Quick answer
Choose Bookly if you want SMS reminders without a paid plan, multiple staff and services, or a lifetime licence. Choose Simply Schedule Appointments if you want a quick, simple setup and mainly book consultations with yourself.
If you want calendar sync, video links, payments and SMS reminders for less than either, Quill Booking (our plugin) includes all of them from $39 a year.
Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments both have large user bases, with more than 60,000 and 50,000 active installs, but they suit different businesses. Bookly is a feature-rich system sold in tiers and add-ons; Simply Schedule Appointments keeps scheduling simple.
We compared Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments on the eight things that decide which booking plugin fits a business, from the free version to security. Every price, plan limit and WordPress.org figure was checked on the vendors’ own pages and the WordPress.org directory on November 4, 2026.
Disclosure: We make Quill Booking, which we include as a third option. We are not affiliated with Bookly or Simply Schedule Appointments, and we use the same facts and sources for all three plugins.
Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments at a glance
| Bookly | Simply Schedule Appointments | Quill Booking | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | SMS reminders and add-on flexibility | Solo consultants who want a fast setup | Every Pro feature at the lowest price |
| Free version | Yes, up to 5 services | Yes, unlimited calendars | Yes, one-on-one |
| Yearly from (1 site) | $99 (Pro) | $129 ($99 intro) | $39 |
| Sync, payments and SMS from | $129 (Business) | $249 (Professional) | $39 |
| Lifetime licence | $129 (Pro) | None | $109 |
| Calendar sync | Google (Pro), Outlook (Business) | Google (Plus) | Pro |
| Zoom, Meet or Teams | Zoom, Meet (Pro) | Zoom, Meet (Plus) | Pro |
| Online payments | Business plan | Professional plan | Pro |
| SMS / WhatsApp | Free (pay as you go) | SMS (Professional) | Pro |
| Round-robin teams | Not listed | Business plan | Pro |
| Group bookings | Business plan | Plus plan | Pro |
| Recurring appointments | Business plan | Not listed | Not listed |
| WordPress.org rating | 4.4★ (586) | 5.0★ (155) | 5.0★ (1) |
| Active installs | 60,000+ | 50,000+ | 70+ |
| Last updated | Oct 26, 2026 | Nov 3, 2026 | Feb 15, 2026 |
Which should you choose?
Both keep online payments for higher plans: Business at $129 a year for Bookly and Professional at $249 for Simply Schedule Appointments. Bookly is cheaper for the full feature set and sells lifetime licences, while Simply Schedule Appointments has the higher rating and the simpler setup.
In the head-to-head below, Bookly comes out ahead on pricing, calendar sync and video meetings, payments, reminders and notifications and staff, teams and group bookings; Simply Schedule Appointments on free version and integrations.
Bookly overview
Bookly is one of the longest-running WordPress appointment plugins. It sells features in Pro, Business and Ultimate tiers plus a large add-on catalogue.
- Active installs
- 60,000+
- Rating
- 4.4★ (586)
- Yearly from
- $99 (Pro)
- Lifetime
- $129 (Pro)
Pros
- SMS and WhatsApp notifications without a paid plan
- Large add-on catalogue
- Lifetime licences available
Cons
- Stripe and PayPal need the Business plan
- Free version capped at five services
- Features are spread across many tiers and add-ons
Simply Schedule Appointments overview
Simply Schedule Appointments is a lightweight scheduler for consultants and small businesses, built for a fast setup and rated 5.0 stars on WordPress.org.
- Active installs
- 50,000+
- Rating
- 5.0★ (155)
- Yearly from
- $129 ($99 intro)
- Lifetime
- None
Pros
- Very quick to set up
- Top rating on WordPress.org
- Unlimited calendars in the free version
Cons
- Payments need the $249 Professional plan
- Team scheduling needs the $499 Business plan
- No lifetime licence
Free version: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly’s free version is capped at five services and has no online payments, but it can send SMS and WhatsApp notifications through Bookly Cloud on a pay-as-you-go basis.
Simply Schedule Appointments Free gives you unlimited booking calendars and appointment types, blackout dates and email notifications, but no calendar sync, payments or custom fields.
Quill Booking’s free version covers one-on-one meetings with availability rules, intake questions and email confirmations.
Edge: Simply Schedule Appointments.
Pricing: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly Pro lists at $99 a year, but Stripe, PayPal, group and recurring bookings need Business at $129. Lifetime licences start at $129 for Pro and $149 for Business, and an autumn sale currently cuts Pro to $39 a year.
Simply Schedule Appointments starts at $129 a year for Plus ($99 introductory); payments and SMS need Professional at $249 and team scheduling needs Business at $499. There is no lifetime licence.
Quill Booking includes every Pro feature from $39 a year, or $109 for a lifetime licence.
Edge: Bookly.
Calendar sync and video meetings: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly Pro syncs with Google Calendar and adds Zoom and Google Meet; Outlook sync needs Business.
Simply Schedule Appointments syncs with Google Calendar and adds Zoom and Google Meet on the Plus plan.
Quill Booking Pro syncs with Google, Outlook and Apple Calendar and adds Zoom, Meet and Teams links.
Edge: Bookly.
Payments: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly’s free version takes local payments only. Stripe, PayPal and deposits need Business, while WooCommerce checkout comes with Pro.
Stripe and PayPal payments need the Professional plan at $249 a year.
