TLDR (Summary)
The best scheduling software for agencies is Plutio ($19/month).
Agencies coordinating meetings across multiple client accounts need scheduling that connects to relationships and projects. Plutio provides booking pages, team availability management, and client-linked calendar events in one platform.
Research shows professionals attend 25.6 meetings per week, causing constant context switching. Self-service booking eliminates email back-and-forth entirely.
What is scheduling software for agencies?
Scheduling software for agencies is software that coordinates meetings, manages team availability, and connects calendar events to client relationships and project work.
The distinction matters: calendar tools track events, scheduling software coordinates availability and enables self-service booking. Agency scheduling adds the connection to client accounts and project context.
What agency scheduling actually does
Core functions include managing team member availability and calendars, providing booking pages for client self-service scheduling, coordinating meetings across multiple team members, integrating with external calendars (Google, Outlook), and connecting scheduled events to client accounts and projects.
Calendar apps vs scheduling software
Tools like Google Calendar track events but require manual coordination. Clients email asking for availability, you check calendars, propose times, wait for responses, and repeat. Scheduling software like other tools or Plutio eliminates this by showing available slots and letting clients book directly.
What makes agency scheduling different
Agencies coordinate across multiple team members serving multiple clients. A single project might involve account manager calls, creative reviews, and strategy sessions with different participants. Agency scheduling handles multi-person availability while tracking which meetings belong to which client relationships.
When scheduling connects to client accounts, meeting history becomes part of relationship context. Account managers see not just upcoming calls but complete meeting history with each client.
Why you need scheduling software
Agencies without proper scheduling lose hours weekly to email coordination, miss meeting opportunities due to slow responses, and lack visibility into how time gets allocated across accounts.
The coordination overhead problem
Research shows takes considerable time of email back-and-forth on average. Agencies with 20+ client meetings weekly lose entire workdays to coordination that self-service booking would eliminate.
What breaks without proper scheduling
- Meeting coordination overhead: "When are you free?" emails consume significant time daily
- Missed opportunities: Slow responses mean prospects book elsewhere or lose momentum
- Double-booking risk: Multiple team members checking separate calendars creates conflicts
- No meeting context: Calendar events exist but don't connect to client relationships
- Time allocation blindness: Hard to see how meeting time distributes across accounts
The team coordination challenge
Agency meetings often require multiple participants: account manager plus creative director, or internal team plus client clients and team members. Finding times that work for everyone manually is exponentially harder with each additional person.
Scheduling software with team calendars shows overlapping availability across participants. Book multi-person meetings without the coordination dance.
Scheduling features agencies need
The essential scheduling features for agencies handle multi-person coordination while connecting to client relationships and project context.
Core scheduling features
- Booking pages: Shareable links where clients self-select available times
- Calendar sync: Two-way sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, iCal
- Availability rules: Set working hours, buffer times, and booking windows
- Meeting types: Different durations and settings for different meeting purposes
- Automatic reminders: Email/SMS reminders to reduce no-shows
- Timezone handling: Automatic timezone detection and conversion
Agency-specific features
- Team scheduling: Coordinate availability across multiple team members
- Round-robin assignment: Distribute meetings across available team members
- Client account linking: Connect meetings to specific client relationships
- Project association: Link meetings to relevant projects for context
Platform features that multiply value
- Client portals: Booking embedded in branded client portal experience
- Meeting notes: Capture notes that stay connected to client records
- Video integration: Auto-generate Zoom/Meet links for virtual meetings
- Custom branding: Booking pages match your agency brand
The deciding factor for agencies is relationship connection. Scheduling that links to client accounts and projects provides meeting context beyond standalone calendar events.
Scheduling software pricing for agencies
Scheduling software for agencies typically costs $10-20 per user per month for standalone tools, with costs adding up as team grows.
What agencies typically pay for stacked tools
You piece together multiple subscriptions:
- Scheduling: a booking app ($10-16/user), a scheduling app ($23-46/month), Booking applications ($12-20/user)
- CRM: a CRM (Free-$800+/month), Salesforce ($25-300/user)
- Project management: a project app.com ($12-24/user), General project management software ($10.99-24.99/user)
A 10-person agency spends $200-500/month on scheduling plus tools it needs to connect to.
