Start Booking Team

<h4>Online scheduling and booking plugin</h4>
<p>At Start Booking, we believe that a simple online booking experience is critical to any highly converting website. <a href="https://www.startbooking.com/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="Start Booking" rel="friend nofollow ugc">Start Booking</a> is a WordPress booking plugin that is focused on helping individuals and businesses manage customers, book more appointments, and sell their services.</p>
<p>The appointment scheduling plugin seamlessly connects with the Start Booking cloud platform to power your online booking and display your services or classes anywhere on your WordPress site. The plugin has been developed to adopt and inherit your WordPress theme styles, so minimal (if any) updates are needed to give your website a performant and professional looking booking calendar.</p>
<p>With appointment booking from Start Booking, you will find a nice balance between the booking tools available to you straight from the WordPress admin and that which is available from within the Start Booking platform itself. From our experience, most businesses don’t want to run the day-day of their business directly within their WordPress admin. Because of this, we developed the Start Booking <a href="https://www.startbooking.com/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="online scheduling software" rel="friend nofollow ugc">online scheduling software</a> to help you manage your services, appointments, classes and business better while leveraging your WordPress website as a tool and integral part of the experience.</p>
<h3>Embedding the booking system</h3>
<p>Once the plugin is installed, there are a few options for displaying your booking calendar. If you are using the Gutenberg editor (WordPress 5.0+), you will have the option to use our blocks to embed your booking form. If you are not using Gutenber, we still support shortcodes for the legacy booking experience.</p>
<h4>Gutenberg Blocks</h4>
<p>To use the Gutenberg blocks, navigate to any page or post that you want to display your booking form.</p>
<h4>Services Block</h4>
<p>The first and most popular option is the services block. This block will display a booking flow (which is configurable) for a user to select a service and date they want to book and the plugin will return available openings based on your Start Booking settings.</p>
<h4>Single Service Availability</h4>
<p>The second appointment booking option is a lot like the services block except with the single service availability shortcode, you predefine what service you want selected so that the user skips selecting a service and only selects a date & time.</p>
<p>Example usage for this would be if you have single pages on your website for each of your services. You could embed the single service availability shortcode directly into each page so your user could book that service in context. This really helps your user by not having to search for the service in the general service availability booking experience.</p>
<p>To use this shortcode, place <code>[startbooking_cta services="YOUR SERVICE ID" ]Book Now[/startbooking_cta]</code> shortcode in your post, page, widget etc. Be sure to replace “YOUR SERVICE ID” with your actual service ID. You can view your service ID’s directly from the plugin wp-admin settings page. Lastly, you can add multiple service ID’s (comma separated) to have a bundle of services preselected for booking appointments.</p>
<h4>Class & Group Booking Block</h4>
<p>The third booking calendar option is to display a list of your classes that your users can join. Classes can be anything from yoga classes to group meetups. The main difference between the service and class booking experiences is that services will display to your customers available openings (times that you have open) where as the classes experience displays times that were predefined and can support multiple users joining a class.</p>
<p>To use the the classes block, add the block in any of your posts or pages that you want.</p>
<p>For each of these options, there are additional settings such as the ability to change the booking button colors so they better match the look of your online calendar, changing the text in the flow, etc. To learn more about the available options of the <a href="https://www.startbooking.com/wordpress-booking-plugin/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="WordPress booking plugin" rel="friend nofollow ugc">WordPress booking plugin</a> please visit the <a href="https://help.startbooking.com/category/5-wordpress?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="Start Booking WordPress Articles" rel="friend nofollow ugc">Start Booking WordPress plugin knowledge base</a>.</p>
<h3>Booking Integrations</h3>
<h4>Google Analytics</h4>
<p>With the Google Analytics integration, you’ll be able to understand how and when customers are booking appointments with you.</p>
<h4>Google Calendar (Two-way Sync)</h4>
<p>The <a href="https://help.startbooking.com/article/44-google-integration-overview?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="Google Calendar Integration" rel="friend nofollow ugc">Google Calendar integration</a> takes all your appointments and pushes them (including a brief description) directly into your Google Calendar.</p>
<h4>Stripe Payments</h4>
<p>Accepting payments from your customers has never been easier with the Start Booking Stripe integration.</p>
<p>The Stripe integration enables you to accept payments from customers directly from your website and gives you the flexibility to require payment to book appointments if you want. In addition, the Stripe Booking integration gives you the ability to review customer payments, storing customer credit cards all from your own Stripe account.</p>
<p>Learn more about <a href="https://help.startbooking.com/article/36-how-to-setup-stripe-payments-for-online-booking?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="how to setup Stripe payments for online booking" rel="friend nofollow ugc">how to setup Stripe payments for online booking</a>.</p>
<h4>Mailchimp</h4>
<p>With the Mailchimp integration, all your customers will be automatically added to the Mailchimp list of your choosing.</p>
<h4>Webhooks</h4>
<p>As a developer, you have the option to configure webhooks for your online booking, which makes it incredibly easy to integrate the scheduling plugin with other systems and applications. This feature enables developers to receive real-time notifications as soon as events occur, such as new bookings or cancellations. The webhooks are straightforward to set up and can be customized to meet individual requirements. As a result, developers can create a booking system that caters to their specific needs and integrates smoothly with their existing systems and workflows. You can learn more from the <a href="https://developers.startbooking.com/" title="Online Booking Developer Center" rel="friend nofollow ugc">Start Booking developer center</a>.</p>
<h4>Zapier</h4>
<p>Start Booking is seamlessly linked to over 5,000 applications and services through Zapier. These include CRM systems, payment gateways, communication apps, and more. Enhance your Start Booking experience by integrating it with the tools you’re already accustomed to, simplifying the management of your bookings within your established workflow.</p>
<h4>Zoom</h4>
<p>Automatically create Zoom meetings with the Start Booking Zoom integration. Stay connected with Zoom meetings and start offering virtual appointments. Learn more about the <a href="https://www.startbooking.com/blog/introducing-the-zoom-and-start-booking-integration/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" rel="friend nofollow ugc">Zoom and Start Booking integration</a>.</p>
<h3>Online Booking Feature List</h3>
<ul>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.startbooking.com/features/online-booking?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" rel="nofollow ugc">Streamlined Online Booking</a>: Start Booking offers a user-friendly and intuitive booking process, allowing customers to easily schedule appointments and services.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Calendar Integration: Seamlessly integrate Start Booking with popular calendar platforms, such as Google Calendar, ensuring accurate scheduling and preventing double bookings.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Multiple Service Offerings: Efficiently manage and offer a wide range of services with different durations, prices, and availability.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Automated Notifications: Keep customers informed with automated email and SMS notifications for appointment reminders, confirmations, and rescheduling updates.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Resource Management: Easily allocate and manage resources, such as staff members or rooms, to ensure efficient scheduling and utilization.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.startbooking.com/features/online-payments?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" rel="nofollow ugc">Payment Integration</a>: Integrate with Stripe payment gateway, enabling secure and hassle-free online payments during the booking process.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Reporting and Analytics: Gain valuable insights into your business performance with comprehensive reporting and analytics features, allowing you to make data-driven decisions.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>CRM Integration: Connect Start Booking with your CRM system to streamline customer management, capture client information, and enhance personalized customer experiences.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://zapier.com/apps/start-booking/integrations" rel="nofollow ugc">Zapier Integration</a>: Seamlessly connect Start Booking with over 5,000 applications and services via Zapier, expanding its capabilities and integrating it into your existing workflow.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Mobile-Friendly: Access Start Booking and manage appointments on the go with a responsive and mobile-friendly interface.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Customizable Booking Rules: Set specific rules and restrictions for your bookings, such as minimum or maximum lead times, cancellation policies, or booking prerequisites.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p><a href="https://www.startbooking.com/features/integrations?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" rel="nofollow ugc">Booking Integrations</a>: Integrate Start Booking with other third-party software, such as communication tools, marketing platforms, or project management systems, to create a seamless workflow.</p>
</li>
<li>
<p>Custom Fields: Collect additional information from customers during the booking process, providing a personalized experience for you and your customers.</p>
</li>
</ul>
<h4>What’s Next</h4>
<p>The team at Start Booking have assembled an aggressive roadmap and look to provide you and your customers the best <a href="https://www.startbooking.com/wordpress-booking-plugin/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="WordPress booking plugin" rel="friend nofollow ugc">WordPress booking plugin</a> on the market.</p>
<p>While we strive to provide the best calendar booking plugin, we know sometimes issues happen. During those times we will do everything we can to resolve your issues and problems as quick as possible. You can find us at the Start Booking <a href="https://help.startbooking.com/?utm_source=wprepo&utm_medium=link&utm_campaign=plugindescription" title="support center" rel="friend nofollow ugc">help center</a>.</p>