Quill Booking Pro takes Stripe, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and WooCommerce payments.
Edge: Bookly.
Reminders and notifications: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly sends email, SMS and WhatsApp notifications even from the free version, with text messages billed pay-as-you-go through Bookly Cloud.
Simply Schedule Appointments sends email notifications for free; Twilio SMS reminders need Professional.
Quill Booking sends email confirmations for free and Twilio SMS and WhatsApp messages on Pro.
Edge: Bookly.
Staff, teams and group bookings: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly Pro unlocks unlimited staff and services; group bookings, recurring appointments, multiple locations and the customer cabinet need Business, and Ultimate adds packages and waiting lists.
Group events and classes come with Plus, while team scheduling and resources need the Business plan at $499 a year.
Quill Booking Pro adds group, round-robin and one-off events.
Edge: Bookly.
Integrations: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly connects to WooCommerce on Pro and extends through a large catalogue of paid add-ons.
Simply Schedule Appointments integrates with WP Fusion and The Events Calendar for free, adds Mailchimp, Gravity Forms and Formidable Forms on Plus, and webhooks on Professional.
Quill Booking connects to Quill Forms for longer intake forms and sends bookings to other tools through webhooks.
Edge: Simply Schedule Appointments.
Updates and security: Bookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments
Bookly is updated often (last on Oct 26, 2026) but Wordfence published about 20 vulnerability reports in 2025 and 2026, including a critical one fixed in September 2026.
Simply Schedule Appointments is updated often (last on Nov 3, 2026) but Wordfence published about 20 vulnerability reports for it in 2025 and 2026.
Quill Booking has no Wordfence reports, but its latest WordPress.org release (February 2026) is tested up to WordPress 6.9.
Edge: Tie: both are equally strong here.
What you pay for the same features
Plan names hide the real cost. This is what each plugin charges for one site per year to unlock calendar sync, online payments and SMS reminders together, at regular prices.
| Plugin | Plan you need | Yearly price | Lifetime option |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bookly | Business | $129 | $149 (Business) |
| Simply Schedule Appointments | Professional | $249 | None |
| Quill Booking | Pro (all plans include every feature) | $39 | $109 |
Quill Booking: the third option
Quill Booking is our scheduling plugin for WordPress. It takes the meeting-first approach of a Calendly-style tool and adds what service businesses ask for: group and round-robin events, Google, Outlook and Apple Calendar sync, Zoom, Meet and Teams links, Stripe, PayPal, Google Pay, Apple Pay and WooCommerce payments, and Twilio SMS and WhatsApp reminders.
Every Pro plan includes all features, so the only question is how many sites you need: $39 a year for one site, $59 for five and $109 for unlimited, or a lifetime licence from $109. Compared with Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments, that is the lowest price here for the full feature set.
Pros
- Every Pro feature from $39 a year
- Round-robin and group events
- Lifetime licence from $109
Cons
- Young plugin with a small WordPress.org user base
- Free version covers one-on-one meetings only
- Latest WordPress.org release is tested up to WordPress 6.9
Compare Quill Booking plansBooking pages, calendar sync, video links, payments and reminders on your own WordPress site.
See pricingBookly vs Simply Schedule Appointments: the verdict
Bookly is the better choice if you want SMS reminders without a paid plan, multiple staff and services, or a lifetime licence.
Simply Schedule Appointments is the better choice if you want a quick, simple setup and mainly book consultations with yourself.
If neither fits, or you want every Pro feature without paying for a higher tier, try Quill Booking. For the wider market, see our guide to the best WordPress appointment booking plugins.
More booking plugin comparisons
- LatePoint vs Bookly
- Amelia vs Bookly
- Amelia vs Simply Schedule Appointments
- LatePoint vs Simply Schedule Appointments
- FluentBooking vs Bookly
- 9 best WordPress appointment booking plugins
Frequently asked questions
Which is cheaper, Bookly or Simply Schedule Appointments?
Bookly. Online payments cost $129 a year on Bookly Business versus $249 on Simply Schedule Appointments Professional, and Bookly also sells lifetime licences from $129.
Can Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments send SMS reminders?
Yes. Bookly sends SMS and WhatsApp notifications through Bookly Cloud on a pay-as-you-go basis, even on the free version. Simply Schedule Appointments sends Twilio SMS reminders on its Professional plan.
Is there a cheaper alternative to Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments?
Yes. Quill Booking includes calendar sync, Zoom, Meet and Teams links, Stripe and PayPal payments, SMS reminders and round-robin events in every Pro plan, from $39 a year for one site or $109 for a lifetime licence.
Can I switch from Bookly or Simply Schedule Appointments to another booking plugin?
Yes, but plan it. Recreate your services, availability and notifications in the new plugin, export your customer list, and keep the old plugin active until existing bookings have taken place. Test a few bookings before you change your public booking page.
Do Bookly and Simply Schedule Appointments work with Google Calendar?
Yes, both sync with Google Calendar on a paid plan: Bookly on its Pro plan and Simply Schedule Appointments on its Plus plan. Quill Booking syncs with Google, Outlook and Apple Calendar on every Pro plan.
Sources
Checked on November 4, 2026: the WordPress.org plugin directory; Wordfence Intelligence vulnerability pages; pricing pages for Bookly, Simply Schedule Appointments and Quill Booking. Prices change often; if you spot an outdated figure, tell us and we will update this page.
