Between managing emails and coordinating times with participants, scheduling a meeting might take longer than the meeting itself. Tools like Calendly and Doodle have stepped in to simplify this process. They streamline scheduling and save everyone involved a ton of time, leaving room for productivity. These tools offer different features and connect directly with Slack, making communication and scheduling a breeze.
Calendly is a user-friendly scheduling tool designed to help individuals and teams schedule meetings without overlapping commitments. You can set your availability, and those looking to meet with you can choose a suitable time from your schedule. It integrates well with calendar apps like Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud, securing its spot as a favorite for many professionals. It allows you to create different types of meetings, such as one-on-one, group, and team meetings. The interface is designed to be intuitive, letting users quickly set up their availability and share it through a link. As everything is online, there’s no need to go back and forth over email to find a suitable time.
Doodle is ideal for situations where you need input from various people on their availability before you can set a meeting time. Doodle integrates with every major calendar system, and its interface is set up to make collaboration among those scheduling the meeting simple and straightforward. The essence of Doodle is in creating a “poll” where potential attendees vote on the times that work best for them. Once everyone has voted, the organizer picks the time that suits the majority. It is a great option for teams or groups with fluctuating schedules that need flexibility in how meeting times are selected.
Ease of Use and User Experience
All you need to do to set up Calendly is plug in your availability, and it will do the rest. Even if you haven’t used it before, the guided setup will have you up and running in no time. The online dashboard is intuitive, meaning you can set up event types, buffer times, and a lot more with ease.
Given its simplicity and minimal design, there’s hardly a learning curve, making it a hit for teams who would rather jump into action than fiddle with complex features.
The Doodle polling feature is effortless to use. You create a poll, send out the link, and sit back while your attendees do the heavy lifting of inputting their availability. The process couldn’t be more straightforward, and this flexibility makes it a go-to for larger groups or uncertain schedules.
While the interface might seem a bit more crowded compared to Calendly, once you’ve set up a few polls, you get a sense of its rhythm. If you frequently deal with scheduling large meetings and require input from multiple parties, Doodle’s style is right up your alley.
Integration with Slack
Integrating Calendly with Slack is designed to streamline communication related to your meetings. Once connected, you can receive notifications and reminders directly within your Slack channels. You have the option to schedule meetings right from Slack, which can be a real time-saver during busy workdays.
The integration allows you to share your Calendly link directly in Slack channels, and team members can book meetings with you without leaving the chat. This prevents the need to switch back and forth between Slack and other applications, keeping your workflow smooth and connected.
Doodle’s Slack integration is focused on ensuring your scheduled polls become part of your regular workflow. You can create new polls directly in Slack and notify participants without leaving the platform. This can be extremely handy for teams already actively using Slack for most of their communications.
One of the benefits of using Doodle with Slack is the ability to get notifications when someone participates in your poll, which provides a real-time view of potential meeting times. It streamlines the process of gathering availability and updates directly in your used-to channel, keeping everyone in the loop effortlessly.
Features and Customization
You can set up different event types in Calendly, each with its own rules — perfect if you’re managing various meeting formats. From buffeted times between meetings to reminders and custom notifications, Calendly offers a robust suite of options.
It supports features like meeting limits and team scheduling, which is great for organizations managing multiple members. If you love automation, Calendly even allows integrations with popular tools like Zapier, streamlining workflows and automating routine processes.
Doodle is designed to gather input from multiple participants in seconds, making group coordination a breeze. There aren’t as many intricate features as in other tools, but its focus on simplicity and collective input means it excels in scenarios where flexibility and collective interest are key. Its “Bookable Calendar” option allows users to display available times for others to book, similar to Calendly but with less customization. For small teams needing quick coordination without fuss, Doodle’s feature set fits the bill perfectly.
Pricing Comparison
Calendly offers a free version with basic meeting scheduling, which is perfect for individuals who are just getting started. The premium plans introduce more functionality, like additional calendar connections, meeting types, and workflows. The paid tiers provide good value, given the rich feature set, especially for businesses relying on robust scheduling automation.
Teams looking for more comprehensive options might consider the premium tiers to access advanced functionalities along with deeper integrations not available on the free plans.
Doodle provides a free tier with the polling function and basic features. As you move into premium plans, you gain access to more advanced functionalities like no ads, custom branding, and administrative tools. Pricing scales with the included features, making it flexible for both individuals and growing businesses. Even on the free version, the core feature of polling remains accessible, and since advanced options are reasonably priced, Doodle remains an economical choice for those who enjoy its collaborative design.