Microsoft Bookings is included with eligible Microsoft 365 plans and fits teams that live in Outlook and Teams. Calenix suits small teams with mixed calendars that want payments and client-facing pages. Here is how to choose.
Quick answer
If your small team already runs on Microsoft 365, works in Outlook and meets in Teams, Microsoft Bookings is a natural choice because it is included with eligible plans and creates Teams meeting links automatically. If your team uses a mix of Google, Outlook and Apple calendars, works with clients on several video platforms, or wants paid bookings, landing pages and digital cards in one place, Calenix is likely the better fit.
What each tool is built for
Microsoft Bookings is Microsoft's scheduling tool for organisations on Microsoft 365. It offers personal booking pages for individuals and shared booking pages with staff, services and business hours. It works inside Outlook and Teams and on the web, stores data in Exchange Online and generates Teams meeting links for appointments. It does not have a standalone price; it comes with eligible Microsoft 365, Office 365 and Teams plans.
Calenix is an independent scheduling and professional-presence workspace. It connects to Google, Outlook and Apple iCloud calendars, supports Zoom and Microsoft Teams, and combines booking pages, date polls, reminders and team scheduling with landing pages, service pages, digital business cards, email signatures and LinkDock.
Feature comparison
Based on official documentation and pricing pages at the time of writing (October 2026):
| Feature | Calenix | Microsoft Bookings |
|---|---|---|
| How you get it | Free plan or Calenix subscription | Included with eligible Microsoft 365, Office 365 and Teams plans |
| Calendars | Google (two-way), Outlook, Apple iCloud | Outlook and Exchange Online |
| Video meetings | Zoom and Microsoft Teams | Microsoft Teams links created automatically |
| Team booking pages | Shared availability, round robin, collective meetings (Professionals) | Shared Bookings pages with staff, services and business hours |
| Payments | Paid bookings and deposits via Stripe (paid plans) | Built-in payment collection not described in Microsoft's documentation |
| Notifications | Email; advanced reminders and workflows on paid plans | Email; SMS with conditions (see below) |
| Group scheduling polls | Date polls on every plan | Not described in the Bookings overview |
| Landing pages, digital cards, email signatures | Included | Not listed |
Inside Microsoft 365 or across mixed calendars?
The biggest factor is your existing setup. If every team member has a Microsoft 365 licence and uses Outlook, Bookings slots in neatly. Appointments land in Outlook calendars, Teams links appear automatically and IT can manage everything within the Microsoft admin environment.
Many small teams are not that tidy. A five-person marketing agency in Brisbane might have two staff on Google Workspace, contractors on personal Outlook accounts and a founder who uses Apple Calendar. Microsoft's documentation does not describe Google or Apple calendar sync for Bookings. Calenix lists Google Calendar with two-way sync, Outlook and Apple iCloud, so a mixed team can share availability without moving everyone to one platform.
Setup and ownership also differ. Bookings is usually switched on and governed by whoever manages your Microsoft 365 tenant, which suits organisations with an IT partner. Calenix can be set up by the team itself, with admin controls and team templates on the Professionals plan to keep event types consistent as people join. Neither approach is better in every case; it depends on who will maintain the system day to day.
Video meetings and client preferences
Bookings is built around Teams, which is ideal when clients are comfortable joining Teams calls. If some clients prefer Zoom, Calenix supports both Zoom and Microsoft Teams, generating links automatically for each booking.
Time zones are another everyday issue for small teams with international clients. Calenix detects each visitor's time zone on the booking page. Our guide on how to schedule meetings across time zones explains how to avoid the most common mistakes, whichever tool you use.
Reminders and SMS
Bookings sends email notifications. According to Microsoft's documentation, SMS notifications require the customer to have a US, Canada or UK phone number, and text notifications for Virtual Appointments now require Teams Premium. That may be a limitation for teams with clients elsewhere, including Australia.
Calenix sends email confirmations and basic reminders on its free plan, with advanced reminders and workflows, including follow-ups, on paid plans. It does not list SMS reminders. Our article on appointment reminder email templates has wording you can adapt for either tool.
Payments and client-facing pages
Small teams that charge for consultations need a way to collect payment at booking. Microsoft's Bookings documentation does not describe built-in payment collection, so check current Microsoft guidance or plan on a separate process. Calenix supports paid bookings and deposits through Stripe on its Individual plan and above.
Calenix also gives each team member a digital business card and a centrally managed email signature, and lets the team publish landing pages and service pages. For a small accounting practice, that means each accountant's card and signature can point straight to their booking page, with consistent branding across the team.
Pricing compared
Pricing as described on official pages at the time of writing (October 2026). Check current pricing with each vendor before deciding.
- Calenix (AUD): Free at A$0; Individual at A$12 per month billed annually or A$15 monthly; Professionals from A$29 per month billed annually with unlimited users and configurable usage; Enterprise on quote.
- Microsoft Bookings: no standalone price. It is included with eligible plans, including Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Business Standard and Business Premium, several Microsoft 365 and Office 365 enterprise, education, frontline and government plans, and Teams Essentials and Teams Premium. Check Microsoft's current pricing for your region.
If you already pay for an eligible Microsoft plan, Bookings adds no extra licence cost, which is a real advantage.
Where Microsoft Bookings is the stronger choice
Bookings is stronger for teams fully committed to Microsoft 365. There is no extra licence to buy if you already have an eligible plan, it works inside Outlook and Teams, data stays in Exchange Online, and IT can manage it centrally alongside other Microsoft services.
Where Calenix is the stronger choice
Calenix is stronger for small teams with mixed calendars, clients who use Zoom as well as Teams, or a need for paid bookings and deposits. It also brings round robin, collective meetings and date polls together with landing pages, digital cards and email signatures, so the team presents one consistent brand. For sales-focused teams, our guide to scheduling software for sales teams covers what else to check.
Frequently asked questions
Is Microsoft Bookings free?
Bookings has no separate price, but it requires an eligible Microsoft 365, Office 365 or Teams plan, such as Microsoft 365 Business Basic, Standard or Premium. If you already have one, it adds no extra licence cost.
Does Microsoft Bookings work with Google Calendar?
Microsoft's Bookings documentation describes Outlook and Exchange Online integration and does not describe Google Calendar sync. Calenix lists two-way Google Calendar sync alongside Outlook and Apple iCloud.
Which suits a small team with clients in Australia?
Both can work. Note that Microsoft's documentation limits Bookings SMS to customers with US, Canada or UK numbers. Calenix uses email reminders and workflows and supports both Zoom and Teams.
Next step
List the calendars and video tools your team and clients actually use, then test a shared booking on each platform. Start free with Calenix or check Calenix integrations to confirm it fits your stack.