Plutio pricing (January 2026)
- Core: $19/month - Complete scheduling with CRM, project management, time tracking, invoicing, and client portals
- Pro: $49/month - Unlimited clients, 30 team contributors, advanced permissions, priority support
- Max: $199/month - Unlimited contributors, advanced reporting, white-label portals
The ROI calculation for agencies
If self-service booking saves 15 minutes per meeting, and your agency books 40 client meetings monthly:
- Time saved: 40 meetings x 15 minutes = 10 hours/month
- Value: 10 hours/month in recovered team capacity
- Tool cost: $19-99/month for complete platform
When comparing scheduling costs, include the value of connected systems. Standalone scheduling saves coordination time but separate CRM and project tools add integration overhead.
Why Plutio is the best scheduling software for agencies
Plutio handles scheduling as part of a complete platform where proposals, contracts, projects, time tracking, and clients communication work together rather than as separate tools that need manual connection.
Complete workflow integration
When a client accepts your proposal, Plutio can automatically create the project, set up the scheduling schedule based on milestone payments, and prepare the contract for signing. When they sign, setup tasks generate. When you track time on agency work, those hours attach to the project. When a milestone completes, the action triggers. Every step connects to the next without copying data between systems.
White-label everything
Use your own domain (clients.yourstudio.com instead of plutio.com/yourusername). Upload your logo, set your brand colors and typography. Every client-facing touchpoint shows your brand: proposals, contracts, invoices, portals, emails, receipts. clients never see "Plutio" or any indication you're using third-party software. Brand perception matters for agencies because professional appearance affects perceived value and justifies premium pricing.
Unified inbox for all clients communication
When a client messages about a campaign, responds to a proposal, approves work, or asks about billing, the message appears in one inbox. Reply directly without opening email. The conversation history stays attached to that client's record, so months later when they return, you have full context.
Granular permissions
Control exactly who sees what at the level that makes sense for your business. Contractors see only their assigned work. clients see their portal and documents. Neither sees your internal notes, profit margins, or other clients data.
No-code automations
Create rules that trigger actions without your involvement. Common agencies automations include: send reminders before due dates, notify you when a client views a proposal, create follow-up tasks when items are overdue, send welcome emails when contracts are signed. Set up once during initial configuration, runs continuously without attention.
Native integrations for agencies workflows
Connect Stripe and PayPal for payments with no additional configuration. Sync Google Calendar or Outlook for scheduling. Add Zoom links to booked calls automatically. Push financial data to accounting software or Leading bookkeeping tools for accounting. Use Zapier to connect 3,000+ other apps. Plutio handles the core workflow while integrating with specialized tools where deeper functionality is needed.
Buffer time between meetings
Configure automatic buffer time before and after meetings. Prevent back-to-back scheduling that leaves no time for preparation or follow-up. Protect your focus time while remaining available for clients.
Everything runs from one app with your branding, your terminology, and your workflow logic. Instead of switching between 5-8 different tools to manage one client, you operate from a single platform designed to handle the complete service business lifecycle.
Calendar Integration
Sync with Google Calendar or Outlook to see all commitments in one view and prevent double-booking. Changes sync both ways so your schedule stays accurate across platforms.
How to set up scheduling in Plutio
Setting up scheduling in Plutio takes 30-60 minutes for initial configuration, with booking pages ready to share with clients immediately after.
Step 1: Configure your availability (10-15 minutes)
Set your standard working hours, meeting durations, and buffer times between appointments. Configure any blocked dates or recurring unavailable times.
Step 2: Create meeting types (15-20 minutes)
Set up different meeting types for different purposes:
- Discovery call: 30 minutes for initial conversations
- Project review: 60 minutes for detailed work discussion
- Quick sync: 15 minutes for brief updates
- Team meeting: Multi-participant internal coordination
Step 3: Connect calendars
Link Google Calendar, Outlook, or other calendars for two-way sync. Events created in Plutio appear on external calendars. External events block availability in Plutio booking pages.
Step 4: Set up video integration
Connect Zoom or Google Meet for automatic link generation. Each scheduled meeting gets a unique video conference link without manual creation.
Step 5: Share booking pages
Share booking links directly or embed in client portals. Test by booking a meeting with yourself to verify the experience.
Start with your most common meeting type. Add additional meeting types as needs emerge. Over-engineering meeting options upfront creates confusion for clients.
Meeting templates for agencies
Standardizing meeting types with templates keeps consistent scheduling experiences and appropriate time allocation for different meeting purposes.
