Appointment Booking Software to Save Your Sanity
You're busy. We get it. We're busy, too, and we understand that scheduling appointments can be a real pain. But it doesn't have to be. There's a huge selection of appointment booking software to save you time, energy, and most importantly, sanity.
But there are so many options! Which one do you choose?
Deciding which software to use can be a bit overwhelming. Don’t worry. We’ve got your back. While we’re not going to cover ALL the options available, we do have summaries of three popular candidates for you to consider. Today we’re going to take a look at AppointmentCore, Oncehub, and Calendly. We’ll let you in on some of their features, their cost, and how they relate to our beloved Keap. So let’s get started!
Highlights:
- Integrates with Keap
- Syncs with Keap, Google, Outlook, Office 365, and iCal calendars
- Connects with GoToMeeting, Zoom, and Webex
- Offers a 30-day free trial and a free version
- Pricing starts at $8 USD per month
Appointment booking software platforms all work similarly in that you select times you are available and allow a client to choose which one works best for them. To avoid boring you to pieces, we offer you a detailed explanation on how to schedule with AppointmentCore but we won’t reiterate the entire process for each platform. Fair, right?
How AppointmentCore Works:
1) Create availability time slots for appointments.
AppointmentCore allows you to create time slots for a specific date range, weekdays only, or any day of the week. It only displays the times you’re available because it automatically checks your calendar, including your Google, Outlook, and iCal calendars, provided you connected t hese services in your AppointmentCore account.
When you’re ready to schedule an appointment, just mark the time slots available for selection and send it to your contact (you can send the same appointment request link to as many contacts as you like).
2) The contact selects a time slot.
The contact will be able to see which time slots you have available and select one that works. Double-booking will be a trauma of the past because they won’t be able to see, nor select, time slots that are already filled or otherwise unavailable.
3) The appointment is created.
Once the contact has selected a time slot, AppointmentCore creates the appointment, automatically adds it to Keap, updates your calendar (including the connected services), and sends a confirmation email with the appointment details to you and the contact.
But wait. There’s more.
If you connected GoToMeeting, Zoom, or Webex to AppointmentCore, the software sends the applicable invitation automatically, too.
And there’s still more!
How does AppointmentCore integrate with Keap?
Well, that’s a very good question! We’re so glad you asked. (Okay, fine; WE asked. But we asked for YOU!)
Here are a few of the many fantastic ways AppointmentCore integrates with Keap:
- Contact records are automatically created or updated when contacts schedule with you.
- Automated confirmation, reminder, and follow-up emails can be created and sent directly from Keap.
- After each booking, Keap tags can be automatically added to contact records to add them to campaigns or track history.
- Automation links for existing Keap contacts can be used in emails, email blasts, and Keap campaigns so that the contacts won’t have to enter their contact information. They just click on your scheduling link, choose a time slot, and carry on with their busy lives.
- Keap web forms can be added to booking links for a contact to complete before or after scheduling an appointment.
- Custom fields can be created in Keap to add a personal touch in template emails.
- Booking links can be included in campaign emails.
That’s all great and dandy but what about nifty features?
It’s not enough for software to fulfill its intended purpose. NUH UH! We want it to make us a mocha latte frappuccino, run the garbage out to the curb, and then fill us in on all the celebrity gossip!
Oh. Wait. AppointmentCore doesn’t do any of that. Perhaps we should submit suggestions for future upgrades. They’re sure to take us seriously …
Not all is lost though. AppointmentCore already has some pretty cool features, such as:
- Hassle-free scheduling across time zones – you list your availability in your time zone but the contact sees the time slots in their time zone. Never again will your copywriter miss an appointment because she’s two hours behind you and the meeting was scheduled in Eastern Daylight Time. (Not that this has ever happened to us!)
- The option to automatically add buffer time before or after appointments, allowing you to prepare for an appointment or complete tasks afterwards.
- The ability to increase the number of time slots available to a contact’s by selecting specific team member calendars for AppointmentCore to check and provide openings for.
What are others saying about AppointmentCore?
What about the price tag?
Wondering about AppointmentCore’s cost? Good news, they have a free version. Bad news, it’s incredibly limited with no available integrations.
