Meetings are already consuming a significant portion of the workweek, and the additional time spent on the process of finding a suitable time for everyone is further squandering valuable hours.
Meeting scheduler apps are essential because they minimize difficulties by keeping track of your calendar and availability, integrating with popular apps such as Zoom or Google Meet, and allowing guests to schedule meetings independently. With numerous alternatives available, you are likely to discover a suitable alternative to Calendly or Doodle that aligns with your preferences, work approach, and financial considerations.
Here is our list of the top eight meeting scheduler tools, gathered after weeks of testing numerous apps.
The 6 best meeting schedulers
Calendly (Web, iOS, Android)
The reason why Calendly is the default meeting scheduler is because it is dependable, user-friendly for both parties involved, and the free plan is sufficient regardless of your technological setup.
By setting up a booking page on Calendly, users can easily manage meeting requests. This allows invitees to select from various meeting types, view your availability, and schedule a meeting with you. The app is perfect for individuals receiving numerous meeting requests that require a straightforward and concise response.
The first step when signing up for Calendly is connecting your calendar (Google Calendar, iCal, Microsoft Office 365, Exchange, or Outlook) to provide an insight into your availability. After that, you can create various meeting options for the types of meetings you offer, like “30-minute phone interview” or “initial client intake meeting.” Calendly offers a wide range of details that you can add to each meeting type. Furthermore, you can also create intake forms, and with a paid plan, you have the ability to set up workflows for automated reminders, SMS messaging, and feedback surveys.
After setting up your event types, you have the option to share a link with individuals who want to schedule meetings with you. By doing so, they can view your availability and request meetings accordingly. The free plan only accommodates one type of meeting, whereas the Premium plan allows you to create multiple types of meetings as required. Calendly not only synchronizes confirmed appointments with your calendar, but also provides the option to create an event on the calendars of those invited to the meeting.
Calendly is effective for scheduling meetings within an organization and is particularly well-suited for interacting with external clients, customers, and colleagues due to its custom events and outgoing links. Moreover, with the recent addition of the Routing feature, Calendly utilizes advanced logic to direct individuals filling out forms to the correct booking page based on their specific needs. Additionally, Calendly offers extensive integration possibilities with platforms such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Zapier, though these features are only accessible with a paid subscription.
You have the ability to accomplish tasks such as generating new Zoom meetings or adding new meeting attendees to your email marketing list by integrating Calendly with Zapier. To initiate your workflow, you can refer to the provided examples or tailor it to suit your preferred applications.
Calendly offers a simple and user-friendly interface for both the user and invitee. If you are looking for a hassle-free and reliable scheduling solution that requires minimal effort on your part, Calendly is an excellent option with a quick setup process.
Calendar (Web, iOS, Android)
The calendar is not just a meeting scheduler; it is a complete calendar application. It is available both on the web and mobile platforms and is designed with a user interface that strongly resembles Google Calendar. Additionally, it provides meeting scheduling capabilities, such as the ability to create personalized time slots and easily share booking links.
While Google chooses to make some of its top appointment scheduling tools available only to paid subscribers, Calendar offers them for free. With the free plan, users can create two personalized scheduling time slots and integrate the app with one of their existing calendar services.
Calendar offers the option to create multiple workspaces on its paid plans, allowing users to stay organized. This feature is particularly useful for individuals who want to use Calendar for both personal and business schedules. In each workspace, users can set up individual scheduling pages and time slots. Additionally, users can specify their availability for each meeting type. Although setting up the various levels of settings may require some effort, Calendar’s extensive customization options are advantageous for larger teams with different meeting types.
What makes Calendar unique is its comprehensive statistics section. It keeps track of all your meetings and identifies emerging trends. In addition to basic statistics such as the duration of meetings in the past day, week, month, or year, it also keeps tabs on attendance records. It notes the proportion of individuals who declined or failed to attend meetings. Moreover, it identifies the individuals with whom you are most likely to have meetings. This feature can be tremendously helpful in fostering better engagement. All of this information is presented in a visually appealing and informative overview.
If you already have a calendar app, trying out another one may seem unnecessary. However, Calendar is the ideal choice if you want to thoroughly analyze your meetings and schedule them without spending any money, even though its navigation is not as intuitive as Calendly.
By connecting Calendar to Zapier, you can integrate it with the other tools used for work. This allows you to receive Slack notifications whenever someone schedules a new meeting with you and add each meeting to a new row in Google Sheets.
SavvyCal
SavvyCal is an app for scheduling that can be used for multiple purposes, with a focus on facilitating collaboration and helping users find the best meeting times. The free plan only allows users to create meeting polls, but for those who are willing to pay $12 per month, there are additional features available, including individual and team scheduling links.
