A free alternative
to Skedda: pencil.in.
If Skedda's pricing or setup overhead doesn't fit your team, pencil.in offers free room and resource booking with share-URL access, no client signup, and a mobile-first UI.
No credit card. Ad-supported free plan.
Sound familiar?
Pricing scales fast as venues grow
Skedda's plans get expensive once you add venues or unlock features — overkill for small teams or solo operators.
Setup feels heavy
Venues, roles, booking rules — a lot to configure before your first booking goes live.
Don't want to require booker signup
Asking customers or external guests to "make an account first" adds friction you may not want.
Mobile UX could be better
Web is responsive, but you want a phone-native, drag-to-book experience for staff and guests.
Skedda vs. pencil.in
| Feature | Skedda | pencil.in |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free tier / paid from $60/mo | Completely free (with ads) |
| Booker account | Required in some setups | Share-URL, no signup |
| Mobile UX | Responsive web | Designed mobile-first |
| Double-booking prevention | App-level checks | Enforced by DB constraints |
| Google / Outlook sync | iCal feed | Auto-sync via iCal feed |
| Recurring bookings | Supported | Daily / weekly / monthly + count |
| Setup time | Venue + role configuration | Sign in in 1 minute, CSV bulk import |
Comparison is based on publicly available information as of April 2026. Please refer to Skedda's official site for the latest specs.
Migrate in 3 steps
- 1
Sign in with Google
Email magic link works too. Account creation takes about a minute.
- 2
Create a space
Split spaces by site or venue. Each has its own resources, share URL, and visibility settings.
- 3
Bulk-import resources via CSV
Drop your room and resource names into the template. Colors and capacities are supported.
FAQ
- Does pencil.in have interactive floorplans?
- Not yet. pencil.in focuses on a timeline view per resource. If interactive floorplans are essential, Skedda is the better fit.
- Does it handle payments?
- Not yet. Keep your existing payment flow (Stripe link, bank transfer, on-site, etc.) and use pencil.in for availability and bookings.
- Can I run multiple venues?
- Yes. Create one space per venue or site — each has its own resources, share URL, and access settings.
- Can I migrate my Skedda data?
- You can migrate your resources (rooms, spaces) by pasting them into the CSV template. Automated import of past bookings isn't supported yet.
Cut your Skedda subscription to zero.
Sign in with Google and create your first space in under a minute.