Setmore Review: Scheduling Software That Ends No-Shows & Saves Time

Tired of booking chaos and missed appointments?

When your customers can’t book online or get reminders, you’re stuck wasting hours on manual calls and calendar juggling just to stay organized.

That’s a real headache, because you end up losing valuable time every single day, and clients can get frustrated or simply go elsewhere when scheduling becomes too painful.

Setmore tackles this by automating appointment booking, staff management, and payment processing, making your workflow more efficient and client-friendly. After digging through user reviews and testing it myself, I can tell you Setmore isn’t just another scheduling tool—it actually fixes the daily grind of managing appointments.

In this review, I’ll walk you through how Setmore’s platform streamlines your appointment process so you can focus more on your business and less on admin hassle.

In this Setmore review, you’ll discover detailed insights into its core features, pricing, implementation, and where it stands compared to alternatives.

You’ll leave knowing if this platform offers the features you need to simplify client scheduling and boost your team’s productivity.

Let’s dive into the analysis.

Setmore Overview

Setmore has been on a focused mission to simplify appointment scheduling since its founding in 2011. Based in Portland, Oregon, they built a platform specifically for service businesses to automate bookings.

I found they are not trying to be a complex, all-in-one tool for large corporations. Their true sweet spot is for B2C service-based businesses like salons, tutors, or consultants who need a straightforward, client-facing system.

Their acquisition by AnywhereWorks brought deeper video integrations, a smart move for today’s market. I’ll explore this more through this Setmore review, but it shows their commitment to virtual appointments.

Unlike competitors like Calendly that lean corporate, Setmore feels genuinely built for Main Street. Their key differentiator is offering a remarkably generous free plan that provides powerful, real-world value without a trial period.

They work with a huge number of solo entrepreneurs and small businesses—from personal trainers to mechanics and photographers—who just need a reliable system that eliminates the constant back-and-forth of scheduling.

From my analysis, their entire strategy revolves around powerful simplicity and accessibility for everyone. They prioritize an intuitive user experience and integrated payment tools that directly help your business reduce no-shows and get paid faster.

Now let’s examine their capabilities.

Setmore Features

Struggling with endless appointment scheduling headaches?

Setmore features are designed to simplify your booking process, freeing up your time for what matters most. Here are the five main Setmore features that streamline scheduling.

1. Online Appointment Scheduling & Booking Page

Clients can’t book appointments 24/7?

Missing out on bookings outside of business hours is a real pain. This can frustrate potential clients and cost you opportunities.

Setmore’s online booking page allows clients to view your real-time availability and book appointments anytime, anywhere. From my testing, the customizable page really stands out for its ease of setup, letting you provide convenience for clients. This feature helps eliminate back-and-forth emails and phone calls.

This means you can capture more bookings around the clock without lifting a finger, directly impacting your bottom line.

2. Automated Reminders and Notifications

Tired of constant no-shows costing you money?

Clients forgetting appointments is incredibly frustrating. This leads to wasted time and lost revenue for your business.

Setmore automatically sends email and SMS reminders to both clients and staff, reducing missed appointments significantly. I found this feature incredibly effective; it frees you from making reminder calls daily, which is a huge time-saver. It keeps everyone informed and ensures a smoother appointment process.

So, you can dramatically cut down on no-shows and last-minute cancellations, improving your schedule efficiency and profitability.

3. Staff Scheduling and Management

Struggling to manage multiple staff schedules?

Coordinating appointments for different service providers can be a logistical nightmare. This often leads to booking errors and frustrated employees.

This feature allows you to manage staff schedules with ease, letting clients see who is available. What I love about this approach is how you can easily add, reschedule, or reassign appointments with just a few clicks. It’s particularly useful for businesses with multiple service providers.

This means you can efficiently manage your team’s time, ensuring optimal utilization and a smoother client experience for everyone.

4. Online Payments Integration

Collecting payments after appointments a hassle?

Chasing invoices or processing payments manually can be a time drain. This delays revenue and adds unnecessary administrative burdens.

Setmore integrates with popular payment processors, allowing clients to pay directly on your booking page. Here’s what I found: accepting payments upfront streamlines your workflow, making the entire transaction seamless for both you and your clients. This feature simplifies payment collection.

The result is you can easily collect payments at the time of booking, improving cash flow and reducing outstanding invoices.

5. Video Meeting Integrations

Need to schedule virtual services easily?

Setting up online meetings manually for every virtual appointment can be incredibly cumbersome. This wastes valuable preparation time for your services.

Setmore connects directly with Zoom and Google Meet, enabling you to schedule and host virtual meetings from within the platform. This is where Setmore shines; its seamless integration simplifies virtual service delivery, allowing you to focus on your clients. This feature is crucial for any business offering online services.

This means you can effortlessly schedule and conduct virtual appointments, expanding your reach and client base globally.

These Setmore features work together to create a complete appointment management ecosystem that handles your bookings from start to finish.

