Doodle pioneered simple group scheduling with its intuitive polling approach, earning over 30 million monthly users. But as scheduling needs have evolved, many users find Doodle's limitations frustrating—especially the ads on free accounts, limited integrations, and basic feature set.
Whether you need more automation, better calendar integration, or simply a fresh interface, there's likely a Doodle alternative that fits your workflow better. This guide compares 17 of the best scheduling tools available in 2026.
## Why Consider Doodle Alternatives?
While Doodle remains useful for simple group polls, users often switch for these reasons:
**Common Doodle limitations:**
- **Advertising on free tier:** Ads can feel unprofessional when shared with clients
- **Limited automations:** Basic polling without smart scheduling features
- **Calendar sync issues:** Integration can be clunky
- **No direct booking:** Still requires manual confirmation after polling
- **Feature restrictions:** Many features locked behind expensive plans
- **Dated interface:** Design hasn't evolved with competitors
**What to look for in alternatives:**
- Direct calendar booking without back-and-forth
- Smart availability detection across calendars
- Professional, customizable booking pages
- Integration with your existing tools
- Automation for reminders and follow-ups
- Reasonable pricing for needed features
---
## 17 Best Doodle Alternatives
### 1. SchedulingKit
**Best for:** Service businesses, consultants, and teams needing comprehensive scheduling
[SchedulingKit](https://schedulingkit.com) offers powerful scheduling features designed specifically for businesses that rely on appointments, from sales teams to consultants to service providers.
**Key features:**
- Unlimited booking pages and event types
- Team scheduling with round-robin and collective meetings
- Custom branding and booking page design
- SMS and email reminders
- Payment collection integration
- CRM integrations
- No-show protection tools
- Multi-timezone support
**Pricing:**
- Free: Full features for one user
- Pro: $10/user/month
- Team: $15/user/month
**Why choose SchedulingKit over Doodle:**
SchedulingKit automates the entire scheduling process—no polling needed. Clients book directly into your calendar, receive automated reminders, and can reschedule themselves. This eliminates the back-and-forth that Doodle still requires.
---
### 2. Calendly
**Best for:** Professionals and teams wanting polished scheduling
Calendly is the most recognized Doodle alternative, offering a clean booking experience that's become standard for modern professionals.
**Key features:**
- Easy scheduling links
- Multiple event types
- Team scheduling
- Zoom, Google Meet, Teams integration
- Custom branding
- Workflows and automations
- Payment collection
- Embed on websites
**Pricing:**
- Free: Basic features, 1 calendar
- Standard: $12/user/month
- Teams: $20/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
**Why choose Calendly over Doodle:**
Calendly eliminates polling entirely—you share a link, and people book directly. The automation features (reminders, follow-ups) save significant time compared to Doodle's manual approach.
---
### 3. SavvyCal
**Best for:** Personalized scheduling with a human touch
SavvyCal differentiates itself by making scheduling feel more collaborative. Instead of just showing your availability, recipients can overlay their calendar to find mutual times.
**Key features:**
- Calendar overlay for recipients
- Personalized scheduling links
- Prioritize preferred times
- Team scheduling
- Multi-calendar support
- Time slot preferences
- Integration with video tools
**Pricing:**
- Free: Limited features
- Basic: $12/user/month
- Premium: $20/user/month
**Why choose SavvyCal over Doodle:**
SavvyCal makes finding mutual availability effortless. The calendar overlay approach is more efficient than Doodle's voting and feels more collaborative than traditional scheduling links.
---
### 4. Cal.com
**Best for:** Open-source enthusiasts and those wanting full control
Cal.com (formerly Calendso) is an open-source scheduling platform that offers a Calendly-like experience with complete transparency and self-hosting options.
**Key features:**
- Open-source codebase
- Self-hosting option
- Team scheduling
- Custom workflows
- Multiple integrations
- API access
- Custom branding
- Unlimited event types
**Pricing:**
- Free: Self-hosted
- Cloud: $12/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom pricing
**Why choose Cal.com over Doodle:**
Full control over your data and customization. The open-source model means you're not locked into vendor decisions, and the feature set rivals paid alternatives.
---
### 5. Acuity Scheduling
**Best for:** Service businesses needing client intake
Acuity (now part of Squarespace) specializes in service business scheduling with strong intake form and payment capabilities.
**Key features:**
- Client self-booking
- Intake forms and questionnaires
- Package and subscription support
- Payment collection
- Gift certificates
- Client portal
- Automatic timezone detection
- Class and group scheduling
**Pricing:**
- Emerging: $16/month
- Growing: $27/month
- Powerhouse: $49/month
**Why choose Acuity over Doodle:**
Acuity handles the entire client journey—booking, intake, payments, and rebooking. Doodle only handles the initial scheduling poll.
---
### 6. Chili Piper
**Best for:** Sales teams and lead qualification
Chili Piper focuses on accelerating sales by letting qualified leads book meetings instantly from forms and websites.
