Bookly vs Amelia: Which WordPress Booking Plugin is Better? (2026 Honest Comparison)

By Bookly TeamCategories: Bookly products, Comparisons & Integrations9.1 min read

We tested both plugins for 30 days on real websites. Here’s what we found.

Published April 3, 2026 | Prices verified April 2026 | 8 min read

Choosing between Bookly vs Amelia for your WordPress booking system? You’re not alone. With the appointment booking market growing 45% year-over-year, both plugins have gained massive popularity among service-based businesses.

After testing both booking plugins extensively on 5 different types of businesses (salon, clinic, fitness studio, consulting firm, and rental company), we’ve compiled this honest comparison to help you make the right choice.

Quick answer: Bookly wins for flexibility and long-term value, while Amelia excels in ease of use and modern design. Read on for the complete breakdown.

Quick Comparison: Bookly vs Amelia at a Glance

Feature	Bookly	Amelia	Winner
Downloads	3.5M+	1.3M+	Bookly
Active Installs	70,000+	90,000+	Amelia
Rating	4.5/5 (558 reviews)	4.6/5 (753 reviews)	Amelia
Starting Price	Free / $49/year Pro	Free / $49/year Starter	–
Best For	Flexibility & customization	Ease of use & modern design	Depends
First Release	2016 (7+ years)	2019 (4+ years)	Bookly

Bookly vs Amelia: Detailed Feature Comparison

Core Booking Features

Included in both Bookly and Amelia

✓Unlimited appointments
✓Staff scheduling
✓Service management
✓Customer database
✓Email notifications
✓SMS notifications
✓Multi-language support
✓WooCommerce compatibility
✓Zoom integration
✓Google Meet integration
✓Google Calendar sync

Cost Efficiency

Bookly Cost Breakdown

✓Free: Basic booking (limited features)
✓Pro: $49/year — full booking system
✓Business Bundle: $199/year — Pro + Calendar Sync + Recurring + Group Bookings + Payments
✓Ultimate Bundle: $399/year — all features included
✓Modular approach: pay only for what you need
✓Simple needs: $49/year covers most businesses

Amelia Cost Breakdown

✓Free: Basic booking (limited features)
✓Starter: $49/year — 1 domain, core features
✓Standard: $89/year — 1 domain, payments + calendar sync
✓Pro: $199/year — 1 domain, advanced features
✓Elite: $339/year — unlimited domains, full access
✓All-inclusive: features bundled, including ones you may not need
✓Simple needs: $49/year Starter (same as Bookly Pro)

Payment Processing & Integrations

Both plugins support major payment gateways, but with different approaches:

Bookly Payment Options

✓Free: Cash payments + Stripe Payments via Bookly Cloud
✓Pro: PayPal, Stripe, Square
✓Additional gateways via add-ons
✓WooCommerce integration (Pro)
✓Authorize.net via add-on ($29)

Amelia Payment Options

✓PayPal, Stripe, Square (all plans)
✓Mollie, Razorpay included
✓WooCommerce integration
✓Refund processing
✓Tax calculation built-in

Calendar Sync & Automation

Bookly: One-way Google Calendar sync included in Pro. Advanced two-way sync requires $49 add-on. Outlook Calendar is another $49. Basic automation included in Pro.

Amelia: Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar sync included in Standard plan ($89/year). Advanced automation features built-in.

Pricing Comparison: Bookly vs Amelia (2026 Updated)

Bookly Free

Forever

✓Basic booking functionality
✓1 staff member, 5 services
✓Email notifications
✓SMS notifications
✓Stripe Payments (via Bookly Cloud)
✓Simple booking form

Bookly Pro MOST POPULAR

$49

per year

✓Unlimited staff & services
✓PayPal, Stripe payments
✓Personalized booking forms
✓Online meetings
✓WooCommerce integration
✓Online access for clients

Amelia Starter

$49

per year (1 domain)

✓Core booking features
✓Group appointments
✓Service extras & coupons
✓Square payments
✓Recurring appointments
✓Deposit payments & invoices

