WordPress is one of the greatest technological wonders that make using the internet today easier. Thanks to WordPress, creating web pages is very simple and intuitive, and it allows you to adapt them to do everything you need, from simple news sites to sales pages. There are even perfect options for creating appointments and reservations. However, for the latter, it is necessary to get the ideal plugin. But what is the best WordPress booking plugin for you?
Booking spaces and appointments online is essential for different professions and companies, such as hotels, parties, and even private practice doctors. Among the advantages that these digital mediums offer is having everything in order and not worrying about not so important tasks. Forget carrying a notebook everywhere with you for writing on your calendar and checking your availability!
But just as it is easy to install this function in WordPress, it is also easy to get lost among the many options of similar add-ons available. In this article created by our team at Amelia, help make the decision a little easier for you, have compiled a list of the best WordPress schedule plugins to help you.
Not all scheduling apps are the same
Image source: Lucas Swierad
While it may seem like a simple calendar is all you need when it comes to a WordPress booking plugin, it will not be long before you realize that this tool is not the only thing you need for an optimal system.
Depending on the nature of your business, you may need certain, specific tools. A gym, for example, may need something that can organize the many activities that are controlled by the staff. There may be group classes that require a list of how many clients will attend, or you may want to offer personal trainers services, but their availability must be considered.
However, a dental office may require a different form for detailing the services offered by doctors, and at what times they are available.
Before choosing a WordPress scheduling plugin, consider that these must meet some basic requirements:
- The form must allow customers to request appointments from a calendar with all the available schedules.
- The form must have compatibility with smartphones since most users must be able to access it from anywhere.
- The form must be connected to a database that stores appointments, such as Google Calendar or the WordPress server itself.
- The software should allow you to place a visible calendar on your website where the available and busy schedules are indicated.
- If your staff requires having individual calendars (for example, personal trainers), the software must be able to manage multiple schedules.
- In most cases, the software should allow you to work with a payment processor so that the customer can pay for the appointment in advance. You must also have a reimbursement plan.
- The user interface must be intuitive, provide clear instructions, allow booking appointments easily, and users must have a space to review and edit their requests.
- It must include a notification system for the client and you. This will usually be done through emails, as well as the user’s appointment and any changes that may arise will be recorded.
- A filter system to allow an advanced search of the different reservations.
Pick the Best WordPress Booking Plugin from These Options
Amelia – For robust problems
When it comes to complex problems, Amelia is a powerful WordPress booking plugin that can solve them. Amelia stands out thanks to the possibility it offers to manage multiple commercial locations, and with a single account, you can create calendars for each of your branches. This is especially useful in clinics, allowing patients to select the branch of their choice.
Amelia is specially designed for WordPress, so all its features, including visual ones, will adapt perfectly to your website.
Some of the qualities of this WordPress booking plugin are:
- The possibility of adding multiple employees and vendors.
- The system works for different commercial locations, allowing you to register appointments in specific places.
- Forms for a group and individual appointments.
- Multiple forms customization options, such as the duration of the appointment, the interval between them, and the cost of the service.
- You have the possibility of adding additional services to the form.
- Support for discount coupons.
- Support for PayPal and Stripe payment processors.
StartBooking – Smart Booking System
Thanks to the extensive integration of StartBooking with different add-ons and devices, you can fully control your appointment calendar. This plugin allows you in a few steps to create multiple forms that you can add anywhere on your website simply by using a shortcode.
StartBooking can also be customized with other add-ons, and you can even make it work in conjunction with other management tools, such as Google Calendar, which will synchronize calendars between all devices with the same account.
In the same way, this WordPress scheduler plugin allows you to create calendars specifying the working days, the rest hours, the available staff and the services it offers. In summary, the main functions of StartBooking are:
- Be able to create personal appointments for classes or groups.
- The inclusion of calendars to see the available schedules, in addition to integration with other calendar applications.
- Personnel management, the services offered, and the branch where it is reserved. A database with customers is also created.
