Bookster – WordPress Appointment Booking Plugin vs Booktics – Appointment Booking Calendar for Service Businesses

Managing appointments through phone calls, texts, and emails is chaotic. You lose track of bookings, double-book appointments, and spend hours on scheduling instead of serving customers. Bookster turns your WordPress site into a 24/7 booking system. 🌐 View All Demos Customers book appointments themselves, see real-time availability, and receive automatic confirmations. You manage everything from one dashboard. 📌 Documentation | Core Pro vs All Access 💫 Perfect For Hair salons and barbershops Spas and beauty clinics Massage therapists and wellness centers Personal trainers and fitness coaches Consultants and coaches Tutors and education services Medical and dental practices Any service business that takes appointments 💙 How It Works Customers visit your booking page, choose a service, pick their preferred staff member, select an available time slot, and book instantly. You receive an email notification and can view all appointments in your calendar dashboard. No more back-and-forth scheduling. 🔥 Key Features (100% Free) Unlimited Bookings & Services Create unlimited services with custom names, descriptions, and photos Set individual duration and pricing for each service Add taxes, fees and discounts to bookings No limits on number of appointments per month Offer service add-ons and upsell options Smart Scheduling Set your working hours for each day of the week Configure different availability for different services Add buffer time between appointments (e.g., 15-minute cleanup) Block off days for vacations or holidays Set minimum advance notice for bookings (e.g., require 24-hour notice) Customer Booking Experience Clean, mobile-friendly booking form that works on all devices Multi-step process: choose service → select staff → pick time → enter details → confirm Customers see only available time slots (no double-booking) Optional customer account dashboard to view and manage their bookings Customers can cancel or reschedule appointments themselves Payment Options Accept cash/check for in-person payment Accept PayPal payments online (customers pay when booking) Stripe integration available via premium addon for credit card payments Mark bookings as paid or unpaid manually Track revenue in the analytics dashboard Automatic Notifications Email confirmation sent to customers immediately after booking Reminder emails sent before appointment Email notifications sent to admin when new bookings arrive Customize email templates with your branding All emails sent automatically – no manual work required Admin Dashboard View all appointments in Bookster → Calendar menu Switch between day, week, and month calendar views Click any appointment to view or edit details instantly Filter appointments by status (confirmed, pending, cancelled) Search for specific customers or appointments Drag appointments to different dates to reschedule Color-coded by service or staff member for quick overview Analytics & Reports Track total bookings and revenue right from dashboard View performance by service (which services are most popular) Monitor individual agent performance Make data-driven decisions about staffing and services Premium Addons (Optional) Upgrade your booking system with these customizable options: Staff Management Add unlimited team members from Bookster → Agents menu Set individual working hours for each staff member Assign specific services to specific team members Let customers choose their preferred agent or assign automatically Track performance and bookings per agent Booking Form Customize booking form steps (reorder, add, or remove steps) Add custom fields to collect specific information Enable recaptcha, brand logo, timezone selector, and more for your booking system. Advanced Features (coming in future addons) Group bookings and classes Recurring appointments Multiple locations management SMS notifications via Twilio Design Toolkit for Block Editor and Elementor Getting Started Adding the Booking Calendar to Your Site Method 1: Shortcode (Works Anywhere) Add [bookster_booking_form] to any page, post, or widget area. Method 2: Block Editor 1. Edit the page where you want the booking form 2. Click the + button to add a block 3. Search for “Bookster” 4. Select the Bookster Booking Form block 5. Publish the page Method 3: Classic Editor Paste [bookster_booking_form] directly into your content. Viewing and Managing Appointments Go to Bookster → Calendar in your WordPress dashboard You’ll see all appointments in calendar format Click any appointment to view details or make changes Use the view buttons at top to switch between day/week/month views Use filters to show appointments based on agents or