Free Online Booking System for Small Business-Whether you’re a small business owner or a freelancer, most of time you will definitely need an online booking system for your business. Automating this whole process is easier than ever, with hundreds of applications and plugins that can be found on the Internet and downloaded for free. Let’s look at the best ways to create an online booking system for your small business.
Genbook
Genbook has been providing online booking services since 2006 and is widely known in this niche of software solutions. Specializing in serving the health and wellness and beauty industries, Genbook’s comprehensive platform also makes it perfectly adaptable for business models ranging from dog grooming services to photographers.
Genbook’s years of experience have also resulted in a collection of integrations. These integrations to search engine platforms, business directories, and social media networks, make it easy for customers to find — and book — services with you.
Like any smart software company, they offer a 30-day free trial that allows you to test drive the solution before you’re ready to make a final decision. This incentive alone is an excellent reason to give this platform a try and see how it stacks up to others you’ve tried in the past, or use it as a benchmark for future comparisons if you’re just getting started in your search.
If you want to stay and play, a sole proprietor (i.e., one staff member) package starts at $29 per month and increases from there. If you already have a fairly established customer base and you’ve outgrown a free appointment scheduling software service, Genbook might be the perfect upgrade for your growing business.
Schedulicity
Next up on the list, we have Schedulicity. Founded in 2010, Schedulicity serves a variety of businesses and industries from pilates studios and psychology practices to tattoo shops and the performing arts. Clients can schedule appointments, reserve their seat in a class, and even book multi-session workshops with Schedulicity.
With this platform, you don’t just get appointment scheduling software, but you also get a business listing on the Schedulicity marketplace. This additional business directory helps increases your online presence and digital visibility, which is vital in today’s technology-driven society.
Although there is no free trial period, you can get started with Schedulicity for free with limited features — which makes it great for a new small business. Moreover, their solo provider package is at a lower price point — $20 — than Genbook and has an a la carte business model so you can pick and choose the features you need.
For instance, you may want to add on the payments feature so you can easily accept credit card payments and the client text message feature, so auto reminders are sent to help reduce no-shows. However, you won’t have to pay for a feature such as auto billing if you don’t require it.
Like Genbook, Schedulicity also offers integrations and widgets to social media platforms like Facebook and your website so customers can easily ‘schedule now’ online, 24/7.
Vagaro
Specializing in the beauty and fitness industries, Vagaro is next on our list of online appointment scheduling solutions. Like Schedulicity, with Vagaro, you not only get a scheduling app, but you also get an additional business directory for extra online visibility. This business listing platform supports a “daily deal” feature so you can offer discounts, coupons, and seasonal promotions to help draw new customers.
Speaking of new customers, you can create custom forms like digital waivers and surveys to protect your business and keep a pulse on the customer satisfaction barometer. Identifying unhappy customers is just as important as knowing the happy ones when it comes to the long-term success of your business.
Vagaro also allows you to accept payments either online or in person like most of the other platforms on the list. However, beyond just payment acceptance, Vagaro also offers a proprietary Point of Sale (POS) system that helps track inventory on any retail products you may sell in addition to the services you offer.
Vagaro offers a one-month free trial and includes 24/7 customer support with a live rep — should you need it. A single entrepreneur starts at $25 per month and increases at $10 increments per person from there.
Square Appointments
In 2009, Twitter founder Jack Dorsey shook up the payments industry by becoming a mobile payment provider that catered to micro-merchants. His company, Square, facilitates payments for an underserved market of small-scale businesses that have a hard time getting approved for a traditional merchant services account.
Since then, Square has grown into a comprehensive small business ecosystem that includes online booking platform Square Appointments. Like Vagaro, Square Appointments also integrates with the Square POS system that you can use to manage the retail segment of your business.
Individuals pay a fixed rate of 2.75 percent for Square Appointments credit card transactions. As your business grows and you add employees, Square Appointments will set you back up to $90 per month for up to 10 staff members.
Virtuagym
Virtuagym offers fitness solutions to personal trainers, independent studios and gym chains of all sizes. By Automating your booking process, it decreases your time spent on phone calls and staff and fitness class scheduling and allows your members to book classes at their own convenience and hence minimize no-shows. By giving them the power to book their own sessions, it prevents mistakes and minimizes frustration.
Supported on both website and apps, hence enabling clients to book classes 24/7, and save you hours of time spent on administration, phone calls, and cancellations.
