Best Appointment Scheduling Apps in 2025

In 2025, nobody wants to miss client meetings and get stuck in the loop of rescheduling meetings. This is where scheduling and scheduling applications have started gaining importance.

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 In fact, as per the latest reports, the global market for scheduling applications is likely to reach US$1.13 billion at a CAGR of 9.2% by 2034. 

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After exploring the market and business needs, I saw that these applications can make a huge difference and increase revenue efficiently. 

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So, I spent a lot of time understanding the intricate business requirements and also tested 50+ applications in real-time. I evaluated every minute detail, from calendar sync speeds to mobile usage, payment integrations to client experience, and saw how they cater to various business niches. 

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I found that platforms like Acuity and Calendly were great at building conversations. While applications like Setmore and Appointy were awesome in terms of functionality. 

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For better understanding, I have shared my experience with some of my favourite appointment scheduling applications. Hope it helps.

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Best booking and appointment scheduling platforms

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• Acuity Scheduling - Effectively automates workflows and integrates well with payment platforms. 
• Calendly - Integrates smoothly with calendar and automated scheduling platforms.
• Zoho Bookings - Deeply integrates with Zoho applications and automates workflow. If you are already using the Zoho app, you will find it super amazing.
• Picktime - A cost-effective appointment booking platform for businesses. 
• Doodle - Best for group scheduling with great features. 
• TimeTap - Fulfills complex scheduling requirements effectively. 
• Bookafy - Well-known for offering enterprise-level functionality.
• Appointlet - Ideal for beginners looking for a quick and easy setup.

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My experience with appointment scheduling apps (as a first-time user) 

Appointment schedulers eliminate the back-and-forth of managing everyday meetings. At first, I wasn’t very sure of how these applications work and how reliable they would be. 

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As I started using them, I saw how seamlessly they shared a link with my clients that shows my available time slots. This not only fit in my schedule but also gave clients the freedom to select timing as per their convenience. 

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Not just this, these platforms were super cool at sending automatic reminders and confirmations before the meetings. This made the process hassle-free and helped both parties to stay present at the scheduled time. 

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This felt like a small win in the eyes of the clients and helped us to create a better reputation. 

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How did I choose the best appointment scheduling apps in 2025? 

At first, I was overwhelmed by the number of options. I was puzzled about finding the best appointment schedulers. As I started testing each in real time, I found the key factors that help you find the best one. 

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• Integrates easily with calendar - Platforms like Microsoft Outlook, Google, and Apple Calendar are mostly used when booking appointments or scheduling online/offline meetings. So, I made sure that appointment schedulers sync with them effectively. The ones that lagged and didn't perform well were immediately removed from my list. 

• Easy to set up - To avoid investing extra time in setup, I looked for easy and quick platforms. I kept a limit of 30 minutes (without any tutorials) for it. The ones that stood up here were at the top of my list. 

• Gives you the control - I saw that there are many booking applications that give you buffer time while you handle different meetings. Not only this, but it allows for daily limits and also lets clients book in advance (it sets those limits, too). This is super helpful as I could easily avoid heavy burnouts and maintain a healthy work-life balance. 

• Send reminders automatically - Check if a platform can send automatic meeting reminders via email or SMS. Trust me, this saved me a lot of time. So, you must look for booking applications that are genuinely good at sending follow-ups and confirmations automatically. 

• Hassle-free experience for clients - Your customers, clients, or your team members should feel free while dealing with the platform. If it goes smoothly, then your half job is done. Thus, you need to ensure that whichever appointment scheduler you tend to choose, it is quite handy and straightforward. 

• Offer payment options - If you are in the service industry, it is better to have clients pay while they book meetings with you. It saves a lot of time and also ensures they are serious and committed. So, you must look for platforms that can be integrated with payment tools like PayPal, Square, or Stripe. 

• Suits your budget - Budget matters. Even if a platform is super functional, it's useless if it doesn't suit your budget. The best thing you can do is make the most of the free plans. Based on your experience, you can strategically compare the features of free and paid plans and then choose the best-paid plan. 

