Do you schedule meetings with clients, students, or collaborators? If you’re using a paid tool like Calendly, you might be paying for something you already own. That’s right—your Google account comes with a powerful, completely free appointment scheduler that’s just a few clicks away.
This built-in feature lets you create professional booking pages, embed them on your website, and automate your meeting calendar without a monthly subscription. Let’s unlock it.
Step 1: Find the Hidden Scheduler
- Go to calendar.google.com.
- In the top-left corner, next to the “Create” button, you’ll see a small plus (+) sign. Click it.
- Select “Appointment schedule.” This is your gateway to a free booking system.
Step 2: Set Up Your Basics
- Title: Name your scheduler (e.g., “Client Consultation”).
- Duration: Choose your standard meeting length (15, 30, 60 minutes).
- General Availability: Set your repeating weekly hours. Pro tip: Use the “Copy times to all” feature to quickly apply your schedule across weekdays.
Step 3: Fine-Tune Your Availability
- Scheduling Window: Control how far in advance people can book (e.g., limit it to 2 weeks).
- Buffer Time: Add a 15-minute gap between meetings to breathe and prepare.
- Maximum Bookings Per Day: Avoid overbooking by setting a daily limit.
Step 4: Customize the Booking Experience
- Location & Conferencing: Select “Google Meet” to automatically generate a video link for each appointment.
- Booking Form: By default, it collects name and email. Click “Add item” to include a phone number or a custom question.
- Paid Features Preview: Need payments or email verification? You can upgrade to a paid Google Workspace plan, but the free version is robust for most needs.
Step 5: Share & Embed Your Page
- Shareable Link: Once saved, click “Share” to copy a direct link to your booking page.
- Website Embed: In the share menu, choose “Website embed” to get a code snippet. Paste this into your WordPress site or HTML for a seamless booking experience right on your website.
Why This Beats Paid Tools
✅ 100% Free – No hidden costs or tiers.
✅ Fully Integrated – Bookings appear instantly in your Google Calendar with Google Meet links.
✅ Professional & Customizable – Match it to your brand and needs.
✅ Embeds Anywhere – Make it part of your website in minutes.
Final Thought
You don’t always need another subscription. Sometimes, the most powerful tools are the ones you’re already using. Google Calendar’s appointment scheduler is a perfect example—streamlined, effective, and totally free.
