Nothing derails a day quite like emailing back and forth trying to find a time that works.
A solid scheduling tool can make your life (and your clients’ lives) way easier — and save a surprising amount of time each week.
This week inside The Admin Bar, we asked agency owners what they actually use to book meetings — and the answers revealed some clear patterns.
The open-source underdog surprised a lot of people. Several lifetime deals are still paying off years later. And quite a few folks are just using what’s already baked into the tools they pay for anyway.
The Most Mentioned Meeting Scheduling Tools
These tools came up repeatedly in the discussion:
- Cal.com
- TidyCal
- Calendly
- Book Like a Boss
- Built-in schedulers (Moxie, Google Workspace, HoneyBook)
- WordPress booking plugins (WP Amelia, FluentBooking)
- SavvyCal
Let’s break down why agencies are choosing each.
Why Agencies Choose These Meeting Scheduling Tools
When it comes to scheduling, the divide isn’t really about features.
It’s about whether you want:
- A standalone tool
- Something already built into your stack
- A one-time purchase
- Or an open-source option you can control
Cal.com
Cal.com was mentioned more than any other tool.
Multiple people called it “a free and open-source Calendly.”
George Leon shared one of the most efficient workflows in the thread:
“I have a keyboard shortcut that automatically inserts it as a link with the text ‘here’ and adds query params with the other person’s name and email which Cal automatically fills out for them so the person doesn’t need to fill anything out other than choosing the time and submit.”
That’s the kind of friction-reducing setup that saves minutes per booking — which adds up fast.
Why agencies like it:
- Completely free for single users
- Open-source (self-hostable if you want full control)
- Multiple booking types
- Availability management
- Easy to use
Best fit: agencies who want Calendly-level functionality without the price tag — or who want the option to self-host.
TidyCal
TidyCal came up almost as much as Cal.com.
The main reason? The lifetime deal.
Greg Dietrich said:
“TidyCal replaced Calendly for me a while ago. You can’t beat the LTD, and it works just as well as Calendly ever did.”
Multiple members echoed that exact sentiment — they switched from Calendly to TidyCal and haven’t looked back.
Pete Everitt summed it up:
“I have TidyCal and can’t knock it. I checked out Morgan and was impressed by the features, but with the LTD of TidyCal I just don’t see the point in switching.”
Why agencies like it:
- Lifetime deal pricing (one-time purchase)
- Feature parity with Calendly
- Reliable and stable
- No monthly subscription anxiety
Common hesitations:
- Doesn’t handle taxes on paid meetings (mentioned by Jordan Trask)
Best fit: agencies who want to pay once and stop thinking about it.
Calendly
Calendly is still the household name.
Annie Middleton highlighted why she sticks with it:
“I’ve been using Calendly. I thought about switching, but I definitely like the txt reminders to clients/prospects. You can send it to text them a reminder and ask for a confirmation that they’re still planning on attending. It really helped with people missing or forgetting appointments.”
Michelle Sullivan simply said:
“Calendly — it’s just so usable and works.”
Why agencies like it:
- Text message reminders with confirmation requests
- Polished, reliable interface
- Strong brand recognition
- Reduces no-shows
Best fit: agencies who want maximum reliability and client-facing polish — and are willing to pay monthly for it.
Book Like a Boss
A few people mentioned they grabbed the Book Like a Boss (BLAB) lifetime deal years ago — and are still using it.
I shared:
“Many years back, I got the LTD for Book Like a Boss. I’d probably explore other options if I were having to pay monthly for it, but it does let me do things like limit the number of bookings in a day, set padding between meetings, reminders, custom schedules for different meetings and a whole lot of other fancy features. The embed code is a bit slow, which makes it feel a tad laggy when it’s on my website, but it’s good enough for what it’s for!”
Melanie Barkdull Adcock said:
“I got the LTD for BLAB as well. I liked Calendly better but still use BLAB.”
Why agencies like it:
- Advanced scheduling options (booking limits, padding, custom schedules)
- Lifetime deal for early adopters
- Feature-rich
Common hesitations:
- Embed code can feel laggy
Best fit: agencies who grabbed the LTD and want advanced scheduling controls.
Built-in Schedulers (Moxie, Google Workspace, HoneyBook)
A surprising number of people are just using the scheduler that’s already baked into the tools they’re paying for.
Marc Hyde said:
“It’s not my favorite but I just use Moxie’s built-in scheduler.”
Cheryl Hock echoed that:
“Moxie scheduler, since I’m already using Moxie for other things.”
Samas Sayer had a similar take on Google Workspace:
“We used Calendly for years, but after looking at the absurd amount of ‘one tool’ apps like this, Zoom etc and used what was available in Google Workspace. I didn’t even know it existed until fairly recently. It’s not as flashy as some but does the basics well.”
Todd Edelman mentioned Notion Calendar:
“I use Notion Calendar desktop app and it has calendar booking links you can make. What’s great is it lets you make sure you’re not double booking yourself when you use multiple calendars. And it’s free.”