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A sneak peek into the best appointment scheduling apps

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Best for automating workflows with smooth payment integration 

Acuity Scheduling - Android, Web, and iOS 

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After testing Acuity Scheduling, we noticed that it has some amazing features. It is genuinely a great platform if you want to customize the appointment scheduling process. 

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At first, we started with a basic setup and it was pretty smooth. We were quickly able to customize many things, like booking pages, intake forms, and payment options. 

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While we were setting the time and date of meetings, it smartly integrated and synced with Calendars available on Outlook, iCloud and Google. To collect payments, it easily connected with PayPal, Stripe and Square and enabled transactions. 

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One of its best features is its automated reminders system. We could easily send automated reminders via email and SMS as per our needs. This gave us the flexibility to remind clients as and when required. 

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Pros: 

• Highly customizable in nature. It customizes not only booking pages, but also intake forms and other communication areas. 
• Offers seamless integration with top calendars and payment systems.
• For businesses dealing with sensitive information like the Healthcare sector, their high-tier plans (Enterprise and Powerhouse plans) are HIPAA compliant. 
• Allows you to send automated reminders to your clients or internal teams via email and SMS. 
• Offers mobile applications to manage schedules on the go. 

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Cons: 

• HIPAA compliance is only restricted in high-tier plans. Thus, if you are budget-conscious, it may not be the right fit for you. 
• It does not offer a forever-free plan. To try it out, you can look forward to its 7-day free trial (available on all paid plans). 
• To explore its full capabilities, you may need to invest a bit more time. 

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Pricing - Does not offer a free plan. The paid plan starts at $20/month (when billed monthly). To explore its features, it offers a 7-day free trial. 

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Best for small teams and solo entrepreneurs 

Calendly - Android, iOS, Tablets, Computers, Windows, Mac 

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If you are someone who constantly juggles between multiple client calls, meetings, and creativity, Calendly can be the best pick. From the moment I signed up, I was quickly able to schedule meetings with its user-friendly setup. 

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Even though I didn’t expect much as a first-time user, I could perform various activities like connecting it to my calendar, setting the time of availability, and creating booking links for my clients in just 10 minutes. 

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What genuinely impressed me was its ability to smoothly integrate with my favourite tools like Outlook, Google Calendar, Zoom, and also my internal CRM system. Also, I absolutely loved the way I could set buffer times to avoid exhaustion between the meetings. 

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We even tried its mobile applications. It was also pretty simple with a clean interface. 

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Pros: 

• Quick to set up with a clean UI 
• Allows you to explore all the premium features with its 14-day free trial
• Can send automated email reminders as per their time zone
• Offers group scheduling and round-robin features in high-tier plans. 

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Cons: 

• Can only send automated SMS reminders with paid plans (it has monthly limits)
• The free plan is very limited (only suitable for 1 event type)
• Some advanced integrations and CRM capabilities are only accessible on the Teams plan or higher. 
• Does not offer branding flexibility in all plans (only available in Enterprise and Professional plans)

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Pricing - Offers a free plan with very limited features. The paid plan (Standard) starts at $10/month/seat (billed annually). 

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Best for users invested in the Zoho ecosystem 

Zoho Bookings - Web, Mobile (Android and iOS), and Desktop applications 

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I had once tried Zoho applications earlier this year. This was the second time I was trying one of its applications. So, I was a bit nervous initially. 

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But I was surprised to see how well it integrates with the Zoho ecosystem. If you are a Zoho user, you will find it very convenient. We tested it in real time and saw how it handles term-based bookings and solo consultations. In both areas, it did a great job. 

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The initial setup was easy and smooth. After I connected to my Calendar and set my business timings, I noticed that it welcomed me with deep customization features such as assigning staff, adding buffers, embedding booking pages, and even automating reminders. 

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The best thing was its ability to manage staff and various services with just one dashboard. This was quite helpful for us to manage teams and streamline the process. 

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As compared to the UI of Calendly, I felt it was a bit clunky, and I also observed that it allows for advanced integrations and workflow features in its best form for Zoho users. 

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Pros: 

• Seamlessly integrates with the Zoho ecosystem (Mail, Meetings, CRM, etc). 
• Offer many rich features like a multiple staff management system, creation of custom booking pages, and sync well with real-time calendars. 
• Offers a free plan with decent features for individual users 
• A 15-day free trial is available to explore its advanced features (available for all paid plans).

