The Best Scheduling Apps of 2024
Looking for the best scheduling app for your business? Look no further than these top contenders:
- Square Appointments: Best overall
- Setmore: Best for unlimited appointments
- Calendly: Best for appointment booking via email
- Zoho Bookings: Best for resource management
- Appointy: Best for workflow automation
- Doodle: Best for teams with schedulers
- SimplyBook.me: Best for medical offices
Each app has its own unique strengths, so be sure to choose the one that best fits your specific scheduling needs.
Best Overall
Square Appointments
Square Appointments is a scheduling app that integrates directly with Square, the popular payment processor. This app offers task management, recurring payments, mobile app, and automated appointment reminders, making it a top choice for businesses looking for a hub to manage clients, take payments, and control their calendars.
Plans and Pricing
Square Appointments offers three plans, including a free plan, a Plus plan, and a Premium plan. Unlike most scheduling apps, Square Appointments offers pricing on a per-location basis, rather than per user, which can make it more affordable for businesses with multiple users.
The free plan is for a single location and includes all of Square’s basic features, including access to the mobile app (Android and iOS), automated text and email reminders, customizable availability, recurring payments, and multiple time zones.
The Plus plan is geared toward businesses with more than one location and costs $29 per month per location for all basic features from the Free plan, plus additional features, such as automated text and email appointment confirmations, Google Calendar sync, no-show protection, and daily appointment limits.
The Premium plan is designed for businesses with more complex booking needs and larger teams. It costs $69 per month per location and includes everything from the Plus plan, plus extra features such as custom permissions, resource management, multiple wage rates, and custom-tiered staff commissions.
We like Square Appointments because it integrates directly with Square, allowing customers to pay for appointments directly in the booking process. The app also offers late cancellation and no-show fees to ensure that clients take their appointments seriously.
Managing your schedule is easy with the iOS or Android apps that coordinate with you on the go, so you never miss a beat. Customers can book appointments directly into your calendar and can even set recurring appointments for regular services.
We also appreciate the Instagram and Google integration, which makes it easy to advertise your services and directly book appointments from outreach and advertising directly into your Google Calendar.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
- Free plan available
- Per-location pricing is often more affordable for businesses with four or more users
- Square Payment integration
- Recurring appointments
- No-show fees option
Cons:
- Limited payment options
- Limited social media integration
- Premium plans are more expensive than competitors
If you are a business owner looking for a scheduling app that offers payment processing, task management, and automated appointment reminders, Square Appointments may be the perfect solution for you.
Best for Unlimited Appointments
Setmore
If you’re looking for a scheduling app that offers unlimited appointments without breaking the bank, Setmore is an excellent option. With its feature-rich premium plans and inclusion of unlimited appointments with its free plan, Setmore is a quality solution for businesses that need a basic scheduling app for managing a high volume of appointments without any costs.
Setmore offers three plans that are available with monthly billing or annual billing. The Free plan offers Setmore’s basic features, such as unlimited appointments, payment reminders, and payments with Square. The premium plan is available for a special promotion of $5 per user, per month, with annual billing (58% off) or $12 per user, per month, with month-to-month billing–for up to two users. It includes everything from the Free plan, plus SMS reminders, calendar sync, and additional payment processing options (Square, Stripe, and PayPal). Businesses with three or more users can opt for the Pro plan, which also costs $5 per user, per month, with annual billing (44% off), or $9 per user, per month, with monthly billing. It includes everything from the Premium plan, with the difference being that it is geared toward businesses with larger teams.
Setmore also offers a mobile app for iOS and Android, recurring payments (with premium plans), class booking, and task management (for a fee). You can customize your booking page on all plans, schedule staff, and even access Teleport meetings. However, the Free plan is limited to a maximum of 100 email reminders per month, and the Premium plan is limited to two users. Additionally, Setmore’s customer service has received some criticism for being poor.
Overall, Setmore is an excellent solution for those who are on a budget and need to schedule a high volume of appointments, as well as businesses that want to accept payments through the scheduling app. If you’re looking for a scheduling app with unlimited appointments, Setmore is definitely worth considering.
