August 27, 2024
Calendly is a very popular online appointment scheduling tool that simplifies finding time for meetings.
Calendly has reported that over 20 million individuals and businesses worldwide use their platform around 230 countries. But it turns out that the tool is far from ideal.
We analysed Calendly in and out in this in-depth Calendly review, and found out that the tool has some serious limitations.
It's been observed recently that more and more users are seeking Calendly alternatives in search of a scheduling platform that's both less expensive and does more than streamlined scheduling.
In this article, we analyzed the leading scheduling tools on the market and put therm to test to see if they are better than Calendly.
What we found is that there are great Calendly alternatives for you to try based on pricing, capabilities, features and support.
One of the best Calendly alternatives is lemcal. lemcal is a better Calendly alternative for several reasons, including its wider range of features, greater customization options, and more affordable pricing plans. Overall, lemcal is a more versatile and customizable scheduling tool than Calendly, and it offers better value for money.
Here's why lemcal is a better Calendly alternative:
G2 - 4.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Product Hunt - 4.8/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
lemcal's paid plans are more affordable than Calendly's, offering comparable features at a lower price point. For example, lemcal's Pro plan starts at $7 per month, while Calendly's Essentials plan starts at $10 per month. Moreover, lemcal also offers customized enterprise plans that may be more cost-effective than Calendly's enterprise solutions.
A Verified User in Computer Software with small-business (50 or fewer emp.) says:
"It is easy to use, helps me schedule (1) sales calls, and (2) internal calls without any back-and-forth. A customized page with additional media features helps me show off content before sales meetings."
Another user calls lemcal "Game Changing." According to them, Calendly seems a very basic tool compared to lemcal. They said:
"The booking page is not only user-friendly but BEAUTIFUL. It pulls info from your linkedin, you can attach a video, etc on the same page as the calendar. This gives the user much more information about you and the company, especially if they're on the fence. Calendly is very basic compared to this and doesn't have anything that helps conversions to a booked meeting."
This user found lemcal to be a "great solution":
"What I like best about lemcal is its simplicity and efficiency in meeting scheduling. It offers a user-friendly booking page that I can personalize, and the one-click Calendly schedule import feature is a major time-saver."
Meanwhile, Maxence D., the podcast host, thinks that lemcal is "the personalized version of Calendly."
lemcal is the ideal alternative to Calendly for businesses that prioritize personalized booking experiences, high conversion rates, and seamless integration with sales tools.
By creating a personalized and engaging booking experience, lemcal helps its users to drive conversions. Features like embedded videos, customizable branding, and social media links on the booking page can leave a lasting impression on potential clients, increasing the likelihood of booking a meeting.
Overall, lemcal's focus on personalized booking page, reducing no-shows and driving results makes it a power tool for sales teams and businesses focused on growth.
Doodle is a versatile online scheduling tool that simplifies the process of finding a time that works for everyone involved. It allows you to create polls with multiple date and time options. You can then share these polls with participants, who can indicate their availability.
It also helps to find optimal times by automatically identifying the best time slots based on everyone's responses, eliminating the need for manual coordination.
G2 - 4.4 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Capterra 4.6/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Doodle and Calendly both offer useful features for scheduling, but Doodle may be a better choice for certain users due to the following reasons:
Based on starting prices, Doodle is slightly cheaper than Calendly for individual users. Doodle's paid plans start at $6.95 per month for individuals (Doodle Professional) and go up to $8.95 per month (Doodle Team). Meanwhile, Calendly's paid plans start at $8 per month for individuals (Calendly Essential) and can go up to $16 per user per month for teams (Calendly Teams).
Doodle is a better alternative to Calendly for group scheduling due to its intuitive "Group Polls" feature, simpler interface, and competitive pricing, especially for smaller teams and individuals seeking a straightforward scheduling solution.
HubSpot CRM offers many tools and features for both marketing and sales teams, and their meeting scheduler feature is one of them. While it's not a standalone meeting booking tool, HubSpot scheduler still offers some great features.