To begin, create an account with SavvyCal and follow the setup wizard’s instructions to connect your preferred calendars and video conferencing applications. Afterward, you’ll gain access to an easy-to-use and simplified dashboard. This dashboard allows you to conveniently reach all your scheduling links and meeting surveys, personalize your default availability for all types of meetings, and view all your upcoming events.
If you are familiar with using Doodle to make a poll, you will find SavvyCal’s polling feature to be very familiar. You can effortlessly make a new meeting poll, give it a name and include necessary details, and suggest several time options from your calendar. Afterwards, just share the link with all participants and ask them to vote on the meeting times that suit them.
What we found advantageous about SavvyCal, in comparison to numerous other meeting poll apps, is its feature that allows invitees to effortlessly sync their calendars with the polling page. This enables them to easily select their preferred time slots without the concern of scheduling conflicting appointments. Toggling between the poll and personal calendar is no longer necessary.
If you have a paid plan, you can use SavvyCal’s scheduling links, which combine the features of Calendly and Doodle. With these links, you can create various scheduling options with customized meeting durations and locations. Additionally, you can set different availability hours for each type of meeting. These links can be used multiple times if you have recurring meetings or only once for individual meetings. After creating a scheduling link, you can share it with your invitees and allow them to schedule a convenient time with you.
By integrating SavvyCal with Zapier, you can automate the process of updating your to-do list every time someone schedules a meeting with you, receive a text notification whenever you receive a new meeting request, and enhance the automation of your scheduling workflows.
SimplyMeet.me
SimplyMeet.me is a great choice for individuals seeking a free meeting scheduler that is powerful. Formerly known as Harmonizely, SimplyMeet.me was acquired by SimplyBook.me. With this tool, users can create various types of meetings and provide a single link for guests to schedule a meeting. Invitees have the option to select a date and one of the available time slots to make an appointment.
Although it shares similarities with other services we’ve tested, what sets it apart is its highly generous free plan. It allows one user and up to three calendar integrations, with unlimited meeting types and video meeting integrations, and a maximum of 500 scheduled meetings per month.
We appreciate the granular customization options available on SimplyMeet.me for setting up different meeting types. These options encompass making the meeting secret, incorporating intake questions, determining availability, customizing email and SMS notifications, accepting payments, and setting a maximum limit for daily meetings. Additionally, we value the flexibility to personalize the booking page’s theme, color scheme, and logo to align with your brand.
From the perspective of your invitee, every booking page that you can embed into your website appears to be clean, professional, and minimalist.
In addition to the usual Google, iCal, and Microsoft calendar integrations, SimplyMeet.me has the capability to integrate with any CalDAV calendar, including Zimbra, FastMail, Nextcloud, and Zoho.
By connecting SimplyMeet.me to Zapier, you can enhance its functionality. This integration allows you to perform tasks such as sending follow-up emails for new meetings or automatically adding invitees to your customer database.
Clara
If you want more advanced technology, consider Clara, your friendly robot schedule assistant who handles the back-and-forth of deciding on a meeting time. Welcome to the world of AI scheduling.
The procedure for utilizing Clara is straightforward: after creating an account, integrating your calendar, and selecting your desired meeting times, the tool will generate an email address for your “assistant,” Clara. (If you prefer a different first or last name, you can modify it in the settings menu.) Subsequently, all that is required is for you to send an email to the AI calendar assistant whenever you wish to schedule a meeting. From that point on, she will handle the rest.
By testing our system, we sent an email to another one of our email accounts and requested Clara to schedule a meeting. Clara responded to the alter-ego with a variety of available times. The email was polite and formal, resembling a genuine person’s message. After a few email exchanges, we agreed on a suitable time for everyone involved, and Clara sent a Google Calendar invitation to both parties. This entire process was completed in less than 24 hours, and as the event organizer, we only had to initiate the meeting by sending the initial email.
Using Clara is comparable to employing a virtual assistant to manage your meetings. It is probable that frequent users may not require frequent logins to the platform; all necessary tasks can be accomplished through email, and your linked calendar will reflect your upcoming schedule. However, in case you choose to log in to the platform, your dashboard will exhibit a compilation of suggested and confirmed meetings.
The price is the primary drawback of Clara. There is no option for a free plan, and the minimum cost for a subscription is $99 per user per month. However, if you require an AI calendar assistant to efficiently handle your schedule but lack the financial means to employ a person, Clara may be the suitable option for you.