Setmore Pricing

What’s the real cost of a scheduling tool?

Setmore pricing offers clear, tiered plans with options ranging from free to custom enterprise solutions, making it straightforward to find a fit for your business needs.

Plan	Price & Features
Free	$0/user/month (up to 4 users) • 24/7 human support • Up to 200 appointments/month • Accept payments • Custom booking page • Email reminders
Pro	$5/user/month (billed annually, 1-2 users) or $12/user/month (monthly) • Unlimited appointments • SMS and email reminders • Pro integrations (apps) • 2-way calendar sync • Remove Setmore branding
Team	$5/user/month (billed annually, unlimited users) or $9/user/month (monthly) • All Pro features • Unlimited users • Unlimited appointments • SMS and email reminders • 2-way calendar sync
Enterprise	Custom pricing – contact sales • All-in-one booking system • Tailored to organization goals • Dedicated support • Advanced features

1. Value Assessment

Great value for essential needs.

From my cost analysis, Setmore’s Free plan offers substantial value for solo users or small teams, including crucial features like payment acceptance and email reminders. The annual billing significantly reduces your monthly cost for Pro and Team plans, making premium features highly accessible for your budget.

This means your business can start strong with minimal investment and scale efficiently as your needs evolve.

2. Trial/Demo Options

Try before you commit.

Setmore offers a robust Free plan that essentially acts as an ongoing trial, letting you experience core features before upgrading. What I found is that while there isn’t a specific trial for paid plans, the comprehensive Free tier allows you to test the waters thoroughly and determine if it aligns with your workflow.

This lets you evaluate the platform’s suitability for your business before you decide on a paid Setmore pricing tier.

3. Plan Comparison

Choosing the right plan.

The Free plan suits small operations, but for unlimited appointments and key integrations like Zoom, you’ll need Pro or Team. What stands out is how Team plan pricing matches Pro for annual billing, offering unlimited users at a great value if your business has multiple service providers.

This helps you match pricing to actual usage requirements, ensuring you don’t overpay for unused capacities.

My Take: Setmore’s pricing is highly competitive, especially with its generous Free plan and discounted annual rates, making it an excellent choice for solo users to larger teams.

The overall Setmore pricing reflects transparent, scalable value for all business sizes.

Setmore Reviews

What do actual users say?

This Setmore reviews section analyzes real customer feedback, presenting a balanced perspective on what users truly think about the software from various platforms.

Users seem quite pleased.

From my review analysis, Setmore holds impressive ratings, averaging 4.7-4.8 stars across major review sites like Calendesk and FeaturedCustomers. What I found in user feedback is that users often highlight the impactful free plan, which often introduces them to its benefits before upgrading.

This suggests you can expect a generally positive experience, even without a significant financial commitment.

2. Common Praise Points

Users love the automation and simplicity.

What I found in user feedback is how frequently users praise Setmore’s automated reminders for significantly reducing no-shows and saving time. Review-wise, the 24/7 online booking capability and client self-scheduling features also stand out as major conveniences.

This means you’ll likely experience fewer missed appointments and a more efficient booking process.

3. Frequent Complaints

Some specific frustrations emerge.

While generally positive, some Setmore reviews mention occasional sync issues and limited reporting features. What stands out in user feedback is how customization options for the booking page are sometimes cited as too basic, only offering a single theme.

These issues seem more like minor inconveniences rather than significant deal-breakers for most users.

The overall Setmore reviews show a strong pattern of user satisfaction with practical limitations in customization and reporting.

Best Setmore Alternatives

Which scheduling software should you choose?

The best Setmore alternatives offer distinct advantages, each better suited for different business sizes, budgets, and operational requirements.

1. Acuity Scheduling

Looking for more advanced booking customization?

Acuity Scheduling excels if your business has complex needs, requiring features like configurable intake forms, group scheduling, or class bookings. From my competitive analysis, Acuity offers more extensive customization options than Setmore, though it typically comes at a higher price point for paid plans.

Choose Acuity when you need advanced features and customization beyond Setmore’s simpler offerings.

2. Calendly

Primarily focused on B2B corporate scheduling?

Calendly is often geared towards corporate teams and B2B businesses, with a strong focus on integrations for internal meetings and third-party tools. What I found comparing options is that Calendly streamlines business meeting organization efficiently, whereas Setmore focuses more on B2C client bookings.

Consider this alternative if your main goal is optimizing internal team or client-facing business meetings.

3. SimplyBook.me

Seeking highly customizable booking and client management?

SimplyBook.me caters to businesses requiring advanced features like multi-location scheduling, detailed client management, or robust payment integrations for memberships. From my analysis, SimplyBook.me provides deep customization and client tools, offering more complexity than Setmore’s user-friendly setup.

Choose SimplyBook.me if your business demands intricate scheduling options and comprehensive client management.

4. Square Appointments

Already embedded in the Square ecosystem?