✔ Display schedule on your website
✔ Track your attendance & optimize class scheduling
✔ Automated booking confirmations & reminders
✔ Book classes through your mobile app
Starting Price: $29.00 Per Month
Deployment: Cloud, SaaS, Web ; Mobile – iOS Native ; Mobile – Android Native
Training: Live Online ; Webinars ; Documentation
Support: Business Hours ; Online
Upkeep
UpKeep’s Scheduling Maintenance Software is a modern maintenance and asset management solution for your team. From your desktop to your phone and even your tablet, UpKeep is easily accessible from anywhere at any time. Create work orders on-the-go, get notifications when tasks are updated, and receive alerts straight from your app when assets go down making your business run more efficiently than ever before.
Starting Price: $29.00/month/user
Free Version: Yes
Deployment: Cloud, SaaS, Web ; Mobile – Android Native ; Mobile – iOS Native
Training: Documentation ; Webinars ; Live Online ; In Person
Support: Online ; Business Hours ; 24/7 (Live Rep)
CakeHR
With CakeHR you can simply create and edit shifts, then notify your employees with a click of a button. Everyone has access to their schedules from web as well as mobile apps. Android and iOS apps are available.
Starting Price: $4.20/month/user
Deployment: Cloud, SaaS, Web ; Mobile – Android Native ; Mobile – iOS Native
Training: Documentation ; Webinars ; Live Online
Support: Online ; Business Hours
Acuity Scheduling
Meet the personal assistant for your schedule, only better, that works 24/7 behind the scenes to fill your calendar and take work off your plate. From the moment clients book with you, Acuity’s there to automatically send branded & customized booking confirmations, deliver text reminders, let them reschedule on their own, and process payments so your day-to-day runs smoother even as business gets busier. All you need to do is show up at the right time.
Acuity Scheduling is the appointment scheduling app to choose when you need to customize your booking process to a fine degree. When you design your booking page, you can allow your clients to choose recurring appointments, if it’s applicable, complete an intake form, and pay in advance for services. You can also offer coupons and give clients the ability to add on services when they book, such as adding a 15-minute foot massage to a pedicure.
Starting Price: $15.00/month
Free Version: Yes
Deployment: Cloud, SaaS, Web ; Mobile – Android Native ; Mobile – iOS Native
Training: Documentation ; Webinars
Support: Online ; Business Hours
Setmore
From student scheduling for tutors and music teachers to managing patient appointments — both human and for our four-legged friends — since 2011, Setmore is making scheduling appointments simple.
A unique aspect about Setmore is that it allows you to both book appointments and schedule interviews with potential job candidates. Hiring is a challenge for every business — big or small — and every company struggles with it in some capacity. Why not try to make a part of the hiring process run a little smoother?
What’s fantastic about this platform is that you and three other employees can get started for free. That’s right the free version of Setmore provides up to four staff login calendars at no cost. Since most other solutions only allow one user and calendar with the free version, that’s a big win in our book.
Additionally, their only other price level is a premium package for $25 per month, so upgrading won’t cost an arm and a leg.
Booker
Booker found their niche in the health and wellness industry in 2010and never looked back. While they may not cater to every industry, they do one thing, and they do it well.
It’s worth noting that Booker and their sister software company, Fredrick, are now part of the MindBody family. The former is a marketing automation software and the latter is a point of sale company turned technology provider for the wellness services industry.
Sound familiar? Think Square, but specifically for health and wellness providers. MindBody is on track to create an entire ecosystem of business management tools to serve a specific market.
Although you can’t test drive Booker with a free trial or freemium version, you can request a personalized demo with a member of their staff. While this might not be ideal for those that prefer the DIY approach, a one-on-one demo with a live rep is a great way to open the lines of communication and ask questions as it relates to your unique business needs.
Booker will set you back $129 per month for their Essential Package. Although that price point is significantly higher than the others we’ve mentioned, you get a considerable amount of features for your money:.
- Unlimited logins
- Appointment reminders and notifications (text and email)
- Integrated point of sale
- Inventory management
- Gift certificates
- Detailed customer records
- Package, series, and membership management
- Customer document storage
- 20 reports
Conclusion
There are thousands of scheduling apps out there and more that will still be made. It all balls down to what your demands are and how you want to meet them. The above software will get you started.