Best for Appointment Booking Via Email
Calendly
Calendly is a scheduling app that is a great option for businesses looking to accept appointment bookings via email. It offers a free plan with a robust set of features, including a web portal, iOS and Android app, and unlimited one-on-one events. The app also allows you to sync with major email service providers and provides automatic event notifications.
Calendly integrates with Google Meet, GoToMeeting, Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Zoom conferencing to give you your preference in meeting hosts. You can even integrate Calendly to Slack and Intercom for better workflows.
The Standard plan runs $10 per person, per month, with the Teams plan running $16 per seat, per month, if billed annually. You get team event scheduling, links to confirmation pages, and metrics and reporting as you move up the platform options. It also increases the calendar connections per person from one in the free plan to six in the paid plans, giving you more options for appointment types.
Pros
- Appointment booking via email
- Easy to use
- Allows survey creation
- Useful email templates
Cons
- No email reminders with Free plan
- Long customer service wait times
- Lackluster free version
- Not designed for recurring bookings
Overall, Calendly is a reliable and user-friendly scheduling app that is perfect for businesses looking to accept appointment bookings via email. With its various integrations and affordable pricing plans, Calendly is a great choice for businesses of any size.
Best for Resource Management
Zoho Bookings
Zoho Bookings is an excellent choice for businesses that need to book more than just service slots. The platform offers a range of features that allow for convenient booking of resources, including equipment and rooms.
Plans and Pricing
Zoho Bookings offers three scheduling plans to choose from. The Free Forever plan is available for one user and includes email notifications and calendar synchronization. The Basic plan costs $8 per staff, per month, with annual billing or $6 per staff, per month, with monthly billing. It allows teams to set round-robin appointments, allocating resources equally. The Premium plan, on the other hand, costs $9 per staff, per month, with annual billing or $12 per staff, per month, with monthly billing. It includes everything in the Basic plan plus many additional features. Customers get a sign-up portal, and you can even have a booking page hosted in your own domain.
Key Features
Zoho Bookings offers a range of features that make it an ideal choice for businesses that need to manage resources effectively. Some of its key features include:
- Email reminders: The platform sends email reminders to customers to ensure they don’t miss their appointments.
- Round-robin appointment allocation: The platform allows teams to set round-robin appointments, allocating resources equally.
- Time zone conversion: Customers don’t need to figure out time zone differences as the system automatically converts it for them.
- Group events and recurring events (with paid plan): The platform allows for the convenient booking of group events and recurring events.
Pros & Cons
Zoho Bookings has several pros and cons to consider before making a decision. Some of its pros include competitively-priced premium plans, feature-rich premium plans, hands-off bookings, appointment qualification, and two-way calendar syncing. However, the platform can be confusing to set up, and it has limited CRM integration.
If you need a platform that can help you manage resources effectively, Zoho Bookings is an excellent choice to consider.
Best for Workflow Automation
Appointy
If you’re looking for a scheduling app that integrates with various tools to automate your workflow, Appointy is an excellent option. This app offers four different plans, including a free plan that allows you to set up Google Calendar bookings and integrates with Square Payments and Point of Sale.
With Appointy, you can take advantage of over 1,000 Zapier integrations to automate your workflow in many ways. The app provides automatic reminders, a mobile app, up to 100 appointments per month with the free plan, unlimited services with the paid plan, and task management.
Plans and Pricing:
Appointy’s free plan is an excellent option for individuals who need to schedule up to 100 appointments per month. The Growth plan, priced at $19.99 per month if billed annually, is ideal for busier individuals. It offers live chat and email support and allows up to 2,000 appointments per day.
For teams, the Professional plan is a good option. It costs $49.99 per month if billed annually and expands usage from one team member to five. Users can purchase gift certificates to give away, and it also allows for resource scheduling. The Enterprise plan is priced at $79.99 if billed annually and adds text customizations and removes all Appointy branding.
Who should use it:
Appointy is best for those who need to integrate with various tools to keep their workflow organized. It’s also an excellent option for individuals who need to schedule appointments and manage tasks efficiently.