Square Appointments offers seamless integration with Square’s POS system for in-person payments, making it ideal if you’re already using Square for transactions. Alternative-wise, Square Appointments integrates payments deeply with POS, while Setmore offers broader communication features.

Opt for Square Appointments when you need a built-in POS solution and are invested in the Square ecosystem.

The best Setmore alternatives ultimately depend on your specific business model and feature priorities.

Compare Setmore With Alternatives →

Setmore Setup

Is Setmore setup complicated?

This Setmore review section analyzes the practical realities of deploying and adopting Setmore, helping you set realistic expectations for its implementation in your business.

1. Setup Complexity & Timeline

Getting Setmore running is remarkably straightforward.

• 🎯 Bonus Resource: If you’re also looking to scale your business and streamline operations, my guide on Best Tally Partner can provide valuable insights.

Setmore’s setup involves creating your account, adding services and staff, and customizing your booking page. What I found about deployment is that most businesses can be live within hours to days, making it ideal for quick deployment without extensive project management.

You’ll primarily need to dedicate time for initial data entry and familiarizing yourself with the intuitive interface.

2. Technical Requirements & Integration

Minimal technical hurdles or infrastructure changes.

Your setup requires a web browser or mobile app, as Setmore is cloud-based. From my implementation analysis, integrations with Google Calendar or Zoom are generally smooth, though occasional sync issues can occur, especially with two-way sync on free plans.

Plan to review your existing tools to identify necessary integrations and consider paid plans for full synchronization capabilities.

3. Training & Change Management

User adoption is typically very natural.

Staff training focuses on using the intuitive booking interface and managing appointments, which is a quick learning curve given its user-friendly design. What I found about deployment is that its simplicity minimizes user resistance significantly, as the system largely automates tasks your team already handles.

Focus on communicating the benefits of self-service booking to your clients and staff to maximize system utilization.

4. Support & Success Factors

Exceptional support streamlines your initial setup.

Setmore offers 24/7 human support via in-app chat, often responding within minutes. From my analysis, this instantaneous support is a critical success factor during implementation, quickly resolving any questions you encounter.

Leverage their extensive help center and responsive chat support to navigate any setup queries and optimize your booking processes.

Implementation Checklist

• Timeline: Hours to days for basic setup and go-live
• Team Size: One administrator for initial configuration
• Budget: Primarily staff time for data entry; no hidden costs
• Technical: Internet access, browser/app, existing calendar/video tools
• Success Factor: Leveraging 24/7 in-app support for quick resolutions

Overall, the Setmore setup is notably quick and easy, ensuring your business starts automating bookings fast with minimal fuss.

Get Setmore Setup Support →

Bottom Line

Is Setmore the right booking solution for your business?

This Setmore review synthesizes my comprehensive analysis, offering clear insights into who benefits most and why, helping you decide with confidence.

1. Who This Works Best For

Service-based businesses valuing simplicity and cost-effectiveness.

• 🎯 Bonus Resource: Speaking of efficient communication, my guide on VoIP phone services can further scale your business.

Setmore is ideal for small to medium-sized service providers like salons, consultants, and health practitioners who need a straightforward online booking system. From my user analysis, businesses prioritizing ease of use and automated client communication will find Setmore exceptionally helpful for daily operations.

You’ll succeed if your main goal is to reduce no-shows and streamline appointment booking without complex features.

2. Overall Strengths

Unbeatable free plan and exceptional client self-service.

The software shines with its robust free plan, intuitive client booking page, and effective automated reminders that significantly reduce no-shows. From my comprehensive analysis, the 24/7 human customer support is a standout advantage, providing quick and reliable assistance whenever your team needs it most.

These strengths translate directly into improved customer experience and significant time savings for your administrative staff.

3. Key Limitations

Limited customization and occasional reporting gaps.

While functional, the software offers somewhat limited customization options for the booking page, and reporting/analytics features can feel basic. Based on this review, some users report occasional sync issues or time zone complexities, which might require workarounds for specific scheduling needs or global operations.

I find these limitations manageable for most small businesses, but they could be deal-breakers if your business requires highly specific workflows.

4. Final Recommendation

Setmore receives a strong recommendation from me.

You should choose Setmore if your small to medium-sized service business needs an affordable, reliable, and user-friendly online appointment scheduler. From my analysis, this solution excels for straightforward booking requirements and businesses looking to automate client communications effectively without over-complicating their operations.

My confidence is high for businesses seeking simplicity and value, especially for those leveraging the powerful free plan.

Bottom Line

• Verdict: Recommended for small to medium-sized service businesses
• Best For: Salons, consultants, health practitioners, and trade services
• Business Size: Small to medium-sized businesses (SMBs) with 1-50 employees
• Biggest Strength: Robust free plan and effective automated reminders
• Main Concern: Limited booking page customization and basic reporting
• Next Step: Explore the free plan to test core scheduling features

This Setmore review demonstrates strong value for service-based businesses aiming to simplify their booking processes and enhance client experience.

See If Setmore Fits Your Needs →