- Free Plan
- Yes, including classes and resources
- Where Paid Starts
- Starter: $3/user/month annually
- Best suited to
- Appointment-based businesses, classes and resources
- What Can You Book?
- Services, team members, classes, rooms, and equipment
7 Best Calendly Alternatives in 2026, Everything Compared
Explore 6 Calendly alternatives in 2026, including Picktime’s free software for scheduling appointments, classes, and resources. Compare features, pricing, and booking options to find what works best for your business.
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Why people look
Calendly Makes Meeting Booking Easy, but Paid Plans Charge Per User
Calendly is primarily designed around scheduling meetings between people. A host connects a calendar, creates an event type, and shares a booking link. That works well for consultants, sales teams, recruiters, and other meeting-based businesses. Calendly’s Free plan can feel limiting when you need to offer different kinds of meetings or connect more than one calendar.
Calendly’s Free plan includes one event type and one calendar connection. Standard adds unlimited event types and multiple calendar connections for $10 per seat per month when billed annually. Teams costs $16 per seat per month annually and adds round-robin and team scheduling.
Per-seat pricing matters when several team members need their own scheduling setup. But if your business also books classes, rooms, or equipment, the features available become just as important as the price. Picktime is worth considering because its free plan supports appointments, classes, and bookable resources alongside team scheduling.
At a glance
Calendly Alternatives: The Quick Comparison
| Tool | Free Plan | Where Paid Starts | Best suited to | What Can You Book? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calendly | Yes, one event type | $10/seat/month annually | Individuals and meeting-based teams | One-to-one meetings, group events and team meetings on paid plans |
| Cal.com | Yes, one user | $12/user/month annually for Teams | Individuals, meeting-based teams | Individual and team meetings; separate Cal.diy community edition for self-hosting |
| Microsoft Bookings | Included with qualifying Microsoft 365 plans | Microsoft 365 Business Basic starts at $7/user/month annually in the US | Microsoft 365 businesses | Staff and services |
| Setmore | Yes, up to four users | $5/user/month annually for Pro | Small appointment-based teams | Staff and services |
| Acuity Scheduling | 7-day free trial | $16/month annually | Service businesses needing detailed booking controls | Appointments, group classes and resource-based availability controls |
| SimplyBook.me | Yes, 50 bookings/month | $11.90/month annually for Basic | Businesses wanting configurable booking features | Services and providers |
Every price above comes from each vendor’s own pricing page, checked on September 1, 2026. Picktime’s pricing details live on our pricing page, so any change is reflected there directly.
The alternatives
Best Calendly Alternatives for Different Scheduling Needs
01
Picktime
Picktime is a great Calendly alternative for businesses that need more than meeting links. Its Free plan supports appointments, class bookings with capacity limits, rooms, equipment, and multiple locations. When a service is configured to require both a team member and a resource, Picktime can check their availability together before offering a booking time. This makes it a practical choice for salons, clinics, tutoring businesses, and fitness studios.
Where Picktime’s Booking System Differs From Calendly
- Create services with their own duration, availability, and booking rules, while team members keep their own hours, breaks, and days off.
- Book rooms, chairs, vehicles, and equipment as resources, with services requiring both staff and a resource to be free at the same time.
- Set class schedules and seat limits, add waitlists for full classes, and manage recurring bookings without scheduling each one separately.
- Manage customer records, appointments, PayPal payments, and multiple locations in one place. A paid plan gives you two-way calendar sync and service-specific booking links, while Picktime’s AI receptionist offers phone booking assistance for eligible businesses.
What to know before you move
Cons:
- Some advanced features are available on paid plans.
- Switching from another scheduling tool may require a few setup steps, such as updating booking links.
- Free Plan
- Yes, with no trial expiry.
- Paid options
- See the current Picktime’s free booking pricing page
- Best fit
- Businesses scheduling appointments, classes, team members, rooms, or equipment.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
02
Calendly (the one you have)
Calendly works well when the main job is letting someone choose a meeting time from one person’s calendar. Free includes one event type and one calendar connection. Standard adds unlimited event types and six calendars. When more people get involved, Teams adds round-robin, team scheduling, and lead routing for meeting-based jobs.
