Comparison
Amelia vs Bookly: Which WordPress Booking Plugin Is the Better Lifetime Deal?
Amelia vs Bookly is the choice between a booking plugin that packs most features into its plans and one that starts cheap and grows through add-ons. Both sell a lifetime license for one site: Amelia Standard costs $249 once, Bookly PRO $99 once. This comparison covers pricing, add-ons, payments, calendar sync, events and which plugin fits which business. Every price comes from the vendor’s own pricing page.
- 8 min read
- Updated
- Prices checked between Sep 14, 2026 and Oct 3, 2026
Links marked “Ad” are affiliate links. Your price stays the same. Affiliate disclosure
Key takeaways
- Price: Amelia Standard costs $249 once, Bookly PRO $99 once. Both lifetime licenses cover one site.
- Add-ons: Bookly PRO is the cheaper start, but recurring appointments, packages and coupons are paid add-ons. Amelia Standard already includes recurring appointments, deposits and coupons.
- Payback: Amelia’s lifetime license beats its annual plan after 31 months. For Bookly our catalog lists only the lifetime price, so the payback chart shows Amelia.
- Events: Amelia handles appointments and events with tickets in one plugin. Bookly focuses on appointments.
- Best fit: Bookly for small service businesses that need the basics at the lowest price. Amelia for businesses that want payments, calendar sync, SMS and events without collecting add-ons.
Amelia vs Bookly at a glance
The table puts the entry lifetime license of each plugin side by side. Both vendors sell in US dollars, so you compare the prices directly. Amelia sells lifetime tiers for more domains and features, Bookly PRO adds Business and Ultimate plans with add-ons and more sites.
- Lifetime price
- $249
- Sites
- 1 site
- Annual plan
- $99
- Pays off after
- 31 months
- Checked
- Sep 14, 2026
LicenseOne-time payment for 1 domain (Standard plan) with lifetime support and monthly updates; the Pro and Elite lifetime plans add features and domains.
- Lifetime price
- $99 (lowest)
- Sites
- 1 site
- Annual plan
- not stated
- Pays off after
- not stated
- Checked
- Oct 3, 2026
LicenseOne-time payment for one site with lifetime updates when bought on the official website; Business and Ultimate plans add add-ons and more sites.
License terms, per the vendor
- Amelia
- One-time payment for 1 domain (Standard plan) with lifetime support and monthly updates; the Pro and Elite lifetime plans add features and domains.
- Bookly PRO
- One-time payment for one site with lifetime updates when bought on the official website; Business and Ultimate plans add add-ons and more sites.
Want pros, cons and features side by side? Put both booking plugins next to each other in the Arena.
Bookly vs Amelia: the real difference
Both plugins let customers pick a service, a staff member and a free slot, pay online and get reminders. The difference is how you pay for features. Amelia sells tiers: you choose Standard, Pro or Elite once, and the features of that tier are included. Bookly sells a low priced core: PRO removes the limits of the free version, and you buy extra functions one by one from its add-on marketplace.
So the sticker price only tells half the story. A hair salon that needs online booking, payments and reminders may be fine with Bookly PRO alone. A studio that sells class packages, coupons and recurring sessions ends up buying several Bookly add-ons, while Amelia Standard covers recurring appointments and coupons already. Our overview of WordPress booking plugins with a lifetime license puts Amelia next to LatePoint and FluentBooking.
Amelia lifetime license: appointments and events in one plugin
Amelia manages appointments and events with no limit on bookings, events or locations. Standard brings Google, Outlook and Apple calendar sync, Zoom, Google Meet and Teams links, SMS notifications, taxes and invoices, and payments through Stripe, PayPal, Mollie, Square, Razorpay or WooCommerce. Packages, the cart, resources, refunds and the event waiting list start with Pro; the mobile app and the REST API come with Elite.
The Amelia lifetime license (Standard) costs $249 once for 1 site, with lifetime support and monthly updates. The annual Standard plan costs $99. Amelia lists its prices without tax; visitors from Germany, for example, see euro prices plus VAT on its page.
Amelia
Melograno Venture StudioBooking & Appointments
Booking plugin for appointments and events with calendar sync, payments and SMS notifications.
Get deal: Amelia(opens in a new tab)$249 one-timeRegular price:
$29916% off the regular pricepays off after 31 mo.
Amelia: pros and cons
Pros
- Lifetime support and monthly updates
- Appointments and events in one plugin
Cons
- Standard lacks packages, the cart, refunds, the mobile app and the REST API
- Prices exclude tax; from Germany, for example, the page shows euro prices plus VAT
- Upgrading a lifetime license has to go through support
AmeliaLicense terms, per the vendorOne-time payment for 1 domain (Standard plan) with lifetime support and monthly updates; the Pro and Elite lifetime plans add features and domains.
Bookly PRO lifetime: a low entry price with add-ons on top
Bookly is one of the most widely used booking plugins for WordPress. Bookly PRO unlocks unlimited services and staff members, online payments, Google Calendar sync and a customer cabinet where clients manage their own appointments. Email and SMS notifications remind customers before each visit.
The Bookly PRO lifetime license costs $99 once for 1 site, with lifetime updates when you buy on the official website. Bookly PRO is also sold on CodeCanyon, but there the support terms differ, so compare before you buy.
