COMPARISON · SCHEDULING + CLIENT RECORDS
FavCRM vs. Calendly + Spreadsheets
Calendly is great at booking a 30-minute call on an individual calendar. Service businesses outgrow it the moment bookings need to track client history, prepaid session balances, deposits, and team follow-ups.
CHOOSE FAVCRM WHEN
- Clients return for recurring sessions, classes, or prepaid packages and you want balances updated automatically.
- More than one person needs to see past notes, payments, and overdue follow-ups without reconciling a spreadsheet.
- You want Claude, ChatGPT, or Cursor to read live schedules and CRM tasks via OAuth 2.1 MCP.
CHOOSE CALENDLY + SPREADSHEETS WHEN
- You only book one-off external meetings (such as B2B discovery calls or recruiting interviews) tied to personal Google/Outlook calendars.
- You do not track client service history, session packs, or post-visit retention tasks.
Side-by-side breakdown
| Capability | FavCRM | Calendly + Spreadsheets |
|---|---|---|
| Client timeline & notes | Every booking, deal, note, and payment lives on one client record. | Split between calendar invites, chat threads, and manual sheet rows. |
| Memberships & Session Packs | Built-in on FavCRM Pro—deducts sessions and flags expiring packs. | Manual formulas in spreadsheets; prone to miscounts. |
| Team pricing model | Flat workspace pricing: Starter $0, Simply Booking US$20/mo (3 staff), Pro US$29/mo (up to 5 staff). | Per-seat monthly charges as you add bookable team members. |
| AI assistant integration | OAuth 2.1 MCP (/view, /manage, /crm) + Approval Guard. | Requires exporting CSVs or building third-party Zapier glue. |
| Switching effort | 3-minute CSV & Calendly invitee export field mapper. | Already in spreadsheets, but manual upkeep compounds weekly. |
Frequently asked questions
Can I import my past Calendly invitees into FavCRM?
Yes. Export your invitee CSV from Calendly and upload it during FavCRM setup. Invitee names, email addresses, reminder phone numbers, and service tags map directly onto unified client records.
Do clients need to create an account to book on FavCRM?
No. Just like a scheduling link, guests can pick an available slot and confirm on your Branded Client Portal in their mobile browser without installing an app.
How does annual pricing compare for a 3-person studio?
Simply Booking includes up to 3 staff accounts for US$20/month or US$200/year (2 months free)—flat for the workspace rather than multiplied per seat.