If you're deciding between When2Meet and Doodle for group scheduling, the short answer is: both get the job done, but both have real frustrations. When2Meet's interface hasn't changed since 2007 and barely works on mobile. Doodle's free tier is loaded with ads and now requires participants to create accounts. Here's an honest breakdown — and a third option worth considering.
When2Meet pioneered the availability grid format and it's still widely used — especially in academic settings. The core idea is solid: pick a time range, share the link, everyone fills in their availability on a grid. The problem is the product hasn't kept up. The interface is difficult to use on a phone, there's no timezone detection, no email notifications, and results get hard to read with more than a handful of respondents.
Doodle went the opposite direction — it became a real business, which means the free tier has gotten worse each year. Participants now need to create a Doodle account to respond. The free plan shows ads throughout the voting experience. You're limited to one active poll at a time on free. Forcing people to sign up for a third-party service just to say they're free Thursday afternoon kills response rates.
Most group scheduling is simple: pick a few dates, share a link, see who's free. You don't need a SaaS product with a pricing tier for that. WhenWorks was built for exactly this — fast to create, no account required to vote, no ads, works on mobile. Free for 10 polls a month.
| Feature | WhenWorks | Doodle |
|---|---|---|
| No sign-up to vote | Yes | Required on Doodle |
| Mobile-friendly voting | Yes | Poor on When2Meet |
| Ad-free experience | Yes | No on Doodle free |
| Timezone detection | Yes | No on When2Meet |
| Yes / Maybe / No voting | Yes | Doodle yes / When2Meet no |
| Date + time slot polling | Yes | Both support dates |
| Email notifications | Yes | Doodle yes / When2Meet no |
| Free to use | 10 polls/mo | Yes (both, with limits) |
Free to start. No credit card. Your participants never need an account.
Try WhenWorks Free — No Sign-Up to Vote