booking status Creating a Manual Booking (For Walk-Ins or Phone Bookings) Go to Bookster → Calendar Click the + New Appointment button (or click an empty time slot) Select the service and staff member Choose date and time Enter customer information (name, email, phone) Select payment method Click Create Appointment Customer automatically receives confirmation email Troubleshooting Booking calendar not showing on my page Check 1: Verify the shortcode Make sure you added [bookster_booking_form] exactly (with square brackets). Check 2: Clear cache If using a caching plugin, clear your cache: WP Rocket → Clear Cache or similar. Check 3: Theme conflict Temporarily switch to a default WordPress theme (Twenty Twenty-Five) to test. If it works, there’s a theme conflict. Customers not receiving email confirmations Check 1: Email settings Go to Bookster → Integrations → Email tab and confirm email notifications are enabled. Check 2: Check spam folders Ask customers to check spam/junk folders. Add your domain to their contacts. Check 3: WordPress email issues WordPress email can be unreliable. Install an SMTP plugin like YaySMTP to improve email delivery: 1. Install YaySMTP plugin 2. Connect it to Gmail, SendGrid, or Mailgun 3. Send a test email to verify Check 4: Test with yourself Create a test booking using your own email to confirm emails are sending. Time slots not showing as available Check 1: Working hours configured Go to Bookster → Settings → Schedule and verify hours are set for the day in question. Check 2: Agent availability If using staff members, check Bookster → Agents and verify the agent works on that day. Check 3: Minimum advance notice Check Bookster → Settings → General → Restrictions, if you require 24-hour notice, today’s appointments won’t show. Check 4: Service duration If your service is 2 hours but only 1 hour remains before closing time, that slot won’t appear. Double bookings happening This shouldn’t happen with Bookster. If it does: Check 1: Multiple admin users If multiple people manage bookings, ensure everyone refreshes the calendar before creating appointments. Check 2: Contact support If this persists, contact Bookster support with specific examples. PayPal payments not working Go to Bookster → Settings → Payments tab Verify your PayPal email address is correct Confirm PayPal is enabled (toggle should be blue/on) Test in PayPal sandbox mode first Check if PayPal account is verified and can accept payments Review PayPal transaction logs for error messages Calendar showing wrong timezone Go to Settings → General in WordPress Set your city timezone correctly (e.g., “New York” or “Berlin”) Save changes Go to Bookster → Settings and verify timezone matches Clear browser cache and reload Third-Party Services Bookster uses these external services to provide full functionality: FullCalendar.io Purpose: Renders the interactive booking calendar Privacy: No personal data sent to FullCalendar Terms: https://fullcalendar.io/license Stripe.com (Optional – only if using Stripe addon) Purpose: Process credit card payments Data shared: Customer name, email, payment amount Privacy: https://stripe.com/privacy PayPal.com Purpose: Process PayPal payments Data shared: Customer name, email, payment amount Privacy: https://www.paypal.com/privacy When customers make payments, they’re redirected to Stripe or PayPal’s secure servers. Bookster does not store credit card numbers. Support Need help? We’re here for you: Documentation: Visit Bookster’s detailed guides Support Forum: Post questions in the WordPress.org support forum Email & Live Chat Support: Contact us through the Bookster website Video Tutorials: Watch setup videos on our YouTube channel Response time: We typically respond within 4 hours on business days and 12 hours on weekends. We’d Love Your Feedback ❣️ If Bookster helps your business, please leave us a review on WordPress.org! It takes 60 seconds and brightens our day. Click here ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ to share your experience. Have a feature request? We’re actively developing new features based on user feedback. Submit your ideas here. Compatibility Works With All Major WordPress Themes: Brandy WP Shadcn GeneratePress OceanWP Divi Avada And thousands more Page Builders: Elementor Gutenberg (Block Editor) Classic Editor Beaver Builder WPBakery What’s Next? After installing Bookster: Run the setup wizard Add the booking calendar to a page Create a test booking to see the customer experience Customize email templates with your branding Share your booking page link with customers Start accepting appointments 24/7! Your new booking system is ready to help you grow your business. Welcome to Bookster! 🚀

