Softwr

Scheduling · head to head

Setmore vs Timely

Setmore logo

Setmore

Scheduling

Free appointment scheduling and customer management

From
Free
Rated
-
Timely logo

Timely

Scheduling

Smart scheduling software with AI-powered features

From
$11/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Setmore has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Setmore free plan limited to 4 users maximum; Timely starter is capped at 20 projects and a maximum of 5 users, at $11 per user per month billed monthly or $9 billed yearly
  • They diverge on capability: Setmore covers Unlimited appointments, Timely covers AI-powered scheduling.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Setmore and Timely actually diverge.

Attributes where Setmore and Timely differ
AttributeSetmoreTimely
Starting priceFree$11/month
Pricing modelfreemiumsubscription
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, iOS, AndroidWeb, Ios, Android, Api
Founded20082015

Identical on both: 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 Setmore

  • Unlimited appointments
  • Calendar synchronization
  • Customer database
  • Email reminders
  • SMS reminders
  • Custom branding
  • Outlook
  • Apple Calendar

Only in Timely

  • AI-powered scheduling
  • Automated reminders
  • Staff management
  • Client management
  • Resource allocation
  • Analytics and reporting
  • PayPal
  • Slack

Both cover

  • Online booking
  • Mobile app
  • Google Calendar
  • Facebook
  • Zapier
  • Stripe
  • SSL encryption
  • Cloud deployment

What people use each for

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

Setmore

  • Online appointment and booking managementnot Timely
  • Service provider scheduling platformnot Timely
  • Customer communication via email and SMS remindersnot Timely

Timely

  • Team time tracking for professional servicesnot Setmore
  • Project billing and utilization reportingnot Setmore
  • Workforce capacity planningnot Setmore
  • Multi-team time management across currenciesnot Setmore

Where each one falls short

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

Setmore

  • Free plan limited to 4 users maximum
  • Free plan limited to 200 appointments per month
  • Live receptionist add-on limited to US only
  • Custom enterprise pricing not published

Timely

  • Starter is capped at 20 projects and a maximum of 5 users, at $11 per user per month billed monthly or $9 billed yearly
  • Premium is capped at a maximum of 50 users, at $20 per user per month billed monthly or $16 billed yearly
  • Unlimited users requires the Unlimited plan at $28 per user per month billed monthly or $22 billed yearly
  • Capacity management and reporting, overtime and undertime tracking, Azure user management and 50+ currencies are all on the Unlimited plan only
  • Team management, budgets and costs, and accounting and project management integrations are excluded from Starter
  • The Enterprise plan is contact sales only with no published price
  • Tasks is sold as a paid add-on rather than being included

Pricing, plan by plan

Setmore

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Supports up to 4 users
    • Unlimited appointments
    • Payment acceptance and branded booking page
  • Pro (Annual)$5/month
    • Annual billing at $5/user/month
    • Unlimited users
    • All Free features plus SMS and email reminders
  • Pro (Monthly)$12/month
    • Monthly billing at $12/user/month
    • Unlimited users with same Pro features as annual
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom all-in-one booking system
    • Scales with your business

Timely

$11/month
  • Starter$11/month
    • Up to 5 users
    • Up to 20 projects
    • Basic time tracking
  • Premium$20/month
    • Up to 50 users
    • Unlimited projects
    • All Starter features
  • Unlimited$28/month
    • Unlimited users
    • Unlimited projects
    • All Premium features
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Custom pricing
    • All features

Which should you pick?

Choose Setmore if

  • You need unlimited appointments.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want calendar synchronization.

Choose Timely if

  • You need ai-powered scheduling.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want automated reminders.

Questions people ask

Is Setmore or Timely better?
Neither clearly leads. Setmore starts at Free and Timely at $11/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Setmore or Timely?
Setmore has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Setmore and $11/month for Timely.
Does Setmore or Timely run on more platforms?
Setmore runs on Web, iOS, Android. Timely runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
Can I use Setmore for free?
Yes. Setmore has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Timely starts at $11/month.
What is Setmore best used for?
Setmore is most often used for online appointment and booking management, service provider scheduling platform, customer communication via email and sms reminders. Of those, online appointment and booking management and service provider scheduling platform are not what Timely is typically brought in for.
What can Setmore do that Timely cannot?
Setmore covers Unlimited appointments, Calendar synchronization, Customer database, Email reminders. Timely covers AI-powered scheduling, Automated reminders, Staff management, Client management. Both handle Online booking, Mobile app, Google Calendar, Facebook.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Setmore: How much does Setmore cost?

Setmore is free for up to 4 users. Pro plan costs $5/user/month with annual billing or $12/user/month with monthly billing. An Enterprise plan with custom pricing is available for larger organizations.

Source
Timely: Does Timely offer a free trial?

Yes, Timely provides 14 days of full feature access without requiring a credit card.

Source
Setmore: What features are included in the Free plan?

The Free plan supports up to 4 users and includes unlimited appointments, payment acceptance, branded booking page, mobile app, email reminders and confirmations, integrations, and team collaboration tools.

Source
Timely: What annual discounts does Timely offer?

Annual billing discounts range from 20% to 22% off monthly prices. Starter saves 20%, Premium saves 21%, and Unlimited saves 22% when billed yearly.

Source
Setmore: What is the difference between Setmore's Free and Pro plans?

Pro adds SMS and email reminders, branded mobile app, removal of Setmore branding, customer blocking, Google Reviews integration, custom notifications, and priority support. Pro supports unlimited users versus 4 on Free.

Source
Timely: Can I add team members to the Starter plan?

Starter plan supports a maximum of 5 users. For larger teams, Premium supports up to 50 users and Unlimited supports unlimited users.

Source
Setmore: Does Setmore provide customer support?

Yes, all plans include 24/7 human support. The Pro plan includes priority support access.

Source
Timely: What is the cost of Timely's Tasks feature add-on?

The Tasks feature starts at $5 per person per month and is available across all Timely plans.

Source
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