BookingPress vs Amelia vs Bookly: Which Is the Best WordPress Booking Plugin?

If you run a service business on WordPress, an appointment booking plugin does the heavy lifting: it shows your availability, lets clients book and pay online, and cuts out the back-and-forth of phone and email scheduling. Three names dominate this space: BookingPress, Amelia, and Bookly.

All three are popular, capable, and trusted by tens of thousands of businesses. But they price and package their features very differently, and the right pick depends on your budget and how you like to work. This guide compares them in plain language so you can choose with confidence.

Quick answer: BookingPress vs Amelia vs Bookly

Short on time? Here is the summary:

• Best overall value: BookingPress — every premium add-on is included in one price, with no per-feature upsells and no booking commissions.
• Best design and events: Amelia — a polished, SaaS-like interface with strong appointment and event booking.
• Best low entry price: Bookly — the cheapest way in, especially on sale, though advanced needs can add up.

All three have a free version on WordPress.org, so you can test before you buy. Now let us look closer.

The three plugins at a glance

Here is a side-by-side view of the essentials. Confirm current prices on each official page before buying, since sale prices change often.

BookingPress

BookingPress, by Repute Infosystems, has grown fast and is now used by over 100,000 businesses in 140+ countries. Its biggest selling point is simple: you get everything in one price. Where some plugins charge extra for each advanced feature, BookingPress bundles 60+ premium add-ons at no extra cost, so there are no surprise upsells later.

On features, it is generous. You get unlimited appointments, services, and staff, a customizable booking form, and 22+ built-in payment gateways (PayPal, Stripe, Square, Razorpay, and many more). Notifications go out by email, SMS, and WhatsApp, and it integrates with Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars plus Zoom. Higher tiers add multi-location, recurring appointments, packages, gift cards, and dynamic “Happy Hours” pricing.

Pricing is clear. The free version covers the basics with PayPal payments. Paid plans start at $89/year (Standard) with a lifetime option from $229, then Professional at $139/year and Enterprise at $249/year for agencies. Every paid plan includes all payment gateways and integrations, and there are never any booking commissions.

Best for: Businesses that want every feature included, predictable pricing, and no per-add-on nickel-and-diming.

👉 Good Read: BookingPress Alternatives

Amelia

Amelia, by TMS, is one of the most established booking plugins, with 90,000+ active installs and a 4.9/5 rating on Capterra. It is known for a clean, modern interface that many reviewers say feels like a paid SaaS tool rather than a plugin. If a polished booking experience matters to your brand, Amelia is a strong choice.

Amelia handles both appointments and events well, which sets it apart. You can manage services, staff, locations, group bookings, recurring appointments, packages, and event ticketing, all from a visual dashboard with useful reporting. It integrates with Google, Outlook, and Apple calendars, plus Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, and builds forms with Elementor or Divi. The free “Lite” version even accepts payments through Square.

On price, Amelia sits in the mid-to-premium range. Paid plans come in Starter, Standard, Pro, and Elite tiers, sold annually or as a lifetime license. The Pro plan runs around $149/year and Elite around $259/year, with lifetime options priced higher (roughly $349 and up). Features are grouped by tier, so more advanced needs like the REST API or unlimited domains sit in the higher plans.

Best for: Businesses that want a beautiful interface and strong event booking, and are happy to pay a bit more for it.

Bookly

Bookly, distributed by Booking Technologies, has been around since 2014 and is trusted by 60,000+ businesses. Its free version on WordPress.org is popular, and its paid Pro plugin is one of the most affordable ways to unlock advanced booking, especially during its frequent sales.

Bookly covers the core booking workflow well: unlimited appointments, services, and staff, a customizable form, Google Calendar sync, WooCommerce compatibility, and Stripe and PayPal payments. Notifications go out by email, SMS, and WhatsApp. Its newer pricing tiers (Pro, Business, Ultimate) group features like deposits, recurring appointments, group booking, multi-location, packages, and events into each plan, and it also offers Bookly Cloud for notification credits.

On price, Bookly is the cheapest entry point. Pro is often on sale around $39/year (regular $99), Business around $69/year (regular $129), and Ultimate around $159/year (regular $199), with lifetime options available. Historically, Bookly sold many features as separate paid add-ons, so if you have advanced needs, check exactly what your chosen tier includes before buying, as costs can add up.

Best for: Small businesses and solo professionals who want the lowest starting price and mainly need core booking features.

👉 Good Read: Bookly Alternatives

Feature comparison: what matters most

Here is how the three compare on the things buyers ask about.

Ease of use. All three are no-code and beginner-friendly. Amelia is praised for the most polished, SaaS-like admin. BookingPress has a guided setup wizard and a clean interface. Bookly is straightforward and familiar.

Payments. BookingPress leads with 22+ built-in gateways. Amelia and Bookly cover the popular ones (PayPal, Stripe, and more), which is plenty for most businesses. None of the three charge booking commissions.

Add-ons and pricing model. This is the biggest difference. BookingPress includes all 60+ add-ons in every paid plan. Amelia groups features by tier. Bookly bundles by tier now but has an add-on history, so confirm what is included.

Events. Amelia has the strongest built-in event and ticketing tools. BookingPress and Bookly focus more on appointments, with event support in higher tiers.

Notifications. All three offer email, SMS, and WhatsApp. BookingPress includes these across paid plans; Bookly uses Bookly Cloud credits for some messaging.

Which booking plugin should you choose?

Here is the simple way to decide based on what you value.

Choose BookingPress if you want the best overall value. Because every add-on is included and there are no commissions, you get the most features for a predictable price, which suits growing businesses that do not want to buy features one at a time.

Choose Amelia if design and events matter most. Its interface is the most polished of the three, and its event ticketing is the strongest, making it ideal for brands that want a premium look or run workshops and classes.

Choose Bookly if you want the lowest entry price. It is the cheapest way to start, especially on sale, and works well if you mainly need core appointment booking and are watching your budget.

All three offer a free version, so the smartest move is to install and test your top two before paying.

Frequently asked questions

Final thoughts

BookingPress, Amelia, and Bookly are all excellent WordPress booking plugins — the difference is in value, design, and price. BookingPress wins on all-in-one value by bundling every add-on and gateway into one clear price. Amelia wins on polished design and event booking. Bookly wins on the lowest entry cost for core scheduling.

Shortlist the two that fit your needs, install their free versions, and book a test appointment on each. Whichever feels smoothest to set up and use will almost always be the right choice for your business.