{"id":16046,"date":"2010-11-26T11:38:44","date_gmt":"2010-11-26T06:08:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/?p=16046"},"modified":"2026-10-13T13:39:04","modified_gmt":"2026-10-13T08:09:04","slug":"best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/","title":{"rendered":"Best Scheduling Tools for Freelancers in 2026 (Booking, Time and Invoices)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Unless you have a natural knack for organisation, booking clients, tracking hours and sending invoices are the most tedious parts of freelance work. The right <strong>scheduling tools for freelancers<\/strong> handle all three for you, and most have free plans. Our guest author&#8217;s original 2010 list included MakeSomeTime, Toggl, CurdBee, Blinksale and FreshBooks. Some of those are gone, so here is the updated 2026 list of the tools that actually save freelancers time.<\/p>\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-53725\" src=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/scheduling-tool-02.jpg\" alt=\"Scheduling tools for freelancers\" width=\"400\" height=\"321\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/scheduling-tool-02.jpg 400w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/scheduling-tool-02-300x241.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-content\/uploads\/scheduling-tool-02-150x120.jpg 150w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 400px) 100vw, 400px\" \/><\/p>\n<p><strong>Quick answer:<\/strong> For booking meetings, use Calendly or Cal.com. For tracking hours, use Toggl Track or Clockify, both with free plans. For invoicing and getting paid, use FreshBooks, Wave or Bonsai. Many freelancers combine one free tool from each group.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_89 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad7a48b17225\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"ez-toc-cssicon\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #1a202c;color:#1a202c\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6ad7a48b17225\" checked aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Best_scheduling_and_booking_tools\" >Best scheduling and booking tools<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#1_Calendly\" >1. Calendly<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#2_Calcom\" >2. Cal.com<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#3_Google_Calendar_appointment_schedules\" >3. Google Calendar appointment schedules<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Best_time_tracking_tools\" >Best time tracking tools<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#4_Toggl_Track\" >4. Toggl Track<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#5_Clockify\" >5. Clockify<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Best_invoicing_and_billing_tools\" >Best invoicing and billing tools<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#6_FreshBooks\" >6. FreshBooks<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#7_Wave\" >7. Wave<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#8_Bonsai\" >8. Bonsai<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-12\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#What_happened_to_the_original_tools\" >What happened to the original tools?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-13\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Comparison_table\" >Comparison table<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-14\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Why_it_matters\" >Why it matters<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-15\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#FAQ\" >FAQ<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-16\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#What_is_the_best_free_scheduling_tool_for_freelancers\" >What is the best free scheduling tool for freelancers?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-17\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Can_one_tool_do_scheduling_time_tracking_and_invoicing\" >Can one tool do scheduling, time tracking and invoicing?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-18\" href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2010\/11\/best-scheduling-tools-for-freelancers\/#Do_clients_need_an_account_to_book_me\" >Do clients need an account to book me?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_scheduling_and_booking_tools\"><\/span>Best scheduling and booking tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"1_Calendly\"><\/span>1. Calendly<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/calendly.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Calendly<\/a> lets clients pick a free slot from your calendar through a booking link, so you stop emailing back and forth. It syncs with Google and Outlook calendars, adds video meeting links and sends reminders. The free plan covers one event type.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"2_Calcom\"><\/span>2. Cal.com<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/cal.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Cal.com<\/a> is an open-source alternative to Calendly with a generous free plan for individuals, unlimited event types and payment collection through Stripe.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"3_Google_Calendar_appointment_schedules\"><\/span>3. Google Calendar appointment schedules<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>If you already use Google Workspace, <a href=\"https:\/\/calendar.google.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Google Calendar<\/a> has built-in booking pages. Basic booking pages are free with a personal Google account.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_time_tracking_tools\"><\/span>Best time tracking tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"4_Toggl_Track\"><\/span>4. Toggl Track<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Toggl was on our original list and is still one of the best. <a href=\"https:\/\/toggl.com\/track\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Toggl Track<\/a> has one-click timers on web, desktop, mobile and browser extensions, plus reports by client and project. The free plan suits most solo freelancers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"5_Clockify\"><\/span>5. Clockify<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Clockify<\/a> offers unlimited users and projects free, with timesheets, a timer and reports. Paid plans add invoicing.