- Compatibility with multiple add-ons and smart scheduling.
- It offers to customers a channel to contact you in case of any inconvenience.
WooCommerce Bookings – The most popular
When it comes to trade in WordPress, the WooCommerce plugin cannot be missing. Much of its popularity is because you can access all the main features for free, although there is the possibility to customize this plugin through plans, which will allow you to use the payment processors you want, with a few exceptions.
WooCommerce includes an extension especially made for reservations and appointments, but it is limited, so you cannot request online payments. Although this is not especially negative if you did not plan to add a payment processor.
With the WooCommerce extension, you can do the following:
- Create detailed calendars, which the client can manipulate using blocks of fixed time intervals, as well as the ability to control certain aspects of appointments, such as the number of people allowed, or offer special discounts.
- Reservations are ordered in a control panel. From this, you can see the status of each one, and you can approve or reject the requests if you wish.
- With a single payment, you will have full access to everything WooCommerce can offer, such as payment processors. Before buying the extension, you can try it for 30 days.
- If you need to create more complex forms, WooCommerce offers many extensions (all paid) with which to customize the system to your liking.
WP Simple Booking Calendar – When we only look for the basics
If you only require a plugin to organize reservations, then WP Simple Booking Calendar is one of the best. WP Simple Booking Calendar allows you to create everything you need from its free version, including creating calendars in the form of widgets where you can show the availability of your services.
This calendar can schedule appointments intuitively and in multiple languages! Its only downfall is that, even in the Premium version, it does not accept payment processors, so it is intended exclusively to function as an organizer.
With the Premium version, you can obtain these benefits:
- Synchronization with calendars of other companies such as Airbnb, Booking.com, HomeAway and more, perfect for promoting vacation plans.
- We can create multiple calendars, and each one can show several months, not just the current one.
- Offers mass editing options for dates, saving you time in manual programming. You can also customize the calendar’s legend with colors, texts, and shapes that you want.
- User management tool.
- The option to change the beginning of the week and the year. Besides, each week will have its corresponding number.
- You can hide the reservation history.
- For the publication of the calendar on your site, you can generate a shortcode that you will place on the page you want in WordPress. Also, you can export calendar dates in CSV format.
Bookmify – For growing companies
Bookmify is a WordPress booking plugin that is easy to use. With it you can easily organize any type of business, be it health, entertainment, sports, or any area where you need to order staff and a clientele.
Bookmify not only offers you as an owner a series of organizational advantages but also can create accounts for employees so that everyone can create their schedules.
This software allows you to experience multiple tests of its frontend and backend in WordPress to be sure that the plugin is what you need for your company. And in case you need technical assistance with any of Bookmify’s features, you can contact the support staff at any time.
The main qualities of Bookmify are:
- Online appointment scheduling, in addition to having the possibility of receiving payments from the network.
- Accounts for employees with calendars and custom forms.
- Integration with Google Calendar so you can review and modify your itinerary at any time and from any device.
- Email notification system.
BirchPress – Any payment method
If you do not want to be limited only to online payment processors, then BirchPress is a great alternative. This WordPress reservation plugin can configure payments by credit cards, in addition to being able to receive payments by multiple means available in WooCommerce.
Like the previous alternatives, the BirchPress calendar allows you to create different schedules and reservation forms, but all this is available for free.
Among what makes BirchPress a candidate on this list, it highlights:
- Multiple predetermined templates with which to start working immediately (we can even include the price of your services in the forms).
- Possibility of adding unlimited fields in your forms.
- Multiple alternatives for online payment. As a basic option, PayPal is available, but the add-on is compatible with WooCommerce, so you can add any means you want.
- Synchronization with Outlook, Google Calendar and much more. Also, you can receive specialized help to activate these services.
Modern Events Calendar – A colorful WordPress Booking Plugin
If you want your appointment calendar to stand out and not be a simple grid with numbers, then you need a tool that allows you to alter its design as you wish. Modern Events Calendar has several formats in which you can place your itinerary on the page you want.