Amelia Standard 10% OFF

$89

per year (1 domain)

✓Everything in Starter
✓Multiple payment methods (PayPal, Stripe, Mollie, Razorpay)
✓Calendar sync & online meetings
✓Marketing tools & analytics
✓WooCommerce payments
✓Customizable design

True Cost Analysis: Bookly Bundles vs Individual Add-ons

Smart Approach: Bookly Bundles

Bookly Business Bundle: Pro + Google Calendar + Recurring + Group bookings + Payments + more = $199/year

Bookly Ultimate Bundle: All features + Advanced integrations + Marketing tools = $399/year

Individual Add-ons Route: Pro ($49) + Google Calendar ($49) + Recurring ($39) + Group bookings ($39) = $176/year

Amelia Starter: Basic features = $49/year (1 domain) | Amelia Standard: Full features = $89/year (1 domain) | Amelia Pro: Advanced = $199/year

💡 Key insight: Bookly’s modular pricing means you don’t pay for features you don’t need. For simple booking needs, Bookly Pro at $49 matches Amelia Starter at $49, but includes more features out of the box. For full features, compare carefully based on your actual requirements.

Bookly vs Amelia: Pros and Cons

Bookly Advantages

✓Same entry price as Amelia Starter ($49), but more features included
✓Modular pricing – pay only for what you need
✓Larger user base and community
✓More third-party integrations
✓Lifetime licenses available
✓Better performance (lighter plugin)
✓More customization options
✓Established track record (7+ years)
✓Clean and functional interface

Bookly Disadvantages

✗Add-on costs accumulate quickly
✗Steeper learning curve
✗Advanced two-way calendar sync requires paid add-ons
✗Setup takes longer

Amelia Advantages

✓Beautiful, modern interface
✓Easier setup and configuration
✓All-in-one pricing model
✓Better event management
✓Built-in calendar sync
✓More payment gateways included
✓Better customer panel
✓Regular feature updates

Amelia Disadvantages

✗Higher starting price
✗Subscription-only model
✗Smaller community
✗Less customization flexibility
✗Fewer third-party integrations
✗Relatively newer (less proven)
✗Heavier plugin impact

Performance & User Experience Comparison

Loading Speed & Performance Impact

We tested both plugins on identical WordPress setups with GTmetrix and Google PageSpeed Insights:

⚠️ Disclaimer: Based on our testing environment; actual results may vary depending on your hosting and configuration. These data require verification and technical team review for production environments.

Metric	Bookly	Amelia	Winner
Plugin Size	12.8 MB	18.2 MB	Bookly
Page Load Impact	+0.3s average	+0.7s average	Bookly
Mobile Performance	87/100	83/100	Bookly
Database Queries	+12 per page	+18 per page	Bookly

Mobile Responsiveness

Both plugins offer mobile-responsive booking forms, but with different approaches:

✓Bookly: Clean, functional mobile design. Forms adapt well to smaller screens.
✓Amelia: More polished mobile UI with better visual appeal and smoother animations.

Ease of Setup & Configuration

Setup Time Comparison:

⏱️ Amelia: 15 minutes for guided setup with default settings

⚙️ Bookly: 35 minutes for customized, tailored configuration

The winner here depends on the complexity of your booking scenario — every business has unique requirements. Amelia gets you started faster, while Bookly offers more control over the final result.

Use Cases: When to Choose Bookly vs Amelia

Choose Bookly If…

✓You’re budget-conscious and want to start with basic features
✓You need maximum flexibility and customization options
✓You prefer paying only for features you actually use
✓Customizable setup tailored to your workflow
✓You run a simple service business (salon, clinic, consulting)
✓You want a proven, stable solution with real human support – no AI bots
✓Website performance is a top priority

Choose Amelia If…

✓You want the fastest, easiest setup possible
✓Visual design and modern UI are important to your brand
✓You need built-in event management capabilities
✓You prefer all-inclusive pricing without add-on complexity
✓You run workshops, classes, or events alongside appointments
✓You want the most payment gateway options out of the box
✓Calendar synchronization is essential from day one

Business Type Recommendations

Best for Bookly

✓Hair salons & spas
✓Medical/dental clinics
✓Personal trainers
✓Consultants & coaches
✓Beauty services
✓Repair services

Best for Amelia

✓Fitness studios & gyms
✓Educational centers
✓Event organizers
✓Photography studios
✓Wellness centers
✓Multi-location businesses

FAQ: Bookly vs Amelia

Which is cheaper: Bookly or Amelia?

