Free scheduling software for small businesses helps you organize your time and manage your business appointments. If you are a newbie in the field of managing appointments and looking for free time management software, then you have landed on the right page.
Scheduling software helps you save time, reduce workload and increase productivity by automating frequent repetitive tasks. If you’re looking for apps to simplify your business, trying any of these 10 best free scheduling software will help to achieve that. What is the difference between an appointment scheduler and an online calendar? It’s quite simple, while a calendar is used for to-do list management, scheduling software automatically manages incoming appointments. These are apps to help you save time and take control of your schedule. Appointment scheduling software allows clients to view a calendar of your business’s available meeting times and self-book an appointment. It also lets business owners manage appointments, send automatic reminders, and accept deposits online. Free appointment scheduling software can be hard to find, as many programs are simply limited versions of larger, paid services. However, we identified eight programs that provide comprehensive features at no cost. Despite decades of technological advancements and the advent of software for just about every conceivable demand, some managers still prefer using pen and paper to make their work schedules. Fair enough. That’s how things were done for a very long time, so it certainly serves its purpose. And the good, old-fashioned pen-and-paper method does have its advantages.
For starters, it doesn’t require anything more than, well, a pen and a sheet of paper. As long as you know your employees and your business’s needs well, this simple system still works. On top of that, it doesn’t require familiarity with any computer programs or software. However, the pen-and-paper process is not without its drawbacks. For one thing, it’s not very conducive to rapid mass distribution. This method relies on either posting the schedule and making sure everyone sees it or producing a copy for each employee and then making sure you get it in everyone’s hand. Another disadvantage is that pen and paper schedules aren’t the easiest to adjust after they’ve been passed around. Any changes to the schedule require another round of printing and distribution. What about free employee scheduling software? Let’s start with the downside. As with any computer program, there’s sure to be a learning curve. It takes a little time to learn the ins and outs of any new system or process, and free employee scheduling software is no exception. Until you become acquainted with the software, it might feel a bit cumbersome. Using free employee scheduling software also assumes that all of your employees have access to the internet and a device they can use to get online.
Now for the advantages of free employee scheduling software. Here’s a list of the amazing things employee scheduling software does:
- Automatically saves your schedule every time you create one. So you can use a previous week’s schedule as a template and then make any necessary changes, like time-off requests, before sending out the new schedule.
- Instantaneously distributes the schedule when you send it out electronically. There’s no need to track employees down to make sure they’ve seen the new schedule. With software, the schedule is received the moment you send it.
- Allows you to make necessary adjustments quickly and easily. The updated schedule can be instantly sent out once again after the changes have been made.
- Cuts back on the amount of paper your business uses. This reduces costs and helps reduce paper waste, which is better for the environment.
Even the most basic software can provide all of these benefits. And advanced, industry-specific software can do much, much more.
That makes it pretty clear that software trumps pen and paper because software offers all the advantages of the pen-and-paper method, and then some. Sure, there’s a learning curve, but using free employee scheduling software will save you time and money in the long run.
Let’s talk more about what you should look for in your scheduling software.
Employee Scheduling Software For Small Business: Key Features
Here are some of the key scheduling features that employee scheduling software should have:
Real-Time Data
Does the employee shift scheduling software show real-time data to the minute? Does the shift scheduling software offer data-syncing across desktop and mobile devices? Accuracy of time data is critical when you are a small business paying hourly rates. Data syncing via desktop and mobile apps (both iOS and Android) is needed to maintain synchronization of efforts and getting information on the go.
Alerts And Notifications System
Does the employee shift scheduling app have email alerts/SMS reminders and a push notifications system to keep the team up to speed, no matter where they are? This kind of messaging mechanism is important for a fully integrated small business.
Tracking Tools
Does the tool have time tracking tools? Time tracking is important functionality to improve productivity as it monitors the amount of time an employee takes in finishing a particular task. As a manager, you can easily detect any lags and compare them to previous timesheets, thus taking action to optimize the output.
