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Picktime® vs. Setmore: What Do You Really Get for Free?

Picktime and Setmore offer both free and paid appointment scheduling plans, but their features and upgrade options differ. Picktime supports appointments, classes, rooms, equipment, and multiple locations, while Setmore focuses on service scheduling, team management, and payments. Compare their plans to see which features you get at each price point and when an upgrade makes sense.

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At a glance

Both start free. Only one lets you book the room too.

Picktime vs. Setmore: Compare Features Before You Upgrade

Picktime and Setmore compared on free plans, resources, waitlists, locations, branding, class capacity and attendance, room availability, AI call answering and payments
ComparePicktimeSetmore
Free with no end dateFree forever, no card requiredFree forever, up to 4 staff
Rooms and equipment are bookable resources, with no overlapping bookings.Yes, Independent or Staff-AssignedNot listed
Waitlist That Keeps Spots FilledIt closes when booked. Pro Plan lets waitlists fill openingsNot listed
Multiple locations, each with its own hoursYes, managed on one calendarMultiple-location management is available through Setmore Pro in early release. It links separate location accounts under one login.
Branding on your booking pagePicktime branding appears on the Free plan.Removing Setmore branding needs Pro
Set class capacity and mark attendanceYes, attendance tracking starts on StarterGroup classes, but no attendance tracking listed
Check room availability at a glanceYesNot listed
AI that answers calls and books appointmentsYes, around the clock on paid plansStaffed Live Receptionist for $99/month
Card payments on the free planPayPal on FreeSquare + Stripe, online and in person

Checked September 1, 2026, against Picktime’s free booking and Setmore’s published pricing and plan details. Each cell reflects what the vendor lists. “Not listed” means the feature does not appear in that vendor’s plan comparison. It does not mean the product cannot offer it.

Where each one wins

Where Picktime’s Free Booking Pulls Ahead, and Where Setmore Has the Edge

Neither free plan feels like a trial with the good stuff locked away. They simply give you different things for $0. What matters depends on your business.

Where Picktime Wins

If you sell seats in a session or time on a physical resource

  • A class has limited spots. Picktime’s free booking tracks capacity, closes bookings when full, and lets Pro users add waitlists. You can also mark attendance on the day; it is available on both Starter and Pro plans. Class bookings.
  • Rooms, chairs, and equipment can each be booked. Picktime’s free booking system keeps them separate, so two customers cannot book the same resource at once. You can also attach one to a person. Rooms and equipment.
  • Manage multiple locations from one calendar. Each location can have its own hours, team, and services. In the meantime, you can easily manage everything in one place. Multiple locations.
  • You can keep your brand on the booking page. Picktime lets you customize your booking page with your business details. Removing Picktime branding from the booking page and customer emails is available on the Pro plan.

Where Setmore Wins

If taking cards matters most and you need to keep costs low

  • Setmore Free supports Square payments for services and classes. Setmore supports online and in-person payments, with Square, Stripe, PayPal, and LawPay listed among its payment integrations. Deposits require Pro, while LawPay is available on Free, Pro, and Team in the US. Tap to Pay is supported through Stripe. Setmore does not charge its own transaction fees, but payment providers apply their processing fees.
  • Setmore’s free plan supports up to four staff members. That gives a small team room to get started without paying for scheduling.
  • Setmore Pro costs $5 per user per month with annual billing and adds features such as SMS reminders, recurring appointments, two-way calendar sync, and branding removal.
  • Setmore offers a Live Receptionist add-on for $99 per month on Free and Pro, available to US-based businesses. If you want a real person answering calls instead of scheduling software, that option is available.

The calls the booking page never gets: Picktime’s AI receptionist answers the phone around the clock, several calls at once, captures the caller’s details, guides them and ends in a confirmed booking in your calendar. Every call is transcribed into your dashboard.

Cost

Picktime’s Free Booking charges for the business. Setmore charges by the staff count.

Picktime’s Free plan includes three team members, three bookable resources, two locations, two classes, and unlimited appointments, with no subscription fee or trial deadline. For example, a small business with three team members and two locations can manage appointments, classes, and resource bookings without paying monthly. When you need more features, Starter begins at $3 per user per month with annual billing.

Setmore’s Free plan supports up to four team members, unlimited appointments, online payments, and email reminders. Pro costs $5 per user per month with annual billing or $12 per user per month with monthly billing. For example, upgrading four team members costs $20 per month with annual billing or $48 with monthly billing. Pro adds SMS reminders, recurring appointments, two-way calendar sync, and branding removal. Online payments are already available on Free, so you don’t need to upgrade just to collect payments.

Setmore’s Free plan works well for small teams focused on service appointments. But if your business also needs to schedule rooms, equipment, or multiple locations, Picktime offers these booking options on its Free plan, within its plan limits. You can also run up to two classes with capacity limits. Picktime is a practical Setmore alternative for businesses that need to manage more than staff appointments.