Where Calendly is strong
- A familiar booking experience for one-to-one, group, and collective meetings
- Round-robin scheduling on Teams for sharing meetings across staff members
- A broad range of CRM, video, and productivity integrations
- Routing forms, buffer times, and multi-person scheduling for more complex meeting setups.
What limitations could affect your choice?
- The Free plan supports one event type and one connected calendar, so businesses with several appointment types need Standard or above.
- Pricing starts per seat. Standard is currently $10 per seat per month annually, and Teams is $16 per seat per month annually.
- Calendly supports group events with capacity limits on Standard and above. If your business needs class attendance tracking, waitlists, or room and equipment booking, consider other options. Picktime supports these scheduling needs.
- Free Plan
- Yes. One event type and one calendar connection.
- Paid from
- $10 per seat per month for Standard when billed annually.
- Best fit
- Consultants, recruiters, sales teams, and businesses primarily scheduling meetings.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
03
Cal.com
Cal.com is one of the closest free Calendly alternatives for businesses that mainly schedule meetings. Its free Individual plan supports one user with unlimited event types and calendar connections. While Cal.com moved its commercial platform to closed source in April 2026, Cal.diy remains available as a separate open-source community edition for self-hosting.
Where Cal.com Fits Best
- Unlimited event types and calendar connections on the individual plan
- Embed booking pages directly on your website so visitors can schedule without leaving the site.
- Stripe and PayPal payments are available on the Free plan
- Developer-Friendly APIs and Customization
What limitations could affect your choice?
- Teams currently start at $12 per user per month when billed annually, so businesses moving primarily to escape per-user pricing should calculate the team cost first.
- Cal.com’s main strength is flexible meeting scheduling, with unlimited event types for individuals and additional team scheduling, routing, and recurring event options on paid plans.
- Cal.com and Calendly focus mainly on scheduling meetings, while Picktime supports a wider range of bookings, including appointments, classes, rooms, and equipment.
- Free plan
- Yes, one user, unlimited event types and calendars
- Paid from
- $12 per user/month for Teams when billed annually, or $16 when billed monthly.
- Best fit
- Developers and teams that want open-source scheduling and more control.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
04
Microsoft Bookings
Microsoft Bookings is worth checking before buying another scheduling product if your organization already uses a qualifying Microsoft 365 subscription. Bookings provides a customer-facing booking page and lets businesses schedule services and staff inside the Microsoft ecosystem.
Where Microsoft Bookings is strong
- Microsoft Bookings is included with select Microsoft 365 plans, including Business Basic and Business Standard.
- In the US, Microsoft 365 Business Basic currently starts at $7 per user per month when paid yearly and includes Bookings among its business apps.
- Manage staff calendars and services, then let customers book through a public booking page instead of sharing meeting links.
- Microsoft Bookings works with Microsoft 365 accounts and Outlook calendars, making it convenient for businesses already managing their schedules within Microsoft’s ecosystem.
What limitations could affect your choice?
- Microsoft Bookings is not a standalone free scheduling product. Access comes through qualifying Microsoft 365 subscriptions.
- Bookings is built around Outlook and Exchange, so businesses using other calendars may have fewer options.
- You can customize the booking page, but the options are more limited than many other scheduling tools.
- Free Plan
- No standalone free plan.
- Paid access
- Included with qualifying Microsoft 365 subscriptions. US Business Basic currently starts at $7 per user per month annually.
- Best fit
- Businesses already using Microsoft 365.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
05
Setmore
Setmore has one of the more generous free user allowances in this comparison. Its Free plan currently supports up to four users, unlimited appointments, a booking page, payments, email confirmations, and email reminders.
Where Setmore Fits Best
- Up to four users on Free, giving small teams more room than many free plans.
- Payments and a branded booking page are included on Free.
- One free email reminder is included with every booking.
- Get a mobile app with your own business branding.
What limitations could affect your choice?
- Two-way calendar sync, recurring appointments, and deposits start on Pro.
- SMS reminders and removing Setmore branding also require Pro.
- Setmore focuses on appointments, staff scheduling, and group classes rather than dedicated customer-facing bookings for individual rooms or equipment.
- Free Plan
- Yes. Up to four users.
- Paid from
- $5 per user/monthPro, billed annually. $12 per user/month when billed monthly.