Booktics is a powerful booking calendar and appointment scheduling plugin for service-based businesses. It helps you manage appointments, accept online bookings, and automate your scheduling—all from one simple dashboard. Designed for salons, spas, clinics, wellness centers, fitness trainers, tutors, and home service providers, Booktics replaces manual scheduling with a fast, reliable online booking system. Your customers can book appointments 24/7, while you stay in control of availability, services, and payments. Whether you run a small local business or manage multiple services, Booktics keeps your booking calendar organized, automated, and easy to manage. With Booktics, you can : – Create and manage unlimited services and appointments – Offer group booking options – Add extra services and add-ons – Accept payments via Stripe, PayPal, and more – Automate workflows with email notifications and reminders – Use a responsive booking calendar that works on any device Smart Calendar & Scheduling Integration Booktics connects with Google Calendar and Outlook, so every booking updates automatically across your calendars. This helps prevent double bookings, missed appointments, and scheduling conflicts. Online Meetings & Customer Management Host virtual appointments using Google Meet, and manage customer relationships with tools like FluentCRM for follow-ups and communication. Online Payments Made Easy Allow customers to pay while booking using secure payment gateways. This reduces no-shows and improves your cash flow. Built for Service Businesses From beauty and wellness to healthcare and home services, Booktics is built to handle real-world scheduling needs. It simplifies bookings for your customers while giving you full control over your business operations. Live Demo | Documentation | Roadmap | Support | Pro Who Can Benefit from Booktics? (8 Business Types) Booktics is the ideal appointment booking plugin for WordPress service businesses of every size — from solo freelancers to multi-staff studios. If your business runs on appointments, Booktics was built for you. 💇 Salons & Barbershops Hair salons, nail studios, barbershops, cosmetology centers, and beauty professionals can manage daily bookings through a clean, mobile-friendly booking calendar. Clients pick their service, choose a time slot, and confirm — all without a phone call. Staff can track their own appointments and avoid overlapping schedules. 📚 Tutors, Coaches, LMS Sites & eLearning Platforms Online course creators, LMS site owners, tutors, coaches, language teachers, driving instructors, and education centers often don’t need a full learning management system just to let students book a lesson, consultation, or coaching session. Booktics gives WordPress-powered eLearning sites the scheduling layer your LMS is missing or replaces the need for one entirely when all you really need is simple, professional booking. Let students book 1-on-1 lessons, group study sessions, or live coaching calls directly from your WordPress site. Set your available hours, assign sessions to specific instructors or tutors, and automate appointment reminders to eliminate no-shows no complex LMS build required. Perfect for: – TutorLMS, LearnPress and LifterLMS site owners who need bookable office hours or live tutoring sessions alongside their online courses – Independent tutors and online coaches who don’t need a full LMS just a clean booking calendar that works – Language schools, driving instructors, and test-prep centers managing recurring student appointments and eLearning session scheduling – Corporate trainers and workshop hosts offering bookable seminars, team coaching, and instructor-led training (ILT) sessions 🦷 Dental Clinics & Healthcare Reduce missed calls and front-desk workload by letting patients book dentist visits, checkups, therapy sessions, and consultations online. The appointment scheduler keeps time slots clearly visible, prevents double bookings, and gives your clinic a full daily view of upcoming appointments. 🌿 Health & Wellness Centers Therapists, physiotherapists, massage therapists, and wellness studios can manage sessions smoothly with Booktics. Set service duration, add buffer time between bookings, define daily limits, and organize one-on-one or group sessions — all from one booking calendar. 🏋️ Fitness Trainers & Yoga Studios Personal trainers, yoga instructors, Zumba coaches, and fitness centers can accept bookings for individual sessions and group classes online. Control your schedule, set class capacity limits, and let clients choose time slots that work for them — no back-and-forth needed. 🧹 Cleaning Services Home cleaning, office cleaning, and specialist cleaning businesses can show real-time availability and let customers book a service, date, and time in seconds. Your booking calendar updates instantly, helping your team plan jobs without scheduling conflicts. 