Bookly PRO
Booking & Appointments
Popular appointment booking plugin for WordPress with unlimited staff, online payments and SMS notifications.
Get deal: Bookly PRO(opens in a new tab)$99 one-timeRegular price:
$12923% off the regular price1 site
Bookly PRO: pros and cons
Pros
- Very low lifetime entry price
- Large user base and long track record
- No fees per staff member or booking
Cons
- Many popular features are paid add-ons on top of PRO
- Purchases on CodeCanyon come with different support terms
Bookly PROLicense terms, per the vendorOne-time payment for one site with lifetime updates when bought on the official website; Business and Ultimate plans add add-ons and more sites.
Features compared: payments, calendar sync, SMS and events
The list names the feature first, then which plugin covers it in the entry lifetime plan. The points come from the vendors’ feature pages and our deal data.
Amelia vs Bookly pricing: what you really pay
Amelia costs $99 a year or $249 once for one domain, so the lifetime license wins after 31 months. Bookly PRO costs $99 once; our catalog lists only this lifetime price, so the chart shows Amelia alone.
Amelia: lifetime price vs. annual plan
Compared with the $99/year plan, it pays for itself after 31 months and saves $246 over five years.
| Period | Annual plan, total | Lifetime | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| After 1 year | $99 | $249 | Lifetime costs $150 more |
| After 3 years | $297 | $249 | You save $48 |
| After 5 years | $495 | $249 | You save $246 |
For Bookly the real question is the add-on bill. Write down which functions you need, then add the price of each Bookly add-on to $99. If the sum passes $249, Amelia Standard is the better buy. Why paying once usually wins for a plugin you run for years is explained in our guide to lifetime license vs subscription.
Which is the better booking plugin for salons, studios and practices?
For a single salon, barber or physio practice with a few staff members, both plugins do the core job. Bookly PRO is the cheapest way to get online booking with payments and reminders. If you sell gift codes, recurring treatments or session packages, Amelia includes more of that out of the box.
Yoga studios, coaches and trainers who also run workshops or classes gain the most from Amelia, because events with tickets live in the same plugin as one to one appointments. All booking tools in the catalog are listed under booking plugins with a lifetime license.
Amelia or Bookly for agencies with many client sites
Both entry licenses cover one site, so an agency needs a bigger tier or one license per client. Amelia’s Pro and Elite lifetime tiers add domains, and upgrading a lifetime license runs through Amelia’s support. Bookly’s Business and Ultimate plans bundle add-ons and more sites.
If one payment should cover every client, look at tools built for that. Our guide to lifetime plugins for unlimited sites collects them, and the lifetime deal checklist shows what to check in license terms.
Amelia alternative or Bookly alternative
Looking for an Amelia alternative with a modern booking flow? LatePoint is built for service businesses and costs $199 once. How it compares with Amelia is shown in our duel Amelia vs LatePoint.
Looking for a Bookly alternative without an add-on shop? BookingPress unlocks all premium add-ons in its lifetime plans for $229. For meetings and calls rather than appointments with staff, FluentBooking Pro works like a calendar tool, and Simply Schedule Appointments is another lifetime option. If you also collect enquiries, our comparison of WordPress form plugins with a lifetime license helps.
Checklist: choosing between Amelia and Bookly
- List the functions you needPayments, reminders, recurring appointments, packages, coupons, events. Then check which of them Bookly sells as add-ons.
- Add up the real priceBookly PRO plus every add-on you need, against the Amelia tier that already includes them.
- Test the free versionsBoth have a free version on WordPress.org. Build your services and staff there before you buy.
- Check payment providersMake sure your bank or payment provider is supported, especially for local methods.
- Read the license termsUpdates, support, number of sites and where you buy. Our lifetime deal checklist lists what to look for.
Amelia or Bookly: which one suits you?
Small service business
Online booking, payments and reminders at the lowest lifetime price: Bookly PRO.
Fits
Studios and coaches
Appointments plus classes or workshops with tickets in one plugin: Amelia.
Fits
Teams with many staff
Both handle unlimited staff. Amelia adds more calendars and video links, LatePoint a clean staff dashboard.
Everything in one license
No add-on shopping: Amelia’s tiers or BookingPress with all add-ons included.
Frequently asked questions
Amelia vs Bookly: which is better?
It depends on what you need. Bookly PRO is cheaper to start, Amelia includes more features such as recurring appointments, coupons and events. Both lifetime licenses cover one site.
Does Amelia have a lifetime license?
Yes. Amelia Standard costs $249 once for 1 site with lifetime support and monthly updates, as checked on Sep 14, 2026. Pro and Elite lifetime tiers add features and domains.
How much does Bookly PRO lifetime cost?
Bookly PRO costs $99 once for 1 site with lifetime updates on the official website, as checked on Oct 3, 2026. Add-ons cost extra.
Do I need Bookly add-ons?
Only for extras. Bookly PRO covers booking, payments, calendar sync and reminders; recurring appointments, packages and coupons are add-ons.
Is there a free version of Amelia and Bookly?
Yes. Both offer a free version on WordPress.org with limits on staff, services or features, which is a good way to test before buying.
More booking plugins with a lifetime license
10 booking plugins in our catalog, each with the date we last checked the price.
