Koalendar Reviews (2026): Pros, Cons, and Is It Safe for Therapists?

Koalendar has gained popularity as a "simple, forever free" alternative to Calendly. It's clean, easy to use, and works great for teachers and casual coffee chats. But does it hold up for a professional mental health practice?

TL;DR: The Verdict

• Best for: Casual networking, teachers, freelancers.
• Pros: Very generous free plan, unlimited appointments, clean UI.
• Cons: No native HIPAA compliance features reported, limited intake forms, basic payments.
• For Therapists: Not recommended due to lack of BAA and privacy controls.

What is Koalendar?

Koalendar is a lightweight scheduling tool designed to be the "simplest" booking software. It focuses on Google Calendar integration and offers a fuss-free interface.

The Good (Pros)

1. Generous Free Tier

Unlike Calendly, which limits you to one event type on the free plan, Koalendar lets you create unlimited appointment types for free. This is a huge plus for budget-conscious users.

2. Clean Design

The booking page is minimalist and modern. It doesn't look "clunky" like some older schedulers (looking at you, Acuity 2015).

3. Fast Setup

You can literally set up a booking page in 2 minutes. It strips away all the complex settings that confuse new users.

The Bad (Cons for Therapists)

1. Privacy & HIPAA Issues

As of 2026, Koalendar does not prominently advertise a Business Associate Agreement (BAA) for HIPAA compliance. For a therapist, using non-compliant software for client data (even just names/emails) is a major risk.

2. Weak Intake Forms

You can ask a few custom questions, but you can't build complex forms with checkboxes, consent waivers, or conditional logic needed for clinical intake.

3. "Powered By" Branding

The free plan has heavy branding. It looks less professional to send a link that screams "I use free software" when charging $150/hour for therapy.

Who Should Use Koalendar?

• Life Coaches (Non-Clinical): If you don't touch PHI and just need simple booking, it's a steal.
• Tutors/Teachers: Perfect for office hours.
• Recruiters: Great for phone screens.

Who Should Avoid It?

• Psychotherapists/Counselors: Lack of HIPAA guarantees makes it a specific non-starter.
• Group Practices: It lacks team management features like round-robin assignment.

Best Alternatives for Therapists

1. OnlyCaly

Built specifically for therapy/coaching.

• Pros: HIPAA-friendly architecture, discreet calendar titles (privacy), intake forms, and lower cost than Calendly enterprise.
• Price: Free plan available; Pro is €6.99/mo.

2. SimplePractice

A full EHR (Electronic Health Record).

• Pros: Does everything (notes, billing, scheduling).
• Cons: Expensive ($30-$100/mo). Overkill if you just need scheduling.

3. Calendly (Enterprise)

• Pros: Industry standard.
• Cons: Expensive ($15,000/yr) to get the BAA for HIPAA compliance.

FAQ

Does Koalendar sync with Outlook? Yes, it supports Google and Outlook calendars.

Can I collect payments on Koalendar? Yes, on the Pro plan ($6.99/mo), you can integrate Stripe to collect payments.

Is Koalendar cheaper than Calendly? Yes. Koalendar Pro is generally cheaper than Calendly Professional, and its free plan is more generous.

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Need a Therapist-Specific Scheduler? Skip the generic tools. OnlyCaly offers the simplicity of Koalendar but with the privacy and features (intake forms, discreet notifications) that therapists actually need.