Why agencies like it:
- Already included in existing subscription
- One less tool to manage
- Tighter integration with existing workflows
- No additional cost
Best fit: agencies already using Moxie, Google Workspace, HoneyBook, Notion, or Front who want to reduce their tool stack.
WordPress Booking Plugins (WP Amelia, FluentBooking, LatePoint)
Several people mentioned using WordPress-based booking solutions.
Adam S simply said: “WP Amelia.”
Martin Koedoot listed his go-tos:
“WP Amelia, TidyCal, FluentBooking or LatePoint. Whatever is needed for project.”
Greg Mount and Andrew D. Forbes both mentioned FluentBooking as a simple solution that works well.
Rose Newell went the self-hosted route with Easy Appointments:
“I had Easy Appointments set up for a hot minute… Wait, nobody else using self-hosted options?! It looks better coming from the same domain.”
Why agencies like it:
- Keeps booking on the same domain
- Full control and customization
- Often more affordable for multiple sites
- No external dependencies
Best fit: agencies building client sites with booking needs, or who prefer keeping everything on their own domain.
SavvyCal
SavvyCal came up a few times, though not as frequently as Cal.com or TidyCal.
Denny Cave and Debbie Albin both mentioned using it.
It’s positioned as a more thoughtful, recipient-focused alternative to Calendly — though it didn’t get enough detail in the thread to draw strong conclusions about why agencies choose it over others.
Best fit: agencies who want a Calendly alternative with a more modern approach.
Other Mentions
A few other tools got single mentions:
Vectera — Rachelle Wise mentioned getting a lifetime deal and using it for scheduling and video meetings.
Trafft — Mentioned by Roeland de Vos.
HighLevel — Mentioned by James Murgatroyd and Katie Keith (likely part of an all-in-one agency platform).
Fillout Forms — Lilia Garcia mentioned it as an alternative she’s considering.
Front — Luke Humble shared that Front’s email collaboration platform includes a calendar booking function.
Patterns We Noticed
A few things stood out clearly:
- Cal.com is rapidly gaining ground as the go-to free alternative to Calendly.
- Lifetime deals from TidyCal and Book Like a Boss are still delivering value years later.
- Many agencies prefer using the scheduler already included in their existing tools (Moxie, Google Workspace, HoneyBook) to reduce their tool stack.
- Calendly still has loyal users, especially those who value text reminders and confirmation requests.
- WordPress-based booking plugins make sense for agencies building client sites with appointment needs.
The biggest split wasn’t about features. It was about pricing models — pay monthly, pay once, use what you already have, or use something free.
How to Choose the Right Meeting Scheduling Tool
Ask yourself:
- Are you already paying for a tool that has scheduling built in?
- Do you want to pay monthly or pay once?
- Is open-source important to you?
- Do you need text message reminders?
- Are you building booking functionality into client sites?
If you want free and reliable → Cal.com is hard to beat.
If you want to pay once and be done → TidyCal or Book Like a Boss.
If you’re already in an ecosystem → check if your tool has scheduling (Moxie, Google Workspace, HoneyBook, Front).
If you need text reminders and polish → Calendly is still the standard.
If you’re building for clients → WordPress plugins like WP Amelia or FluentBooking keep everything on the same domain.
Frequently Asked Questions About Booking/Scheduling Tools
Is Cal.com really as good as Calendly?
For most agencies, yes. Cal.com offers multiple booking types, availability management, and integrations — all for free. The main trade-offs are polish and some enterprise features. But for solo agencies and small teams, it delivers the same core functionality.
Are lifetime deals worth it?
If the tool does what you need and the company is stable, yes. Multiple members in the thread are still using TidyCal and Book Like a Boss LTDs years later. The risk is betting on a company that might disappear — but for scheduling tools, the downside is manageable.
Should I use my CRM’s built-in scheduler or a standalone tool?
If your CRM or business management tool (Moxie, HoneyBook, etc.) has a scheduler that works well, use it. Fewer tools means less context switching and tighter integration. Only use a standalone tool if the built-in option is lacking features you actually need.
Do text message reminders really reduce no-shows?
Yes. Multiple agencies mentioned text reminders with confirmation requests as a key feature. If no-shows are a problem, this feature alone might justify paying for a tool like Calendly.
Can I self-host a scheduling tool?
Cal.com is open-source and can be self-hosted. There are also WordPress plugins like Easy Appointments that run entirely on your own server. Self-hosting gives you full control but requires more technical setup and maintenance.
Kyle Van Deusen
After spending 15 years as a graphic designer and earning a business degree, I launched my agency, OGAL Web Design, in 2017. A year later, after finding the amazing community around WordPress, I co-found The Admin Bar, which has grown to become the #1 community for WordPress professionals. I'm a husband and proud father of three, and a resident of the Commonwealth of Virginia.