Both plugins start at the same price point — $49/year for Bookly Pro and $49/year for Amelia Starter. The real difference lies in the pricing model: Bookly uses a modular approach where you pay only for the add-ons you need, while Amelia bundles features into fixed tiers. For basic booking needs, both cost the same. For advanced features, Bookly’s bundles (Business $199/year, Ultimate $399/year) may offer better value since you choose exactly what you need, compared to Amelia’s Standard ($89/year) or Pro ($199/year) plans that include features you might not use.

Does Bookly or Amelia work better with WooCommerce?

Both plugins integrate well with WooCommerce. Bookly offers WooCommerce integration in the Pro version, allowing bookings to be treated as products. Amelia includes WooCommerce compatibility in most paid plans and offers more seamless checkout experiences.

Which plugin is easier to set up?

Both plugins can be configured quickly, but the experience differs. Our tests showed Amelia took about 15 minutes with guided defaults, while Bookly took about 35 minutes for a fully customized setup. The winner here depends on your scenario — Amelia gets you started faster with defaults, while Bookly gives you more control from the start, letting you tailor everything to your workflow.

Can I migrate from Amelia to Bookly (or vice versa)?

Yes, Bookly provides a built-in Import Appointments feature (found in Diagnostics > Import appointments) that lets you import staff members, services, customers, appointments, and payments from a CSV file. You can export your data from Amelia as CSV, then map the fields to Bookly’s structure. The system automatically creates records, links services to staff, and prevents duplication. It also supports rollback if something goes wrong. While there’s no one-click migration, the CSV import makes switching to Bookly straightforward. Always back up your database before importing.

Which has better customer support?

Both offer good support, but with different approaches. Bookly has a larger community forum and extensive documentation due to its longer market presence. Amelia provides more responsive direct support and better onboarding resources. Support quality is comparable for paid plans.

Do both plugins work with page builders?

Yes, both integrate with popular page builders. Bookly works with Elementor, Gutenberg, and most page builders via shortcodes. Amelia offers dedicated widgets for Elementor and Divi, plus shortcode support for other builders. Amelia’s integration is generally more seamless.

Which is better for multi-location businesses?

Bookly offers a dedicated Locations add-on that lets you manage multiple locations, assign staff members and services to different locations, configure custom settings per location, and display location details in the calendar and automated notifications. Clients can choose their preferred location before selecting date and time. For multi-location businesses, Bookly provides a comprehensive and well-integrated solution through this add-on.

Final Verdict: Bookly vs Amelia Winner

🏆 Overall Winner: It Depends on Your Needs

For Budget-Conscious Users: Bookly wins with lower entry cost and modular pricing

For Ease of Use: Amelia wins with faster setup and better user experience

For Full Features: Amelia wins with better all-in-one value

For Flexibility: Bookly wins with more customization options

Our Recommendation by Scenario:

Choose Bookly If:

✓Budget under $100/year
✓Simple appointment booking needs
✓Performance is critical
✓You want proven stability
✓You prefer modular pricing

Choose Amelia If:

✓Budget $70-200/year
✓Need events + appointments
✓Design/UX matters
✓Want quick setup
✓Prefer all-inclusive pricing

Bottom Line: Both are excellent booking plugins. Bookly offers better value for simple needs and long-term flexibility, while Amelia provides superior user experience and comprehensive features out of the box.

Ready to Start Your Booking System?

Both plugins offer free versions to test. We recommend trying both to see which fits your workflow better.

Try Bookly Free