🔧 Repair, Maintenance & Home Services Plumbers, electricians, HVAC technicians, and home service providers can manage job bookings easily. Customers select a service and time online; your team sees everything in the booking calendar and eliminates double-scheduling. 💄 Beauty & Personal Care Professionals Makeup artists, nail technicians, skincare specialists, estheticians, and grooming experts can handle full appointment schedules without confusion. Clients book multiple services, reschedule if needed, and always see live availability. ✨ Booktics is a complete online booking system for WordPress that supports appointments, classes, sessions, group bookings, and service reservations in one place. No coding required. No complex setup. Just install, configure, and start accepting bookings. Booktics Free Features — More Than Most Plugins Charge For The free version of Booktics includes features that competing plugins lock behind premium plans. You get a fully functional service booking system — with Stripe payments, Google Calendar sync, and full team management — at zero cost. 🗓️ Appointment Booking & Scheduling 24/7 Online Booking — Customers book directly from your website at any time. They see only available time slots, eliminating phone calls and preventing double bookings automatically. Multi-Step Booking Form — A guided step-by-step flow: choose a service → pick a date and time → confirm. Designed to reduce drop-offs and works flawlessly on mobile and desktop. Custom Time Slots — Set the exact duration for every service. A 30-minute haircut and a 90-minute massage each get their own accurate slot length. Buffer Time Between Appointments — Add prep or cleanup time before or after any service. Protects your team from back-to-back burnout and keeps your schedule realistic. Booking Limits — Cap the number of appointments per time slot or per day to prevent overbooking and protect your team’s capacity. Client Self-Service Cancellation & Rescheduling — Customers manage their own bookings via a direct link. Reduces admin workload and keeps your calendar accurate without manual updates. Booking Approval System — Choose between auto-confirmation and manual review for new bookings. Ideal for premium services, consultations, and intake-required appointments. 🛠️ Service Management Unlimited Services — Add as many services as your business needs, each with its own name, duration, price, and description. Service Categories — Group services into categories (e.g., Hair, Skin, Wellness) so customers find what they need faster and your booking form stays organized. Service-Level Scheduling Rules — Configure unique availability, duration, and pricing per service for maximum scheduling flexibility. 👥 Staff & Team Management Team Member Management — Assign specific services to each staff member, set individual working hours, and keep everyone’s calendar organized from one admin panel. Individual Staff Panels — Each team member gets their own secure login to view and manage their personal appointment schedule. Admins maintain full oversight from the central dashboard. Automatic Conflict Prevention — Booktics blocks already-booked time slots in real time. Two clients can never be assigned to the same staff member at the same time. 💳 Payments & Checkout — Stripe Is Free This is where Booktics stands apart from every competitor. Stripe Integration — 100% Free — Accept credit cards, debit cards, Apple Pay, and Google Pay at checkout. No commission taken by Booktics. No upgrade required. Full Stripe is available in the free version — unlike Bookly, Salon Booking System, and LatePoint which charge for this. Local & Offline Payment — Offer in-person or cash-on-arrival payment for clients who prefer not to pay online. WooCommerce Integration — Connect Booktics with WooCommerce to access additional payment gateways, tax management, invoicing, and advanced order tracking synced with your booking calendar. 📅 Calendar Integrations & Sync Two-Way Google Calendar Sync — Every new booking appears on your Google Calendar instantly. Changes made in Google Calendar sync back to Booktics automatically. Prevents double bookings and keeps your schedule accurate across every device. Available free — no upgrade required. Drag-and-Drop Calendar View — An interactive backend calendar lets admins and staff move, edit, and review appointments visually with a single drag. 📊 Reporting & Dashboard Business Dashboard — See all upcoming bookings, total revenue, and customer stats at a glance from one clean admin screen. Booking Status Tracking — Monitor confirmed, pending, and cancelled appointments from one organized panel. Upcoming Bookings View — Always know what is scheduled next so your team is never caught off guard. 