Sidekick
If you frequently have in-person meetings, Sidekick is an excellent option for you. This free calendar and scheduling app allows you to save different types of meetings, including your preferred physical meeting locations. Additionally, Sidekick integrates seamlessly with popular video conferencing tools such as Zoom, Teams, and Google Meet.
Do you enjoy networking at your nearby Starbucks? Are you interested in conducting interviews at your office? You can now save these locations under your My Locations tab and generate a customized scheduling page that connects automatically to that specific location. This allows guests to easily book a meeting with you and receive the address of the chosen location instantly, eliminating any need for back-and-forth discussions regarding the meeting place.
In addition to the various meeting places, Sidekick is dependable and user-friendly. It features a simple and instinctive dashboard design, allowing you to effortlessly establish your availability preferences and default meeting durations for all meeting categories.
Additionally, Sidekick offers a feature called “Forward to Schedule” for its paid users, which functions as an AI meeting scheduler similar to Clara and CalendarHero. In the case of receiving an email from someone seeking a meeting, users can simply forward it to Sidekick. The application then handles the task of emailing the requester to request further details (if necessary) and selecting a mutually convenient time. Moreover, Sidekick has recently formed a partnership with Sembly AI to present automated, in-meeting notes. In general, while Sidekick’s AI meeting assistant is not as advanced as Clara or CalendarHero—recipients of the emails can easily discern the interaction as automated—it remains a useful feature.
How to Choose the Best Meeting Scheduler App
For developing entrepreneurs, one of the biggest challenges in managing a business is staying organized, as it requires a lot of responsibility and commitment.
When it comes to planning strategy, generating fresh concepts, or attending to client requests, utmost attention is required. Nonetheless, with a wide array of responsibilities, it can be challenging to allocate time for scheduling future meetings and selecting appropriate dates.
Let’s see how a convenient online scheduling system can assist in improving the scheduling process.
4 reasons why your business needs online scheduling software
We have selected the advantages of appointment scheduling apps that will provide you with the most benefits. Take a look.
Save time
With all of the burdens weighing on you, it’s possible to overlook the importance of rest. By planning and arranging meetings, you allow yourself the opportunity to schedule in some time for a break. Consequently, your perspective on your weekly agenda improves, making it simpler to ascertain how much time is allocated for specific tasks and client meetings.
Furthermore, the booking software provides the convenience of arranging meetings and setting aside time for additional responsibilities like innovation of new products and services or selection of fresh marketing strategies. Meeting scheduling apps have the ability to adapt their features to suit diverse business sectors.
Create detailed reports
By opting for cloud-based software, you can take advantage of advanced reporting capabilities, enhanced availability, and optimal data security. The reports empower you to manage finances, activities, and monitor the progress of your employees. Additionally, you can effortlessly ascertain your average monthly appointment count.
Make scheduling effortless
With scheduling features, you can easily modify the meeting date, verify the payment status, and even accept or decline the appointment. Having an online booking system that has an intuitive interface allows you to take prompt action without wasting time trying to understand its operation.
In addition, in the event that your client is unable to attend the meeting, you can conveniently arrange an online meeting for video conferencing or making phone calls.
Say “goodbye” to missed appointments.
Have you ever been in a situation where you either forgot about a meeting or recalled it just a few minutes before? This software addresses that issue by offering a solution. Schedulers automatically send reminders to both you and your client to notify you about the upcoming session.
Additionally, you have the option to include personal notes for the appointment, specifying its objective and nature. When both parties can make prior preparations, client meetings become more enjoyable and efficient.
Tips on how to choose the best online scheduling app
If you follow our step-by-step guidance, selecting the appropriate appointment scheduling tool for your business will no longer be a challenging endeavor. Let’s explore further to simplify your decision-making process.
Compare prices
It is a fact that nobody wants to pay more than necessary for something that does not meet their expectations. Therefore, it is advisable to evaluate the prices and the availability of multiple plans when considering software options. Perhaps, opting for the basic plan instead of the most expensive one would suffice. Additionally, a free trial version of the software is another factor to consider as it can help alleviate any doubts by testing its capabilities.
Check features adequacy
When making a choice, it is possible that some schedulers’ users select software solely based on its popularity. However, it is strongly recommended to evaluate the software’s features in relation to your own requirements.
If you are concerned about having contact with customers outside of work, select software that has a mobile app option so that you can stay connected with them. Additionally, make sure to verify if the software integrates with your other systems’ calendars, as this can assist you in enhancing your scheduling.
Read reviews
Lastly, be sure to consider the reviews from various websites, as they offer insights from fellow users who are likely to have the best knowledge. Thoroughly analyze both positive and negative reviews to identify aspects that could be significant to you.
Perhaps the software possesses various crucial functionalities, yet the interface exacerbates its usability.