Their Automate plan starts at $10USD per user/month, the Grow plan is $17USD per user/month and the Enterprise plan is $27USD per user/month up to 100k users. To get the full Keap integrate you need the Grow plan or higher, you can integrate via Zapier on the Automate plan.
Highlights:
- Integrates with Keap via connector or Zapier
- Syncs with Keap, Google, Outlook, Office 365, and iCal calendars
- Connects with GoToMeeting, Zoom, and Webex
- Integrates with MailChimp via Zapier
- Offers a 14-day free trial and a free version
- Pricing starts at $10 USD per month
How OnceHub Works:
As mentioned earlier, OnceHub works much like AppointmentCore. Simply set your availability, share it with your contact for them to choose a time slot, and the booking is made, complete with confirmation and reminders.
How does OnceHub integrate with Keap?
OnceHub offers similar integrations with Keap as AppointmentCore through its connector or alternatively, through Zapier. The connector is not included in their basic plan and unfortunately, the free version of Zapier doesn’t integrate with Keap at all. Possibly worse yet, Zapier can be a little finicky and setting up the integration gets tricky. More information on how OnceHub integrates with Keap can be found here.
And those nifty features?
OnceHub offers similar additional features as AppointmentCore through its connector (on the growth and enterprise plans) though there may be slight differences in their functionality. Again, Zapier’s integration with Keap isn’t ideal but we’ll look at it a little closer with our next candidate.
One additional feature OnceHub does seem to offer over AppointmentCore is that it provides detailed reports on booking activity.
What are others saying about OnceHub?
You’ve heard our input. Perhaps you want to know what somebody else thinks. Click here to see what the folks at Capterra are saying about OnceHub.
And the price tag?
When it comes to pricing it should be noted that OnceHub bases their prices on the features/functionality offered. A basic plan is offered for free, while a growth plan is $12 USD per user/month, and an enterprise plan is a custom plan starting from $950 USD per month. They do offer discounted annual rates as well as a 14-day free trial. You can take a closer like at their plans here
Highlights:
- Integrates with Keap via Zapier
- Syncs with Google, Outlook, Office 365, and iCal calendars
- Connects with GoToMeeting, Zoom, and Webex via Zapier
- Integrates with MailChimp via Zapier
- Offers a 14-day free trial
- A basic plan is FREE (with limited features)
How Calendly works:
Booking with Calendly works the same as AppointmentCore and OnceHub but again, many of the features and functionality, such as Keap integration, won’t be available with the basic plan. You’ll need additional software (Zapier) for integrations. Zapier pricing information can be found here though Calendly does include it in their premium and pro plans.
How does Calendly integrate with Keap?
Calendly itself doesn’t integrate with Keap without Zapier,
Here are a few examples of how Calendly, via Zapier, integrates with Keap:
- Create, update, or tag existing Keap contacts from new Calendly meetings.
- Add or update active campaign contacts for new Calendly invites.
- Use Facebook Lead ads leads to create or update Keap contacts.
- Add MailChimp subscribers, Teachable users, Zoom registrants, and more to Keap contacts.
Nifty features?
While we’ve admitted to not being the hugest fans of Zapier, Calendly does have some cool features:
- Auto-assigned meetings which work much like the functionality of AppointmentCore and OnceHub. A contact schedules a time and the appointment is automatically assigned to whichever team member is available.
- SMS notifications
- A variety of other features, such as integration with Slack and Intercom
What are others saying about Calendly?
And the price tag?
As with OnceHub, Calendly pricing is related to the features and functionality offered. It starts with a free basic account and premium accounts start at $8 USD per month for the Essentials plan, while the Professional plan is $12 per month, Teams plan for $16 per month and Customer enterprise plans available if you contact their sales team.
Want the basic bottom line?
So here’s the gist of it all: while these three appointment booking software platforms have similar functionality, the best one for your organization is really dependent on what you need it to do. If Keap integration is a top priority, OnceHub, is likely your best option. Calendly seems to offer the least in terms of Keap integration but does offer other features and functionality that may suit your needs. AppointmentCore, on the other hand, falls nicely in the middle of the two if opting for the professional or enterprise plan.
Have you used any of these appointment booking software platforms? Feel free to let us know your thoughts in the comments!
