A small business is the backbone of any nation’s economy. They are usually family owned and operated. This also applies to the maintenance of offices, homes, and any establishments that need custom work done. Clients are numerous for small businesses since people are always bound to have some sort of problem or trouble that needs fixing or doing. A possible solution to the struggles of today’s busy schedules are appointment scheduling software for small business.
Booking Koala — Best for the Service Industry
- BUILT-IN PAYMENT PROCESSING
- EASILY ACCESSIBLE MOBILE APP
- AUTOMATED REFERRAL SYSTEM
- ALL PLANS UNDER $200 PER MONTH
Booking Koala is specifically designed to help businesses in the service industry get their inflow of appointments under control. Its online booking forms are easily accessible through mobile, where customers can access a smart schedule that only shows the open slots and real-time availability.
It also comes with built-in payment processing, which makes it easy for your business to capture payments, cancellation feeds, or provide refunds. If you prefer to customize it further, you can create an automation that charges a customer’s account after an appointment has been completed, including any tips they’d like to add.
One of Booking Koala’s best features is how much closer it brings you to your customers with tools like live chat, SMS notifications, and email notifications. With Booking Koala, you can also set up an automated referral system that can help spread the word about your services.
To get started, here’s a quick look at its pricing plans.
- Starter – $27 per month
- Growing – $57 per month
- Premium – $197 per month
The higher the tier, the more tools you’ll have access to. I recommend you pay attention to its provider limits. Its most affordable Starter plan has a limit of five service providers, so if you’re a growing business or have larger teams, going with the Growing or Premium plans might be the best option.
You can try out a free trial of Booking Koala here.
Calendly
Calendly provides online support via email and live chat. Users like the multiple integrations and the ability to sync with several calendars.
It offers multiple app integrations and can sync with several calendars, so you’re never double-booked.
Pros
- Syncs with multiple calendar programs
- Free 14-day trial
- Buffer times in between meetings
Cons
- Limited features for the free plan
- Pricing is user-based
The software connects all your calendars to avoid double bookings. You can easily set up and customize calendars based on your needs. It has a buffer feature, allowing you to take a break in between meetings before the next appointment. In addition, Calendly detects time zones and automatically shares the right time to meet with customers based on their location.
Calendly has more than 700 app integrations with Zapier and three pricing tiers: free, premium, and pro plans. The free plan offers basic features and gives access to one calendar, but you can schedule unlimited appointments. The pro plan is $10 per month and supports two calendar connections, while the premium plan costs $15 per month with up to six calendar connections.
Calendly has a free 14-day trial with access to all features. It’s cloud-based and also available on the go with mobile apps for iOS and Android. Payment integrations include Stripe and PayPal.
Acuity Scheduling — Best for Advanced Customization
- EASY CUSTOMER SELF-SCHEDULING
- CUSTOMIZE AVAILABILITY ACROSS MULTIPLE CALENDARS
- SENDS SMS & EMAIL REMINDERS
- ALL PLANS UNDER $50/MONTH
Sometimes, appointment setting isn’t such a straightforward process. This is where a highly customizable tool like Acuity Scheduling can come in handy. With it, customers can self-schedule their own appointments once you’ve customized your availability.
Not only that, you can customize Acuity Scheduling to prompt a fillable booking form before confirming an appointment through which you can gather and store the customer data necessary for a smooth process. Do your customers need to cancel and reschedule themselves? Acuity Scheduling makes the process an easy one through its self-service features.
To avoid no-shows, you can customize Acuity’s automation features to send both text and email reminders so your appointments stay top of mind for your customers.
To top it all off, Acuity Scheduling also lets you customize your calendars and landing pages for a completely branded experience.
You can choose from one of three paid plans:
- Emerging – $14 per month paid annually
- Growing – $23 per month paid annually
- Powerhouse – $45 per month paid annually
Acuity Scheduling offers a plan for just about any stage of your business—its cheapest option starting at just $14 a month paid annually with access to self-scheduling, unlimited appointments, and confirmations and reminders. If you aren’t ready to commit just yet, you can always try its 7-day free trial to see how you like the tool.