**Key features:**
- Instant booking from form submission
- Round-robin and routing
- Lead qualification
- Salesforce integration
- No-show management
- Handoff scheduling
- Team analytics
**Pricing:**
- Contact for pricing (typically $30+/user/month)
**Why choose Chili Piper over Doodle:**
Chili Piper is purpose-built for sales velocity. It routes leads to the right rep and books meetings instantly—completely different from Doodle's group polling approach.
---
### 7. Vyte
**Best for:** International teams with timezone complexity
Vyte handles the complexity of multi-timezone scheduling with a clean interface that makes coordinating global meetings simple.
**Key features:**
- Smart timezone handling
- Group scheduling
- Calendar sync
- Custom booking pages
- Team scheduling
- Mobile apps
- Video conferencing integration
**Pricing:**
- Free: Limited features
- Pro: €9/month
- Business: €18/month
**Why choose Vyte over Doodle:**
Vyte's timezone visualization makes global scheduling much easier than Doodle. The direct booking approach also eliminates the polling step.
---
### 8. Cogsworth
**Best for:** Businesses preventing no-shows
Cogsworth emphasizes appointment reliability with features specifically designed to reduce no-shows and last-minute cancellations.
**Key features:**
- Smart reminders
- No-show protection
- Deposit collection
- Rescheduling policies
- Buffer time management
- Recurring appointments
- Customer management
**Pricing:**
- Free trial available
- Starter: $9/month
- Pro: $29/month
**Why choose Cogsworth over Doodle:**
Cogsworth focuses on appointment reliability—something Doodle doesn't address. The no-show protection features are particularly valuable for service businesses.
---
### 9. MeetFox
**Best for:** Consultants and coaches with payment needs
MeetFox combines scheduling with video conferencing and payment collection in one platform.
**Key features:**
- Built-in video meetings
- Payment collection
- Invoicing
- Client management
- Custom booking pages
- Calendar sync
- Session notes
**Pricing:**
- Free: Limited features
- Plus: $15/month
- Premium: $35/month
**Why choose MeetFox over Doodle:**
MeetFox provides end-to-end meeting management including built-in video and payments. Doodle only handles the scheduling poll portion.
---
### 10. Arrangr
**Best for:** Quick one-click meeting scheduling
Arrangr focuses on speed, enabling meeting scheduling in under 30 seconds through smart automation.
**Key features:**
- One-click scheduling
- Smart suggestions
- Calendar integration
- Location suggestions
- Mobile-first design
- Quick rescheduling
**Pricing:**
- Free tier available
- Premium: $8/month
**Why choose Arrangr over Doodle:**
Arrangr is faster and simpler. If you need to set up meetings quickly without the overhead of polling, Arrangr delivers.
---
### 11. Calbot
**Best for:** Teams needing to find group availability quickly
Calbot scans multiple calendars to instantly find when everyone is free—ideal for busy teams.
**Key features:**
- Multi-calendar scanning
- Group availability finding
- One-click meeting setup
- Calendar integration
- Team support
- Availability highlighting
**Pricing:**
- Free: Limited bookings
- Pro: Paid plans available
**Why choose Calbot over Doodle:**
Calbot automates the availability checking that Doodle does manually. Instead of everyone voting, Calbot shows you when everyone is actually free.
---
### 12. What Time Today
**Best for:** Ultra-simple scheduling without accounts
What Time Today strips scheduling to its essence—share a link, pick times, done. No accounts needed.
**Key features:**
- No account required
- Simple time selection
- Shareable links
- Mobile-friendly
- Free forever
**Pricing:**
- Free
**Why choose What Time Today over Doodle:**
Even simpler than Doodle with no ads or account requirements. Great for occasional scheduling needs.
---
### 13. Schedule.cc
**Best for:** AI-powered scheduling assistance
Schedule.cc uses AI to automate scheduling, sending responses and finding times automatically.
**Key features:**
- AI scheduling assistant
- Automated replies
- Event scheduling
- Group meetings
- Calendar integration
- Meeting planner
**Pricing:**
- Free trial
- From $14.99/month
**Why choose Schedule.cc over Doodle:**
The AI handles the scheduling for you—less manual work than Doodle's polling approach.
---
### 14. TeamTimes
**Best for:** Distributed teams across timezones
TeamTimes focuses on making timezone coordination seamless for geographically distributed teams.
**Key features:**
- Team timezone visualization
- Optimal meeting time finding
- Calendar integration
- Automatic email scheduling
- Location tracking
- Mac app
**Pricing:**
- App Store pricing
**Why choose TeamTimes over Doodle:**
Purpose-built for timezone challenges that Doodle doesn't handle well. The visualization makes global team coordination much easier.
---
### 15. Calendly for Teams
**Best for:** Growing teams needing coordination
Calendly's team features build on the individual product with round-robin, collective, and routing capabilities.
**Key features:**
- Round-robin scheduling
- Collective team meetings
- Routing forms
- Admin controls
- Team analytics
- Managed accounts
- SSO and security
**Pricing:**
- Teams: $20/user/month
- Enterprise: Custom
**Why choose Calendly Teams over Doodle:**
Sophisticated team scheduling that Doodle can't match. The routing and round-robin features are particularly powerful for sales and support teams.
