7 Best Reviews of a Consultation Booking Chat for Financial Advisors

Calendly has become synonymous with effortless scheduling, offering a clean, intuitive interface that lets prospects book meetings directly from a chatbot or embedded widget. The platform supports calendar sync across Google, Outlook, and Office 365, automatically detecting open slots and eliminating back‑and‑forth emails. Calendly’s event types can be customized to include buffer times, location links, and personalized questions, all of which are captured automatically and stored in the invitee’s record. For financial advisors, Calendly provides a number of valuable features: the ability to set up a "Consultation" event type with a default 30‑minute slot, integration with Zoom or Teams for virtual meetings, and the option to add a pre‑meeting questionnaire that can pre‑populate client data. The platform also offers a “one‑click” scheduling link that can be embedded in email signatures or chat widgets, ensuring clients can book at their convenience. While Calendly excels at simplicity and reliability, it lacks the advanced AI capabilities of dedicated chatbot platforms. Its analytics are limited to basic scheduling metrics, and there is no built‑in knowledge base or lead qualification workflow. Pricing tiers range from a free basic plan to a paid "Premium" plan at $13/month per user, and a "Teams" plan at $12/month per user for larger organizations.

Acuity Scheduling offers a robust scheduling platform that goes beyond basic booking. With deep integration into Google, Outlook, and iCloud calendars, it automatically updates availability in real time. Advisors can create multiple appointment types, each with its own duration, location, and custom intake forms. Acuity’s pre‑booking questionnaire feature allows clients to provide essential financial information before the meeting, which can be used to tailor the consultation. The platform also supports payment collection through Stripe and PayPal, enabling advisors to charge for initial consultations directly within the booking flow. Custom branding options let you upload logos, choose color schemes, and add custom CSS to ensure the booking page reflects your firm’s identity. Acuity’s mobile app lets users view and manage appointments on the go. Acuity’s pricing includes a free plan with limited features and paid tiers: Essentials at $15/month, Premium at $25/month, and Enterprise at $50/month, all billed annually. While Acuity offers a solid, feature‑rich scheduling experience, it lacks AI‑driven chat capabilities and advanced lead qualification tools.

Bookafy is a cloud‑based scheduling solution that focuses on user experience and automation. Its interface automatically suggests optimal meeting times based on participants’ calendars and offers a range of booking pages that can be embedded into websites or shared via social media. Bookafy supports integrations with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, making virtual meetings seamless. For advisors, Bookafy offers features like pre‑meeting surveys, payment collection, and the ability to set up recurring appointments. The platform also provides detailed reporting on booking activity, cancellations, and no‑shows, allowing advisors to adjust their outreach strategies. Custom branding options include logo upload, color customization, and domain‑whitelisting. Pricing tiers include a free plan with basic features, a Pro plan at $12/month for advanced booking pages and analytics, and a Business plan at $25/month for unlimited bookings and advanced integrations.

HoneyBook is designed for creative professionals but is increasingly adopted by financial advisors who require a comprehensive client‑management workflow. The platform combines project management, invoicing, contracts, and scheduling into a single dashboard. Advisors can create custom “Consultation” templates that include intake forms, payment options, and scheduled follow‑up tasks. HoneyBook’s scheduling engine syncs with Google and Outlook calendars, offering real‑time availability and automated reminders. The platform’s built‑in email templates allow advisors to send personalized booking confirmations and follow‑up messages. Additionally, HoneyBook offers a mobile app, allowing advisors to manage appointments and contracts on the go. Pricing starts with a free trial, after which plans range from $25/month for the "Creator" tier, $50/month for the "Business" tier, and $125/month for the "Agency" tier.

Setmore offers a free, cloud‑based scheduling platform that focuses on simplicity and community features. Advisors can create multiple booking pages, each with custom branding, and integrate them into websites or via a chat widget. Setmore supports Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams for virtual meetings and can auto‑send email and SMS reminders. The platform’s dashboard provides real‑time updates on upcoming appointments, cancellations, and no‑shows. Setmore also offers a basic CRM that tracks client interactions and notes. For advisors requiring more advanced features, Setmore offers a paid plan at $12/month that unlocks additional customization, payment collection, and advanced reporting. Setmore’s user interface is intuitive, making it easy for advisors to set up booking pages without technical expertise.

SimplyBook.me is a versatile booking platform that offers extensive customization options through a drag‑and‑drop interface. Advisors can create branded booking pages, set up appointment types, and collect payment via Stripe or PayPal. The platform supports integration with Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams, ensuring that virtual consultations run smoothly. SimplyBook.me also provides marketing tools such as email campaigns, push notifications, and coupon management. It includes a basic client portal where advisors can store appointment history and documents. The platform’s analytics dashboard tracks booking trends, no‑shows, and revenue, helping advisors refine their outreach. Pricing ranges from a free plan with core features to a Premium plan at $49/month for unlimited bookings, advanced marketing tools, and priority support.