Google Calendar Appointment Scheduler vs. Calendly
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Google Calendar’s appointment scheduler and Calendly are two popular tools that help with scheduling, but they work in different ways.
This article compares them in a few key areas, like features, cons, integrations, pricing, how simple they are to use, and more.
If you want something that works right inside Google Calendar or a tool that gives you more options and control, this guide will help you choose the one that fits you best.
Google Calendar's Appointment Scheduler Overview
If you're already using Google Calendar, you might’ve noticed the option to create an “Appointment schedule.” This is Google’s built-in tool for letting others book time on your calendar, no extra software is needed.
It’s helpful if you’re a solo professional, teacher, or consultant who just wants a simple way for people to book a time without all the back-and-forth emails.
If you would like to see how this feature works, take a look at this guide on How to Share Google Calendar Availability.
Main Features
Easy-to-Use Booking Pages: You can set your availability and share a booking link with clients, students, or coworkers. They’ll see your open time slots and pick one that works.
Google Meet & Gmail Integration: Unlike tools that require setup for video meetings, Google automatically adds a Meet link to your appointment. Plus, everything stays synced in your Gmail and Google Calendar, so it’s all in one place.
Time Zone Friendly: Google’s scheduler adjusts for time zones, so no one accidentally joins an hour early or late. This is good when you have a meeting with people in other time zones.
Built for Google Users: Google Calendar’s Appointment Scheduler is a suitable choice for anyone already using Google Workspace. It’s simple, easy to access, and works right inside your existing calendar.
Google Calendar's Appointment Scheduler Cons
Google Calendar’s built-in scheduler is great if you want something quick and easy that is already part of your Google setup. But it’s not for everyone.
Limited Customization: The booking page has a clean and simple design, but you can’t really make it your own. There’s no option to add your logo, change colors, or match your brand, unlike third-party appointment tools like OneCal or Calendly.
Lacks Advanced Features: There’s no round-robin scheduling for teams, no payment collection, and limited integrations with tools outside Google’s ecosystem. So if you need automation or work with platforms like Zoom or HubSpot, this tool might feel too simple.
Only One Booking Page on the Free Plan: If you’re using a personal Google account, you can only make one booking page. If you need more than that, or want to remove the Google branding, you’ll have to switch to a paid Google Workspace plan, which starts at $7 per user each month.
Best for Individuals, Not Teams: Google’s appointment scheduler is mostly designed for personal use. If you need to schedule across a team, like sharing availability between multiple people, Calendly handles that better.
Calendly Overview
If you’ve ever emailed someone five times just to pick a meeting time, Calendly was built for you.
It’s an easy-to-use tool that takes the hassle out of scheduling if you're a freelancer or part of a busy sales team. Let’s take a look at Calendly’s main features and why it might not be a good fit for you.
Main Features
Works With Multiple Calendar Platforms: Calendly syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Office 365. This keeps all your calendars in sync and helps prevent double bookings, no matter which one you use.
Flexible Scheduling for Individuals and Teams: Calendly makes it easy to book 1-on-1 meetings, set up group sessions, or spread bookings across a team. This is where it stands out compared to Google’s scheduler, which is more limited and mainly built for individual use.
Automated Workflows and Reminders: You can set up automatic email or SMS reminders, thank-you notes, or even send follow-up links. It’s suitable for keeping things professional and on track without extra manual work.
Integrates With Many Tools: Unlike Google’s native scheduler, Calendly integrates directly with apps like Zoom, Stripe, Salesforce, and Slack.
Calendly Cons
Free Plan Is Pretty Basic: You can start using Calendly for free, but many of the good features, like connecting multiple calendars, customizing your booking page, or setting up automation, are only available on paid plans.
Only One Calendar Connection: While Calendly supports Google, Outlook, and other calendars, the free version only lets you connect one calendar. So if you use more than one Google account (or different calendar systems), this could be a drawback.
No Apple Support for New Users. If you also use an iCloud calendar for personal or work purposes, you won’t be able to connect it with Calendly as a new user. For iCloud support, a tool like OneCal is the best fit for your needs.
If you would like to know more about Calendly’s features and how it compares against other competitors, check out this article on Calendly Alternatives.
Google Calendar Appointment Scheduler vs. Calendly: How They Compare
When choosing a scheduling tool, it helps to see how they stack up side by side.
