Scheduling · Alternatives
What are the best Calendly alternatives for a small business?
The strongest Calendly alternatives are cal.com (open-source and self-hostable, free for individuals), Square Appointments and Setmore (both add native payments Calendly lacks), and Acuity (richer intake forms and class booking). Pick cal.com to avoid per-seat SaaS pricing, Square/Setmore if you take payment at the appointment, and Acuity for detailed intake.
Updated August 2026 · Reviewed by the SMB Stack Brief desk
| Tool | Free tier | Entry paid | Why pick it over Calendly |
|---|---|---|---|
| cal.com | Yes (open source) | Teams $12/user/mo (annual) | Self-host, open source, no lock-in |
| Square Appointments | Yes (solo) | Plus/Premium (see site) | Native payments & deposits |
| Setmore | Yes (4 users) | $5/user/mo (annual) | Cheapest multi-staff + payments |
| Acuity Scheduling | No | Paid (see site) | Intake forms, packages, classes |
cal.com, the open-source pick
cal.com is the most direct like-for-like: link-based meeting scheduling, but open source and self-hostable, with a free individual plan. Paid tiers are Teams $12/user/month and Organizations $28/user/month (annual). It is the answer if you dislike per-seat SaaS pricing or need to keep booking data on your own infrastructure.
Square Appointments & Setmore, the payments pick
Calendly treats payment as an integration. Square Appointments (free for a solo pro) and Setmore (free up to 4 users, $5/user/month Pro) both process cards and hold deposits natively, the deciding factor for salons, clinics and coaches who charge at the appointment.
Acuity, the intake pick
Acuity Scheduling (owned by Squarespace) is the choice when your booking flow needs long intake forms, appointment packages, or class/group scheduling. It has no free tier; check its site for current tier pricing.
NoShowLine, the no-show specialist pick
If you are leaving Calendly specifically because no-shows are the problem, not because you dislike Calendly's booking flow itself, NoShowLine ($149/mo) is worth a direct look: it focuses on confirmations and deposit holds for clinics rather than general meeting booking. It is one narrow option, not a full Calendly replacement, so judge it against your no-show cost specifically, not against the feature lists above.
Primary sources
- cal.com pricing, Square Appointments pricing, Setmore pricing, Calendly pricing, verified August 2026.