---
{"title": "Best online booking software in 2026", "description": "Compare online booking software: Calendly, Cal.com, Acuity Scheduling, SavvyCal and Connections Booking, with what each one does and how to choose.", "url": "https://uncommoncomforts.com/best-online-booking-software-2026/", "date": "2026-10-14"}
---
Compare online booking software: Calendly, Cal.com, Acuity Scheduling, SavvyCal and Connections Booking, with what each one does and how to choose.

This page compares Calendly, Cal.com, Acuity Scheduling, SavvyCal and Connections Booking for booking time with other people. Connections Booking uses Google Calendar busy times and writes events to it [^1].

| Option | Free start | Listed paid prices |
|---|---|---|
| Calendly | No credit card required to sign up [^2] | Teams plan with Notetaker and Callie added at $16 per seat per month [^3] |
| Cal.com | A free plan with unlimited event types, calendar syncing and Cal Video [^4] | Teams at $16 per user per month [^4]. Organizations at $37 per user per month [^4]. |
| Acuity Scheduling | Signing up does not require a credit card [^5] | Starter at $16 per month and $20 per month [^6]. Standard at $27 per month and $34 per month [^6]. |
| SavvyCal | A risk-free trial is offered [^7] | not published |
| Connections Booking | not published | not published |

## How to read this list

The options below are all tools for booking time with other people, and they differ in what else they do, such as taking payment, connecting to other apps, or setting up a team. Cal.com states that its scheduling app is used by over a million people [^4]. Acuity says over 250,000 businesses use it [^5]. Prices appear below only where a source gives them, and a cell that reads not published means no source for that tool gave a price to compare. Read each section alongside the table, and check the current page for any tool before you decide.

## Calendly: sets the hours you are free to meet

Calendly lets you connect your calendars, set your hours and control exactly when you are available to meet [^2]. Calendly offers built-in payment tools that let you charge upfront for meetings, sell packages and send invoices [^2]. Its example shows a client paying a $150 deposit upfront [^2]. Calendly also offers automated email and text reminders to reduce no-shows [^2]. Enterprise pricing is available in USD only [^3].

## Cal.com: scheduling that connects to other tools

Cal.com offers a free plan with unlimited event types, calendar syncing, workflow automation, payments through Stripe, a separate company that handles card payments, and Cal Video [^4]. Cal Video is Cal.com's in-house video conferencing platform [^4]. Cal.com provides a public API for building your own integrations [^4], and it connects with Slack, Salesforce and more than 100 other tools [^4]. Its Teams tier is listed at $16 per user per month and adds round-robin scheduling and shared availability [^4]. Its Organizations tier is listed at $37 per user per month [^4]. Enterprise pricing is custom [^4].

## Acuity Scheduling: branded booking pages for appointments

Acuity lets businesses set up a branded booking page where clients can self-schedule appointments [^5]. Signing up does not require a credit card [^5]. Acuity says calendar sync helps prevent double-bookings and that custom intake forms collect client information [^5]. Businesses can offer packages, subscriptions, gift certificates, add-ons and coupons [^5]. Acuity accepts payments and tracks bookings and revenue in one place [^5]. Its Starter plan is listed at $16 per month and $20 per month [^6], and its Standard plan at $27 per month and $34 per month [^6]. Acuity says 75% of its businesses have reduced no-shows using deposits, appointment reminders and cancelation policies [^5].

## SavvyCal: links that let people overlay their calendar

Recipients can overlay their own calendar on top of a scheduling link to spot ideal times [^7]. You can host scheduling links on your own custom domain [^7]. A host can adjust the colors, banner image and avatar on its links [^7]. Buffers and limits cap meetings per day, week and month [^7]. Round robin mode distributes meetings across a pool of organizers [^7], and collective mode combines the availability of multiple colleagues on scheduling links [^7]. SavvyCal says it offers a risk-free trial [^7] and a 30-day money-back guarantee [^7]. For current pricing, check SavvyCal's page.