Below, we’ve broken down the key areas to consider and explained how Google Calendar’s Appointment Scheduler and Calendly handle each one.
Ease of Use & Setup
If you already use Google Calendar, getting started is simple. You just open your calendar, create an "appointment schedule," and set your availability.
Since it's built into Google Calendar, there’s not much new to learn. This makes it a great option for people who want a quick, easy setup.
Calendly is also easy to use, even if it’s your first time trying a scheduling tool. You sign up, connect your calendar, and set your availability. You get a shareable link people can use to book time with you, no emailing back and forth.
One-on-One Meetings vs. Team Scheduling
While Google Calendar’s scheduler is a great choice for individuals, like freelancers, teachers, or consultants—it’s mostly built for solo use.
You can set up your own availability, but there’s no easy way to coordinate across a team or share scheduling responsibilities with others.
Calendly, on the other hand, is built with teams in mind. It supports things like round-robin scheduling (so meetings get evenly assigned across team members), group scheduling, and shared team calendars. It’s a much stronger option if you’re scheduling as a team, not just on your own.
Notifications & Automation
Google Calendar handles the basics: people who book with you will get a standard email confirmation, and you might see a notification in Gmail. It’s enough for simple setups, but it stops there, no follow-ups, no texts, and no custom workflows.
Calendly steps it up with more automation. You can send out automatic email and text reminders, follow-up messages, and even set up actions after someone books, like sending a form, redirecting them to a custom page, or kicking off a Zoom meeting.
Integrations & Tools
Google Calendar works well with other Google tools like Gmail and Google Meet. For example, when someone books a meeting, it can automatically add a Meet link, which is helpful if you're already using Google for everything.
However, outside of Google, the options are limited. You won’t find built-in ways to connect with apps like Zoom, CRMs, or payment platforms.
Meanwhile, Calendly works well with all kinds of tools. It connects with Zoom, Slack, HubSpot, Salesforce, Stripe, PayPal, and many more.
Customization & Branding
When it comes to making your booking page feel like you, Google Calendar keeps things pretty basic. You can give your appointment schedule a name and adjust a few settings, but that’s about it.
There’s no option to add your logo, change colors, or make it match your brand. That might be fine for casual use, but if you're meeting with clients or want to look more polished, it can feel a bit too plain.
Calendly gives you way more control, especially if you’re on a paid plan. You can add your logo, choose brand colors, and even use a custom link.
Pricing
Google Calendar Appointment Scheduler (via Google Workspace):
Business Starter: $7 per user/month
Business Standard: $14 per user/month
Business Plus: $22 per user/month
Included with most Google Workspace plans, no extra cost if you're already a subscriber.
Calendly:
Free Plan: (1 calendar connection, basic features)
Standard Plan: $12 per user/month (unlocks integrations and more options)
Teams Plan: $20 per user/month (includes team scheduling, workflows, and reporting)
Enterprise Plan: Starts at $15K/year (advanced security, SSO, admin controls)
Final Decision: Which Scheduler Fits You Best?
Now that we've broken down the differences, how do you choose between Google Calendar's Appointment Scheduler and Calendly? Here’s a quick recap:
Why Choose Google Calendar Appointment?
You're already using Google Workspace. If your workflow includes Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Calendar, this tool is already built-in and ready to use, with no extra cost, and no new tools to learn.
You just need the basics. For solo professionals or educators who want a quick way to let others book time, it does the job with minimal setup.
You prefer everything in one place. Since it’s part of your calendar, email, and video calls, it keeps your tools centralized.
Why Choose Calendly?
You want more features and flexibility. Calendly offers team scheduling, workflows, payments, integrations, and automation that goes beyond what Google’s tool can do.
You need to connect with other platforms. From Zoom and Stripe to Salesforce and Slack, Calendly plays well with a wide range of tools.
You work in a team environment. Whether it's round-robin booking for sales or shared availability for a client success team, Calendly makes coordinating with others much easier.
You care about presentation and branding. If your booking page is client-facing, Calendly gives you the freedom to style it to match your brand.
Looking for a Better Alternative? Try OneCal
If you're still not sure if either tool fits your needs, you might want to give OneCal a try.
With OneCal, you don’t have to jump between calendars or worry about getting double-booked. Whether you use Google, Outlook, or Apple Calendar, OneCal keeps your availability up to date everywhere.
Give it a try free for 14 days—no credit card needed. Plans start at $6/month.