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Cons: 

• Offer limited third-party integrations outside the Zoho applications. 
• For first-time users, you may not find its UI to be as smooth as other platforms like Calendly.
• It can create the best value for your business only if you are already a part of the Zoho ecosystem. 
• Does not offer SMS reminders on free or lower-paid plans (available only in the Premium plan). 

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Pricing - Offers a free plan with essential features. The paid plan (Basic) starts at $8/user/month (billed monthly). 

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Best cost-effective online appointment booking platform

Picktime - Web, Desktop, Android, iOS, Tablet, Laptop

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After hearing a lot about Picktime, I finally tested it in real time. I used it to check its performance for small businesses. The sign-up process was easy and pretty simple. 

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Then, as we moved forward, it easily synced with Google Calendar and helped us set up an online booking page with customizable features and professional design. 

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These pages were quite responsive and helped our clients to book an appointment 24/7. This was a plus point for our business. 

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Then, we saw that we could schedule unlimited appointments in the free plan itself. This was quite impressive. Without worrying about the message limits or restrictions, we could smoothly work with its free version. 

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I also tested the performance of its automated notifications. Even though SMS reminders are only available in paid plans, email reminders did a great job. 

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Pros: 

• Simply and easy-to-navigate interface 
• Easily sync with major calendar applications like Google Calendar 
• Connects well with payment platforms and video conferencing tools like Zoom. 
• Offers affordable paid plans with a functional free plan. 

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Cons: 

• SMS reminders are reserved for paid plans. 
• Even though the free plan is quite functional, there is a limit on users and resources. 
• 24/7 customer support can be limited during weekends
• Some of the premium features are only accessible with a subscription to its high-priced plans.

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Pricing - It has a free plan with decent functionality. The paid (Starter) plan starts at $4.00/user/month (billed monthly) with extra features.

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Best for collaborations and group meetings 

Doodle - Web, Mobile (Android and iOS) 

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If you are someone who constantly struggles to manage group meetings, Doodle’s group poll scheduling feature was genuinely the best. Instead of writing 10 emails to find the availability of the team members, we could simply add a poll, and they could just click on their suitable time. 

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And this was pretty simple to use. Even if you are not in the technical area, you can simply set up and use it effectively. 

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Surprisingly, we saw that our team members could respond to my polls without even creating an account. We found this super helpful when dealing with clients and external stakeholders. 

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To match your schedule, it integrates well with Zoom and Google Calendar. This helped us streamline everything after the time was selected. 

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Pros: 

• Super easy to use for beginners 
• Great for creating time polls and group scheduling 
• Integrates well with major calendars and allows you to create links for video conferencing 
• Offers a 14-day free trial to try its premium features 
• Quite handy and mobile-friendly 

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Cons: 

• The free plan comes with limited functionality and ads. To remove ads, you need to upgrade to paid plans. 
• Not ideal for service-focused businesses that require payments or forms. 
• Customization options are only available on Pro, Team, and Enterprise plans. 
• Does not offer features to handle complex workflow automation 

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Pricing - It offers a free plan with decent features (ads included). The paid plan starts at $14.95/user/month (billed monthly). To try them, it also offers a 14-day free trial on all the paid plans. 

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Best for fulfilling complex appointment scheduling needs 

TimeTap - Web, Mobile (Android, iOS) 

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When handling a mid-sized business, it is natural to look for a system that manages various services, staff, and even clients under one roof. This is where I found TimeTap. 

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One of my friends had recommended me earlier. So, I explored it. And honestly, it stood up to my expectations. Using it felt like I was working with a complete appointment management suite. 

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It was very simple to set up and straightforward. It helped us create personalized booking pages with detailed customization features and also set up automated reminders while managing client information. 

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I was stunned to see its ability to manage everything with ease. Most importantly, I liked how it could handle multiple staff calendars and ensure that all appointments are scheduled efficiently. 

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Pros: 

• Offers various personalization and branding options to cater to unique business needs. 
• Assist in sending automated reminders via SMS and email. 
• For easy reference and access, it stores client information and appointment history. 
• Connect with various calendars and other tools for better operations. 