- Best fit
- Small service teams mainly scheduling appointments.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
06
Acuity Scheduling
Acuity Scheduling is designed for service businesses that need more control over how appointments are offered. It supports multiple appointment types, intake forms, payments, deposits, scheduling limits, packages, and other service-business workflows.
Where Acuity is strong
- Flexible availability settings and booking rules for businesses with different scheduling needs.
- Packages, gift certificates, and subscriptions are built into the scheduling system.
- Starter costs $16/month when billed annually, with more advanced features available on higher plans.
- Stripe, Square, PayPal, and Venmo payments with email reminders.
What limitations could affect your choice?
- Acuity does not have a free plan. You get a 7-day trial, then need a paid plan.
- Managing multiple calendars comes at a higher cost. Standard supports up to 6 calendars at $27/month, while Premium offers up to 36 at $55/month, billed annually.
- Appointment and class waitlists also require these higher plans.
- The $16/month Starter price requires annual billing. Paying monthly costs $20/month.
- Free Plan
- No ongoing free plan. A 7-day free trial is available.
- Paid from
- $16 per month for Starter when billed annually.
- Best fit
- Appointment-led service businesses needing detailed availability and intake controls.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
07
SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me lets you add features based on what your business needs. Businesses can turn on custom features as needed, such as memberships, promotions, and intake forms. This lets them customize their booking setup to fit their business needs.
Where SimplyBook.me Fits Best
- A genuinely useful free plan with 50 bookings a month and one premium feature.
- A wide range of optional booking features that you can add one at a time.
- Pricing based on bookings rather than team size, which can suit large teams with fewer bookings.
- Payments, deposits, and tips are available starting with the Basic plan.
What limitations could affect your choice?
- Pricing is based on bookings, which can get expensive for a small team handling lots of bookings.
- Basic includes 100 bookings a month and three premium features, which may not be enough as your booking volume grows.
- Setup takes time. You get plenty of flexibility, but configuring everything can take an afternoon.
- Free plan
- Yes, 50 bookings a month and one premium feature
- Paid from
- €13.90 / monthBasic: 100 bookings a month, 3 premium features
- Best fit
- Businesses that value configurable booking features and predictable booking-volume tiers.
- Checked
- 1 September 2026
Picktime against the field
Picktime vs. Calendly vs. Acuity: What can each one actually schedule?
| Scheduling need | Picktime | Calendly | Acuity Scheduling |
|---|---|---|---|
| One-to-one appointments | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Multiple appointment or service types | Yes | Paid plan | Yes |
| Classes with capacity | Yes, including 2 classes on Free | Group events with capacity limits on Standard and above | Yes, group classes with capacity limits |
| Attendance tracking for classes | Per-attendee attendance status on Starter and Pro | Not positioned as a class attendance workflow | No |
| Rooms or equipment used to control availability | Yes, using bookable resources or resources assigned to services | Not a native resource-management workflow in current published scheduling features | Yes, shared resources can limit bookings across calendars |
| Customer can book a specific resource where configured | Yes, through customer-facing resource bookings | Not a native resource-booking workflow | Resources act as booking constraints rather than customer-facing choices |
| Team member and required resource checked together | Yes | Not a native staff-plus-resource booking workflow | Resources can limit simultaneous appointments across calendars |
| A waitlist that covers classes | Yes | Not presented as a standard booking waitlist feature | No |
| Multiple locations with separate scheduling availability | Free supports 2 locations, with team member working hours and location-specific closed dates | No dedicated multi-location business scheduling workflow identified | Separate calendars for locations; Starter includes 1, Standard 6, and Premium 36 |
| Recurring bookings | Starter and Pro | No native recurring bookings | Yes, recurring appointments for clients and administrators |
| AI receptionist that handles inbound booking calls | Yes | No native phone receptionist; Callie supports AI scheduling over email | No |
Every cell was checked against the vendor’s own published pages on 1 September 2026, and the page it was read from is recorded in the source of this page beside each row. A cell reading “Not listed” means the vendor publishes neither the feature nor a denial of it. It is absent from their own plan comparison and their own documentation, which is a weaker claim than a cross and is written as one. Picktime’s own column is checked against our pricing page, which owns every figure we quote anywhere.