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Best_invoicing_and_billing_tools\"><\/span>Best invoicing and billing tools<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"6_FreshBooks\"><\/span>6. FreshBooks<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.freshbooks.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">FreshBooks<\/a> remains a favourite for freelancers who want invoicing, expenses, time tracking and online payments in one place. The old free plan is gone; it now offers a free trial and paid plans.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"7_Wave\"><\/span>7. Wave<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.waveapps.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Wave<\/a> has free invoicing and accounting, charging only for card payments and some add-ons. Availability of some features depends on your country.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"8_Bonsai\"><\/span>8. Bonsai<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.hellobonsai.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Bonsai<\/a> bundles proposals, contracts, time tracking and invoices made for freelancers.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_happened_to_the_original_tools\"><\/span>What happened to the original tools?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li><strong>MakeSomeTime<\/strong> &#8211; no longer available.<\/li>\n<li><strong>CurdBee<\/strong> &#8211; closed to new signups; its makers moved users to their newer app, Hiveage.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Blinksale<\/strong> &#8211; still offered as a small paid invoicing app, but newer tools do more.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Toggl<\/strong> and <strong>FreshBooks<\/strong> &#8211; both still going strong.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Comparison_table\"><\/span>Comparison table<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<table>\n<thead>\n<tr>\n<th>Tool<\/th>\n<th>Main job<\/th>\n<th>Free plan<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n<tbody>\n<tr>\n<td>Calendly<\/td>\n<td>Client booking<\/td>\n<td>Yes, limited<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Cal.com<\/td>\n<td>Client booking<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Toggl Track<\/td>\n<td>Time tracking<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Clockify<\/td>\n<td>Time tracking<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>FreshBooks<\/td>\n<td>Invoicing and accounting<\/td>\n<td>Trial only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Wave<\/td>\n<td>Invoicing and accounting<\/td>\n<td>Yes<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td>Bonsai<\/td>\n<td>Contracts and invoices<\/td>\n<td>Trial only<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_it_matters\"><\/span>Why it matters<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>As our guest author pointed out, poor scheduling, billing and time tracking can cost a freelancer three to five hours a week, or around 12 percent of billable time. Automating bookings, reminders and invoices gives those hours back. Need simple forms for client briefs too? See our list of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2009\/07\/create-online-forms\/\">free online form builders<\/a>, and set up <a href=\"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/2005\/12\/send-email-messages-in-future\/\">scheduled emails<\/a> for invoice reminders.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQ\"><\/span>FAQ<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_the_best_free_scheduling_tool_for_freelancers\"><\/span>What is the best free scheduling tool for freelancers?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>Cal.com and Calendly&#8217;s free plan are the easiest for client bookings. Toggl Track and Clockify are the best free time trackers.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_one_tool_do_scheduling_time_tracking_and_invoicing\"><\/span>Can one tool do scheduling, time tracking and invoicing?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>FreshBooks and Bonsai come closest. Many freelancers still prefer a dedicated booking tool alongside them.<\/p>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Do_clients_need_an_account_to_book_me\"><\/span>Do clients need an account to book me?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<p>No. Clients just open your booking link and choose a time.<\/p>\n<p><em>Originally written by guest author Sonia Mansfield, content editor for PsPrint.com and editor of the PsPrint Blog, and updated for 2026 by QuickOnlineTips.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Unless you have a natural knack for organisation, booking clients, tracking hours and sending invoices are the most tedious parts&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":53725,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_kad_post_transparent":"default","_kad_post_title":"default","_kad_post_layout":"default","_kad_post_sidebar_id":"","_kad_post_content_style":"default","_kad_post_vertical_padding":"default","_kad_post_feature":"","_kad_post_feature_position":"","_kad_post_header":false,"_kad_post_footer":false,"_kad_post_classname":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[44],"class_list":["post-16046","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-tips","tag-guest-posts"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16046","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/4"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=16046"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16046\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":65362,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/16046\/revisions\/65362"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/53725"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=16046"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=16046"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.quickonlinetips.com\/archives\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=16046"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}