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Cons: 

• The UI is not-so beginner-friendly 
• To access advanced features, you need to subscribe to its higher-priced plans. 

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Pricing - It has a free plan with basic features.  The paid plan starts at $28.95/month (billed monthly) with features like client CRM, multi-staff scheduling, etc. This pricing depends on the number of staff and locations required. To explore them, it offers a 14-day free trial on all its paid plans. 

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Best user-friendly platform to automate and manage online appointments or bookings 

Bookafy - Web, Mobile (Android, iOS) 

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As compared to all the tools I tested in real time, I found that this was one of the best platforms to manage and automate online bookings smoothly. 

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The setup process was impressive and very easy. We could quickly set up automated reminders, customize booking pages, and even manage client information very well. 

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What I genuinely liked was its two-way calendar sync system. It ensures that both parties are available and up-to-date across different platforms. 

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We also saw how it could easily accept online payment options and integrate with various video conferencing tools like Zoom. 

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Pros: 

• Offers a user-friendly interface for beginners 
• Integrates easily with many tools like Webex, Zoom, and Google Meet. 
• For individual users, it offers a free plan with decent features. 
• Send automated reminders via email and SMS. 

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Cons: 

• Advanced features like HIPAA compliance and white-label options are only available in premium paid plans. 
• Even though the basic setup is very easy, it may take a bit longer to master advanced features. 
• The free plan lacks customization features. 

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Pricing - Offers a free plan with limited features. The paid plan starts at $9/user/month (billed monthly) and also offers a 7-day free trial with advanced features (available on all paid plans). 

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Best beginner-friendly platform for scheduling online appointments and meetings 

Appointlet - Android, iOS, MacOS 

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Similar to Bookafy, Appointlet is one of the best tools for beginners. This could manage team calls, virtual consultations, and even client meetings systematically. 

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With a clean and minimal dashboard, it was pretty straightforward and didn’t let us fumble around different things. Within 10 minutes, we performed many activities like setting booking limits for each day, booking availability (days and times), time zone, questions for attendees, and a lot more. 

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For real-time calendar sync, it connected well with Google Calendar and Office 365 Calendar. And for payments, it integrated well with Stripe. 

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The best part is that it is GDPR compliant and uses SSL encryption for security and safety.

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Overall, it was good with collaborative features and timely email notifications. 

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Pros: 

• Very simple to use 
• The free plan comes with essential features 
• Offer automatic time zone conversion for international clients 
• Offers flexibility to schedule team meetings 
• Offers responsive support through chat and email 

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Cons: 

• Even though it works well on mobile browsers, it does not have a native application yet. 
• Customization options are limited in the free plan 
• Does not offer native integration with Zoom when using a free plan. You need to upgrade it. 
• Does not offer built-in HIPAA compliance like Acuity Scheduling. 
• Often lacks multilingual support in some areas. 

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Pricing - Offers a free plan with basic scheduling features. The paid plan starts at $9/month/member with features like custom branding, automated reminders. etc. To try it out, it offers a 15-day free trial for all premium plans. 

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Which booking application has the best features? 

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Industry-specific picks 

1. Healthcare and wellness sector
For this one, I found Acuity Scheduling and TimeTap to be the best ones. Acuity is one of the HIPAA-compliant platforms (available in Enterprise and Powerhouse plans). Also, it allows for the creation of customizable intake forms and integrates well with the payment platforms. 

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So, if you have a medical practitioner or own a clinic, Acuity Scheduling can be effectively used. But it does not offer any free plan. And HIPAA compliance is only available in high-tier plans like the Powerhouse and Enterprise plans. 

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On the other hand, TimeTap offers robust features like multi-staff scheduling, secure data handling, and client management tools. This is great to fulfill the various needs of clinics that have rotating staff or the ones that require specialty scheduling tools. To access these high-end features, you need to subscribe to paid plans (you can’t access them with a free plan). 

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2. Corporate and Enterprise area
‍For corporate and large enterprises, I found that tools like Appointlet is one of the top choices. Appointlet is pretty good for HR interviews, sales teams, and even for team scheduling activities. 

