Comparison

A free alternative to Cowlendar for Shopify booking

Cowlendar is a mature, highly-rated booking app (4.9 stars, 2,000+ reviews, Built for Shopify). If you need its deep feature set for rentals, group booking, or multi-day reservations, it's an excellent choice. If your need is simpler, appointments with calendar sync without paying for the basics, here's the difference.

Add to Shopify
SMS Reminder
Cowlendar
Bookings
Unlimited, free
5 / month on free
Google Calendar sync (free)
Included
Not on free plan
SMS reminders
Included free
Paid
Deposits
Once live
Paid
Reviews / maturity
New
4.9, 2,000+, Built for Shopify
Starting price
Free — no paid plan
$13.99/mo

Comparison compiled July 2026 from publicly available information. Cowlendar may have updated their plans, pricing, or features since. Please verify current details on their listing before deciding.

Where Cowlendar is strong
Breadth of booking types: rentals, multi-day, and group booking
Large review base and the Built for Shopify badge
An established support team
Where SMS Reminder wins
Unlimited bookings, free, not capped at 5 a month
Two-way Google Calendar sync included free, not paywalled
SMS reminders and confirmations included free, not a paid add-on

Who should pick which

Choose Cowlendar

If you run complex rental or event catalogs today and need multi-day, group, or reservation-style booking.

Choose SMS Reminder

If you want straightforward appointment booking with free calendar sync and SMS reminders included.

FAQ

Common questions

Is it really free? +

Yes. Unlimited bookings, two-way Google Calendar sync, and SMS reminders and confirmations are all included at no cost. No per-booking caps and no paid plan.

Do I need to code? +

No. Add the booking button to any page and set your availability.

Does it work on mobile? +

Yes, customers can book on desktop or mobile.

Can clients reply to the reminder? +

Yes. Clients reply to confirm or cancel — or tap the link in the reminder. To reschedule, they pick a new time on the booking page.

How does calendar sync work? +

Two-way: bookings appear on your Google Calendar, and times you block on your calendar become unavailable on the store.

Try the free tier for yourself