Choosing
Choose by what gets in your way
If paying per seat became the problem
Before switching, check how many team members need scheduling access and which features they use. Picktime Free supports three team members, while Pro includes ten team members, round-robin scheduling, classes, and resources for $22.50 per month with annual billing. Calendly Teams costs $16 per seat per month annually, while Cal.com Teams starts at $12 per user per month annually. Compare the total cost alongside the scheduling features your business actually needs.
When Your Business Books More Than Meetings
Booking a meeting is different from reserving a treatment room, equipment, or a spot in a class. Calendly supports group events, but businesses managing physical resources need additional scheduling controls. Picktime lets customers book appointments, classes, rooms, and equipment from one system. You can start with these booking options on Free, then move to a paid plan when you need recurring bookings, attendance tracking, or class waitlists.
Before You Switch, Check Whether It’s Worth It
If Calendly still handles your scheduling needs, compare your current subscription cost with the effort involved in switching. You may need to recreate services, configure availability rules, and replace booking links across your website, emails, and social profiles. A worthwhile alternative should offer better value for your requirements or solve a scheduling problem your current software cannot handle.
Questions
Calendly alternatives: common questions
What should I look for in a free Calendly alternative?
Look for free scheduling software that supports your business needs without a trial deadline. Compare team scheduling, booking limits, calendar connections, and payment options. Picktime’s Free plan includes unlimited appointments, three team members, two classes, and three bookable resources, making it a practical Calendly alternative for small service businesses.
Is Picktime more affordable than Calendly for teams?
Picktime can be a more affordable Calendly alternative for small teams. Picktime’s Free plan supports up to three team members, while Calendly’s free plan focuses on individual scheduling with one event type. Picktime also offers paid plans for additional scheduling features. For the latest plan features and limits, see Picktime pricing.
Should I switch from Calendly if I need to schedule more than meetings?
Yes, Picktime is worth considering if your business manages appointments, classes, rooms, or equipment. While Calendly works well for meeting scheduling, Picktime supports Class Bookings, Rooms & Equipment, and Team Management. You can set class capacity, manage resource availability, and organize different booking types from one Booking Page.
Do Calendly alternatives offer round-robin scheduling?
Yes, Calendly alternatives like Picktime offer Round Robin scheduling to distribute appointments among team members automatically. Picktime provides three assignment options based on team member priority, priority and overall booking count, or priority and bookings for a specific service. Round Robin is available on Picktime’s Pro plan, while Calendly offers it on Teams.
Can I switch from Calendly to Picktime?
Yes, you can switch from Calendly to Picktime by creating an account and setting up your services, team members, working hours, and booking page. Once your new booking setup is ready, replace Calendly links on your website, emails, and social profiles with your Picktime booking link so customers can schedule appointments through your new system.
Does Picktime support Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar synchronization?
Yes, Picktime supports Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar through its Calendar Sync feature. The free plan includes one-way synchronization, while Starter and Pro offer two-way synchronization. You can manage your appointment schedule alongside your connected calendars, helping your team coordinate customer bookings and other commitments without switching between separate scheduling systems.
Can I accept online payments through Picktime?
Yes, Picktime lets you collect payments when customers book appointments online. Its Online Payments feature supports PayPal on the Free plan, while Starter and Pro also support Stripe and Square. You can collect full payments or deposits during booking, making it easier to manage paid services without arranging payments separately.
Can I add Picktime’s online booking system to my website?
Yes, Picktime lets you add online scheduling to your website using a booking widget or a link to your booking page. Customers can view available appointments, classes, or resources and book online. You can also share your booking link through emails and social media, giving customers more ways to schedule your services.
Verdict
Which Calendly Alternative Makes the Most Sense for Your Business?
Picktime is our top Calendly alternative for businesses that need more than meeting links. Its free scheduling software lets customers book appointments and classes online while you manage staff, rooms, and equipment in one system. Plus, the Free plan has no expiration date, which makes Picktime a great starting point for businesses with different scheduling needs.
Cal.com is a good option for meeting scheduling and self-hosting. Setmore works for small teams looking for basic scheduling, while Microsoft Bookings may suit businesses with an eligible Microsoft 365 subscription. If your business needs to book appointments, classes, and resources, Picktime’s appointment scheduling software brings everything together in one place.