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With a simple interface, it smoothly integrates with many CRM platforms such as HubSpot and Salesforce. Later, we saw that team collaboration features were locked in the free plan. 

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3. Education and Coaching Sector
‍For educational purposes, I discovered that Doodle and Calendly platforms are the top picks. After extensive research and testing, I found that Calendly is great for conducting one-on-one sessions and even group webinars. Also, it smoothly integrates with Google Meet and Zoom for virtual sessions. But you cannot send SMS reminders in the free plan (only available in the paid plans). 

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While Doodle is great for group scheduling. It allows for faculty meetings, setting up online classes, and even for group studying using its poll system. But for branding and deep customization, this may be the most suitable option.

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4. Beauty and Personal Care sector  
For beauty and personal care businesses, we found that platforms like Zoho Bookings, Bookafy, and Picktime are the best. Bookafy allows you to send SMS reminders, customize branding, and even reschedule meetings. 

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After testing it, I saw that it can easily cater to the needs of beauty consultants or salons who often deal with multiple clients in a day. If you want to start with free plans, you must know that the features are very limited. You need to subscribe to its paid plans to access its advanced features. 

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On the other hand, Zoho Bookings customizes a detailed workflow and can help stylists tailor their booking flow as per their services, follow-ups, and staff. If you are already a part of the Zoho ecosystem, you would love it.  

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Then comes Picktime. It is amazing with its ability to offer 24/7 online appointment booking for clients, automated email reminders (SMS reminders are only available in the paid plans), and even helps to book recurring appointments. 

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All these features align well with the needs of Beauty Clinics, Salons, and Spas. While offering convenience and comfort to the customers, it manages various professionals at the same time. 

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You can easily look for its free plan and get started with unlimited booking appointments and some other features. But it restricts the number of users and resources. 

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For advanced features, a subscription to a higher-priced plan is required. 

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Not-so-popular appointment scheduling apps 

While I was testing many appointment booking applications, I came across many unpopular ones that are result-oriented. Here are some of them: 

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YouCanBookMe

This application is incredible when it comes to deep integration features and custom branding. This is amazing for freelancers or individual business owners. It smoothly integrates with iCloud, Outlook 365, Google, and even Fastmail calendars. It even has some add-on services like promo codes, etc. 

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Setmore

Its free plan, which includes up to 200 appointments, caught my attention. This plan allows access to 4 users, but you may need to upgrade for online meeting integration. You can integrate video appointments with external service platforms like Zoom or Google Meet. 

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SimplyBook.me

It is a robust application that allows you to accept payments, add intake forms, and manage bookings across different locations. It offers some custom features to suit your unique business systems. It offers highly customizable features on higher plans. The free plan includes up to 50 bookings per month, and due to the high level of customization, the dashboard may feel complex for new users.

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Square Appointments

If you work in the healthcare sector, this is one of the best platforms as it is HIPAA compliant. With its free plan, you can book unlimited appointments, create a customized booking site, and even send automatic emails and texts. 

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Appointy  

This one is best for educational institutions and fitness companies. It caters to various scheduling requirements, such as round-robin, personal, and even group meetings. Setting up integration with tools can take a bit longer. 

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When do you need an appointment booking app? 

I never considered using an appointment booking application unless my email was overloaded. I spent many hours coordinating activities after struggling with several calls, meetings, and demo requests. 

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This is where I thought of exploring some applications, such as Acuity Scheduling, Square Appointments, and Calendly, to see how they work. 

After testing them, I was stunned to see the results. 

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These applications helped to set my availability, sent an easy link, and allowed clients to choose a time that suits both of us. Accessing these platforms helped us reduce double bookings and especially eliminate conversations that start with ‘Hi, does 2 PM work for a client meeting?’ and end with missed calls and chaos.

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Thereafter, we connected such platforms to CRM platforms and Google Calendar, which helped me send automatic reminders and follow-ups. Within several weeks of using them, clients appreciated their smooth and professional experience with us. Within an hour, we were able to take a booking page live. 

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Thus, having an appointment booking application is not just a convenient way to streamline meetings but a must-have to stay organized and save hours.