You have access to a grid view, agenda type, list form, like a handy Widget, and other interesting features. Once you select your template, you can change the base appearance as you wish.
Obviously, aesthetics has not displaced functionality, since this plugin retains everything you need to organize reservations, and other unique features, such as:
- Repeat a specific event multiple times.
- Create countdowns for each event.
- Include maps detailing the location of events.
- Receive payments through different payment processors.
Booked – Customize and register to your liking
With Booked, you can enjoy a wide range of customization options, while providing excellent communication between the frontend and the back end of your site.
A shortcode will oversee showing your clients the calendar in the form of a widget with all available spaces. This code allows you to change the color of the schedule so that you can adapt it to your website.
One remarkable feature of Booked is that customers can create accounts within the site, which will be required to make a reservation. From this account, each user can manage their reservation. As the site owner, you can also control this from the WordPress interface.
This scheduling software, in addition to having its graphic interface, has functions that you already know, such as:
- Be able to integrate it with WooCommerce to install payment processors.
- Each reservation made will be sent to a profile depending on the request. From this profile, you can manage each of the appointments.
- Messaging and notifications service. It even allows you to send personalized messages if you require it.
- Unidirectional synchronization of all your calendars such as Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar, among others, so that the schedule is always updated.
Events Calendar Registration and Booking – Perfect for a world tour
While the comparison may seem exaggerated, we assure you that the Events Calendar Registration and Booking plugin will make organizing any type of event for large audiences easy. This WordPress booking plugin is specially designed for large events, such as classes, conferences, seminars, and even concerts.
Regardless of the cause that brings your customers together, you can manage assistance and payments directly from the network. The Software is compatible with processors such as PayPal, Stripe, and Authorize.Net, which gives you some freedom to withdraw your funds.
Additionally, Events Calendar Registration and Booking includes these interesting features:
- Multiple languages for the creation of events and the interface.
- Possibility to add maps for events thanks to Google Maps.
- Shortcodes for individual calendars and events. You can even add a countdown in the form of a widget.
- Confirmation system by email, providing an additional security step.
EDD Bookings – Expanding digital stores
EDD, or Easy Digital Download, is a WordPress plugin that allows you to manage a digital product store. That is, you can sell any electronic goods, such as music, PDF documents, e-books, games, and much more.
The EDD plugin is simple; the customer buys a product, and it arrives for download to their registered email.
However, many may not know that EDD has an extension that allows the sale of services online, such as reservations and appointments. It works like many of the previous plugins in this list but has direct integration of EDD, so that if you already work with it, you should consider installing it.
Some of the features of the EDD Bookings add-on are:
- Basic customization. You can edit colors, labels, and even the time zone of calendars.
- System for managing appointments and reservations from the back end of your site.
- Simultaneous notifications for both customers and site administrators when a reservation is created.
- Compatibility with much of the repertoire of EDD extensions, in addition to the basic functions offered by the platform to sell products.
- Generate sales reports and payment records.
Book an appointment online PRO – Integration with your site immediately
With this WordPress booking plugin, you will not have to worry about making complex modifications to your website. Book an appointment online PRO works on what you already have built, integrating perfectly with your design.
This add-on works especially well for individuals, such as doctors, lawyers, stylists, trainers, or any other job on their own.
Among the functions that you can highlight of this plugin are:
- Ability to adapt the calendar clock to a 12-hour or 24-hour format.
- System for requesting appointments in several steps.
- Compatibility with PayPal to receive payments.
- The plugin is translated into multiple languages. If you do not find the language you need, the tool also allows you to translate what you want.
- Notification system via email and worldwide text messages.
- Unidirectional synchronization with Google Calendar.
Team Booking – For a better teamwork
In WordPress, you can also find reservations plugins that allow you to work together with other people by editing a group schedule.
Team Booking makes communication between team members easy, as well as complex enough. You can edit calendars where different categories, employees and types of service are divided. Each event will be assigned a schedule, and if this is available, customers can book it.
