Choosing a free WordPress booking plugin can be overwhelming. There are dozens of options, each with different feature sets, limitations, and upgrade paths. We’ve compared five popular free booking plugins to help you make an informed decision.
What We Evaluated
For each plugin, we looked at:
- Booking limits on the free plan
- Custom fields and form customization
- Email notifications
- Calendar sync capabilities
- Payment integration
- Ease of use and setup
1. WP Booking Pro
Free plan highlights: Unlimited bookings, unlimited custom fields, email notifications with ICS attachments, analytics dashboard, bilingual support (English/Spanish).
WP Booking Pro stands out with its generous free tier. Where most plugins limit you to a handful of bookings per month, WP Booking Pro offers unlimited bookings at no cost. The plugin uses a modern React frontend with a clean, responsive calendar interface.
Pro plans ($49.99/yr) add Google Calendar sync, Stripe payments, and developer hooks. Business plans ($99.99/yr) include multiple calendars, WhatsApp notifications, PayPal, and a loyalty program.
Best for: Service businesses wanting a modern, full-featured booking system without per-booking limits.
2. Amelia
Free plan highlights: Basic booking functionality, limited to 1 employee and 1 service on the free version.
Amelia offers a polished booking interface with employee management. However, the free version is quite restricted — you’re limited to a single employee and service, making it impractical for businesses with multiple offerings.
Paid plans start at $59/year.
Best for: Solo practitioners who only offer one service type.
3. Bookly
Free plan highlights: Basic booking with 1 staff member, email notifications, simple calendar view.
Bookly has been around for years and offers a solid booking experience. The free version is functional but limited. Most useful features — Google Calendar, payments, custom fields — require paid add-ons that can add up quickly.
Pro version costs $89 (one-time), with add-ons ranging from $29-$49 each.
Best for: Established businesses willing to invest in add-ons for specific features.
4. Simply Schedule Appointments
Free plan highlights: Basic appointment scheduling, email confirmations, simple setup wizard.
Simply Schedule Appointments focuses on simplicity. The free plan covers basic scheduling needs but limits you in appointment types and customization. The interface is clean but less feature-rich than alternatives.
Paid plans start at $99/year.
Best for: Users who prioritize simplicity over features.
5. Starter Templates + WooCommerce Bookings
Free option: WooCommerce is free, but the Bookings extension costs $249/year.
If you’re already running a WooCommerce store, WooCommerce Bookings integrates naturally with your existing product catalog and checkout flow. However, it’s not truly free — the booking extension is one of the more expensive options on this list.
Best for: Existing WooCommerce stores that need booking as part of their product offerings.
Comparison Summary
| Plugin | Free Bookings | Custom Fields | Calendar Sync | Starting Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WP Booking Pro | Unlimited | Yes (free) | Pro ($49.99/yr) | Free |
| Amelia | Limited | Paid only | Paid only | $59/yr |
| Bookly | Limited | Add-on | Add-on | $89 + add-ons |
| SSA | Limited | Paid only | Paid only | $99/yr |
| WooCommerce | N/A | Via WC | No | $249/yr |
Our Recommendation
For most service businesses, WP Booking Pro offers the best value on the free tier with unlimited bookings, custom fields, and email notifications included at no cost. If you need Google Calendar sync or payments, the Pro plan at $49.99/year is competitively priced.
Try the WP Booking Pro live demo to see if it’s right for your business, or see how it compares to Amelia and Bookly in detail.
Explore WP Booking Pro