HubSpot Sales Hub: G2 - 4.4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
HubSpot Meeting Scheduler is a great alternative to Calendly because of:
HubSpot Meeting Scheduler offers free basic meeting scheduling functionality, which is included in HubSpot's free CRM plan.
More advanced features like group meetings and round robin scheduling are available in HubSpot's paid CRM plans, starting at $45/month.
HubSpot Meeting Scheduler is a great alternative to Calendly for teams already using HubSpot's CRM, as it seamlessly integrates with other HubSpot tools and offers both free and paid plans. It provides personalized scheduling links, facilitates group meetings, automates various tasks, and integrates with popular video conferencing tools.
TimeTap is an online appointment scheduling software designed to streamline and simplify the booking process for businesses and organizations of all sizes. It offers a great variety of advanced features but it all comes at a price. Overall, Timetap is not a cheap solution.
G2- 4.4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Timetap is a great alternative to Calendly thanks to its:
When it comes to pricing, the key difference between TimeTap and Calendly is that their pricing structures differ. TimeTap's pricing is primarily based on the number of staff members and calendars, while Calendly's pricing is per user. TimeTap has a higher starting price than Calendly and, unlike Calendly, does not offer a free plan.
TimeTap plans start at $19.95/month for one staff member and one calendar. Their professional plan starts at $39.95/month for up to 5 staff members and multiple calendars. It's fair to say that Timetap's prices are on the higher end of the market.
TimeTap is a superior alternative to Calendly for businesses with complex scheduling needs due to its advanced features, scalability, extensive integrations, and dedicated customer support. While it comes at a higher price point and lacks a free plan, TimeTap can be quite an investment.
Setmore is a cloud-based appointment scheduling software designed to help businesses of all sizes manage appointments, bookings, and customer interactions efficiently. Setmore offers features specifically designed for service-based businesses, such as salons, spas, fitness studios, and healthcare providers. If your company specializes in any of these services, you are better off without Calendly.
Capterra - 4.6/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Here are the main areas in which Setmore exceeds Calendly:
When it comes to pricing, Setmore has some clear advantages to Calendly.
Setmore free plan offers a relatively robust set of features, including unlimited appointments, email reminders, payments with Square, and up to 4 staff logins.
Setmore's paid plans are generally less expensive than Calendly's, particularly for larger teams.
Setmore's Pro plan is $9 per user per month (billed annually) or $12 month-to-month. It includes text reminders, recurring appointments, up to 2 staff logins (billed annually) or unlimited staff logins (billed monthly), and more.
Setmore is a great alternative to Calendly for service-based businesses due to its specialized features like staff scheduling, resource booking, and class management. It also offers a more generous free plan, affordable pricing, integrated customer reviews, social media integration, and responsive customer support.
Snap Schedule 365 is a cloud-based workforce management software designed to streamline and optimize employee scheduling, time and attendance tracking, and labor cost management. It caters to businesses of all sizes and industries, aiming to improve operational efficiency and employee satisfaction.
G2 - 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Capterra - 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why Snap Schedule 365 can be a better solution than Calendly?
If you are looking for a tool that does more than streamlined appointment scheduling with external contacts, Snap Schedule 365 can be a great alternative to Calendly. Here's the main advantages that Snap Schedule 365 users get:
The pricing model of Snap Schedule 365 is an annual subscription based on the number of employees.
The base subscription of Snap Schedule 365 is: 1-5 employees: $450/year, 6-10 employees: $430/year per employee, 11-20 employees: $405/year per employee, 21-40 employees: $380/year per employee.
Additional Costs include an employee access add-on, which is $36 per employee per year (for mobile access).
If you need a comprehensive workforce management tool with advanced scheduling, time tracking, and labor cost management features, Snap Schedule 365 offers better value despite its higher price.
Connecteam helps businesses manage their non-desk workforce digitally, all in one place. The app facilitates communication within your team through features that might include company announcements, chat functionalities, or task delegation. Connecteam is an all-in-one employee management app designed for the deskless workforces.
Capterra - 4.8/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
G2 - 4.7/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Why is Connecteam a better alternative to Calendly?
