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Alternatives 2026

6 alternatives to Calendly for businesses in Spain

Calendly is a great meeting scheduling tool, but it was not designed for service businesses that need WhatsApp, client management and GDPR compliance. These are the best alternatives available in Spain in 2026.

Last updated: March 2026

Why look for Calendly alternatives?

Calendly was built for one specific use case: sharing a availability link so someone can schedule a meeting. It works great for sales, interviews and internal meetings. But if you run a service business (hair salon, clinic, consulting, fitness studio...) you need much more.

What Calendly does not offer:

  • WhatsApp bot for automatic bookings
  • CRM with client history
  • Multi-location management
  • Native Spanish and real GDPR compliance

What a business in Spain needs:

  • WhatsApp communication (80%+ of clients use it)
  • Automatic no-show reminder sequences
  • Upfront payments with Stripe
  • Data on European servers (GDPR)

The 6 best Calendly alternatives

1. Marai

Recommended

Free / €29 – €99/mo

Best for: Service businesses in Spain that use WhatsApp

Pros

  • + AI WhatsApp bot (Pro: 300 msgs/year, Business: 1,000 msgs/year)
  • + CRM with client reliability scoring (no-shows, cancellations)
  • + 100% in Spanish, EU servers, native GDPR compliance

Cons

  • - New to the market (fewer third-party integrations)
  • - Additional message packs available if quota runs out (from €19/500 msgs)

2. SimplyBook.me

From ~€10/mo

Best for: Businesses that need high customization with plugins

Pros

  • + More than 50 activatable "custom features"
  • + Low entry price
  • + European servers (GDPR)

Cons

  • - Somewhat outdated interface and complex setup
  • - WhatsApp requires manual integration (not native)
  • - Spanish as partial translation, not native

3. Setmore

Free / From €5/mo

Best for: Businesses on a very tight budget that need the basics

Pros

  • + Generous free plan (up to 4 users)
  • + Simple and easy-to-configure interface
  • + Zoom and Google Meet integration

Cons

  • - No WhatsApp integration
  • - Servers in the US (potential GDPR conflict)
  • - No advanced no-show tools or upfront payments

4. Cal.com

Free (self-hosted) / From $12/mo

Best for: Technical teams that want full code control

Pros

  • + Open-source with self-hosting option
  • + Very customizable for developers
  • + Integrations with calendars, Zoom, Meet, etc.

Cons

  • - Requires technical knowledge to get the most out of it
  • - No WhatsApp or integrated client CRM
  • - Limited Spanish support

5. TidyCal

From $29 one-time payment (lifetime)

Best for: Freelancers who only need a simple booking link

Pros

  • + One-time lifetime payment (no monthly subscription)
  • + Minimalist and fast interface
  • + Integrates with Google Calendar and Zoom

Cons

  • - Very basic features (no multi-professional or CRM)
  • - No WhatsApp or advanced reminders
  • - No Spanish support or specific GDPR compliance

6. Acuity Scheduling (Squarespace)

From $16/mo

Best for: Businesses with a Squarespace website that want integrated appointments

Pros

  • + Native Squarespace integration
  • + Customizable intake forms
  • + Stripe and PayPal payments included

Cons

  • - No WhatsApp (reminders by email and SMS only)
  • - Spanish as translation, not native
  • - US servers (GDPR depends on configuration)

Quick comparison table

Feature Marai Simply Setmore Cal Tidy Acuity
AI WhatsApp Bot
WhatsApp reminders
Email reminders
Client CRM
Multi-professional
Multi-location
Upfront payments
Native Spanish
GDPR (EU servers)
Open-source
Free plan
One-time payment

Frequently asked questions

Why look for a Calendly alternative?
Calendly is excellent for scheduling corporate meetings, but it lacks key features for service businesses in Spain: no WhatsApp integration, partial Spanish support, and US-based servers which can be a problem with GDPR.
What is the best Calendly alternative for businesses in Spain?
For service businesses in Spain that need WhatsApp, GDPR compliance and native Spanish support, Marai is the most complete option. It includes an AI WhatsApp bot (Pro: 300 msgs/year, Business: 1,000 msgs/year), client CRM, automatic multi-channel reminders and European servers. Free plan available.
Is there a free Calendly alternative?
Yes. Marai offers a forever free plan (1 professional, 50 clients, 50 appointments/month). Setmore also has a generous free plan. Cal.com is free if you self-host. TidyCal has a $29 one-time payment with no subscription.
Which Calendly alternative complies with European GDPR?
Marai and SimplyBook.me host data on European servers. Marai also natively complies with GDPR and the Spanish LOPDGDD, including consent management, right of erasure and data export.
Is there a Calendly alternative with WhatsApp integration?
Marai is the only alternative that integrates an AI WhatsApp bot. Clients can book appointments writing in natural language via WhatsApp, 24/7. Available in Pro (€59/mo, 300 AI msgs/year) and Business (€99/mo, 1,000 AI msgs/year). Additional message packs from €19 when quota runs out.

Ready to try the best Calendly alternative?

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