Recommended meeting templates for agencies
- Discovery call: 30 minutes, video or phone, for initial conversations with prospects
- Kickoff meeting: 60-90 minutes, video, for project launch with key clients and team members
- Creative review: 45-60 minutes, video with screen share, for presenting work
- Status update: 30 minutes, video or phone, for regular check-ins
- Strategy session: 90 minutes, video or in-person, for planning and direction
- Approval meeting: 30-45 minutes, video, for sign-off on deliverables
Meeting type configurations
- Duration: Standard length for this meeting type
- Buffer: Time before/after for preparation and wrap-up
- Advance notice: How far ahead clients can book
- Cancellation policy: When rescheduling is no longer allowed
- Questions: Information to collect before the meeting
- Confirmation: Custom messaging after booking
Different meeting types deserve different settings. Discovery calls might allow same-day booking; strategy sessions might require a week's notice. Configure templates to match actual needs.
Client portals for scheduling
A client portal with embedded scheduling gives clients a branded destination to book meetings alongside their project and billing information.
Scheduling in client context
When scheduling lives in the portal, clients don't need separate links or external tools. They access the same destination for project status, documents, invoices, and booking new meetings. One unified relationship hub.
Appropriate meeting types by client
Configure which meeting types appear for which clients. Active project clients see status update options. Prospects see discovery calls. Different relationships have different scheduling needs.
Meeting history visibility
Clients see their scheduled upcoming meetings and past meeting history in their portal. Creates transparency about engagement and makes rescheduling easy.
Reducing scheduling friction
The fewer steps to book, the more likely clients schedule needed meetings. Portal-embedded scheduling eliminates hunting for booking links and presents availability in context.
Portals transform scheduling from external links to embedded relationship features. Clients experience booking as part of working with you, not as third-party tool navigation. Meeting context improves because clients book from within their relationship hub where project history and communication threads provide relevant background for upcoming discussions. Scheduling becomes part of the client experience rather than a separate administrative step requiring external tools, separate logins, and disruptive context switching between multiple different platforms and various different apps
How to migrate scheduling to Plutio
Migration from another scheduling software typically takes 3-5 hours of active work spread over a weekend, with the best time to switch being between campaigns rather than mid-delivery when you have active clients commitments.
Step 1: Export from your current tool
Most scheduling software provides CSV export for clients data and document archives. Here's what to export from common tools:
- a booking app: Export clients and campaigns data from Settings or Reports. Download important documents manually.
- a scheduling app: Export contacts and history from Reports section. Download transaction history for reference.
- Cal.com: Export clients list and campaigns data. Use the data export feature for complete records.
Step 2: Build templates in Plutio (2-3 hours)
Use your exported content as reference to create new templates. Start with the campaign type you use most frequently. Recreate 2-3 core templates initially rather than trying to migrate every document you've ever created. Focus on forward-looking workflows, not historical archives.
Step 3: Set up integrations (30 mins)
Connect payment processing (Stripe, PayPal), calendar sync (Google Calendar, Outlook), and accounting software (accounting software, Leading bookkeeping tools). Test each integration with a sample transaction to make sure data flows correctly before relying on it for real clients work.
Step 4: Import clients data (30 mins)
Upload your clients CSV to Plutio. Map fields appropriately (name, email, company, phone, address). For active clients with ongoing campaigns, create their records. For historical clients you may never work with again, consider whether import is necessary.
Step 5: Run parallel for new work
Use Plutio for all new clients engagements while keeping the old system active for campaigns already in progress. Running parallel avoids the complexity of migrating mid-campaign work and gives you time to learn the new system on fresh campaigns. As active campaigns on the old system complete, those clients transition to Plutio for future work.
Step 6: Phase out the old tool
Once all active campaigns on your old system complete (typically 30-60 days), cancel that subscription. Maintain read-only access to historical records if the tool allows, or export final archives before cancellation.
Common migration pitfalls to avoid
- Trying to migrate everything: Focus on active clients and forward-looking workflows. Historical data can remain in archives.
- Switching mid-campaign: Finish in-progress work on the old system. Start new clients on Plutio.
- Not testing integrations: Verify payment processing works with a real (small) transaction before relying on it.
- Skipping the learning curve: Use the first 2-3 campaigns as deliberate learning opportunities.
The investment in migration pays back in time saved on every future campaign, proposal, and clients interaction. Plan for a weekend of setup and a few weeks of adjustment, then benefit from simplified workflows going forward.
