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Software · head to head

Zoho CRM vs Calendly

Zoho CRM logo

Zoho CRM

Software

The world's favorite CRM

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: Zoho CRM free tier limited to 3 users only; Calendly the free plan allows one event type and one calendar connection, so it cannot handle different meeting formats
  • They diverge on capability: Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Calendly covers Calendar sync.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Zoho CRM and Calendly actually diverge.

Attributes where Zoho CRM and Calendly differ
AttributeZoho CRMCalendly
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiWeb, iOS, Android
Founded19962013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), 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 Zoho CRM

  • Lead management
  • Deal tracking
  • Contact management
  • Sales automation
  • Analytics
  • Mobile CRM
  • Email marketing
  • AI assistant (Zia)

Only in Calendly

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

Both cover

  • Office 365
  • Slack
  • SOC2
  • GDPR
  • HIPAA

What people use each for

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

Zoho CRM

  • Sales automationnot Calendly
  • Lead managementnot Calendly
  • Customer supportnot Calendly
  • Marketing automationnot Calendly
  • Analytics & reportingnot Calendly

Calendly

  • Sales meetingsnot Zoho CRM
  • Interview schedulingnot Zoho CRM
  • Customer callsnot Zoho CRM
  • Office hoursnot Zoho CRM
  • Webinar registrationnot Zoho CRM

Where each one falls short

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

Zoho CRM

  • Free tier limited to 3 users only
  • Steep pricing when scaling beyond 10 users
  • Limited offline capabilities compared to some competitors
  • Setup and configuration can require significant customization

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

Zoho CRM

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 3 users
    • Basic modules
    • Standard dashboards
  • Standard$14/month
    • Sales forecasting
    • Custom dashboards
    • Workflow automation
  • Professional$23/month
    • Inventory management
    • AI predictions
    • Advanced customization
  • Enterprise$40/month
    • Zia AI assistant
    • Multi-currency
    • Advanced analytics

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 Zoho CRM if

  • You need lead management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want deal tracking.
Zoho CRM 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 Zoho CRM or Calendly better?
Neither clearly leads. Zoho CRM 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, Zoho CRM or Calendly?
Zoho CRM starts at Free and Calendly at Free.
Does Zoho CRM or Calendly run on more platforms?
Zoho CRM runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Calendly runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Zoho CRM for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Zoho CRM best used for?
Zoho CRM is most often used for sales automation, lead management, customer support, marketing automation. Of those, sales automation and lead management are not what Calendly is typically brought in for.
What can Zoho CRM do that Calendly cannot?
Zoho CRM covers Lead management, Deal tracking, Contact management, Sales automation. Calendly covers Calendar sync, Automated scheduling, Custom availability, Time zone detection. Both handle Office 365, Slack, SOC2, GDPR.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Zoho CRM: Does Zoho CRM have a free tier?

Yes. Zoho CRM offers a free plan for up to 3 users that includes core CRM functionality like lead, contact, and account management, basic workflow automation, and customizable dashboards.

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
Zoho CRM: What does Zoho CRM cost for a paid plan?

Zoho CRM pricing ranges from $14 per user per month for the Standard plan up to $52 per user per month for the Ultimate plan when billed annually. Most sales teams use the Professional plan around $23/user/month or Enterprise at $40/user/month.

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
Zoho CRM: Is Zoho CRM independent or owned by another company?

Zoho CRM is part of Zoho Corporation, which is independent and bootstrapped. The parent company was founded in 1996 as AdventNet, rebranded to Zoho in 2009, and has never accepted external venture funding.

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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