Top Online Booking Systems Compared (2026) — Choose the Right Tool for Your Business

With more customers wanting to book online, a good booking system makes all the difference. Whether you run classes, appointments, services, workshops, or events, the right scheduling software helps you accept bookings, manage appointments, handle online payments, and improve the customer experience.

Below we compare six popular tools — Calendly, SimplyBook.me, Setmore, Bookeo, Appointy, and Baluu — so you can decide which is the best fit for your business.

Note: Feature accuracy for third-party platforms depends on public info from their sites and may vary by plan level or future updates. Always check each provider’s official feature list for the most current details.

Booking System Feature Comparison (2026)

Platform Summaries (What Their Official Sites Say)

Calendly — Simple Scheduling Software

Calendly is focused primarily on appointment scheduling software. It helps you automate your schedule by connecting your calendars and letting clients pick slots based on your availability. It’s widely used for meetings and appointments with a streamlined booking process, including automated confirmations and reminders.

Best for: Basic appointment booking and calendar sync.

SimplyBook.me** — Flexible Online Booking System**

SimplyBook.me offers an online booking system with a customizable booking website or widget that clients can use to schedule appointments, book classes, and pay online 24/7. It supports automated notifications via WhatsApp, SMS and email, integrations with social media, and tool-level features like products and promotions.

Best for: Service businesses that want a robust booking page and marketing tools.

Setmore — Free Appointment Scheduling Software

Setmore provides a free online booking system that includes a branded booking page, automated reminders, calendar sync, and payment acceptance. It also supports staff scheduling, video meeting links (e.g., Zoom), and integrations with calendars and social profiles.

Best for: Small businesses that want a simple, free appointment scheduler.

Bookeo — Booking & Reservation Software

Bookeo’s platform allows clients to book classes, workshops, and services online. It includes scheduling tools, automated notifications, and basic commerce functions (such as accepting deposits and payments). Its focus is on streamlining bookings and reducing administrative workload.

Best for: Basic class or event bookings with straightforward workflows.

Appointy — Feature-Rich Scheduling Software

Appointy is a full appointment scheduling software with real-time booking availability, automated reminders, customer tracking, and support for multiple staff and locations. It helps businesses take bookings, manage appointments, and enable clients to self-schedule online.

Best for: Businesses needing structured scheduling with customer management.

Baluu — All-in-One Booking & Scheduling Software

Baluu combines modern booking and scheduling software features with tools designed to help grow your business. It supports:

• Easy setup of booking pages or a full branded website built directly in Baluu
• Customisable appointment bookings, classes, termly and block scheduling
• Automated email reminders, confirmations, and follow-ups
• A booking widget that works on your existing site and accepts secure online payments
• Tools for product sales, gift cards, upsells, and discount codes

A customer-led approach that adapts to real businesses

One of the key differences with Baluu is how closely the team works with its customers. Rather than offering a fixed, one-size-fits-all platform, Baluu takes time to understand each business, its services, and its goals. The team actively listens to feature requests, reviews how each business operates, and helps customers figure out the best way to use Baluu for their specific needs. This close connection with clients allows the platform to evolve based on real-world feedback, ensuring improvements are driven by how businesses actually work — not assumptions.

Baluu’s platform is designed for a wide range of businesses — from classes and workshops to services and events — with powerful scheduling and commerce features included in one place.

Why Businesses Choose Each Platform

Calendly

• Very easy to use for appointments
• Great for individuals and teams relying on synced calendars
• Ideal for interview and consultation scheduling

SimplyBook.me

• Booking pages can be embedded in websites or shared via social platforms
• Supports reminders and product promotions
• Great for service industries that want branded online booking

Setmore

• Strong free plan with automated reminders and staff scheduling
• Works well for small teams and service providers

Bookeo

• Good choice for structured class and event reservations
• Simplifies basic scheduling and notifications

Appointy

• Supports customer profiles, multiple locations, and team booking
• Well suited for structured appointment businesses

Baluu

• Combines scheduling, ecommerce, booking pages, and promotions
• Provides tools to accept bookings 24/7, manage customers and grow your business
• Includes features often requiring separate plugins on other platforms

Choosing the Right Booking System

Here’s a quick guide:

• Choose Calendly if you only need simple appointment scheduling
• Choose SimplyBook.me if you want a customisable booking page
• Choose Setmore if you want a solid free plan with reminders
• Choose Bookeo for straightforward class or event booking
• Choose Appointy for multi-location appointment management
• Choose Baluu if you want a comprehensive booking and online payments platform built for many business types

Final Thoughts

Each of these tools has strengths, and your choice depends on the type of scheduling you need. If your goal is not only to manage appointments but also to create a professional online booking page, handle classes, events, and payments, and support your long-term growth, Baluu offers an all-in-one platform that covers all these needs in a single, user-friendly system.