Shift Swapping And Shuffling
Does the employee scheduling software allow shift swapping and shift shuffling between employees? Does it recommend candidates based on open schedules and assist in shift shuffling? Does the tool automatically update all the concerned teams about the shift shuffle and swap? Shift shuffling makes for more flexible workforce management. So if an employee no-shows or calls in sick, you can shuffle the shift and assign some other capable team member their slot. In the same way, employees can swap shifts between themselves based on their availability. This leads to higher efficiency as your workforce is utilized optimally.
Timesheet Reporting And Analytics
Does the software have timesheet reporting including billable hours, overtime, and logged time? Does the product give you analytics that helps you make informed decisions? Based on timesheet reporting, a small business owner can calculate payroll and send correct invoices. It also gives you precise information on the output of your team.
Employee Scheduling Software For Small Business: Comparison Criteria
What do I look for when I select the best employee scheduling software for a small business? Here’s a summary of my evaluation criteria:
- User Interface (UI): Is it clean and attractive? Is the interface straightforward? Is it free of confusing options that can bog down a small business owner?
- Usability: Is it easy to learn and master for a small business owner? Does the company offer good tech support, user support, tutorials, and training? For a small business, scheduling should be easy to implement from the get-go.
- Integrations: Is it easy to connect with other tools? Any pre-built integrations? How smoothly does the tool work with other products/add-ons in the market to fulfill small business needs? How does it work with top payment and invoicing apps to streamline employee payments? Does it work out of the box with top team communication apps?
- Value for $: How appropriate is the price for the features, capabilities, and use case? Is pricing clear, transparent, and flexible? Is it budget-friendly for a small business? How fast can one expect to get results from it? Do they help in keeping labor costs low?
The best free appointment scheduling software is:
- Picktime: Best overall software for scheduling appointments of any kind
- Square Appointments: Best appointment scheduling for solo providers who want scheduling, payment, and SMS reminders for free
- 10to8: Best easy, feature-rich appointment software that allows for a lot of integrations
- Appointlet: Best free appointment scheduling for busy sales teams
- Fresha: Best for beauty and wellness businesses that need inventory and POS
- Calendly: Best for making appointments with clients or scheduling meetings with co-workers
- Setmore: Best for gyms and businesses that need to set appointments for multiple staff members or classes
- Acuity: Best for medical, dental, and other businesses needing intake forms
Picktime
a relatively new appointment scheduling software, and as such, it is currently free. It plans on introducing paid plans in the future but will keep it free for any business that registers during this free period. This is the time to pick up this excellent software.
What makes Picktime the best free appointment scheduling software for businesses? Its feature-dense, covering multiple staff members, classes, and calendar syncs. It lets you add intake forms, take deposits, generate invoices or accept payments online, and send automated reminders. It integrates with several other types of software, including multiple video conferencing apps. With a score of 4.76 out of 5 stars and raving user reviews, it’s hard to beat.
Picktime Pricing
Completely free. There are no paid plans, no extra features, no percentages for credit card processing. However, Picktime is offering a limited number of free memberships for early adopters. Get yours before they institute pricing to get the software free forever.
Picktime Features
- Add unlimited staff members.
- Schedule classes or individual appointments.
- Integrate into your website or use Picktime’s booking page.
- Integrate with Google Meet, Microsoft Skype, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, GoToMeeting, and Jitsi Meet.
- Accept payments through the schedule or send invoices. Accept deposits against no-shows.
- Save customer details and allow for recurring appointments.
Square Appointments
gives you all the main features of appointment scheduling software without hiding anything behind a paywall or showing pesky ads. You can set up a webpage where clients can view your open time slots and book an appointment. It also sends automatic email or SMS reminders when the appointment is drawing near. It syncs your appointments with Google Calendar, so any conflicts you have are automatically removed from your booking page.
Like Fresha, Square offers point-of-sale (POS) software with inventory that works with Square Appointments. However, Square’s POS software is rated as the best for small businesses.
Square is a very popular appointment program and gets good reviews from users. It integrates with a multitude of other software for business, just not for video conferencing. It has email and text appointment reminders. In addition to credit card processing, it can handle digital gift cards, and it includes time-tracking software. Square loses points because the free plan is limited to a single user, and it only syncs with Google calendar. Square’s robust free features earned it a 4.44 out of 5.
