According to research by Dialpad, the majority of workers (83.13%) spend up to one third of their entire work week in meetings. Yes, that is a lot of meetings to keep track of, both for the people organizing them as well as the ones attending!
Throw in the fact that team members’ schedules can change unexpectedly, you’ve also often got the challenge of rescheduling appointments without shifting around everything that’s in your diary — like a hellish game of Jenga.
To eliminate the need for reorganizing and remembering meetups, more and more team leaders and small business owners are turning to scheduling apps. In this article, we’ll outline the benefits of using them and present a list of 10 apps that can make life easier! (Read our methodology here.)
What is a scheduling app?
Scheduling platforms make meeting with clients and/or colleagues simpler thanks to a number of features. These include automated reminders, synchronization with calendar and email providers, time zone conversion, video integration, and more.
As such, they can be excellent for individuals that run (or work for) service-based businesses, from private tutors to physical therapists and everything in between. Likewise, they can be useful for leaders of larger teams, who also have to juggle various appointments with their team members and other executives.
The pros of using a scheduling app
Using a scheduling app can be beneficial in multiple ways, regardless of what field you work in. The best part is that all you need to get started is an internet connection and a virtual trip to the app store!
Let’s look at some of the top advantages of incorporating this type of software into your day-to-day life:
- It saves you time and effort. Say goodbye to handwritten post-its and messy spreadsheets!
- It helps you stay organized. You’ll have all the information you seek in one place.
- You don’t have to rely on your memory. You can see your appointments anytime, anywhere.
- It makes booking recurring appointments easy. Your customers are going to appreciate this!
- You get new clients. The easier you are to get a hold of, the more customers you’ll attract.
The 10 best scheduling apps
We’ve seen how scheduling platforms can come in handy in the workplace. Now, let’s take a look at some of the best scheduling apps out there!
10. HoneyBook
Rating: 4
Pricing: Paid plans available
Honeybook is an all-in-one CRM that offers an extensive number of features, from sending invoices and signing contracts to tracking inquiries and accepting online payments.
The scheduling feature is extremely easy to use. All you have to do is set your availability on the calendar, copy a link and share it with your client!
Pros:
- Free 7-day trial
- All-in-one platform for SMEs
- Easy to use
Cons:
- No free plan
- Monthly fees can quickly add up
- Customer support could be better
9. Acuity Scheduling
Rating: 4.1
Pricing: Paid plans available
Unlike many scheduling apps on this list, Acuity offers paid plans only. The number of features you can access for just $16 a month (the cheapest of three options), however, makes this worthwhile. These include online payments, online conferencing integrations, reminders and follow-ups, booking page customization, automatic time zone conversion, and more.
Pros:
- Unlimited services and appointments
- Google Meet and Zoom integration
- Free 7-day trial available
Cons:
- No free plan
- Pricier than other platforms
- Basic paid plan only allows one user
8. Doodle
Rating: 4.1
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Specially designed for Android and iOS mobile devices, and offering various integrations as well as analytics, Doodle allows you to schedule important meetings on the go.
There are four plans to choose from, one of which is free, according to your needs and the size of your business.
Pros:
- Affordable plans from $6.95 per user/month
- Wide variety of paid plan features
- Google Meet and Zoom integration on free plan
Cons:
- Only paid plans are ad free
- No customizable branding on free plan
- MS Teams and Webex integration only on Pro
7. Setmore
Rating: 4.4
Available on Android, iOS and desktop
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Setmore offers a range of integrations, from the must-have calendar sync to the convenient CRM, payments, and social media integrations, so you can segment your audience, receive payments in advance, and get booked directly through your Facebook and Instagram pages.
Paid plans start from just $5 per user per month.
Pros:
- 24/7 support
- Free plan features payment functionality
- Free plan allows custom booking page
Cons:
- Free plan has limited email reminders
- Free plan doesn’t offer SMS reminders
- Notification customization on paid plans only
6. Connecteam
Rating: 4.4
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Connecteam caters to managers and small business owners, making employee shift scheduling easier for them. It boasts various features and integrations such as: in-app clocking in and out (with geolocation stamps), timesheet and report exports, and payroll service integration.
