In this guide · 8 sections
Short answer
Use Microsoft Bookings or Google appointment schedules if you already have Microsoft 365 or Workspace and need simple bookings. Choose Calendly (from US$10 per seat a month, yearly) for sales scheduling, or Cal.com (free for one user, Teams US$12) for a cheaper option with Stripe payments.
Calendly vs Cal.com vs Microsoft Bookings at a glance
All prices are list prices in US dollars before GST, taken from Calendly's pricing, Cal.com's pricing and Microsoft's Bookings overview, as of October 2026.
Microsoft Bookings
Included with M365No extra cost on Business plans
- Included in Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard and Premium
- Shared booking pages with staff, services and business hours
- Teams links created automatically for online appointments
- Data stored in Exchange Online with your other Microsoft 365 data
Best for: Microsoft 365 businesses that need simple service bookings.
Calendly
Most polishedFree; Standard US$10, Teams US$16 per seat/mo (yearly)
- Free plan: one event type, one calendar
- Standard adds reminders, Stripe and PayPal payments, multiple calendars
- Teams adds round-robin, lead routing and Salesforce
- Only hosts need a seat; invitees do not
Best for: Sales and consulting teams booking calls with prospects.
Cal.com
Best valueFree (1 user); Teams US$12, Organizations US$28 per user/mo (yearly)
- Free plan has unlimited event types and Stripe or PayPal payments
- Teams adds round-robin, routing forms and removes branding
- Choice of US or EU hosting
- Imports Calendly event types
Best for: Small teams wanting more features per dollar.
Google Workspace users have a fourth option: appointment schedules in Google Calendar, covered below.
Microsoft Bookings: included, but limited
Microsoft lists Bookings in Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Teams Essentials and the enterprise plans. Staff can use Personal Bookings for their own slots, or a Shared Bookings page for a team with services, staff and business hours. Every online appointment gets its own Teams meeting link.
Bookings sends email confirmations and reminders. Text message reminders are another matter: Microsoft's Bookings in Teams admin page says SMS notifications are part of Teams Premium and available in Canada, the UK and the US. For a Singapore clinic or salon that relies on SMS or WhatsApp reminders, that is a real gap.
Google Calendar appointment schedules
Any Google Account can create an appointment schedule from Google Calendar on a computer: set the duration, availability and booking window, and share the booking page. Google notes some features need an eligible Workspace or Google One subscription.
- Payments: connect a Stripe account to Calendar and request payment for appointments, on eligible plans.
- Reminders: email confirmations and up to five reminders, though you cannot edit the reminder text.
- Lead time: by default there is a 4-hour minimum before someone can book, which you can change.
- Limits: you cannot create schedules in the Calendar mobile apps, and team routing is basic compared with Calendly or Cal.com.
If you are choosing between the two suites partly on features like this, our Microsoft 365 vs Google Workspace comparison covers the wider picture.
Calendly and Cal.com: what you get for paying
The paid tools are stronger on three things: payments, routing and integrations.
| Feature | Calendly | Cal.com |
|---|---|---|
| Free plan | 1 event type, 1 calendar | 1 user, unlimited event types and calendars |
| Payments at booking | Stripe, PayPal (Standard and up) | Stripe, PayPal (free plan included) |
| Reminders | Automated reminders (Standard and up) | Email and SMS notifications on free plan |
| Round-robin for teams | Teams plan (US$16) | Teams plan (US$12) |
| Routing forms | Teams plan | Teams plan |
| Remove vendor branding | Paid plans | Teams plan |
| Data hosting choice | Not listed on pricing page | US or EU hosting |
Both take payments through Stripe, which in Singapore supports cards and PayNow. Whether PayNow appears at a booking checkout depends on how the tool calls Stripe, so test it before you promise it to customers. Our guide to accepting PayNow on your website explains the options.
Data location and PDPA
Booking tools store customer names, phone numbers, emails and sometimes notes. Under the PDPA you remain responsible for that data even when a vendor holds it.
- Microsoft Bookings: Microsoft says all Bookings data is stored within Microsoft 365 and Exchange Online and follows the same data storage policies as other Microsoft 365 apps.
- Google appointment schedules: stored in your Google Workspace account under your Workspace terms.
- Cal.com: offers US or EU hosting on its pricing page.
- Calendly: check its security and data processing documents for where data is held.
Ask only for what you need on the booking form. A dental or medical booking that collects symptoms is more sensitive than a sales call. Our guide to online booking systems for clinics and salons covers the extra care for health-related bookings.
Which scheduling tool to choose
Stay with what you have (Bookings or Google) if
- You only need simple appointment slots
- Email reminders are enough
- You do not need payment at booking (Bookings) or have Stripe on Google
- You want data kept in your existing suite
Pay for Calendly or Cal.com if
- You take deposits or full payment when people book
- You route leads to the right salesperson automatically
- You need CRM integrations such as HubSpot or Salesforce
- You want a branded, polished booking page for prospects
If you need staff rosters, resources such as rooms, packages or multi-location bookings, a general scheduling tool may not be enough. Our guide to choosing a booking system in Singapore covers those requirements.
Do it yourself or get help?
Setting up a personal Calendly, Cal.com or Google booking page is a 20-minute job. It is worth getting help when you need payments at booking, reminders that reach Singapore phones, a widget on your website and calendar sync for several staff.
Our Online Booking System package (S$390) sets up a booking tool in your name with services, staff, opening hours, deposits or full payment at booking, email or SMS reminders, Google or Outlook calendar sync and a booking widget on your website. Tool subscription fees are paid to the vendor.
Frequently asked questions
It is included at no extra cost in Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard and Business Premium, Teams Essentials and the main enterprise plans. You pay nothing on top of those licences. Some features cost extra, notably SMS text notifications, which need Teams Premium and are only available in Canada, the UK and the US.
Cal.com's free plan covers one user with unlimited event types and calendars, email and SMS notifications, more than 100 integrations and Stripe or PayPal payments. Team features such as shared availability, round-robin and removing Cal.com branding need the Teams plan at US$12 per user per month billed yearly, as of October 2026.
Yes, on paid plans. Calendly's Standard plan at US$10 per seat per month billed yearly lets you connect Stripe or PayPal to collect payment at booking. The free plan does not include payments. Only the people hosting meetings need a seat; customers booking time do not need an account.
Yes, on eligible plans. Google's appointment schedule help says that after you connect a Stripe account to Calendar, you can request payment for appointments. Some appointment schedule features require an eligible Google Workspace or Google One subscription, so check your plan before relying on it.
Cal.com lists SMS notifications on its free plan, and dedicated booking systems often include SMS. Microsoft Bookings SMS needs Teams Premium and is listed only for Canada, the UK and the US. Google appointment schedules send email reminders. If SMS or WhatsApp reminders matter, test delivery to Singapore numbers before committing.