Ready to get started with Acuity Scheduling? Sign up here.
Square Appointments
Square Appointments is a scheduling software with a built-in point of sale (POS) system that tracks online payments.
Pros
- Free for individual users
- Built-in POS system
- Can book recurring appointments
Cons
- Few customizable features
- Higher cost for multiple users
Square Appointments has a unique pricing structure among appointment scheduling software for small businesses. It’s free for one user, but there’s a 2.6% processing fee plus $0.10 per transaction. Two to five users pay $50 per month, while six to 10 users pay $90 per month. All paid plans includes processing fee of 2.5% plus $0.10 per transaction. If your company has more than 10 users, you can contact the sales team for custom pricing. Square Appointments is cloud-based but also available in apps for iPhone, iPad, and Android.
The software is easy to set up and lets you sync your schedules across multiple time zones. Its features include a free online booking website, Google calendar sync, automated emails, and text reminders. Square Appointments also has website integration, allowing customers to book appointments directly from your website. It can also create an enforceable fee for late bookings and cancellations.
Square is a reputable company with several positive reviews, and customer support is available online.
Setmore — Best Free Scheduling Software
- UNLIMITED APPOINTMENTS IN FREE PLAN
- STRIPE PAYMENTS & MORE INTEGRATIONS
- BOOK THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
- FIRST FOUR USERS FREE
Setmore is a solid option for businesses that are looking for a free scheduling option that’ll cover their basic needs.
Once you open a Setmore account, you’ll easily be able to set up a customized booking page where customers can check out your availability on any device. Once they’ve booked their appointments, they can easily make any payments through Stripe. Setmore also makes it easy to book appointments through social media, including Facebook and Instagram.
With Setmore, you don’t have to worry about customers forgetting appointments because it automatically sends prompt email reminders. On the management end of things, Setmore syncs with Office 365, Google Calendar, Zoom, Teleport, and even WordPress. Not bad for an appointment scheduler you can start using for free.
- Free – up to four users
- Premium – $9/user per month for 1-2 users
- Pro – $5/user per month for 3 or more users
Setmore’s free plan lets you set unlimited appointments with automated email reminders and a Square payment option. However, if you decide to go with one of its paid plans down the road, you’ll have access to more robust tools like SMS reminders and two-way calendar syncing.
Get started with Setmore here.
10to8
The software is a cloud-based appointment booking system that’s easy to set up, and customers can schedule appointments in minutes. You can sync with Google calendar, Outlook, and other calendars to avoid double bookings. 10to8 has powerful integrations with existing apps, including Zoom, WordPress, Salesforce, Weebly, and more.
There’s a free-forever plan for small businesses that comes with limited features, up to 100 appointments per month, and two staff logins. Paid plans go by tier: $12 per month (two staff logins), $25 per month (three staff logins), and $50 per month (six staff logins). For enterprises that have more than 600 appointments per month, contact 10to8 for “Bespoke” pricing. It accepts online payments via PayPal and Stripe.
10to8 customer support is available online. Users like the robust integrations and the ability to pay as their businesses grow.
Pros
- More than 1,500 powerful integrations
- Pay as your business grows
- Free 30-day trial for paid plans
Cons
- No branding for the free plan
- Phone support is only available for enterprises
Many users like the massive suite of customization options, allowing them to tailor their appointments based on their needs.
With Appointy, you can customize emails, receipts, text messages, and even personalize your calendar.
Pros
- Free-forever basic plan
- Offers multiple customization options
- Website and social media bookings
Cons
- Free plan has limited features
- SMS customization is only for the enterprise plan
Appointy has a free-forever plan available for one user that includes 100 appointments per month, website integration, Square payments, and more. Pricing starts at $29.99 per month for one user, $59.99 per month for five users, and $99.99 per month that includes two locations. All paid plans come with a 14-day trial. Appointy accepts online payments through Square, Stripe, PayPal, and Authorize.NET.
One of the biggest investment that small businesses can make today is in scheduling software. A perfect fit for the small and medium sized business, appointment scheduling software allows us to manage both clients and staff by allowing us to quickly and easily schedule appointments and track important project information.