Looking for information about Cronofy and wondering if it's the right calendar tool for you? You've landed in the right place. In this guide, we'll break down what Cronofy is, how the calendar connector works, what it costs, and how it compares to Zeeg – a more user-friendly scheduling alternative that might save you both headaches and money.
What is Cronofy?
Cronofy is a calendar integration platform that helps businesses connect their scheduling systems with various calendar services. Founded in the UK with offices in Nottingham, London, and Amsterdam, Cronofy works as a behind-the-scenes service that syncs calendars across different applications.
Think of Cronofy as the plumbing that connects your calendar apps together. It's not the bathroom fixture you interact with – it's the pipes hidden in the walls making sure everything flows properly. This makes it different from scheduling tools you might be more familiar with.
Unlike standard scheduling tools that simply send calendar invites, Cronofy establishes real-time connections between calendars and business applications. When something changes in one calendar, that change appears in all connected systems.
Key features of the Cronofy calendar connector
- Their Calendar API serves as the core technology for synchronization.
- They also provide a Scheduler that can be embedded into websites.
- Enterprise Connect offers a secure way for employees to link calendars without exposing sensitive details.
- Smart Invite helps create calendar events that update automatically, while their real-time availability feature gives access to up-to-date free/busy information.
How does Cronofy work?
Cronofy works through its API-based Calendar Connector. This system creates secure connections between business applications and calendar services like Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and Apple Calendar.
The Calendar Connector lets applications read events from calendars, create new events, update existing ones across platforms, and delete events everywhere. It can check free/busy status in real-time and handle scheduling across time zones.
For developers, Cronofy provides tools to implement these connections without building everything from scratch. This is why Cronofy is often described as a "developer tool" rather than an end-user application.
Security features
Cronofy takes data security seriously. They use OAuth 2.0 authentication and don't permanently store calendar data. They're GDPR compliant and ISO 27001 certified. With end-to-end encryption and detailed permission controls, they've built a system that appeals to large companies and organizations in regulated industries.
How businesses use Cronofy
Cronofy has found its niche in specialized business applications rather than as a tool regular people use directly:
Recruitment and hiring
One of Cronofy's main use cases is in recruitment. The platform helps automate interview scheduling and coordinates panel interviews with multiple interviewers. It integrates with applicant tracking systems, reduces scheduling work for recruiters, and lets candidates self-schedule based on real availability.
Customer success teams
For customer-facing teams, Cronofy enables self-service appointment booking and automatic assignment of meetings to team members. It integrates with CRM systems, sends reminders for upcoming appointments, and provides rescheduling options that respect everyone's availability.
Sales teams
Sales organizations use Cronofy to improve meeting scheduling with prospects and coordinate team selling efforts. It integrates calendar data with sales CRMs, tracks meeting-related activities, and provides round-robin scheduling for lead distribution.
Extensive integration capabilities
One of Cronofy's strongest features is its wide range of integrations with business software. The platform connects with over 75 applicant tracking systems, which makes it especially valuable for recruitment teams.
ATS integrations
Cronofy works with popular applicant tracking systems including:
- Greenhouse
- SmartRecruiters
- Lever
- SuccessFactors
- iCIMS
- BambooHR
- Workday
- Teamtailor
- PageUp
- Pinpoint
This capability allows recruiters to schedule interviews directly within their ATS workflow as it eliminates the need to switch between different platforms.
Video conferencing integrations
The platform automatically handles video meeting creation with popular platforms:
- Zoom
- Microsoft Teams
- Webex
- Google Meet
- Whereby
- BrightHire
When a meeting is scheduled, Cronofy generates the appropriate conference link and adds it to the calendar invitation.
CRM and business tool connections
For customer-facing teams, Cronofy connects with these business tools:
- Salesforce
- HubSpot
- Zendesk
- Microsoft Dynamics
- Custify
Browser extensions and authentication
Cronofy also offers practical tools to enhance calendar functionality:
- Browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Outlook, and Firefox
- Single sign-on (SSO) through Okta and other providers
- Integrations for Lever, Zoom, Zendesk, HubSpot, and many more tools
This broad integration ecosystem is one of the main reasons larger enterprises choose Cronofy despite its complexity and cost.