## Connections Booking: booking that checks your Google Calendar

Connections Booking is made by the team that publishes this site. Clients open your booking link and pick a time without logging in [^1]. It uses Google Calendar busy times and writes events to your calendar [^1]. Overlapping bookings are refused [^1]. You can list dates when you are closed, or open only for set hours [^1]. You can add your own questions to the booking form [^1]. Clients can pick their own time zone, and the slots show in it [^1]. The confirmation has an Add to calendar option [^1]. A booking can have a price, and the product charges for it [^1]. Each booking can get its own Google Meet link [^1].

## How to choose

If you do not want to enter a card at sign-up, Acuity says signing up does not require one [^5]. If you plan to take payment for appointments, Calendly says its payment tools charge upfront for meetings and send invoices [^2]. Acuity accepts payments and tracks bookings and revenue in one place [^5]. Cal.com offers payments for bookings through a Stripe integration [^4]. Connections Booking charges for a booking that has a price [^1]. If you need a video link for each booking, Connections Booking can add a Google Meet link to each one [^1]. Cal.com has its own video platform, Cal Video [^4]. If you want booking on your own website, Connections Booking's page can be embedded on a site [^1]. Cal.com provides scheduling components that can be added to apps [^4]. Before you decide, check each tool's current page for prices and plans, since this list covers only what the sources state.

## Frequently asked questions

### Is Calendly free to sign up for?

Yearly billing saves up to 20% compared with monthly billing [^3]. Enterprise pricing is available in USD only [^3]. Check Calendly's current page for which plan covers what you need before you sign up.

### Is Cal.com free to use?

Cal.com offers a free plan with unlimited event types, calendar syncing, workflow automation, payments through Stripe, a separate company that handles card payments, and Cal Video [^4]. Its Teams tier is listed at $16 per user per month [^4]. Its Organizations tier is listed at $37 per user per month [^4]. Enterprise pricing is custom [^4].

### Does Acuity Scheduling require a credit card?

Signing up for Acuity does not require a credit card [^5]. The site invites visitors to get started for free [^5]. Its Starter plan is listed at $16 per month and $20 per month [^6]. Its Standard plan is listed at $27 per month and $34 per month [^6]. The page lists more than one monthly figure for each plan, so check it for the current price.

### Does SavvyCal offer a free trial?

SavvyCal says it offers a risk-free trial [^7]. It also says it is backed by a 30-day money-back guarantee [^7]. For the terms of the trial and the refund, read SavvyCal's current page.

### Can Connections Booking take payment for bookings?

Yes, a booking can have a price, and Connections Booking charges for it [^1]. Hosts can reschedule, cancel or mark a no-show from the booking [^1]. Clients can give a reason when cancelling, and the host's cancellation email shows it [^1]. No price or plan for Connections Booking on its own is published here, so check the product page for current costs.

Connections Free costs $0, and going over a limit stops the feature rather than billing you. [^1] Connections Pro, the first paid plan, is $39.99 a month and adds premium features across every Connections product. [^1] - [Visit Connections Booking](/go/best-online-booking-software-2026)

## Sources

[^1]: Connections Booking's own description of itself (the product of this site's publisher) (/go/best-online-booking-software-2026)
[^2]: Calendly, calendly.com, read 2026-10-08 (https://calendly.com)
[^3]: Calendly, calendly.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08 (https://calendly.com/pricing)
[^4]: Cal.com, cal.com, read 2026-10-08 (https://cal.com)
[^5]: Acuity Scheduling, acuityscheduling.com, read 2026-10-08 (https://acuityscheduling.com)
[^6]: Acuity Scheduling, acuityscheduling.com/pricing, read 2026-10-08 (https://acuityscheduling.com/pricing)
[^7]: SavvyCal, savvycal.com, read 2026-10-08 (https://savvycal.com)