Square Appointments Pricing
- Free: Full appointment scheduling software free for one user plus a transaction fee of 2.5% plus 10 cents for any payments processed through the platform
- $50 per month: Two to five users
- $90 per month: Six to 10 users
- Custom pricing: 11 or more users
Square Appointments Features
- Book appointments through your website and attach documents or contracts to the verification emails for intake forms.
- Accept payments through Square (fee applies) and send invoices. Set deposits against no-shows.
- Class or group bookings.
- Attach intake forms, contracts, or other documents to confirmation emails.
- Accept payments, including deposits against no-shows.
- Maintain customer database.
- Works with Square POS and Square Online.
Acuity
is it a good-looking and smooth platform both for visitors booking appointments and users managing them on the back-end? It’s loaded with handy features, including custom intake questionnaires that are useful for medical practices and other businesses that need detailed information from clients before confirming appointments. It’s also designed to be HIPAA compliant.
As a top-shelf program, however, Acuity does not give away much. The free version is quite limited compared to the other programs, and thus it loses points as a free scheduling program. It earned a 3.03 out of 5 in our evaluation. However, the paid versions are worth exploring if you have specific needs, such as clients who need payment plans.
Acuity Pricing
- Free: Book an unlimited number of appointments with intake forms, but there are no automatic reminders, payments, or calendar syncs. Acuity branding. One user
- Emerging ($14 per month): Advanced features including calendar sync, saving credit cards, tips, video meetings, follow-up emails. Acuity branding. One user
- Growing ($23 per month): All the above features plus text reminders, appointment packages, subscription, and custom branding. Up to six users
- Powerhouse ($45 per month): Adds gift certificate management, custom CSS, API support, and Sign BAA for HIPAA-compliance. Up to 36 users
Acuity Features
- Simple booking with an attractive, minimalist booking page that can also be embedded on your website.
- Create custom questionnaires with text fields, drop-down lists, yes/no buttons, and more.
- Unlimited bookings and services with the free plan.
- Paid plans offer excellent features for the medical and professional field, including
- Appointment packages with payment plans
- Subscriptions, memberships, gift certificates
- Customizations
- HIPPA Compliance
- Integrations with video chat software, calendars, CRM and email marketing, QuickBooks, and more
Appointlet
is another excellent scheduling software, but it also allows you to integrate into your sales funnel, whether on your website, emails, or landing pages. With Google calendar and Office 365 integration, plus several video chat channels, it’s a good choice for sales teams, but it works well for service businesses.
Appointlet scored closely to 10to8, ranking only slightly higher because it allows unlimited bookings and staff members. However, its features are not quite as robust, and some require a paid plan. Even so, users love it, and Appointlet earned a 4.23 out of 5 in our evaluation.
Appointlet Pricing
- Free: Appointlet provides most features free for one user
- Premium ($8 per month, per member): customizable branding, automated booking reminders, pooled availability for teams, private meeting types, Zapier integrations
Appointlet Features
- Customize your booking page and integrate it into your website, landing page, or emails.
- Team scheduling includes organization scheduling pages, individual pages, pooled availability, multi-user support, and centralized administration and billing.
- Sync with Google Calendar or Office 365 so prior engagements on your calendar are marked unavailable on your booking page.
- Video chat integrations with Zoom, Join.me, Go2Meeting, and Webex
- Accept payments through software; keep information in a customer database.
Fresha
is a very popular and much-appreciated app in the beauty and health industry. It allows you to book unlimited appointments for as many staff members as you wish in as many locations as you need. It also has unlimited email notifications.
Fresha stands out from the competition in that it includes a POS and inventory system in its free program, something only Square offers. It loses points, however, because some of the features offered by other free software, such as SMS text reminders, are only with its unique paid plan.
The paid plan deserves mention, however. Like Square, it charges you for transactions, but in return, it lets you book through its Fresha Marketplace, Yahoo, and other online venues, expanding your reach. It takes a 20% commission for each new client you book through its marketplace. Overall, Fresha earned a 4.13 out of 5.