See Picktime pricing
Before you commit

Free on Both. Different Where It Counts

Pricing checked on September 8, 2026: Setmore against setmore.com/pricing and Picktime against its own pricing page.

Setmore Free Only Syncs One Way

Setmore Free syncs bookings from your Setmore calendar to your connected calendar. It does not sync calendar events back to Setmore. However, two-way sync is available on the Pro plan. Thus, it helps prevent double bookings when you accept another calendar event.

One Reminder on Free, More on Pro

Setmore Free sends one email reminder for each appointment. Pro adds more reminders and SMS. Picktime’s free scheduling app for scheduling keeps booking confirmations free, while additional reminders are available on paid plans. A last-minute reminder can help prevent missed appointments.

Recurring Bookings Are Not Free on Either

Both require a paid plan for recurring bookings. Setmore puts them on Pro, and Picktime includes them on paid plans. So that weekly Tuesday appointment still needs to be entered manually on Free.

Online and In-Person Payments: What Each Free Plan Supports

Setmore Free supports Square and Stripe for online and in-person payments, including Tap to Pay. Picktime’s free booking app uses PayPal for online payments, while Stripe and Square start on paid plans. If you take payments in person, this difference matters.

Switching

Moving From Setmore to Picktime’s Free Booking System? Keep the Switch Simple

01

Start With Services and Staff

Start by recreating your Setmore services in Picktime, including appointment durations, team members, and working hours. Both platforms support service-based appointments, but your booking settings and availability won’t transfer automatically. Review each service before sharing your new Picktime Booking Page.

02

Export Customers, Then Rebuild the Extras

Setmore lets you export customer contacts as a CSV file, including available details such as names, email addresses, and phone numbers. You can import these contacts into Picktime through its customer management feature. Setmore also lets you export appointment history as a spreadsheet, but importing past bookings directly into Picktime has not been confirmed. Setmore supports classes with capacity limits, so recreate your class schedules and capacities in Picktime, along with any rooms or equipment you need to manage separately.

03

Run Both Pages Before You Switch

Send new customers to your Picktime’s online booking page while the Setmore booking page finishes its existing bookings. Turn Setmore off only after the last booking is completed.

Deciding

Picktime vs Setmore: Which One Fits the Way You Work?

  • Choose Picktime if…

  • The one that usually decides it You run classes, courses, or sessions with limited spots.

    Choose Picktime

  • You book rooms, chairs, or equipment, with or without a staff member.

    Choose Picktime

  • You manage multiple locations and want them on one calendar with separate hours.

    Choose Picktime

  • You want to manage appointments, classes, and resources on a Free plan.

    Choose Picktime
  • Choose Setmore if…

  • You need to accept card payments on the Free plan right away.

    Choose Setmore

  • You have up to four staff members handling one-to-one appointments at one location.

    Choose Setmore

  • You prefer a straightforward choice between Free and Pro plans.

    Choose Setmore
Questions

FAQs for Picktime vs. Setmore

Is Picktime free, or is it only a free trial?

Picktime offers a free plan that never expires, not a time-limited trial. It includes unlimited appointments, three team members, three bookable resources, two classes, and two locations. Businesses can upgrade to Starter or Pro for additional features as their scheduling needs grow. For the latest plan features and limits, see Picktime pricing.

Can I accept payments on the free plans from Picktime and Setmore?

Yes, both Picktime and Setmore support online payments on their free plans. Picktime lets customers pay through PayPal, while Setmore supports card payments through Square. Picktime also offers Stripe and Square integrations on Starter and Pro, giving businesses additional payment options as they grow.

Can I book rooms and equipment with Picktime or Setmore?

Picktime lets you book rooms and equipment as independent resources or assign them to services and team members. You can manage resource availability and prevent overlapping bookings from your online calendar. Setmore supports service appointments and group classes, while Picktime offers dedicated resource scheduling for businesses that need to manage shared spaces or equipment.

Can I remove the branding from my Picktime or Setmore booking page?

Yes, both Picktime and Setmore let you remove their branding through paid plans. Picktime’s Pro plan includes an option to hide Picktime branding from your booking page and customer emails. Setmore also offers branding removal on Pro, allowing businesses to present a more personalized booking experience.

Is Picktime or Setmore suitable for salons and studios?

Both Picktime and Setmore are suitable for salons and studios that need online appointment scheduling, staff calendars, and class bookings. Picktime also supports treatment rooms, equipment, and multiple locations within one account. Setmore is a practical choice for businesses focused on staff appointments and accepting card payments through Square on the Free plan.

Picktime against the rest

vs Calendlyvs Square Appointmentsvs SimplyBook.mevs Acuity Schedulingvs YouCanBook.mevs Zoho Bookingsvs Google Calendarvs Appointy

Rounded up elsewhere

Calendly alternativesSetmore alternativesAcuity Scheduling alternativesBest free appointment schedulingBest free scheduling softwareBest appointment scheduling softwareBest scheduling appsBest online booking systemsBest for small businessBest class scheduling software

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