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Modo agendamento
Free appointment booking software: online app or WordPress plugin?
Free online calendar, booking app or WordPress plugin: what each free solution includes, the questions to ask and what GDA Kraft Booking covers.
Free appointment booking software can take three forms: an online app that gives you a booking page on its own site, an online calendar that shares your availability, or a WordPress plugin that adds the form directly to your site. GDA Kraft Booking, a free plugin published by Global Digital Agency, belongs to the third family: services, staff, group sessions, waiting list and email reminders are included, with no subscription; only payments collected online carry a service fee, paid by the client.
The three families of free solutions
| Solution | Where does the client book? | What is often free | What is often paid |
|---|---|---|---|
| Online booking app | On the publisher's page, under its name or yours | One calendar, a limited number of services or appointments | Staff, reminders, payment, removing the publisher's branding |
| Shared online calendar | On a calendar link | Showing free slots | Payment, booking rules, custom form |
| WordPress plugin | On your site | Depending on the plugin: form, services, sometimes payment | Depending on the model: Pro version, modules, or per-transaction fees |
None of these families is better in absolute terms. An online app can be set up in a few minutes without a website; a plugin keeps your clients and their data on your own site and fits into your pages.
The questions to ask before choosing
- What is really free: number of staff members, services, appointments per month?
- Is online payment included, and at what cost (subscription, percentage, payment provider fees)?
- Who pays the fees: you or your client?
- Are reminders included, by email, by SMS?
- Can clients reschedule or cancel themselves, within the deadlines you set?
- Where is your clients' data stored?
- Calendar sync: do you need it with Google Calendar or Outlook?
The last question matters: if your reference planning is a Google or Outlook calendar and you cannot change that, choose a tool that syncs with it.
What GDA Kraft Booking covers
| Need | Answer |
|---|---|
| Services with duration, price, buffer time | Included |
| Staff: staff members, working hours, breaks, absences | Included |
| Group sessions with limited places, dated sessions, automatic waiting list | Included |
| Payment: in full or deposit (%) per service, or no online payment | Included, via Stripe (card, Apple Pay, Google Pay) |
| Reminders | By email: the day before and a few hours before (set in Appointment settings) |
| Rescheduling or cancellation by the client | Yes, via a secure link, up to the deadline you set |
| Schedule for the team | Kraft Booking › Appointments calendar; a “Team” account only sees its own schedule; iCal feed per staff member |
| Builders | Gutenberg, Elementor, Divi 5; shortcodes for other cases |
| Two-way Google Calendar sync, SMS reminders, Zoom integration | Not available at present (read-only iCal feed per staff member) |
Appointment mode requires a free Kraft GDA account, with no credit card: the edition downloaded from the client area includes everything, there is no add-on to install. It is enabled in Kraft Booking › Settings, BUSINESS MODE section. The cost is limited to payments collected online: a service fee of 0.9%, reduced to 0.45% until 30 June 2027, added to the total paid by the client, plus Stripe's fees. Appointments paid on site and recorded by hand carry none.
Setup is described in How do you add online appointment booking to a WordPress site? and Setting up appointments.
By profession
- Coach: one-to-one sessions and group workshops on the same site, see Appointment booking for a coach.
- Hair or beauty salon: several staff members and a deposit to reduce no-shows, see Online booking for a salon.
- Wellbeing practitioner: a form limited to the bare minimum, with no health data, see Appointment booking for a practitioner.
- Classes, workshops, tours: sessions with limited places, see Booking for classes and workshops.
To compare with other plugins, see the comparison of appointment booking plugins.
Frequently asked questions
Is free appointment booking software enough for a professional?
Yes, if the functions you need are genuinely included: automatically calculated slots, reminders, rescheduling by the client and, if you wish, payment or a deposit. Check the limits of the free plan before sharing the link with your clients.
Can I take appointments without online payment?
Yes. With GDA Kraft Booking, choose the "No online payment (direct confirmation)" option in the appointment booking module: appointments are paid on site and carry no service fee.
Do my clients need to create an account?
No. They receive a secure link by email to view, reschedule or cancel their appointment within the deadlines you have set.
Can I use it for a medical practice?
The plugin is not designed to store health data. For a wellbeing business, limit the form to what is necessary, as explained in Appointment booking for a practitioner.
O GDA Kraft Booking está disponível gratuitamente no WordPress.org. Ver a página no WordPress.org