EVENT SOFTWARE COMPARISON
Check Cherry vs SimplyBook.me
SimplyBook.me is a flexible appointment scheduler for service businesses like salons, clinics, and studios. Check Cherry is built for events. Here's an honest look at which one fits your business.
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Check Cherry, rated by real event pros
Built to grow with you
Most Check Cherry businesses started as a side hustle. As they grew, added staff, took on more events, and offered more services, Check Cherry grew with them. The platform has been shaped by ten years of feedback from businesses just like yours.
An appointment scheduler can book a time slot, but it won't grow into full event management, with contracts, deposits, travel fees, and packages.
Switching systems later is painful, so it's worth getting right the first time. A few dollars a month is small next to your client experience and the hours back in your week. Invest in the system built for where you're headed, not just where you are today.
The differences that actually matter
Both handle online booking, payments, and deposits. The real question is whether you book appointments or run events. Here's where they differ.
| Check Cherry | SimplyBook.me | |
|---|---|---|
| Built for | Event pros (DJ, booth, bar, photo, venue) | Appointments across service industries |
| Booking model | Multi-hour events & packages | Time-slot appointments |
| E-signed contracts | Built in | Not built in |
| Travel fees & mileage | Built in | Not built in |
| Flex pricing (peak dates, weekday rates) | Built in | Not built in |
| Built-in expense tracking | Built in | Not built in |
| Connect Claude or ChatGPT | Built in | Not available |
| Pricing | From $29/mo | Free plan, or from $11.90/mo |
Based on publicly available information as of May 2026. SimplyBook.me is an appointment-scheduling platform used across many service industries. Both products update often, so check each company's site for current details.
Which one should you choose?
In short: choose Check Cherry if you run multi-hour events that need contracts, deposits, and packages, and choose SimplyBook.me if you book time-slot appointments and want a free plan.
Choose Check Cherry if
- You run multi-hour events, not time-slot appointments.
- You need e-signed contracts, deposits, travel fees, and packages.
- You run more than one event service, or plan to grow into one.
- You want to ask Claude or ChatGPT about your bookings, leads, and payments in plain English.
Choose SimplyBook.me if
- You book time-slot appointments, like a salon, clinic, studio, or coaching practice.
- You want a free plan or the lowest entry price.
- You handle lots of short, recurring bookings rather than fewer large events.
A feature list won't tell you the whole story
A lot of event pros run their business across a booking form, a separate contract tool, a spreadsheet for travel fees, a calendar, and a notes app. Check Cherry is the one place where the booking, the contract, the deposit, the travel fee, the staff assignment, and the client's portal all live together and stay in sync.
That's the difference you feel every day, and it's why two tools that both list "contracts" aren't the same thing. When something comes up the week of a big event, you reach a real person who knows event work. It's what customers mention most: everything in one place, and support that actually helps.
Where Check Cherry is different
The honest differences that matter for an event business
Events, not appointments
Multi-hour event bookings, packages, deposits, and payment plans. SimplyBook.me is built around time-slot appointments for recurring services.
Contracts built in
E-signed contracts and event paperwork are part of every booking. A general appointment scheduler doesn't include them.
Event pricing built in
Automatic travel fees, peak-date flex pricing, and add-on packages, tuned to how events are quoted and sold.
Built for the whole event
Run DJ, photo booth, bartending, photography, and event venues from one account, with the planning and staff tools events need.
What event pros say
Real reviews from event businesses on Check Cherry
"It has helped me organize and improve communication with clients, and I've seen bookings increase year over year. The customer service is unbelievable."
"I used to spend hours creating quotes and emails. Now everything is all in one spot. It seriously has saved me so much time."
"Makes my life so much easier. I can organize my packages the way I want, and clients use it to sign my agreement, make payments, select add-ons, and more."
Common questions
Comparing Check Cherry and SimplyBook.me
Is Check Cherry a good SimplyBook.me alternative?
For event businesses, yes. Check Cherry is built around multi-hour events with contracts, deposits, travel fees, and packages. SimplyBook.me is a strong choice if you book time-slot appointments for a salon, clinic, studio, or similar service business.
Can I connect Check Cherry to ChatGPT or Claude?
Yes. Check Cherry includes a built-in AI assistant connection (MCP), so you can ask Claude or ChatGPT about your bookings, leads, and payments in plain English. The Check Cherry API and AI assistant connection are included on every plan.
What is the difference between Check Cherry and SimplyBook.me?
SimplyBook.me schedules appointments across many service industries. Check Cherry is purpose-built for events, so multi-hour bookings, e-signed contracts, deposits and payment plans, travel fees, packages, and staff scheduling are built in rather than pieced together.
Does Check Cherry handle contracts and deposits?
Yes. Check Cherry includes e-signed contracts, deposits, and flexible payment plans as part of every event booking, which a general appointment scheduler typically does not.
Will I lose my data if I switch from SimplyBook.me?
No. You can export your clients, contacts, and booking history from SimplyBook.me and import them into Check Cherry, and our team will walk you through it. Most businesses are up and running within a day or two, and you can run both systems side by side while you settle in.
How do I claim the 50% switch discount?
Start your free trial, then chat with our team and show your current SimplyBook.me plan (a screenshot of your billing page works). We'll apply the 50% discount to your first year.
Switch and Save 50%
Already paying for SimplyBook.me? Show us your current plan and we'll take 50% off your first year of Check Cherry, and walk you through moving your data over.
Switching is Easy
We'll help you every step of the way
Start Your Free Trial
Sign up and explore Check Cherry free for 14 days. No credit card required.
Show Us Your Plan
Chat with us and show your current SimplyBook.me subscription to unlock 50% off.
We'll Help You Move Over
We'll walk you through importing your clients, events, and templates, so you're not starting from scratch.
See if Check Cherry fits your business
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