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Software · head to head

Calendly vs SimplyBook.me

Calendly logo

Calendly

Software

Scheduling automation platform for eliminating back-and-forth

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
SimplyBook.me logo

SimplyBook.me

Software

Online booking system for service businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Calendly the free plan allows one event type and one calendar connection, so it cannot handle different meeting formats; SimplyBook.me pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • They diverge on capability: Calendly covers Calendar sync, SimplyBook.me covers Booking website.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Calendly and SimplyBook.me actually diverge.

Attributes where Calendly and SimplyBook.me differ
AttributeCalendlySimplyBook.me
Pricing modelUnknownfreemium
Founded20132009

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, iOS, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

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 Calendly

  • Calendar sync
  • Automated scheduling
  • Custom availability
  • Time zone detection
  • Reminder emails
  • Buffer time
  • Meeting polls
  • Embed on website

Only in SimplyBook.me

  • Booking website
  • Client management
  • Payment processing
  • Marketing tools
  • Custom branding
  • PayPal
  • Web support
  • Ios support

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom
  • Stripe

What people use each for

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

Calendly

  • Sales meetingsnot SimplyBook.me
  • Interview schedulingnot SimplyBook.me
  • Customer callsnot SimplyBook.me
  • Office hoursnot SimplyBook.me
  • Webinar registrationnot SimplyBook.me

SimplyBook.me

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

Where each one falls short

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

Calendly

  • The free plan allows one event type and one calendar connection, so it cannot handle different meeting formats
  • Automated reminders and multiple calendars need Standard at $10 per seat per month
  • Round-robin routing, lead qualification and Salesforce integration require Teams at $16 per seat per month
  • SAML single sign-on, audit logs and domain control are Enterprise only, starting at $15,000 a year
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

SimplyBook.me

  • Pricing model includes many features locked behind custom add-ons
  • No built-in video conferencing, requiring third-party integration
  • Limited CRM capabilities compared to dedicated sales platforms
  • Free plan capped at 5 bookings per month, limiting small business use

Pricing, plan by plan

Calendly

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 event type
    • 1 calendar connection
    • Basic confirmation email
  • Standard$10/month
    • Unlimited event types
    • Multiple calendars (up to 6)
    • Integrations with HubSpot, Mailchimp, Stripe, PayPal
  • Teams$16/month
    • All Standard features
    • Salesforce integration
    • Round-robin meetings
  • Enterprise$15000/year
    • All Teams features
    • Salesforce routing lookup
    • Microsoft Dynamics 365

SimplyBook.me

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 50 bookings/month
    • Booking website
    • Basic features
  • Basic$8.25/month
    • 100 bookings
    • Custom features
    • Payments
  • Standard$24.9/month
    • 500 bookings
    • All features
    • Multiple locations

Which should you pick?

Choose Calendly if

  • You need calendar sync.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want automated scheduling.
Calendly review

Choose SimplyBook.me if

  • You need booking website.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want client management.
SimplyBook.me review

Questions people ask

Is Calendly or SimplyBook.me better?
Neither clearly leads. Calendly starts at Free and SimplyBook.me at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Calendly or SimplyBook.me?
Calendly starts at Free and SimplyBook.me at Free.
Does Calendly or SimplyBook.me run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, iOS, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use Calendly for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Calendly best used for?
Calendly is most often used for sales meetings, interview scheduling, customer calls, office hours. Of those, sales meetings and interview scheduling are not what SimplyBook.me is typically brought in for.
What can Calendly do that SimplyBook.me cannot?
Calendly covers Calendar sync, Automated scheduling, Custom availability, Time zone detection. SimplyBook.me covers Booking website, Client management, Payment processing, Marketing tools. Both handle Google Calendar, Outlook, Zoom, Stripe.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Calendly: Does the free tier include automatic reminders?

No. The free plan only includes a basic confirmation email when someone books. Automated reminder workflows, SMS reminders, and follow-up sequences require the Standard plan ($10/month or higher).

Source
SimplyBook.me: Does SimplyBook.me offer a free plan?

Yes, SimplyBook.me offers a free plan for small businesses, though advanced features and custom add-ons require paid plans.

Source
Calendly: Can I offer multiple meeting types on the free plan?

Only one event type can be active at a time. You can create multiple event types, but only one booking link works simultaneously. Switching between different meeting lengths requires manually activating another event type.

Source
Calendly: Does Calendly work with Apple Calendar and iCloud?

No longer for new users. As of August 20, 2024, new users cannot connect iCloud or Apple Calendar. Existing connections continue to work, but Calendly ended support for new Apple Calendar integrations citing Apple's security changes.

Source
Calendly: What platforms can I use Calendly on?

Calendly is available on Web, iOS, and Android. Browser extensions are available for Safari. There are no dedicated Windows or Mac desktop applications.

Source
Calendly: What does the Standard plan ($10/month) add over free?

Unlimited event types, multiple calendar connections (up to 6), integrations with HubSpot, Mailchimp, Salesforce, Stripe, PayPal, Zapier, and webhooks, plus automated reminders and email sequences.

Source
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Related pages

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