Do you recall the last time you booked something over the phone? It feels outdated now. Today, your clients expect the ease of online booking. And if you do not offer it, chances are they will choose someone who does.
In fact, research from GetApp shows that over 70% of customers prefer to book appointments online, and that a staggering 94% would choose a new service provider if online booking were available. So, if you don’t offer online booking yet, chances are your customers might prefer someone who does.
If you run a spa, yoga studio, coaching practice, or car center, allowing your clients to book online saves time and fills your calendar faster. In this guide, we will walk you step by step through how to set up your own booking website. At the end of this guide, you will discover a free tool that makes creating booking pages and meetings simple.
What businesses need an online appointment booking system?
Almost every service-based business can benefit from an online booking system. If your clients call, email, or message you to reserve a spot, you will save time and gain more bookings by moving online. Here are some examples:
Salons, spas, and fitness studios
Whether it is a haircut, massage, or yoga class, clients love being able to book and pay online at any time.
Schools, universities, and tutors
Within the education sector, students may need to book resources, office hours with lecturers, tutoring sessions, or parent-teacher meetings. You can read more about how Koalendar scheduling software for education supports all educational institutions in these challenges.
Hotels and vacation rentals
Guests can see availability, choose their dates, and pay securely before arriving.
Healthcare providers
For clinics, dentists, or therapists, booking sites reduce hold times and free up reception staff. They also allow patients to complete forms in advance, saving time during visits.
Event planners and venues
Whether it’s a wedding venue or a photography studio, having an instant booking option cuts down on email chains and speeds up the decision-making process.
Niche services
Dog groomers, tattoo artists, driving instructors... If your business takes appointments, you will see the benefits of moving online.
11 must-have features of a booking website
Building a booking website is not just about looking good — it is about making the whole process simple for you and your clients. The right features save time, reduce no-shows, and keep your calendar running smoothly. To help you focus on what really matters, here are the 11 must-have features every online booking system should include, along with the key benefit of each.
| Why it matters for our Busines | |
| User friendly booking pages | A clean design with short forms and clear buttons makes it easy for clients to book services like haircuts, yoga classes, or coaching sessions. |
| Calendar integrations | Sync with Google, Outlook, or iCal to prevent double bookings and keep all your schedules up to date. |
| Flexible payment options | Offer deposits, recurring payments, and digital wallets so clients can pay the way they prefer. |
| Automated confirmations and reminders | Reduce no-shows with instant confirmations and automatic reminders sent by email or SMS. |
| Customization options | Add questions, set appointment lengths, and send personalized reminders that feel human, not generic. |
| Recurring and group bookings | Support loyal clients with recurring sessions and manage group bookings with attendee limits and calendar sharing. |
| Buffer times between appointments | Avoid burnout by adding breaks between appointments so you can reset and stay on top of your day. |
| Time zone detection | Essential for online coaches and consultants: clients in any region see the correct availability automatically. |
| Team scheduling | Coordinate multiple staff schedules without spreadsheets, keeping everything in one system. |
| Video meeting integrations | Automatically add Zoom, Google Meet, or Teams links to virtual bookings with no extra steps. |
| Built in reliability with Koalendar | Koalendar gives you all these features for free, so you can focus on clients while your booking system runs in the background. |
How to make a booking website for free with Koalendar
As promised, here’s how to create a booking page for free with Koalendar’s free forever plan. Koalendar is an online booking system that gives you unlimited booking pages, calendar sync, and reminders. It works for any service business, and you can set it up in just minutes. Let us show you the steps so your business can start booking appointments and services.
1. Sign up for free
Create a Koalendar account using this link. The free plan gives you unlimited booking pages, calendar sync, and essential features, and no credit card is needed.
2. Create your first booking page
From the dashboard, click “New Booking Page.” Give it a clear title (for example, “Spa Treatments” or “Coaching Sessions”), set appointment lengths, and add buffer times if you need breaks between clients. You can also adjust your availability for holidays or special events, ensuring your schedule always reflects real life.
If you’d like to go deeper, Koalendar’s help center shows you how to use booking pages for rooms, locations, or resources, as well as a full guide on managing booking pages with advanced options.
3. Set your availability
Decide when clients can book you by choosing the days and hours you want to offer. You can add recurring time slots (for example, every weekday from 9am to 5pm) or block out holidays and personal days so your calendar always reflects your real schedule.
The software also lets you add buffer times between appointments — a few extra minutes before or after each booking. This is especially useful if you need time to prepare for the next client, clean a treatment room, or simply take a short break.
4. Sync with your calendars
Connect Google, Outlook, or iCal to keep all appointments in sync automatically. Built-in time zone detection ensures clients around the world see the correct times.
5. Customize the booking experience
Add form questions to collect the info you need, like service type or special requests. You can also set up automatic confirmations and reminders by email or SMS to reduce no-shows and keep clients informed.
For more customization options, check out Koalendar’s guide on managing booking pages, which walks you through adding form fields, setting reminders, and tailoring the booking flow. If you are ready to share your page with clients, here’s how to get and share your booking page link.
6. Publish and share
Preview your booking page, then publish. Share the link in your email signature, on social media, or embed it on your website for a seamless client experience.
For example, if you have a WordPress website, you can embed Koalendar directly with a shortcode or widget so clients never leave your site to book. Here’s the WordPress setup guide.
Not on WordPress? The same process works with other CMS platforms like Wix or Squarespace. You simply need to drop your link or embed code, and your booking page will be live.
Tips for managing your booking website
Launching your booking website is only the first step. To keep it running smoothly and ensure it continues to attract clients, here are some practical tips for managing it over time.
Keep services and availability up to date
Clients expect your booking website to reflect reality. A salon owner updating seasonal services like “summer hair treatments” or a tutor adjusting hours for school holidays ensures customers always see what is truly available. Outdated information can frustrate clients and lead to missed bookings.
Use booking limits to stay in control
If you run a coaching business, taking too many sessions in a single day can lead to burnout. With Koalendar, you can set daily, weekly, or monthly booking limits so your schedule stays manageable. Here’s how to set booking limits in the app.
Make the most of reminders and confirmations
According to the U.S. Department of Health, missed appointments cost the healthcare industry over $150 billion a year. Automated reminders help prevent that. A therapist might send SMS reminders 24 hours before an appointment, while a yoga studio may send friendly confirmation emails right after booking. Both keep clients engaged and reduce no-shows.
Test your booking page on mobile
According to TekRevol, as of April 2025, mobile devices drive about 59.7% of global website traffic.. Imagine a client trying to book a manicure or reserve a fitness class on their phone — if the form is too long or the buttons too small, they may give up. Always test your booking page on iOS and Android to ensure the process is smooth.
Handle cancellations with flexibility
Life happens. Instead of losing the business, let clients reschedule easily. A driving instructor might allow students to move lessons without penalty, keeping their calendar full while maintaining goodwill.
Conclusion
Creating a booking website does not need to be stressful or technical. Once it is live, it works in the background, giving you back hours every week while your clients enjoy the freedom to book at any time. Whether you run a spa, teach classes, or coach clients, the right booking system makes your business feel more professional and easier to work with.
With the scheduling software Koalendar, you do not need coding skills or expensive software. You can set up unlimited booking pages, sync your calendars, and send reminders — all for free, forever.
