Softwr

Scheduling · head to head

Bookedin vs Google Calendar

Bookedin logo

Bookedin

Scheduling

Appointment scheduling priced per calendar rather than per business

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Google Calendar logo

Google Calendar

Calendars

Smart scheduling for the modern workforce

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Bookedin pricing is per calendar, so a five-staff salon pays roughly five times the headline price and lands above competitors that charge one flat business rate for unlimited staff.; Google Calendar no AI-driven scheduling assistance or automatic meeting time optimization
  • They diverge on capability: Bookedin covers Per calendar pricing, Google Calendar covers Event scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Bookedin and Google Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where Bookedin and Google Calendar differ
AttributeBookedinGoogle Calendar
Pricing modelPer calendar per monthUnknown
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategorySchedulingCalendars
FoundedUnknown1998

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Bookedin

  • Per calendar pricing
  • Public booking page
  • Reminders
  • Deposits and payments
  • Class scheduling
  • Free tier
  • Mobile apps
  • Booking forms

Only in Google Calendar

  • Event scheduling
  • Multiple calendars
  • Reminders and notifications
  • Event sharing
  • Video conferencing integration
  • Gmail
  • Google Meet
  • Google Tasks

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Bookedin

  • A solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management systemnot Google Calendar
  • A barber shop with two chairs that wants an Instagram booking link and automated SMS reminders running by the end of the daynot Google Calendar
  • A tutor running both one-to-one sessions and small group classes from the same booking pagenot Google Calendar
  • A pet groomer who wants intake questions captured at booking so the appointment length is right before the client arrivesnot Google Calendar

Google Calendar

  • Schedulingnot Bookedin
  • Appointment bookingnot Bookedin
  • Time trackingnot Bookedin
  • Resource managementnot Bookedin
  • Team coordinationnot Bookedin

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Bookedin

  • Pricing is per calendar, so a five-staff salon pays roughly five times the headline price and lands above competitors that charge one flat business rate for unlimited staff.
  • The free plan stops at 50 bookings a month across appointments and classes together, which a modestly busy single operator exceeds in a fortnight, making it an extended trial rather than a usable free tier.
  • It is a scheduler, not a business system: there is no inventory, commission tracking, payroll or point of sale, so growing businesses hit a wall and face a migration to a salon or clinic platform.
  • Payments run through Stripe, Square or PayPal, so you carry their processing fees on top of the subscription and get no negotiated rate from the vendor.
  • Client marketing is limited to reminders and basic notifications, with none of the campaign, loyalty or rebooking automation that competitors in the salon space treat as core.

Google Calendar

  • No AI-driven scheduling assistance or automatic meeting time optimization
  • Lacks built-in appointment booking pages or payment integrations for scheduling
  • Limited mobile support for shared calendars and unreliable push notifications on phones
  • No native task management or project tracking features within the calendar interface
  • Limited offline functionality on the web (read-only mode only)
  • Strict usage limits (maximum 60 calendars, 750 shares per time period)

Pricing, plan by plan

Bookedin

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 bookings per month total
    • One booking page
    • Appointment and class scheduling
  • Plus$19/month
    • Per calendar, billed annually; about USD 24 billed monthly
    • Unlimited bookings
    • SMS and email reminders
  • Pro$39/month
    • Per calendar per month
    • Everything in Plus
    • Advanced customisation and branding
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Quoted pricing for multi-location businesses
    • Dedicated support
    • Consolidated management across sites

Google Calendar

Free
  • PersonalFree
    • Event scheduling
    • Sharing
    • Notifications
  • Google Workspace Business Starter$7/month
    • All personal features
    • Team collaboration
    • 30GB storage

Which should you pick?

Choose Bookedin if

  • You need per calendar pricing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want public booking page.
Bookedin review

Choose Google Calendar if

  • You need event scheduling.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want multiple calendars.
Google Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is Bookedin or Google Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. Bookedin starts at Free and Google Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Bookedin or Google Calendar?
Bookedin starts at Free and Google Calendar at Free.
Does Bookedin or Google Calendar run on more platforms?
Bookedin runs on Web, iOS, Android. Google Calendar runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Bookedin for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Bookedin best used for?
Bookedin is most often used for a solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management system, a barber shop with two chairs that wants an instagram booking link and automated sms reminders running by the end of the day, a tutor running both one-to-one sessions and small group classes from the same booking page, a pet groomer who wants intake questions captured at booking so the appointment length is right before the client arrives. Of those, a solo tattoo artist who needs deposits taken at booking to stop no-shows without buying a studio management system and a barber shop with two chairs that wants an instagram booking link and automated sms reminders running by the end of the day are not what Google Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can Bookedin do that Google Calendar cannot?
Bookedin covers Per calendar pricing, Public booking page, Reminders, Deposits and payments. Google Calendar covers Event scheduling, Multiple calendars, Reminders and notifications, Event sharing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Bookedin: How much is Bookedin for a team?

Charged per calendar. Plus is about USD 19 per calendar billed annually or 24 monthly, and Pro about 39, so a five-person team on Plus is roughly USD 95 to 120 a month.

Google Calendar: Can I use Google Calendar offline?

Yes. On the web, Google Calendar works in read-only mode offline for cached events. On iOS and Android, the Google Calendar app automatically caches recent events and lets you create, edit, and respond to events offline. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect to the internet.

Source
Bookedin: Is the free plan usable long term?

Only for very low volume. It caps at 50 bookings per month across appointments and classes combined.

Google Calendar: Can I export my calendar data?

Yes. Google Calendar exports as ICS files through Settings > Import & export > Export. ICS files are readable by Outlook, Apple Calendar, Thunderbird, and most other calendar applications.

Source
Bookedin: Does it take payments?

Yes, deposits or full payment at booking through Stripe, Square or PayPal, with those processors fees applying on top of your subscription.

Google Calendar: Does Google Calendar integrate with video conferencing?

Yes. Google Calendar integrates natively with Google Meet and Zoom. When you create an event, you can add a video conference link directly. Other platforms like Webex and GoTo Meeting can be integrated via Zapier or third-party automation.

Source
Bookedin: Who makes it?

Coldwin Software Inc., a Canadian company that has run the product since 2010.

Google Calendar: Can I share my calendar with teams?

Yes. You can share individual calendars with specific people or make them publicly viewable. However, accessing shared calendars on mobile devices has limitations, and push notifications for shared calendars may not work reliably on phones.

Source
Google Calendar: Does Google Calendar work with Outlook?

No direct integration. You can manually import/export using ICS files or use third-party tools like Zapier to sync events. This is different from Outlook, which integrates seamlessly within Microsoft 365.

Source
Google Calendar: Is there a cost to use Google Calendar?

Google Calendar is free for personal use. Google Workspace plans (which include Calendar) start at $7 per user per month for business use.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Bookedin

More on Google Calendar

Keep looking

Other head to heads