📨 Notifications & Communication Automated Email Notifications — Automatically send booking confirmations, reminders, rescheduling alerts, and cancellation notices to both clients and staff. Reduces no-shows and builds trust. Google Meet Integration — Offer virtual appointments and automatically generate Google Meet links when a booking is confirmed. Perfect for online consultations and remote sessions. FluentCRM Integration — Sync customer data with FluentCRM for follow-up campaigns and loyalty communications. 🌍 Translation Ready & WPML Compatible Booktics is fully translation-ready and compatible with WPML and Polylang — ideal for service businesses serving multilingual communities. Translate your booking form, email notifications, and service names into any language. 🔒 GDPR Compliant Booktics handles customer data securely and transparently, with optional consent fields available during the booking process. 🧩 Works With Your Favourite Page Builders Embed your booking calendar anywhere using: – Gutenberg block — native WordPress block editor – Elementor widget – Shortcode — paste [booktics] into any page, post, or sidebar 🚀 Booktics PRO — Advanced Features for Growing Service Businesses Booktics Pro unlocks powerful tools for businesses that need deeper customization, expanded payment options, and advanced team control. ⚙️ Advanced Service Management Extra Service Add-Ons — Let clients add optional extras at checkout. A salon can offer “Haircut + Deep Conditioning”; a clinic can bundle “Consultation + Lab Test.” Increases average booking value per customer. Group Booking — Accept bookings for multiple people in one appointment. Perfect for yoga classes, workshops, fitness sessions, and team training. Multiple Pricing & Duration Options — Offer the same service at different lengths and price points. A therapist can list a 30-minute and a 60-minute session as separate bookable options. Custom Booking Fields — Add custom questions to the booking form — preferred staff, medical notes, special requirements, or anything your service requires. 💳 Advanced Payment Options PayPal Integration — Accept PayPal payments at the time of booking. Available exclusively in Booktics Pro. 📅 Extended Calendar & Business Integrations Outlook Calendar Integration — Connect Microsoft Outlook to keep your work and personal schedules aligned across devices. Directorist Integration — Link Booktics directly to your Directorist directory listings so visitors can discover and book your services in one step. 👥 Advanced Team & Location Management Granular Team Permissions — Set detailed permissions for each staff member. Team members manage their own bookings independently while admins keep full oversight and control. Multi-Location Support — Run your booking system across multiple branches or locations from one central WordPress admin panel. 📦 More Powerful WordPress Plugins from Arraytics 📅 Eventin — All-in-one event management plugin. Sell tickets, manage events, and run virtual or in-person events. 🍽️ WPCafe — Online food ordering, restaurant menu, table reservations, and delivery management for WordPress. 📅 Timetics — AI-powered appointment scheduling plugin with smart time optimization. 🎨 Poptics — Create conversion-driven popups, lead capture forms, and promotional overlays for WordPress. Visit Arraytics to explore our full suite of WordPress solutions. External Services This plugin connects to the following external services: Stripe Payments Processes secure online payments for bookings when Stripe is enabled as a payment method. Data sent: Transaction data required to process the payment (order amount, currency, customer name/email). Payment card details are handled directly and securely by Stripe — never stored by Booktics. Service provider: Stripe, Inc. — Terms of Service | Privacy Policy Note: Optional. Only active if you enable Stripe payments in the plugin settings. Google Calendar API Synchronizes appointments between your WordPress site and Google Calendar with two-way sync. Data sent: Calendar event data (appointment details, dates, times, attendee information) when bookings are created, updated, or cancelled. Service provider: Google LLC — Terms of Service | Privacy Policy Note: Optional. Only active if you connect your Google Calendar account in the integration settings. Arraytics FluentCRM Service Connects to Arraytics.com’s FluentCRM service for optional marketing communication (product updates, feature announcements, support information). Data sent: Your email address — only when voluntarily provided during business setup or onboarding. Service provider: Arraytics — Terms of Service | Privacy Policy Note: Optional. Not required for core plugin functionality.