Connecteam isn't a direct competitor to Calendly, primarily an appointment scheduling tool for external clients. But Connecteam offers particular benefits for businesses that:
Connecteam's scheduling feature is generally good, and it's easy to navigate and understand. While it integrates with some popular payroll and HR systems, it lacks more advanced integrations.
Connecteam offers free plan available for up to 10 users which grants full access to hubs and features. Connecteam's free plan is great solution for very small teams and businesses who are just starting out.
When it comes to paid plans (billed annually, per user per month), Connecteam offers a basic plan of $29/month which includes Operations Hub, and advanced plan of $59/month which includes Operations and Communications Hubs. The expert plan comes at $99/month with Operations, Communications, and HR & Skills Hubs.
Connecteam's free plan is more generous, offering all features for up to 10 users, while Calendly's free plan is more limited.
Connecteam is a superior alternative to Calendly for businesses with deskless workforces, as it offers comprehensive employee management features beyond scheduling, such as communication, task management, and time tracking. It also prioritizes employee engagement and operational efficiency, making it an ideal all-in-one solution for non-desk teams.
Google Calendar's appointment scheduling feature allows users to manage their availability. It lets clients, partners, friends, or family book time with users directly on Google Calendar via a personal booking page.
Google's scheduling feature is an ideal add-on tool for existing Google Workspace subscribers, who can unlock a broader range of features. It also works for Business and Enterprise subscription plans.
Users who want Google Calendar's scheduler for personal use must have Google One Premium.
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Why Google Calendar appointment scheduling is better than Calendly?
Google Calendar appointment scheduling offers several advantages over Calendly. Individual users with paid Google One plans and those within the Google Workspace ecosystem will find Google scheduler particularly beneficial because of its:
Google Calendar's appointment scheduling is included in Google Workspace, which offers various subscription plans. To access appointment scheduling, you'll need one of the following plans with a one-year commitment: Business Starter for $6 per user per month, Business Standard for $12 per user per month, and Business Plus for $18 per user per month. Contact Google Sales for Enterprise plan pricing.
A limited free version also exists, but it only allows you to schedule one appointment at a time.
Google Calendar's appointment scheduling feature can be a more cost-effective option than Calendly since it is:
Google Calendar's appointment scheduling is a cost-effective and user-friendly alternative to Calendly, especially for individuals and businesses already using Google Workspace or Google One. It seamlessly integrates with other Google apps and offers transparent pricing.
While Calendly is still of the most widely used tool for scheduling appointment, we see the rise of alternative platforms like lemcal, Doodle, HubSpot Meeting Scheduler, TimeTap, Setmore, Snap Schedule 365, Google Calendar, and Connecteam.
More and more businesses and teams express the need for more advanced and complex scheduling software that does more than just simplifying the process of booking a meeting.
These alternatives offer unique advantages in terms of features, pricing, customization, and target audience. By evaluating these options based on your business requirements, you can find a scheduling tool that better aligns with your goals and budget.
Ideally, you should find a meeting scheduler that not only automates meetings but also increases your productivity to a whole new level, driving revenue.
No, but Calendly has a free plan which includes our basic features.
Calendly has many competitors. Some of its best competitors include lemcal, Doodle, HubSpot Meeting Scheduler, Setmore, but there are many more.
Well, kind of. Google Calendar's appointment scheduling feature allows users to manage their availability. It lets clients, partners, friends, or family book time with users directly on Google Calendar via a personal booking page. Both Google Calendar and Calendly let you sync multiple calendars. But Google Calendar is the only one that lets you view your scheduled events and remaining availability all in one calendar.
Microsoft 365 is a massive suite of tools with Word, PowerPoint, and Microsoft Bookings. Microsoft Bookings is included with Microsoft 365 and is a good alternative to Calendly.
No, but Calendly has a free plan which includes our basic features.
Calendly has many competitors. Some of its best competitors include lemcal, Doodle, HubSpot Meeting Scheduler, Setmore, and there are many more.
lemcal, Cal.com or Doodle. Each of them has its own advantages, so our advice is to take a look at the reviews that analyze every tool from inside out.