Fresha Pricing
- Free: Unlimited number of employees, POS, inventory
- Fresha Plus (2.19% plus 20 cents per transaction + 20% new client fee): Everything in the free plan plus online booking, payment processing, no-show protection, marketing tools, SMS text reminders
Fresha Features
- The free plan only allows bookings through the in-person app on your tablet, mobile, or desktop. The paid plan allows online bookings through Fresha Marketplace, Facebook, Yahoo, or your website.
- Like Square, Setmore, and Acuity, you can view all your employee’s schedules and simply drag and drop to reschedule appointments.
- Email appointment reminders
- Unlimited POS and inventory use, including bar code scanning, receipts, and more
- Top-notch interface and features praised by users: 4.9 out of 5 stars on Capterra (1,177 reviews)
Calendly
offers a strong and user-friendly appointment scheduling system that works especially well with busy offices. You can send emails with your Calendly link to others (even groups) to let them see your available times, making it easier to schedule group meetings. It provides automated notifications and integrations with video conferencing software.
Calendly is loaded with features for teams that deal with a high volume of appointments: You can assign team members round-robin based on various rules, or based on when all necessary team members are available. Unfortunately, none of these features are available with the free version of Calendly.
Calendly got high marks from user reviewers, and our expert review gave it 3.13 out of 5 stars because so many features require a paid plan. However, should you be looking for a free program that can scale, Calendly may be a good bet.
Calendly Pricing
- Free: Calendly provides a basic version free for one user. You can only book one event type, which means you can only set up a single meeting duration, name, location, and description.
- Premium ($8 per month): Two calendars per user, unlimited event types. Pooled availability, group bookings, customize notifications, 700+ integrations
- Pro ($12 per month): Six calendars per user, adds online payments and SMS notifications
Calendly Features
- Book clients via links or embed Calendly on your website.
- Sync with Google Calendar, Office 365, Outlook, and iCloud.
- Video chat integrations include Zoom, Microsoft Teams, and GoToMeeting.
- Team booking and round-robin appointment assignments with paid plans.
- Paid plan also integrates with Salesforce.
Setmore
supports up to four users for free and is loaded with features that make it great for managing teams. Clients can book online and see which employees are available at a particular time. Or, you can add appointments manually from the dashboard, as well as reschedule or reassign appointments with just a few clicks. You can accept payments with Square and maintain a customer database. It also integrates with mailing, sales, and CRM programs, as well as a multitude of business apps.
This software is easy-to-use and well-regarded by users, so Setmore earned a 3.47 out of 5. But, loses points as a free plan because it charges for many of the features that other scheduling software on our list offer free. (Paid features include reminders, customization, and video integration.) However, its paid plans are reasonably priced, especially if you have three or more employees.
Setmore Pricing
- Free: Most features for up to four employees, payment with Square only
- Premium ($9 per user, per month): 1-2 users, includes all free features, plus SMS reminders, custom notifications, recurring appointments, Zoom, calendar sync, payment with Square or Stripe
- Pro ($5 per user, per month): 3+ users, includes all free features, plus SMS reminders, custom notifications, recurring appointments, Zoom, calendar sync, payment with Square or Stripe
Setmore Features
- Book individual appointments or classes with the number of seats available. (The free plan has the Setmore logo.)
- Accept payments through Square (or Square and Stripe with paid plans), including deposits against no-shows.
- Integrate with Teleport.video for video appointments (or with Zoom for paid plans).
- Integrate with Salesforce, QuickBooks, Freshdesk, Mailchimp, and more.
Conclusion:
The right online scheduling software for your business is not only reliable, reliable, but user-friendly too. That’s because it takes very little time to consult your calendar and discover which times are free for appointments. Scheduling software helps you accurately organize appointments and procedures by eliminating the potential for human error. You can use it to schedule recurring or one-time appointments, and patients can easily book an appointment through your website or by phone. This will improve the flow of patient traffic and healthy cash coming into your office.