---
### 16. DateList
**Best for:** Website-embedded booking
DateList enables adding booking directly to your website with minimal setup.
**Key features:**
- Website embedding
- Online booking
- Email notifications
- Phone notifications
- Calendar sync
- Payment page
- Service support
**Pricing:**
- Free: Basic features
- From €4.99/month
**Why choose DateList over Doodle:**
DateList is focused on websites and public booking—a different use case from Doodle's group polling.
---
### 17. Smoopit
**Best for:** Budget-conscious scheduling needs
Smoopit offers straightforward scheduling at an extremely affordable price point.
**Key features:**
- User availability viewing
- Time zone support
- Interview scheduling
- Customer success scheduling
- Education scheduling
- Clear interface
**Pricing:**
- Free forever plan
- Premium: $2/month
**Why choose Smoopit over Doodle:**
Similar functionality at a fraction of the cost. The $2/month premium removes the limitations of free tiers.
---
## Comparison Table
| Platform | Free Tier | Best For | Direct Booking | Team Features |
|----------|-----------|----------|----------------|---------------|
| SchedulingKit | ✅ | Service businesses | ✅ | ✅ |
| Calendly | ✅ | Professionals | ✅ | ✅ |
| SavvyCal | ✅ Limited | Personalized scheduling | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cal.com | ✅ | Open source fans | ✅ | ✅ |
| Acuity | ❌ | Service businesses | ✅ | ✅ |
| Chili Piper | ❌ | Sales teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| Vyte | ✅ | Global teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cogsworth | ✅ Trial | No-show prevention | ✅ | ❌ |
| MeetFox | ✅ | Consultants | ✅ | ❌ |
| Arrangr | ✅ | Quick scheduling | ✅ | ❌ |
| Calbot | ✅ | Group availability | ✅ | ✅ |
| What Time Today | ✅ | Simple scheduling | ❌ | ❌ |
| Schedule.cc | ✅ Trial | AI scheduling | ✅ | ✅ |
| TeamTimes | ❌ | Timezone teams | ✅ | ✅ |
| DateList | ✅ | Website booking | ✅ | ❌ |
| Smoopit | ✅ | Budget users | ✅ | ❌ |
---
## How to Choose the Right Scheduling Tool
**For individuals and solopreneurs:**
- Calendly Free or SchedulingKit Free for basic needs
- Acuity if you need payment collection
- SavvyCal for a more personal touch
**For teams:**
- SchedulingKit Team for comprehensive features
- Calendly Teams for polish and integrations
- Chili Piper for sales-focused teams
**For enterprises:**
- Calendly Enterprise for security and control
- Chili Piper for sales velocity
- Cal.com for self-hosting requirements
**For budget-conscious users:**
- What Time Today (free forever)
- Smoopit ($2/month)
- Cal.com self-hosted (free)
---
## Frequently Asked Questions
### What's the best free Doodle alternative?
For a similar polling experience, What Time Today is free and simple. For a better overall scheduling experience, Calendly's free tier or SchedulingKit's free plan offer direct booking with more professional features. Cal.com's self-hosted option is completely free with full features.
### Which Doodle alternative is best for group scheduling?
If you need to poll a group like Doodle does, Calbot or SavvyCal's calendar overlay feature work well. If you can switch to direct booking, Calendly's group events or SchedulingKit's collective meetings let multiple people book the same slot.
### What's the best Doodle alternative for business?
For professional use, Calendly and SchedulingKit offer the most polished experience. Acuity is excellent for service businesses. Chili Piper is ideal for sales teams. Consider your specific needs—booking flow, integrations, and team requirements—when choosing.
### Can I migrate from Doodle to an alternative?
Most alternatives don't require migrating data since Doodle's polling approach doesn't create ongoing booking history. Simply set up your new tool with your availability and start sharing new links. You can run both in parallel during transition.
### Which alternative has the best mobile experience?
Calendly and SchedulingKit have excellent mobile apps and responsive booking pages. SavvyCal and Vyte also offer strong mobile experiences. Most alternatives are mobile-friendly, but test the booking flow on mobile before committing.
---
## Key Takeaways
- **Doodle's polling model is outdated** for most professional scheduling needs
- **Direct booking tools** eliminate back-and-forth and save significant time
- **Free options** like Calendly, SchedulingKit, and Cal.com offer full functionality
- **Team features** vary significantly—evaluate based on your collaboration needs
- **Integration requirements** should drive your decision as much as core features
- **Try multiple options** since most offer free tiers or trials
Ready to upgrade from Doodle? [Try SchedulingKit free](https://schedulingkit.com) and experience automated scheduling that works for modern professionals.
---
## Related Articles
- [18 Best Calendly Alternatives](/blog/18-best-calendly-alternatives)
- [Calendar Hero Alternatives](/blog/calendar-hero-alternatives)
- [11 Best Customer Success Tools](/blog/11-best-customer-success-tools)
- [16 Top Online Meeting Platforms](/blog/16-top-online-meeting-platforms)
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