If scheduling meetings feels like herding cats, you’re not alone. For freelancers, small teams, and anyone who’s tired of email ping-pong, connecting your booking tool to your calendar is a game changer. This guide walks you through linking Calendly with Google Calendar — so you can skip the back-and-forth and actually get stuff done.
You’ll get plain-English steps, a few honest warnings, and no fluff. Whether you’re brand new to Calendly or you’re moving your workflow over from another tool, here’s how to avoid the usual headaches.
Why bother integrating Calendly with Google Calendar?
Let’s get this out of the way: you don’t have to connect these two. But if you don’t, you’ll be stuck updating your availability manually and double-checking your schedule every time someone books with you. That’s a fast track to missed meetings and embarrassing double-bookings.
By integrating Calendly with Google Calendar:
- Your availability updates automatically (no more “oops, I forgot I had a dentist appointment”).
- Bookings appear instantly on your calendar.
- You can prevent people from booking over your existing events.
- You’ll look like you actually have your act together.
It’s not magic, but it’s close.
Step 1: Set up your Google account (the right way)
Let’s start with the basics. You need a Google account — preferably the one you actually use for meetings. If you have multiple Google accounts (work, personal, that one you made in college), pick the one you want people to see your availability on.
Pro tips: - If your work uses Google Workspace, use that account. - Don’t use a shared family or old throwaway account. Trust me, it gets messy.
If you haven’t already, sign in to Google Calendar at calendar.google.com.
Step 2: Create your Calendly account (or sign in)
Go to Calendly and sign up, or log in if you already have an account.
Calendly’s free plan is decent and lets you connect one calendar. If you need to connect multiple calendars (say, both work and personal), you’ll need a paid plan. For most individuals, the free tier is enough to get started.
Step 3: Connect Google Calendar to Calendly
Here’s where the magic happens — but don’t rush. Small mistakes here can cause big headaches later.
- In Calendly, go to ‘Account’ > ‘Calendar Connections.’
- This is usually in the top menu under your profile picture.
- Click ‘Connect Calendar’ and select ‘Google Calendar.’
- Sign in with your Google account.
- If you’re already signed in to multiple Google accounts, double-check you’re picking the right one.
- Grant permissions.
- Calendly will ask to “see, edit, share, and permanently delete all the calendars you can access using Google Calendar.” That sounds scary, but it just means it can add and update events for you. It doesn’t actually delete stuff unless you delete it from Calendly.
- Choose which calendars to check for conflicts.
- You can pick which of your Google calendars Calendly “reads” to see when you’re busy.
- You’ll also pick which calendar new bookings land on.
What to watch out for: - If you have privacy concerns, remember: Calendly only checks for “busy” or “free” times, not event details (unless you tell it otherwise). - Connecting multiple Google accounts can cause confusion. Stick to one, unless you really need more.
Step 4: Set your scheduling availability
Now that your calendars are talking, it’s time to set when people can book with you.
- Go to ‘Event Types’ in Calendly.
- You’ll see default options like 15min, 30min, or 60min meetings.
- Click into an event type or make a new one.
- Set your available days and times.
- For example: Monday to Friday, 9am–5pm.
- Adjust advanced rules if you need them.
- Buffer times before/after meetings.
- Minimum scheduling notice (so someone can’t book a meeting with you in 5 minutes).
- Maximum number of meetings per day.
Keep it simple. Don’t try to account for every possible scenario right away. Start with your normal work hours, then tweak as you go.
Step 5: Test your setup (before sharing your link)
Here’s where most people trip up: they set everything up, send their booking link to clients or coworkers, and then realize it doesn’t work the way they thought.
Do this instead:
- Open your Calendly booking link in an incognito window.
- Try to book a meeting with yourself.
- Check that:
- Times you’re actually busy (per Google Calendar) are blocked off.
- New bookings pop up instantly in your Google Calendar.
- Notifications and confirmations are working.
If something’s off, double-check: - Which Google account is connected. - Which calendars you've chosen for conflict checking. - Your event type availability settings.
Step 6: Share your Calendly link
Once you’re happy with your setup, it’s time to share your link. You can:
- Copy your main booking link and paste it into emails, your website, or social profiles.
- Use custom event links for specific meeting types.
- Add your link to your email signature for extra convenience.
A note of caution:
Don’t plaster your Calendly link everywhere unless you’re ready for strangers to book your time. If you want more control, set up approval workflows or only send the link when requested.
Step 7: Fine-tune your notifications and calendar settings
Calendly can send email and calendar invites automatically — but the defaults might not fit your style.
- Check notification settings for both you and your guests.
- Do you want reminders? How soon before the meeting?
- Do you want SMS notifications? (Paid plans only.)
- Decide if you want events to show as “busy” or “free.”
- By default, booked slots will show as “busy” on Google Calendar, which is usually what you want.
Pro tip:
If you get lots of spam or no-show meetings, consider requiring approval or using a short intake form in your event types. It won’t stop all the flakes, but it helps.
Step 8: Handle multiple calendars (if you must)
Calendly’s free plan connects to one Google account/calendar. If you need to check two calendars for conflicts (say, work and personal):
- Upgrade to a paid plan.
- Connect both calendars under “Calendar Connections.”
- Choose all the calendars you want Calendly to check for conflicts.
- Pick one calendar as the “home” for new bookings.
Be honest:
If you’re juggling tons of calendars, things can get tangled. Sometimes, it’s easier to consolidate — or at least keep your main meetings on one calendar.
What works, what doesn’t, and what to ignore
What works well:
- One-way sync is fast and reliable for most people.
- Booking links make scheduling less painful.
- Integrations with Google Meet and Zoom are straightforward.
What doesn’t:
- Two-way sync with multiple Google accounts can be fussy.
- Calendly can’t read your shared calendars unless they’re added to your Google account.
- If you delete or move an event directly in Google Calendar, Calendly sometimes gets confused.
What to ignore:
- Don’t overcomplicate things with too many event types or rules.
- All the “AI-powered” scheduling hype — Calendly’s core features are what actually save you time.
Wrapping up: Keep it simple, and tweak as you go
Integrating Calendly with Google Calendar isn’t rocket science, but small mistakes can trip you up. Start simple: connect your main calendar, set your hours, and test your setup. Most people don’t need fancy workflows. If something’s not working, double-check your connections before diving into advanced settings.
There’s no perfect setup — but the less time you spend wrangling your calendar, the more time you can spend on work that actually matters. Set it up, test it, and adjust as you go. You’ll thank yourself later.