Pros & Cons:
Here are some of the pros and cons of using Appointy:
Pros:
- Unlimited services
- Good customer support
- Simple appointment process
- Gift certificates
Cons:
- Problems with premium versions
- Big learning curve
- Most plans display Appointy ads
Learn more:
If you want to learn more about Appointy, you can read our full Appointy review.
Best for Teams With Schedulers
Doodle
Doodle is a scheduling app that is perfect for teams that divide responsibilities between schedulers and appointment setters. It is used by recruiters, freelancers, sales professionals, educators, and nonprofits. Doodle offers competitively-priced premium plans which include unlimited group and one-on-one meetings, unlimited booking pages, Zapier integration, calendar sync, group polls, and video integrations.
Plans and Pricing:
Doodle offers two paid plans: the Pro plan and the Team plan. The Pro plan starts at $6.95 per person, per month and includes unlimited booking pages, group polls, and one-on-one meetings. It also offers custom branding and integrates with Microsoft Teams, Webex, and Zoom for convenient conferencing options.
The Team plan costs $8.95 per person, per month, and adds an administration console for easy management. It allows you to schedule on behalf of someone, making it perfect for a team that has assistants or schedulers responsible for bookings. Managers can review activity reports to see who their top performers are.
Pros & Cons:
Here are the pros and cons of using Doodle:
Pros:
- Unlimited meetings
- Unlimited booking pages
- Unlimited group polls
- Does not display ads
- Multilingual support
Cons:
- No appointment reminders
- No recurring payments or appointments
- Slow customer service
- Cumbersome to use
Overall, Doodle is a great choice for teams with schedulers who need to manage multiple meetings and appointments. Its competitively-priced premium plans offer a range of features that can help streamline scheduling tasks and improve team productivity.
Best for Medical Offices
SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me is a scheduling app that is well-suited for medical offices due to its inclusion of HIPAA compliance, admin apps, and client apps. It offers a simple scheduling process and highly customizable booking options, making it a versatile scheduling application.
Plans and Pricing
SimplyBook.me offers four plans, starting with the Free version. The Free plan limits users to 50 bookings per month with up to five users. An administrative app manages the calendar with a book site devoted to your appointments. A booking widget allows you to add calendar scheduling to websites and social media with ease and professionalism.
The Basic plan costs $8.25 per user, per month (if billed annually) and increases bookings to 100 per month with up to 15 users. It allows you to offer coupons and gift cards and integrates with sales platforms. There is also a client app so that clients can manage their accounts.
The Standard plan and Premium plan are HIPAA-compliant, costing $24.90 per user, per month (if billed annually) and $49.90 per user, per month (if billed annually), respectively. The key difference between these two plans is that the Premium plan allows for link removal so that you can simplify calendar listings and the number of bookings allowed. The Standard plan allows 500 bookings per month, while the Premium plan allows 2,000 bookings per month. All plans come with a 14-day free trial.
Who Should Use It
SimplyBook.me is an excellent choice for medical offices that need to remain HIPAA compliant in all their activities.
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Free plan for up to five users
- Admin app with all plans
- Client app (paid plans)
- Coupons and gift cards (paid plans)
- Simple scheduling process
- Highly customizable
Cons
- Free plan is limited to 50 appointments per month
- Unlimited bookings are not available
- Customer support problems
- Issues with premium plans
Overall, SimplyBook.me is a great scheduling app for medical offices due to its HIPAA compliance, admin apps, and client apps. Its simple scheduling process and customizable booking options make it a versatile scheduling application.
Methodology
To determine the best scheduling apps, Forbes Advisor used a proprietary scoring system based on four primary rating categories: pricing, general features, additional features, and reviews. Under general features, we evaluated the app’s ability to offer booking availability, calendar syncing, a booking page, and email notifications. We also assessed the software integrations available. For additional features, we looked for real-time tracking, task management, and client portals. Finally, we checked if the app received a three-and-a-half-star rating or higher on three major review platforms to evaluate the reviews. Our rating system allowed us to provide unbiased and informative reviews of the best scheduling apps available.
