Overview: Calendly vs Doodle
Calendly and Doodle are two of the most popular meeting scheduling platforms. Calendly is favored for its automation and straightforward 1:1 booking, making it a go-to choice for sales, recruiting, or client calls. Doodle is best known for its group polling tools, letting teams find consensus for meetings with minimal hassle. If your main need is automating individual meetings, you may lean Calendly. But if you need to poll many people for optimal times, Doodle leads.
Key Takeaways
- Calendly is typically best for individual scheduling and calendar automation; Doodle is top for group consensus via scheduling polls.
- Both offer free plans, but advanced features like reminders and branding require paid tiers: Calendly starts at $8/month/user, Doodle at $6.95/month/user (annually billed).
- Both platforms are GDPR compliant; details around SOC 2 compliance and specific user role controls are not publicly specified.
- Integration, API, and mobile compatibility details are not fully disclosed by either provider.
| Feature | How Calendly handles it | How Doodle handles it | Best for |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing plans | Free and paid from $8/month/user | Free and paid from $6.95/month/user (annual) | Doodle for teams on budget, Calendly for automation seekers |
| Free plan limits | One active event type; basic scheduling only | Basic scheduling; advanced features paid only | Doodle for basic group polls, Calendly for basic 1:1 |
| Scheduling integrations | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Both platforms—details not disclosed |
| Calendar integrations | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| User roles/permissions | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| SOC 2 compliance | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| GDPR compliance | Yes | Yes | Both |
| API access | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| Mobile app compatibility | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified | Not publicly specified |
| Reminders & notifications | Paid plans only | Paid plans only | Both (paid tier) |
| Group scheduling | Basic support, but poll and consensus not core | Core feature; meeting polls central to workflow | Doodle |
Pricing and Plans
Calendly offers both a free plan and paid tiers starting at $8 per month per user. The free plan is geared toward individuals and limits you to one active event type. Integrations and many automation features require a paid plan.
Doodle also includes a free plan and paid premium plans beginning at $6.95 per month per user (annual billing). Advanced features, such as poll deadlines, branding, and reminders, are restricted to paid plans. With Doodle, the free option is best for those with basic group scheduling needs.
Both services limit their free plans—Calendly limits scheduling flexibility, and Doodle reserves group management and reminders for premiums. In most business scenarios, upgrading will be necessary for full functionality.
Scheduling Features and Group Tools
Calendly is built for effortless 1:1 meeting booking. You share your link, invitees pick from your calendar, and events are created automatically. Automated reminders and notifications are exclusive to paid plans.
Doodle, on the other hand, excels in group scheduling. Its polling system lets multiple invitees vote on time slots, making it ideal for finding consensus among teams or stakeholders. Group scheduling is core to Doodle’s value, while Calendly provides only basic group support.
On both platforms, automated reminders are locked behind a paywall—you won’t get these with the free edition on either.
Calendar and Scheduling Integrations
While both Calendly and Doodle are widely considered to offer calendar and scheduling integrations (such as with Google Calendar and Outlook), detailed lists are not publicly specified in available sources. Both platforms likely allow some degree of integration, but the specifics—especially about which integrations are included in paid versus free tiers—aren’t fully disclosed.
User Roles, Permissions, and Access Control
Neither provider publishes in-depth details on user roles or permission management. How each platform handles team management and admin controls is not publicly specified, so if granular user access is crucial for your company, this is a key area to research directly prior to purchase.
Security and Regulatory Compliance
Calendly and Doodle both adhere to GDPR compliance standards, ensuring that user data protection aligns with European legal requirements. Calendly specifies that data is encrypted at rest and in transit, as does Doodle. Neither platform publicly claims SOC 2 compliance; companies with strict security needs should verify directly with sales teams before proceeding.
Platform Compatibility and Mobile Access
Both services are known to be web-based and commonly referenced in conjunction with mobile scheduling, but the specific details about official mobile apps, functionality, or supported devices are not publicly specified. If your workflow depends on robust mobile management, conduct further research or trials.
Advanced Functionality: API and Extensibility
Details about API access or availability are not publicly specified for Calendly or Doodle. It is unclear whether you can extend, automate, or customize either platform with your own integrations or workflows without reaching out to their respective support or sales teams.
Choosing the Right Tool
If you mostly need to automate 1:1 meetings—sales calls, client appointments, or candidate interviews—Calendly provides a streamlined, automated booking process. For group sessions, especially where finding a consensus time poses a challenge, Doodle‘s polling-centric approach is more powerful.
Doodle is also slightly more affordable at entry level, but both platforms reserve core business functionality (like reminders) for paid accounts. If integration with specific business tools, detailed admin controls, or API access is critical for your team, you’ll need to request details directly from sales, as these are not documented in public sources.
Conclusion
Both Calendly and Doodle simplify the meeting scheduling process, but each is tailored for different scenarios: Calendly is best for 1:1 bookings with automation, while Doodle shines for group consensus scheduling. Your final decision comes down to the type of meetings you manage and the features you value most. For complete feature clarity beyond what’s publicly available, consult directly with each provider.
Which is better for team scheduling: Calendly or Doodle?
Doodle is generally better for group and team scheduling due to its polling feature that helps teams reach consensus. Calendly is more focused on individual scheduling and may not match Doodle’s group coordination capabilities.
How do Calendly and Doodle differ in pricing and plans?
Calendly’s paid plans start at $8/month/user; Doodle’s start at $6.95/month/user (billed annually). Both have free plans but limit core features like reminders or group scheduling to paid tiers.
Do both Calendly and Doodle support integrations with Google Calendar or Outlook?
Both are widely believed to offer calendar integrations (such as Google Calendar and Outlook), but specific integrations and limitations are not publicly specified.
What security and compliance certifications do Calendly and Doodle offer?
Calendly and Doodle are GDPR compliant and provide data encryption. Neither has publicly specified SOC 2 compliance.
Can you use Calendly or Doodle for group meetings?
Doodle is designed for group meetings, offering robust polling for consensus. Calendly has basic group scheduling but isn’t as robust for consensus-driven meetings.
Which tool provides better customization options?
Public sources do not provide enough detail about deep customization or API capabilities for either platform.
How easy is it to set up automated reminders in Calendly compared to Doodle?
Both platforms require you to be on a paid plan to access automated reminders. The setup specifics are not publicly detailed but expect similar processes on both platforms.