TL;DR: Timergy does everything Doodle and When2Meet do, but better. Real-time updates, calendar integration on the free tier, surveys, task lists, chat, 41 languages, zero ads, zero tracking. And it’s cheaper than Doodle Pro.
Looking for a Doodle alternative or When2Meet alternative? This side-by-side comparison covers every feature that matters so you can pick the right scheduling poll for your group.
At a Glance
| Timergy | Doodle | When2Meet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best for | Group scheduling + decisions | Group polls | Quick availability |
| Free tier | Generous, ad-free | Limited, with ads | Fully free |
| Calendar sync | ✅ Free (5 providers) | ⚠️ Pro only (2 providers) | ❌ |
| Languages | 41 | ~10 | English only |
| Real-time | ✅ WebSocket | ❌ (refresh) | ❌ (refresh) |
| Mobile-friendly | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ |
| Pro price | ~$4/mo | ~$7/mo | n/a |
Group Scheduling Features
This is the core of any scheduling poll or meeting scheduler: finding a time that works for everyone. Participants can vote without an account, no sign-up required.
| Feature | Timergy | Doodle | When2Meet |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yes/Maybe/No voting | ✅ | ✅ | ❌ (available/unavailable only) |
| Real-time updates | ✅ WebSocket | ❌ (refresh) | ❌ (refresh) |
| Auto-finalization | ✅ Deadline-based | ✅ | ❌ |
| Calendar conflict detection | ✅ Free | ⚠️ Pro only | ❌ |
| Vote pre-fill from calendar | ✅ | ❌ | ❌ |
| Write events to calendar | ✅ Pro | ❌ | ❌ |
| Chat on polls | ✅ With effects | ❌ | ❌ |
| Anonymous polls | ✅ | ✅ | ✅ |
| Notifications | ✅ Email, SMS, Telegram, Push | ✅ Email only | ❌ None |
| Ad-free | ✅ Always | ❌ Free has ads | ✅ |
Key differences: Doodle locks calendar sync behind their ~$7/mo paywall and shows ads on every free poll your participants see. When2Meet has no calendar integration, no notifications, no mobile support, and hasn’t been updated in years.
Buddy Groups: When2Meet, But Automatic
This is Timergy’s killer feature for recurring groups. Think of it as When2Meet on autopilot.
Instead of creating a new poll every week, Buddy Groups continuously find the best time for your group based on everyone’s connected calendars. And it’s free for up to 5 people.
| Feature | Timergy Buddy Groups | When2Meet |
|---|---|---|
| Automatic weekly matching | ✅ Calendar-based | ❌ Manual every time |
| Availability heatmap | ✅ Visual overview | ✅ (basic grid) |
| Connected calendars | ✅ Google, Outlook, iCloud, CalDAV | ❌ |
| Host rotation | ✅ Round Robin | ❌ |
| Weekly email digest | ✅ | ❌ |
| Group chat | ✅ With emoji effects | ❌ |
| Multi-week cycles | ✅ (every 2, 3, 4 weeks) | ❌ |
| Minimum quorum | ✅ (not all must attend) | ❌ |
Free tier: 1 buddy group, up to 5 members, all features included. Pro: More groups, larger groups. Smart scaling: 1 Pro member per 6 members. A group of 11 needs just 1 Pro member, a group of 17 needs 2.
Weekly game nights, sports meetups, team lunches: set it once, it works forever.
Beyond Time Slots
No other group scheduling tool offers:
- Survey polls: “Which restaurant?” “What theme?” with images and locations per option
- Task lists: “Who brings what?” with capacity limits and suggestions
- Follow-up questions: Attach surveys or tasks to any scheduling poll. Find the date, then vote on the location, then assign tasks. All linked with shared chat.
Calendar Integration
| Provider | Timergy | Doodle |
|---|---|---|
| Google Calendar | ✅ Free | ✅ Pro (~$7/mo) |
| Microsoft Outlook | ✅ Free | ✅ Pro (~$7/mo) |
| iCloud | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| CalDAV (Nextcloud, etc.) | ✅ Free | ❌ |
| ICS feeds | ✅ Free | ❌ |
Timergy supports 5 calendar providers for free. Doodle charges for 2.
Privacy: Zero Tracking
| Timergy | Doodle | When2Meet | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Analytics tracking | ❌ None | ✅ Extensive | ✅ Basic |
| Ads | ❌ Never | ✅ Free tier | ✅ Minimal |
| Cookie banner | ❌ Not needed | ✅ Required | ❌ |
| Data hosting | 🇨🇭 Switzerland | 🇺🇸 US | 🇺🇸 US |
Timergy is GDPR compliant without needing a cookie banner because there is simply nothing to consent to. When you share a Timergy poll, your participants see a clean, ad-free, tracking-free page. No cookie popups, no banners.
The Verdict
Doodle was the pioneer of group scheduling, but it’s become bloated with ads and paywalls. Features that should be free (calendar sync, deadlines) are locked behind ~$7/month.
When2Meet is fast and free, but frozen in time. No calendar integration, no mobile support, no notifications, English only.
Timergy combines the best of both: the polling simplicity of Doodle with the zero-friction spirit of When2Meet, then adds real-time updates, calendar integration, surveys, task lists, buddy groups, and 41 languages. All without ads or tracking. And at ~$4/month, Pro is cheaper than Doodle.
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