Pros:
- Instantly shares schedules with staff
- In-app clock in option
- Scheduling feature free for up to 10 users
Cons:
- In-app chat on paid plans only
- “Geo-fence” on paid plans only
- Can’t add subtasks on free plan
5. Monday.com
Rating: 4.4
Available on Android, iOS and desktop
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
This project management system, that’s used by nearly 190,000 clients across 200 industries, has a scheduling feature that enables teams to enhance their productivity. It syncs seamlessly with calendar apps, such as Google’s, and lets you view and coordinate your entire team’s to-dos along with their deadlines.
Pros:
- Five plans to choose from
- Very user-friendly
- Hundreds of templates available
Cons:
- Free plan allows only two users
- Free plan supports only 500MB of storage
- Only paid plans offer integrations
4. Zoho Bookings
Rating: 4.4
Available on Android, iOS and desktop
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Zoho Bookings helps you meet your clients online or offline, depending on the type of service you offer. Depending on your plan, it also supports payment collections in advance, meaning you can request deposits prior to the day of your appointment, eliminating the inconvenience of no-shows.
Pros:
- Bookings can have multiple hosts
- Customizable confirmations and reminders
- Affordable plans from $6.50 per user/month
Cons:
- Free plan offers limited features
- Branding removable only on Premium
- User interface could be improved
3. Square Appointments
Rating: 4.5
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Square Appointments makes it easy for new and existing clients to view your availability and book appointments directly from your website or Square bookings page. The scheduling system also allows your clients to make payments prior to their appointment.
There are three plans being offered: Free, Plus (for $29 per month per location), and Premium (for $69 per month per location).
Pros:
- Free plan available
- Wide variety of paid plan features
- Hardware solutions available
Cons:
- Monthly fees can quickly add up
- Instant money withdrawals incur a fee
- No Google Calendar integration on free plan
2. Appointy
Rating: 4.5
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Though its paid plans are pricier than other options on this list, Appointy offers a free 14-day trial and a wide range of features, including the ability to display your booking interface in more than 20 languages. It’s also a pay-as-you-go service, meaning there are no cancelation fees should you change your mind.
Pros:
- Free 14-day trial available
- No contracts or cancelation fees
- Wide variety of paid plan features
Cons:
- Free plan allows only 100 appointments per month
- Pricier than other platforms
- Branding removable on one plan only
1. Calendly
Rating: 4.8
Available on Android, iOS and desktop
Pricing: Free and paid plans available
Calendly’s free plan allows for integration with any calendar provider, such as Google and Outlook, as well as integration with messaging and conferencing apps including MS Teams and Slack.
Currently used by over 20 million people around the globe, Calendly offers four different plans to cater to businesses of various sizes.
Pros:
- Free plan available
- Very user-friendly
- Free 14-day trial for Teams plan
Cons:
- Free plan offers limited integrations
- Payment collections on paid plans only
- No reminder customization on free plan
Final thoughts
As technology continues to evolve, our day-to-day lives carry on changing with it. What we once had to do manually, relying on pens, notepads and our memory, can now be quickly taken care of with the click of a mouse button or a tap on a screen. For the busy manager or SME owner especially, these native apps and software applications can be a life saver!
We hope that with the help of this article you’ll find the right app for you, whether that’s a web app, mobile application or hybrid app, and create a seamless user experience for both your existing and prospective clients.
Got any other scheduling app suggestions? Let us know in the comments section below.
Methodology: To come up with overall ratings for the scheduling apps, we gave them individual scores (out of 5) for the following 10 factors and then averaged them: plan affordability; free plan availability; free trial availability; number of features; number of integrations; reported user satisfaction; app design quality; level of customization offered; mobile app availability; and quality of customer support.