, which enhance efficiency and productivity.

3. What are the key features to look for in an appointment scheduling solution?

When evaluating appointment scheduling solutions, consider features such as online booking, calendar integrations, automated reminders, customer management, customization options, mobile accessibility, and reporting capabilities. These features can greatly enhance the overall scheduling process and help businesses stay organized.

4. Are the solutions on this list really free?

Yes, the solutions on this list are specifically chosen for being free appointment scheduling solutions. However, it's important to note that some solutions offer premium features or plans with additional functionalities at a cost. The free versions typically provide sufficient features for small businesses to manage their appointments effectively.

5. Can these solutions handle multiple staff or service providers?

Yes, most appointment scheduling solutions on this list can handle multiple staff members or service providers. They often offer features to manage individual calendars, assign appointments to specific staff, and track availability. This allows businesses with multiple staff members to streamline their scheduling process efficiently.

6. Can customers book appointments outside of business hours?

The availability for booking appointments outside of business hours depends on the specific appointment scheduling solution. Some solutions provide customizable booking settings, allowing businesses to define their working hours and restrict appointment booking outside those hours. Other solutions may offer 24/7 booking options, enabling customers to schedule appointments at any time.

7. Are these solutions suitable for different types of businesses?

Yes, the appointment scheduling solutions on this list are designed to cater to various types of businesses, including healthcare providers, salons, spas, professional services, consultants, and more. They offer flexibility and customization options to adapt to different business models and requirements.

8. Can these solutions integrate with existing business tools or websites?

Many appointment scheduling solutions offer integrations with popular business tools such as calendars (Google Calendar, Outlook), customer relationship management (CRM) systems, payment gateways, and website builders. Integration capabilities vary depending on the solution, so it's recommended to check the specific integration options for each solution on this list.

9. How secure are these appointment scheduling solutions?

The security of appointment scheduling solutions is a crucial aspect. While different solutions employ various security measures, such as data encryption and secure servers, it's essential to review their security policies and practices. Generally, reputable solutions prioritize the protection of customer data and employ industry-standard security protocols.

10. Are these solutions scalable for growing businesses?

Many appointment scheduling solutions offer scalable plans or options to accommodate growing businesses. As your business expands, you can often upgrade to premium plans or add-on features to meet the increasing demand for appointments and additional functionality.