Cronofy pricing: How much does it cost?
Cronofy uses a tiered pricing structure that scales with organization size and features needed. Looking at their pricing plans can help you understand the investment required for implementation.
Their Scheduler has a Team plan at $15 per active user per month, which works well for smaller organizations just getting started with scheduling automation. For more advanced needs, the Business plan is priced at $799 per month, offering additional features like custom branding options, advanced automation, and business integrations. The Enterprise plan at $2,999 per month provides enterprise-ready integrations and advanced reporting features.
For those looking to build custom scheduling functionality, Cronofy's API plans start at $819 per month for the Emerging plan, which includes unlimited API calls and two-way calendar sync. The Growth plan at $2,399 per month adds Enterprise Connect and supports higher volumes. The Strategic plan requires contacting sales for custom pricing.
Additional services or features may incur separate charges:
- Active Scheduler Accounts: $15.00 each per month (Business plan)
- Synced Accounts: $0.69 each per month (Emerging API plan)
- Smart Invites: $0.06 each per month
- Application Calendars: $0.14 each per month
Cronofy follows a "pay for active users" model, meaning you're only charged for users who are actually using the system rather than paying for unused seats. This can be advantageous for organizations with fluctuating usage patterns.
Zeeg: A user-friendly scheduling alternative
While Cronofy focuses on powerful API-based calendar integration, Zeeg takes a different approach by providing an immediately usable, end-to-end scheduling solution. Let's have a look at what Zeeg offers and how it might fit your business needs.
Key features of Zeeg
✅ Calendar integration. Zeeg connects directly with popular calendar services including Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Office 365, ensuring your availability is always up-to-date.
✅ Customizable booking pages. Create professional booking pages that reflect your brand, with options to customize colors, logos, and text to match your company's visual identity.
✅ Team scheduling. Coordinate availability across team members, with options for round-robin scheduling that distributes meetings fairly among team members.
✅ Routing forms. Qualify leads and direct them to the right team member based on their responses to custom questions to make sure that the right person handles each meeting.
✅ Automated workflows. Set up reminders, follow-ups, and confirmation emails to keep everyone informed about upcoming appointments.
✅ Payment collection. Collect payments at the time of booking, ideal for consultants, coaches, and service providers who charge for their time.
✅ Video conferencing integration. Automatically generate meeting links for Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, and other platforms when appointments are booked.
✅ GDPR compliance. All data is hosted on European servers with end-to-end encryption, which makes compliance with privacy regulations easy and simple.
Cronofy vs. Zeeg: Why Zeeg might be better for you
While Cronofy offers powerful calendar connectivity, it's not the right solution for everyone. Zeeg provides a more accessible alternative with these advantages:
⭐️ It's simple to use. Cronofy is mainly a developer tool that requires technical knowledge to implement. You'll need developers to set it up and maintain it. Zeeg, on the other hand, is designed for immediate use without technical expertise. You can create a booking page in minutes, not weeks, and start scheduling right away.
⭐️ It's cost effective. Cronofy's pricing is structured for enterprise needs, with huge platform fees for the Business and API plans. This pricing model makes sense for large organizations with complex requirements, but may be challenging for smaller businesses. Zeeg offers a more accessible pricing structure, starting with a free plan and scaling up to affordable paid options. This makes it possible for businesses of any size to implement quality scheduling without tons of upfront investment.
⭐️ It has a built-in scheduling interface. With Cronofy, you're essentially getting the pipes, not the faucets – you'll need to build your own scheduling interfaces or integrate with other tools. Zeeg provides ready-to-use, professionally designed booking pages that look great right out of the box. No development needed!
⭐️ It offers direct calendar integrations. While Cronofy excels at complex calendar integrations, Zeeg offers direct, hassle-free connections to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Office 365. For most businesses, Zeeg's simple calendar integrations provide everything needed without the complexity.
