MeetSync® compared with Doodle, Calendly and other meeting scheduling tools
Doodle, Calendly, Microsoft, Google and MeetSync® solve parts of the same problem, but with different focus. This comparison helps you choose a tool depending on whether you need a booking link, a group poll or coordination across several people and calendar systems. Every statement is based on the vendors' own public documentation.
Which meeting scheduling tool fits best?
Short answer: it depends on whether you are sharing a booking link, collecting answers from a group, or coordinating people across organisations and calendar systems.
MeetSync®
MeetSync® is particularly relevant when booking and finding a shared meeting time must work across several people, organisations and calendar platforms.
Doodle
Doodle is strong for classic group polls where participants mark which proposed times work.
Calendly
Calendly is strong for booking links and scheduling workflows, and also offers meeting polls.
Microsoft Scheduling Poll
Microsoft Scheduling Poll is relevant for organisations already working in Microsoft 365 and Outlook.
Google Calendar Appointment Schedules
Google Calendar Appointment Schedules is relevant if you want to publish a booking page straight from Google Calendar.
Rallly
Rallly focuses on simple scheduling polls and can be used without a regular sign-in.
When2meet
When2meet is a very simple way to map when the members of a group are available.
Cal.com
Cal.com is a scheduling platform with round robin, routing forms, team features and an API.
Comparison table: meeting scheduling tools
The table summarises the primary use case and capabilities per tool. Nuanced answers are used where reality is not binary.
The table scrolls horizontally on small screens.
| Tool | Primary use case | Booking link | Meeting time poll | External participants | Several internal participants | Automatic handling of the final meeting time | Calendar/ecosystem focus | Particularly suitable when… |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| MeetSync® | Booking links and meeting polls for internal and external participants | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 and Apple Calendar | internal and external participants on different calendar systems need to meet |
| Doodle | Group poll on time and booking page | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends on setup | No | Standalone, with calendar connection | a group needs to vote quickly on a few proposed times |
| Calendly | Booking links, scheduling workflows and meeting polls | Yes | Yes | Yes | Depends on setup | No | Standalone, with calendar connection | individuals and teams mainly share booking links |
| Microsoft Scheduling Poll | Time poll directly in Outlook | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Microsoft ecosystem | the organiser works in Microsoft 365 and Outlook |
| Google Calendar Appointment Schedules | Public booking page from Google Calendar | Yes | No | Yes | Depends on setup | Depends on setup | Google ecosystem | you want to share your open times directly from Google Calendar |
| Rallly | Simple poll on meeting time | No | Yes | Yes | Depends on setup | No | Standalone | a simple poll without further features is enough |
| When2meet | Collecting group availability in a grid | No | Yes | Yes | Depends on setup | No | Standalone | the group only needs to mark availability in a grid |
| Cal.com | Advanced scheduling, routing and developer-oriented flows | Yes | No | Yes | Depends on setup | Depends on setup | Standalone, with calendar connection | you want to build your own scheduling flows via API and routing |
MeetSync® or Doodle?
Doodle focuses on group polls. The organiser proposes times, participants answer without a Doodle account and the organiser then picks a final time.
MeetSync® combines the meeting poll with calendar sync against Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 and Apple Calendar, and can confirm a shared time according to the organisation's rules.
Choose Doodle when you need a standalone poll. Choose MeetSync® when several internal calendars must be taken into account, when the same organisation also needs booking links, and when the booking should be followed by a calendar invitation, notifications and CRM.
Read the MeetSync® and Doodle comparisonMeetSync® or Calendly?
Calendly has strong booking links and scheduling workflows and also offers Meeting Polls, where participants can vote without a Calendly account.
MeetSync® is built around the organisation: internal participants, external participants, shared availability across calendar systems and a final meeting created in the calendar.
Choose Calendly when the emphasis is on individual and team booking links. Choose MeetSync® when people across organisations and calendar systems must be coordinated in the same flow.
Read the MeetSync® and Calendly comparisonMeetSync® or Microsoft Scheduling Poll?
Scheduling Poll lives inside Outlook, external people can take part in the poll, and the meeting can be scheduled automatically when required attendees reach consensus and the relevant setting is used.
MeetSync® is not tied to an organiser in Microsoft 365 and handles participants on Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 and Apple Calendar in the same meeting poll.
Choose Microsoft Scheduling Poll when the whole workflow lives in Microsoft 365. Choose MeetSync® when several organisations and calendar systems are involved, or when booking links, events and CRM should connect.
MeetSync® or Google Calendar Appointment Schedules?
Google Calendar Appointment Schedules publishes your open times as a booking page: the visitor picks one of your times.
MeetSync® handles that question and the reverse one: which time works for the whole group when several people must be able to attend?
Choose Google Appointment Schedules when one person publishes availability inside the Google ecosystem. Choose MeetSync® when several participants' availability must be combined into one shared time.