What You Need to Know About Choosing Scheduling Apps
When choosing a scheduling app, it’s important to consider its ease of use for both you and your clients. Look for an app that can sync and integrate with your automatic workflows to make scheduling more efficient. While most scheduling apps offer a free version, it’s worth upgrading to a paid version with additional features to better manage appointments and resources. Be sure to thoroughly examine the paid versions to ensure they include the specific features your business requires. By investing in a comprehensive scheduling app, you can streamline your scheduling process and improve overall productivity.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is a scheduling app?
A scheduling app is a tool that allows you to easily manage your schedule by letting clients or prospects book appointments with you automatically. You can set up your availability in a web portal and the scheduling app shows your calendar options, allowing the scheduling party to pick a time that works best for them.
What are some features that a paid scheduling app has that a free app might not?
Paid scheduling apps have several upgraded features that free apps may not offer. These include email confirmations, resource management, custom staff permissions, calendar sync, and software that makes it easier to schedule bookings.
Why do you need a scheduling app?
Using a scheduling app eliminates the hassle of back and forth communication when trying to find a time that works for everyone. The app shows what times are available, and the prospect can pick a time that works best for them. This saves you time and makes managing your schedule much easier.
What is the purpose of appointment reminder systems?
Appointment reminder systems help you reduce the risk of missed and canceled appointments by reminding clients about upcoming appointments. This eliminates the need for someone to physically call or text people to remind them about appointments. With appointment reminders, you can easily keep track of your schedule and ensure that your clients show up on time.
What are some benefits of scheduling apps?
Scheduling apps offer several benefits that can help you save time and streamline your business. These include:
- Saving time by not having to handle the scheduling process manually
- Automatically syncing with all of your calendars―both personal and for your team members
- Sending and receiving reminders and notifications via text messages and/or email automatically
- Eliminating issues around double-booking or unnecessary gaps during interview days or client meetings
- Making it easier to collect payments by sending reminders and notices to ensure timely payments.
In summary, using a scheduling app can help you manage your schedule more efficiently, reduce the risk of missed appointments, and save you time by automating the scheduling process.
What are the top-rated apps for managing appointments?
There are several top-rated apps for managing appointments, including Calendly, Acuity Scheduling, and Doodle. These apps offer features such as automated scheduling, calendar syncing, and reminders to help you manage your appointments efficiently.
Which scheduling apps are most effective for small businesses?
For small businesses, scheduling apps such as Setmore, Appointy, and Square Appointments are popular choices. These apps offer features such as online booking, appointment reminders, and customer management tools to help small businesses streamline their scheduling processes.
What are the best free scheduling tools available?
If you’re looking for free scheduling tools, some popular options include Google Calendar, Doodle, and WhenIsGood. These tools offer basic scheduling features such as calendar syncing and appointment scheduling, making them a great choice for those on a budget.
Can you recommend a scheduling app that integrates well with social media platforms?
If you’re looking for a scheduling app that integrates well with social media platforms, Hootsuite and Buffer are popular choices. These apps allow you to schedule social media posts in advance and track engagement, making it easy to manage your social media presence alongside your appointments.
What scheduling apps offer the best features for student time management?
For student time management, scheduling apps such as My Study Life, Any.do, and Todoist are popular choices. These apps offer features such as task lists, reminders, and calendar syncing to help students stay on top of their schedules and deadlines.
Are there any scheduling apps designed specifically for employee shift planning?
Yes, there are several scheduling apps designed specifically for employee shift planning, including When I Work, Shiftboard, and Homebase. These apps offer features such as shift scheduling, time clock management, and employee communication tools to help businesses manage their workforce efficiently.
Next Up in Business
As we move forward into the new year, businesses are looking for ways to stay competitive and profitable. Here are a few trends to keep an eye on:
- The rise of e-commerce: With more consumers shopping online than ever before, businesses are investing in their online presence to stay relevant and accessible to customers.
- Emphasis on sustainability: Consumers are increasingly conscious of the impact of their purchases on the environment, and businesses are responding by adopting eco-friendly practices and products.
- Continued growth of the gig economy: As more workers seek flexible employment options, businesses are turning to freelancers and contractors to fill their staffing needs.
As always, it’s important for businesses to stay adaptable and responsive to changing consumer demands and market conditions. By keeping these trends in mind, you can position your business for success in the years to come.