Published on Apr 11, 2025 5 min read

Choosing Between Calendly and Doodle: Which Tool Suits Your Needs

Finding the correct instrument to plan meetings effectively will help you save time in today's hectic environment. Calendly and Doodle are two well-liked choices for this chore. Though they serve different purposes, both apps are meant to assist you in scheduling. Calendly is ideal for those looking for a flawless approach to scheduling meetings, free from the trouble of back-and-forth emails.

It connects readily with calendars, thereby simplifying and making the operation hassle-free. Doodle excels, though, when it comes to organizing group gatherings. It is perfect for team activities or social gatherings since it lets everyone choose the times that fit them the best. Calendly and Doodle will be compared in this article, so you may choose which one fits your calendar the best.

What is Calendly?

One often-used scheduling application that makes planning visits easier is Calendly. It lets others immediately reserve time with you and lets you specify your availability. The utility links with Google, Outlook, and iCloud calendars to prevent double bookings. Calendly provides round-robin booking for teams, group events, and one-on-one meetings, among several scheduling choices. Calendly stands out for its customization choices. You might schedule particular meeting times, change buffer intervals between visits, and even block off breaks. It guarantees your calendar remains orderly and effective.

Calendly also sends automated reminders to you and your meeting attendees, lowering the likelihood of missed appointments. Calendly features both premium and free versions. The free edition offers basic integrations and one-on-one meetings, among other important tools. More sophisticated features include CRM connectors, team scheduling, custom branding, and more from premium editions. For both people and companies trying to simplify their calendars, Calendly is a fantastic option.

What is Doodle?

Designed for group scheduling, Doodle is perfect for planning meetings or gatherings, including several attendees. It lets users suggest multiple times and days and lets others select the ones that best fit their circumstances. It removes the need for constant email correspondence or messages seeking a suitable time. Group scheduling decisions get considerably simpler with Doodle. Participants can choose their preferred times and view all suggested ones, simplifying coordination for personal and business events.

It is especially helpful for teams or groups with hectic schedules. Although Doodle has a free edition, it offers paid tools, including custom branding, calendar syncing, and ad elimination. The premium plans help companies make the tool even more effective. Because of its simple, easy-to-use layout, Doodle is a user-friendly option for everyone wishing to streamline group scheduling and eliminate the trouble of organizing with many people.

Key Features Comparison

When deciding which of Calendly and Doodle best suits your needs, pay close attention to each tool's capabilities.

Integration with Calendars

Calendly provides a flawless connection with Google, Outlook, and iCloud calendars. It guarantees an automatic update of your availability, thereby preventing any multiple reservations or conflicts. Meeting scheduling is even more effective since everything syncs in real-time. Although Doodle interacts with Google Calendar as well, its degree of connection with other calendar systems is less. Calendly thus provides a benefit by keeping all your calendar systems in sync without additional effort.

Ease of Use

Although Calendly and Doodle are easy to use, their designs meet various purposes. Calendly is fantastic for those who oversee their calendars. You indicate your availability; others can schedule a time that fits them. It makes one-on-one meetings or appointments quick and effective. Conversely, Doodle is more suited for group scheduling. Although it's equally easy, setting up requires a bit more time since you have to propose several dates and choices from which a group of individuals might select.

Customization Options

Calendly provides rather strong options for customizing. Between meetings, you can schedule buffer intervals, restrict meeting lengths, and even design several meeting forms for different uses. This adaptability lets you exactly fit your needs into your calendar. In this regard, though, Doodle is more constrained, particularly about individual appointments. It provides fewer choices for adjusting your meeting settings since it is made for simplicity and group scheduling.

Group Scheduling

Doodle is unique in this regard. It's ideal for determining the best time for a gathering of individuals. Participants have various suggested times to choose from, which simplifies coordinating. Although Calendly does provide group scheduling, it is not as quick or easy for bigger groups as Doodle.

Meeting Reminders

Calendly shines in automatically, reminding people of booked meetings. These reminders are sent to the participants and you, lowering the possibility of missed appointments. Calendly is a more dependable way to avoid no-shows even if Doodle also sends reminders; they are not as automated or personalized as those from Calendly.

Pricing Plans

While Calendly and Doodle have free versions, their subscription plans include further capabilities.

• Calendly: Calendly's free edition lets you schedule limitless one-on-one meetings, but only premium subscriptions include group scheduling and sophisticated tools. The premium plans run $8 a month.
• Doodle: Though it provides fewer customization choices and advertising, the free edition of Doodle is excellent for group scheduling. The subscription plans, starting at $6.95 a month, enable calendar syncing and ad elimination.

Although both instruments have comparable costs, Calendly might be more suitable for those requiring flawless calendar integration. Group scheduling and event planning call for Doodle.

Customer Support

Both platforms offer great customer support to their users, but:

• Calendly: Calendly provides support via email, help articles, and live chat for paid plans. It also boasts a sizable user community offering ideas and fixes. Usually, people regard their help as consistent and responsive.
• Doodle: Doodle offers email and knowledge-based help. Its response time is slower than Calendly's, and no live chat feature exists.

Conclusion:

Ultimately, Calendly and Doodle provide useful scheduling tools, yet the ideal option depends on your needs. Calendly is perfect for companies or people who need flawless calendar integration and customization choices. Its automatic reminders make it ideal for team schedules and one-on-one meetings. However, Doodle is best for group planning; hence, it's a great option for organizing meetings with several attendees or events. Doodle is ideal for teams or social events because of its straightforward interface and capacity to simplify group decisions. Select the instrument suited to your requirements and scheduling method.