Scheduling Plugin – Online Booking for WordPress

Online booking and scheduling for WordPress. Book services or classes with a modern and easy appointment booking calendar.

wpicalavailability

<p>Show the availability of your holiday home by just importing an iCal feed. Is your holiday home listed on Airbnb, any other site or are you using Google Calendar? Use this calendar plugin to show the availability on your WordPress website. Add the iCal feed, sit back and relax!</p>
<h4>Features of the Free version</h4>
<ul>
<li>Create one calendar</li>
<li>Import one iCal feed</li>
<li>Simple user-friendly interface</li>
<li>Displays the availability</li>
</ul>
<h4>Features of the Premium version</h4>
<ul>
<li>Create an unlimited number of calendars</li>
<li>Import multiple iCal feeds into one calendar</li>
<li>Display multiple months</li>
<li>Display a legend near the calendar</li>
<li>Create your own legend (apply your own colors and languages)</li>
<li>Change the first day of the week</li>
<li>Change the start month/year</li>
<li>Hide booking history on front-end</li>
<li>Show the week’s number (from 1 to 52)</li>
<li>Professional support</li>
</ul>
<h4>Download</h4>
<p>Download the Premium version at <a href="https://www.wpicalavailability.com" rel="nofollow ugc">www.wpicalavailability.com</a> to discover its unlimited advantages.</p>


WP iCal Availability

This is a great little helper!

It is very easy to configure as there are not very much settings. It does one thing and this thing works great.

One note: The calendar blocks the whole day if there is just one entry on one day (however small it is).

If you know CSS you can style the calendar yourself a little bit more, because there are many classes used.

BUT it would be great if the calendar wouldn't be fixed in size. Although you can try to achieve a bigger calendar yourself with CSS.

And a complete shortcode documentation would be great. You don't need it, because there is a great GUI for it, but if you miss the button you are little bit lost.

As all those critics can be solved and are not about the core functionality the 5 stars are still valid.

Great plugin. Easy to configure. If you need more you can do it yourself with CSS and/or move to the premium version. 

Easy to configure

This calendar imports an iCal feed from an external website, like Airbnb, and shows the availability based on that feed.

Scheduling Plugin – Online Booking for WordPress vs WP iCal Availability