Additionally, the services can be paid for directly from the booking site using PayPal or Stripe. This entire process will be recorded in a database, which you can use to verify all reservations, and the customer can review its appointment.
What makes Team Booking work exceptionally is that:
- It is fully integrated with Google Calendar, so you can edit the itineraries from any site. Also, you can program everything from the Google application, without entering WordPress.
- Each created event will be automatically added to the calendar and free space will be assigned. If a reservation is made, it will be updated immediately in Google Calendar.
Booking Calendar – Simple but complete
Do not let the appearance of Booking Calendar fool you. Although you are facing a tool that easily adapts to beginners, in the background is a powerful free software to organize reservations.
This WordPress booking plugin has enough documentation and guides to configure it without technical assistance, and if you want to take advantage of some of the more advanced features, you will only have to read a little.
Among all that Booking Calendar offers, the following stand out:
- Captcha to avoid spam and false reservations.
- Synchronization with multiple tourism sites, such as Airbnb, TripAdvisor, and Booking.com. It can also be integrated into Google Calendar to keep the schedules synchronized.
- You can block schedules and dates if you do not want to receive appointments.
- The interface is easy to understand, and customers will have no trouble booking thanks to its Widget format.
- Notifications by email.
- Possibility to customize its appearance using CSS code.
HBook – Especially for accommodation
Those who manage hotels, vacation plans, or any accommodation service, may require specific reservation systems that allow them to coordinate all reservations made.
The HBook plug-in offers you a system very similar to that used on sites like Airbnb, a page that specializes in vacation plans. In fact, HBook has integration to this site, as well as others with similar characteristics.
As the job of managing accommodation is complicated and requires a constant check, HBook allows you to synchronize all data with external calendars such as iCal and Google Calendar, so you will have all the itineraries and reservation maps in your hands with a Smartphone.
With this WordPress booking plugin, you can:
- Have a constant view of the reservation calendar and its current availability.
- Add or review additional information in each of the reservations, as well as edit the current data of the accommodation, send notification emails to customers, or change the amount of the invoice if necessary.
- Synchronize your website with other tourism sites such as HomeAway, Airbnb, Vrbo, and Booking.com
- Select multiple payment processors to receive online transactions, such as PayPal, Stripe, Cardlink, Mollie, Square, etc.
WooEvents – Personally sell tickets for events
As its name makes clear, this is a WooCommerce plugin, which among other things, gives you the advantage of having many options for buying and selling from WordPress.
In the case of WooEvents, you can sell tickets to events as if it were a virtual box office. Besides, you can add additional instructions to the events calendar, such as a map for people to get the location.
With WooEvents, you can also coordinate how the event will be, how many people can attend, schedules, and much more. Each ticket sold through this add-on will be registered in a database for later verification.
These are some of the features why you should give WooEvents a chance:
- Possibility of creating events of all kinds and selling tickets for them through WooCommerce. Available payment methods include digital processors and credit card.
- Complex customization options thanks to compatibility with Visual Composer.
- Invoice system. When placing an order, WooCommerce will send a digital invoice to the customer’s email, which will include a unique barcode.
Webba Booking – For any situation
Whether a single reservation or something for extended periods, Webba Booking allows you to create all kinds of appointments. The interface is simple for both you and your customers, and it provides all the information you both want.
The forms in this WordPress booking plugin have up to 80 customizable fields to create a unique form adapted to what you offer. Although if you want to start using the plugin immediately, you can work with one of the default forms.
Other features offered by Webba Booking are:
- Integration with Contact Form 7.
- Possibility to edit the texts of the forms.
- The reservation form and its calendar will automatically be responsible for confirming appointments. Also, you can receive online payments through PayPal, as well as synchronize the information received with Google Calendar.
- Notification system for both the client and the administrator.
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The post What’s the Best WordPress Booking Plugin? Check Out These Options appeared first on Amelia WordPress Booking Plugin.