⭐️ It's GDPR compliant with European hosting. Both platforms take privacy seriously, but Zeeg goes further by hosting all data on European servers with end-to-end encryption. This is especially important for businesses that operate in Europe or have European clients.
Making an informed decision
As we've explored throughout this article, Cronofy offers powerful calendar integration capabilities for organizations with complex scheduling needs and technical resources. Its extensive integration ecosystem, API-first approach, and enterprise-grade features make it a strong contender for large organizations and businesses with specialized requirements.
For enterprises needing deep integration with applicant tracking systems, robust calendar synchronization across multiple platforms, and the flexibility to build custom scheduling experiences, Cronofy provides the powerful foundation needed to create sophisticated scheduling workflows.
The decision to implement Cronofy should be based on a careful assessment of your organization's specific needs, available technical resources, and long-term scheduling strategy. While the implementation process requires significant investment in both time and resources, businesses with complex scheduling requirements often find that Cronofy's capabilities justify the investment.
Whether you choose Cronofy or an alternative like Zeeg depends entirely on your unique business context. By understanding what Cronofy offers and how it compares to alternatives, you can make a confident decision about the right scheduling solution for your organization.
Regardless of which path you choose, implementing the right scheduling solution can transform how your business manages appointments, improving efficiency and creating better experiences for both your team and your customers.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) about Cronofy
What exactly is Cronofy?
Cronofy is a calendar integration platform that helps businesses connect their scheduling systems with various calendar services like Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, and Apple Calendar. It works as a behind-the-scenes service that syncs calendars across different applications through its API.
Is Cronofy different from scheduling tools like Calendly?
Yes, Cronofy is primarily an API and integration platform rather than an end-user scheduling tool. While services like Calendly or Zeeg provide ready-to-use scheduling interfaces, Cronofy focuses on providing the underlying calendar connectivity that developers can use to build custom scheduling solutions.
Do I need to be a developer to use Cronofy?
For most Cronofy implementations, yes. Since Cronofy is primarily an API-based service, you'll typically need development resources to integrate it with your existing systems. Their Scheduler product offers some user-friendly features, but still requires technical setup. If you don't have development resources, a solution like Zeeg might be more appropriate.
How much does Cronofy cost?
Cronofy's pricing starts at $15 per active user per month for their Scheduler Team plan. Their Business plan is $799 per month, and Enterprise is $2,999 per month. For API plans, pricing starts at $819 per month for the Emerging plan and goes up to $2,399 for the Growth plan. The Strategic plan requires contacting sales for custom pricing.
What integrations does Cronofy support?
Cronofy integrates with over 75 applicant tracking systems (like Greenhouse, Lever, and Workday), video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Teams, Webex), CRM tools (Salesforce, HubSpot), and more. It also offers browser extensions for Chrome, Edge, Outlook, and Firefox.
How long does it take to implement Cronofy?
Implementation time varies based on complexity, but typically takes several weeks to months. The process includes planning, technical setup, integration development, UI development, testing, and deployment. Organizations with experienced development teams can implement faster than those without technical resources.
Is Cronofy GDPR compliant?
Yes, Cronofy is GDPR compliant and emphasizes data security. They use OAuth 2.0 authentication, don't permanently store calendar data, and have ISO 27001 certification. They also provide end-to-end encryption and detailed permission controls.
What's the difference between Zeeg and Cronofy?
Zeeg is an end-to-end scheduling solution that provides ready-to-use booking pages and requires no technical expertise to implement. Cronofy is an API-first calendar integration platform that requires development resources to implement. Zeeg is designed for immediate use, while Cronofy provides building blocks for custom scheduling solutions.
Who uses Cronofy?
Cronofy is used by enterprises and organizations that need advanced calendar integration. Companies like Wise, Personio, Zillow, and Criteo use Cronofy to automate their scheduling processes. It's particularly popular among companies with high-volume recruiting needs and those building custom scheduling features into their own software