MeetSync® or Rallly?
Rallly focuses on simple scheduling polls and can be used without a regular sign-in, which makes it fast for ad hoc groups.
MeetSync® is a broader professional meeting flow with organisations, permissions, calendar sync, notifications and events.
Choose Rallly when a simple poll is enough. Choose MeetSync® when the meeting must be booked, confirmed and followed up inside an organisation.
MeetSync® or When2meet?
When2meet collects group availability in a grid with no setup or configuration.
MeetSync® reads availability from the participants' calendars instead of asking everyone to fill it in manually, and creates the meeting afterwards.
Choose When2meet for quick, informal mapping. Choose MeetSync® when availability already lives in the calendar and the meeting should become a real booking.
MeetSync® or Cal.com?
Cal.com is a more advanced scheduling and routing platform with round robin, routing forms, team features, an API and integrations with Salesforce and HubSpot among others.
MeetSync® delivers ready-made workflows for actual meetings between internal and external participants, including meeting polls, booking calendars, events and CRM integrations.
Choose Cal.com when you want to build your own scheduling flows with API and routing. Choose MeetSync® when you want ready-made meeting flows without in-house development.
When is MeetSync® particularly suitable?
MeetSync® is particularly relevant in the following situations:
- several internal people must be able to attend
- the customer or other external people should attend as well
- the participants use different calendar systems
- external participants should not need to create a MeetSync® account
- the organisation needs both booking links and meeting polls
- a final meeting should be created in the calendar after the coordination
- bookings should be passed on to CRM
Frequently asked questions about meeting scheduling and alternatives
- What is a good alternative to Doodle?
- MeetSync® is an alternative to Doodle when the poll should be combined with calendar sync and a real booking. Doodle solves the poll; MeetSync® also handles internal availability, the calendar invitation and follow-up.
- What is a good alternative to Calendly?
- MeetSync® is an alternative to Calendly for organisations that need both booking links and meeting polls with several internal and external participants across calendar systems.
- What is the difference between Doodle and MeetSync®?
- The difference is the workflow. Doodle focuses on the group poll, while MeetSync® connects the poll to the participants' calendars in Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 and Apple Calendar and to the final booking.
- What is the difference between Calendly and MeetSync®?
- Both offer booking links and meeting time polls. The difference is focus: Calendly emphasises scheduling workflows, while MeetSync® is built for meetings between several people and organisations on different calendar systems.
- Can MeetSync® find a meeting time for several people?
- Yes. MeetSync® can combine internal participants' availability with answers from external participants to find one shared meeting time.
- Do external participants need an account?
- No. External participants can answer a meeting poll without creating a regular MeetSync® account.
- Which calendars work with MeetSync®?
- MeetSync® connects to Google Calendar, Microsoft 365 and Apple Calendar via CalDAV.
- Can MeetSync® be used with Microsoft 365?
- Yes. MeetSync® can read availability and create meetings in Microsoft 365, and meetings can be held in Microsoft Teams.
- Can MeetSync® be used with Google Calendar?
- Yes. MeetSync® connects to Google Calendar and Google Workspace, and meetings can be held in Google Meet.
- Does MeetSync® work with Apple Calendar?
- Yes. Apple Calendar is connected via CalDAV using an app-specific password.
- What is the difference between a booking link and a meeting poll?
- A booking link shows your open times so someone else can book one of them. A meeting poll works the other way around: several participants respond to proposed times and one shared time is established.
- Which tool fits when several companies need one shared meeting time?
- A tool that handles participants on different calendar systems. MeetSync® is built for this: internal calendars are combined with external participants' answers without the external side needing an account.
Keep reading
- For sales teams – Use case
- For recruitment – Use case
- For consultants – Use case
- Microsoft Bookings alternative – Alternative
- Google Calendar alternative – Alternative
- Cal.com alternative – Alternative
- Google Calendar – Integration
- Microsoft 365 – Integration
- Apple Calendar – Integration
- Booking link – Feature
- Group poll – Feature
- Reminders – Feature
Want to see how MeetSync® works in practice?
MeetSync® is a Swedish B2B SaaS service for meeting scheduling between people, companies and calendar systems.
About this comparison
Information about MeetSync® is based on MeetSync®'s current product documentation. Information about the other tools is based on each vendor's public product and support information. Features can change and the comparison is reviewed continuously.
Last fact-checked:
- Doodle: help.doodle.com
- Calendly: calendly.com/help
- Microsoft Scheduling Poll: support.microsoft.com
- Google Calendar Appointment Schedules: support.google.com
- Rallly: rallly.co
- When2meet: when2meet.com
- Cal.com: cal.com
Doodle, Calendly, Microsoft, Outlook, Google, Google Calendar, Apple, Rallly, When2meet and Cal.com are trademarks of their respective owners. MeetSync® is a trademark of MeetSync AB.