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/ Bookit — Booking & Appointment Calendar

Bookit — Booking & Appointment Calendar

By Nexcess

Bookings & Scheduling / Booking & Reservations

Bookit — Booking & Appointment Calendar Review - In-Depth Analysis

Bookit is an appointment booking and event calendar plugin for WordPress. It allows you to define services, staff, and availability while preventing double-booking. Users can submit bookings and receive email notifications.

Performance Overview

WPS Score

6.86/10

User Rating

3.8/5 (based on 24+ reviews)

Active Installations

4,000+

Update Frequency

Below Average It is calculated using the weighted average of same category plugins.

Security Score

5.97 / 10 (Medium Risk) It is calculated using the weighted average of all versions.

What It Does

Bookit adds an appointment booking system and event calendar to your WordPress site. You define services, staff, working hours, and prices; visitors pick a date and time and submit a booking. The plugin prevents double-booking and sends configurable email notifications.

What you can do:

Define multiple services with duration and price; assign staff and set their working hours and days.

Show availability in daily, weekly, or monthly calendar views.

Place a booking form on any page via shortcode or with Elementor and WPBakery widgets.

Let customers choose a service and staff, see available slots, and submit a booking (no account required unless you enable it).

Receive and send email notifications for new, updated, or upcoming appointments; templates are editable in settings.

Manage all appointments from the admin dashboard; optional Stripe payments in the free version.

Optional BookIt Pro add-ons add WooCommerce integration, Google Calendar sync, drag-and-drop custom fields, and additional payment options (e.g. PayPal). Documentation and support are available at bookitwp.com.

Comparing to Alternatives

Bookit offers a solid booking and appointment calendar solution with a range of features suitable for various businesses. When compared to other popular booking plugins, it stands out in certain areas but also has some limitations.

Top alternatives

Strengths

Offers a comprehensive free version with many features included.
Integration with Google Calendar available via add-on.
Backed by the Events Calendar team, indicating ongoing support and updates.

Weaknesses

Compatibility issues with PHP 8.x versions reported.
Google Calendar synchronization can be unreliable and requires paid add-on.
Limited break time options between bookings.
Some features require additional paid plugins, increasing overall cost.

User Sentiment Analysis

User feedback highlights both the plugin's strengths and areas needing improvement, reflecting a mixed experience among users.

Positive highlights

"Worked great for me. Even the free version offers lots of features that others charge for." – George Pattichis
"Excelent" – marperacet
Free version provides a robust set of features appreciated by users.

Common complaints

Plugin not fully compatible with PHP 8.x, causing issues like email notifications failing.
Google Calendar sync is problematic and requires a paid add-on.
Lack of support and delayed responses from the developer, especially for paid add-ons.
No option for break times between bookings, leading to overlapping appointments.

Weaknesses

Some translations require manual file edits, complicating localization.
Paid add-ons are expensive and support is limited.
Booking time overlap issues due to missing buffer periods between appointments.

Who Should Use This?

Best for

Small to medium businesses looking for a feature-rich free booking plugin with potential for expansion via paid add-ons, especially those comfortable with some technical setup.

Not ideal for

Users running PHP 8.x environments or those needing reliable Google Calendar integration without additional costs or those requiring extensive customer support.

Pricing & Value

Free version includes

The free version includes a wide range of booking features suitable for many businesses, allowing users to manage appointments effectively without upfront costs.

Pro version

The pro version and paid add-ons unlock advanced features such as Google Calendar synchronization, additional customization options, and enhanced booking management tools.

Final Verdict

Bookit is a capable booking plugin offering a strong free version and promising premium features. However, users should be aware of compatibility issues with newer PHP versions and the additional costs for essential integrations like Google Calendar.

While it suits many businesses, those requiring seamless support and advanced scheduling features may find limitations. Overall, it is a solid choice for users willing to navigate its quirks and invest in premium add-ons if needed.