Acuity Scheduling tops the list for solopreneurs and small service businesses needing affordable, straightforward scheduling. Calendly excels for those prioritising simplicity and integration, whilst Setmore appeals to salons and fitness studios seeking feature-rich, cost-effective solutions.
The ranking, in detail
01

Scheduling software for service-based businesses
Acuity Scheduling is a comprehensive appointment scheduling platform designed for small businesses, freelancers, and service providers. It offers custom booking pages, automated reminders, and integrated payment processing to streamline client management and reduce no-shows.
From $17/monthBest for Freelancers, personal trainers, hairdressers, and consultants
95.0
02

Scheduling efficiency made simple
Calendly eliminates back-and-forth scheduling emails with a platform that syncs to your calendar and lets others book directly. It's widely used across professional services and comes with automations, video conferencing integrations, and analytics.
From $10/monthBest for Sales professionals, recruiters, consultants, and service providers
92.7
03

The appointment scheduling platform for beauty and wellness businesses
Setmore is a dedicated scheduling solution for salons, spas, fitness studios, and medical practices. It features staff management, inventory tracking, marketing automation, and a mobile app for both staff and clients.
From FreeBest for Hair salons, beauty spas, fitness studios, and healthcare providers
90.3
04

Business management software for the wellness industry
Mindbody is a comprehensive platform for fitness, wellness, and beauty businesses offering class scheduling, staff management, membership plans, and integrated payment processing. It includes detailed business analytics and client engagement tools.
From CustomBest for Gyms, yoga studios, spas, and wellness centres
88.0
05

Appointment scheduling built into Square
Square Appointments is tightly integrated with the Square payment ecosystem, offering scheduling, staff management, and customer communication tools. It works seamlessly with Square's POS and payment processing for unified business operations.
From FreeBest for Small retail, service businesses, and companies already using Square payments
85.7
06

Appointment booking platform for service professionals
Booksy is a mobile-first appointment booking app designed for beauty, wellness, and personal service businesses. It provides client management, marketing tools, staff scheduling, and a consumer-facing app for discovering and booking services.
From FreeBest for Beauty professionals, hairdressers, therapists, and personal trainers
83.3
07

Staff scheduling and workforce management
Deputy is a workforce management platform offering staff scheduling, time tracking, task management, and communications. It serves retail, hospitality, healthcare, and service industries needing robust team coordination tools.
From $6/month per employeeBest for Retail stores, restaurants, healthcare facilities, and multi-location businesses
81.0
08

Customer service software for growing businesses
HubSpot Service Hub integrates appointment scheduling with customer relationship management, ticketing, and knowledge base tools. It's ideal for businesses wanting unified customer service and scheduling within a broader CRM platform.
From FreeBest for Teams already using HubSpot CRM
78.7
09

Meeting scheduling made simple
Doodle specialises in group meeting scheduling by eliminating the need to coordinate via email. Users create time options and share a link for participants to vote on their availability, then confirm the best time automatically.
From FreeBest for Teams scheduling group meetings, recurring appointments, and committee meetings
76.3
10

Online booking system for service and wellness businesses
Simplybook.me provides appointment scheduling with booking pages, automated reminders, staff management, and customer communication tools. It serves hairdressers, dentists, therapists, and other service providers across more than 150 countries.
From FreeBest for Hairdressers, dentists, therapists, consultants, and independent service providers
74.0
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between appointment scheduling software and workforce management?
Appointment scheduling software (like Calendly and Acuity) focuses on clients booking time slots with service providers, whilst workforce management (like Deputy) focuses on staff scheduling shifts and managing team availability. Some platforms like Mindbody offer both capabilities.
Do I need to pay for booking and scheduling software, or are free options sufficient?
Many quality platforms offer robust free tiers, including Setmore, Square Appointments, Booksy, HubSpot Service Hub, Doodle, and Simplybook.me. Free options work well for solopreneurs and small businesses with basic needs; paid tiers unlock advanced features like custom branding and team management.
Which scheduling platform integrates best with existing business tools?
Calendly leads with integrations to 100+ apps including Slack, Salesforce, and video platforms. HubSpot Service Hub excels if you use HubSpot's CRM. Square Appointments is unmatched for Square ecosystem users. Choose based on your existing toolstack.