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Software · head to head

SimplyBook.me vs Calendly

SimplyBook.me logo

SimplyBook.me

Software

Online booking system for service businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Calendly logo

Calendly

Software

Scheduling automation platform for eliminating back-and-forth

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

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

Where they differ

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

Attributes where SimplyBook.me and Calendly differ
AttributeSimplyBook.meCalendly
Pricing modelfreemiumUnknown
Founded20092013

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 SimplyBook.me

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

Only in Calendly

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

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom
  • Stripe

What people use each for

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

SimplyBook.me

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

Calendly

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

Where each one falls short

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

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

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

Pricing, plan by plan

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

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

Which should you pick?

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

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

Questions people ask

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

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

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: 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
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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