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Scheduling · head to head

SimplyBook.me vs Zcal

SimplyBook.me logo

SimplyBook.me

Scheduling

Online booking system for service businesses

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Zcal logo

Zcal

Scheduling

Scheduling with an unusually large free tier and heavy branding control

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; Zcal zcal branding stays on the free booking page, so the tier that is otherwise generous is not usable as a customer facing page for a business that cares how it looks.
  • They diverge on capability: SimplyBook.me covers Booking website, Zcal covers Unlimited booking links.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where SimplyBook.me and Zcal differ
AttributeSimplyBook.meZcal
Pricing modelfreemiumPer user per month
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb
Founded2009Unknown

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

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
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

Only in Zcal

  • Unlimited booking links
  • Branded booking pages
  • Meeting polls
  • Group events
  • Round robin and collective
  • SMS reminders
  • Paid bookings

What people use each for

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

SimplyBook.me

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

Zcal

  • A consultant who runs several different meeting types and refuses to pay a subscription for the privilege of having more than one booking linknot SimplyBook.me
  • A coach or recruiter who wants a branded page with a welcome video and intake questions before the call happensnot SimplyBook.me
  • A small team that needs round robin distribution of inbound calls without buying a full sales engagement platformnot SimplyBook.me
  • Anyone taking payment at the point of booking, where the Stripe connection removes an invoicing step afterwardsnot 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

Zcal

  • Zcal branding stays on the free booking page, so the tier that is otherwise generous is not usable as a customer facing page for a business that cares how it looks.
  • Paid tier prices are not stated plainly in the product documentation and third party sources disagree on the figure, so the paid step up has to be confirmed on the vendor pricing page before budgeting for a team.
  • SMS reminders are credit metered on paid tiers, so a high volume booker can exhaust the allowance and be pushed up a tier by message count rather than by needing any feature.
  • The integration list is short next to established competitors, and there is no deep native CRM object writing, so a sales team that wants bookings to create and update CRM records will need automation glue.
  • It is a small vendor in a category dominated by much larger companies, which is fine for a personal booking link and a real consideration if booking is a core business process you cannot afford to migrate off in a hurry.

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

Zcal

Free
  • Free ForeverFree
    • Unlimited booking links
    • Unlimited connected calendar accounts
    • Meeting polls and group events
  • Pro$undefined/month
    • Per user per month, priced on the vendor pricing page
    • Team creation and team pages
    • Round robin and collective events
  • Business$undefined/month
    • Per user per month, priced on the vendor pricing page
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom domain and custom sending email domain

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 Zcal if

  • You need unlimited booking links.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want branded booking pages.
Zcal review

Questions people ask

Is SimplyBook.me or Zcal better?
Neither clearly leads. SimplyBook.me starts at Free and Zcal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, SimplyBook.me or Zcal?
SimplyBook.me starts at Free and Zcal at Free.
Does SimplyBook.me or Zcal run on more platforms?
SimplyBook.me runs on Web, iOS, Android. Zcal runs on Web.
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 Zcal is typically brought in for.
What can SimplyBook.me do that Zcal cannot?
SimplyBook.me covers Booking website, Client management, Payment processing, Marketing tools. Zcal covers Unlimited booking links, Branded booking pages, Meeting polls, Group events.

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
Zcal: Is the free plan actually usable?

Yes. Unlimited booking links and unlimited calendar connections, which is more than most competitors allow, but Zcal branding stays on the page.

Zcal: What do you pay for?

Team features, round robin and collective events, branding removal, custom fonts, SMS reminders and custom domains.

Zcal: Can I take payment for bookings?

Yes, through the Stripe connection at the point of booking.

Zcal: Does it do round robin?

Yes, on the paid tiers. Round robin and collective events are not on the free plan.

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