4appointments — alternative to SimplyBook.me
Short answer
4appointments is an online booking system: each business gets its own booking page (your name, logo and colour), calendars and schedules per provider, and requests that your team confirms manually in the panel. SimplyBook.me is very rich in features and modules (classes, memberships, coupons, POS) and works with SMS credits; 4appointments focuses on a smaller set: a branded booking page, provider calendars and manual confirmation. Today it does not send automatic e-mails or SMS to clients, does not take online payments and has no Google or Outlook sync (calendar import and export use ICS only).
4appointments advantages
- A booking page with your own name, logo and colour — one link to share, plus a separate link per provider.
- Guests book 24/7 without an account, or choose “Anyone available”.
- Services with duration, price and a pause between bookings; each provider has a weekly schedule, exceptions and days off.
- Team calendar (day, week, month, list) with roles and permissions per member and per section.
- Clients can cancel or reschedule from the management link on their confirmation screen; recurring bookings are created by staff.
- Reports on confirmed, cancelled and pending bookings, by day, service and provider; the bookings list exports to CSV, XML or PDF.
Limitations to consider
- No automatic confirmation or reminder e-mails or SMS to clients; bookings are confirmed manually by your team.
- No online payments or deposits, no Google/Outlook sync (ICS only), and no integrations or invoicing link.
- SimplyBook.me has a much larger catalogue of features and modules (classes, memberships, coupons, POS).
- For highly customised flows, the SimplyBook.me module marketplace offers more options.
Comparison table: 4appointments vs SimplyBook.me
| Feature | 4appointments | SimplyBook.me |
|---|---|---|
| Interface language | Panel in English; the language of the public page depends on the link | Multilingual |
| Subscription | Prices in euro; first 12 months free, no card | See the provider’s site |
| Automatic e-mail reminders | No (no e-mails are sent to clients today) | E-mail yes; SMS on credits |
| Payment / deposit at booking | Not today (a deposit is arranged outside the tool) | Yes (several processors) |
| Google + Outlook sync | No; ICS import/export only | Yes |
| Multi-location | No (the locations list is informational only) | Yes (depends on the plan) |
| Integrated invoicing | No | — |
| Booking confirmation | Manual: the request stays pending until your team confirms it | Automatic or with approval, depending on settings |
| Free plan | No permanent free plan; the first 12 months are free | Yes (limited) |
Note: third-party features and pricing may change — check the official site before deciding. Data reflects public information as of mid-2026.
Quick verdict
Choose 4appointments if a small, simple set of features is enough: a branded booking page, calendars per provider and manual confirmation. SimplyBook.me is the better fit if you need payments, notifications, calendar sync or an extensive module catalogue — compare current plans on its site.
Frequently asked questions
How do reminders compare between 4appointments and SimplyBook.me?
SimplyBook.me typically sends e-mail notifications and uses SMS credits that you top up. 4appointments does not send reminders or confirmations to clients today, so you would have to remind clients yourself.
Does SimplyBook.me have more features than 4appointments?
Yes. SimplyBook.me has a very broad module catalogue; 4appointments covers a smaller essential set that is quick to understand.
How are bookings confirmed in 4appointments?
Every public booking arrives as a pending request that holds the slot. Your team confirms or rejects it in the panel; the client is not notified automatically.
Can I take a deposit at booking in 4appointments?
Not today. Online payments are not available in any plan, so a deposit has to be arranged outside the tool. SimplyBook.me supports several payment gateways.