Is it rude to send a scheduling link?
Usually not. A scheduling link is polite when the other person wants the meeting and the link saves them a round of emails. It can feel rude when you’re the one asking for their time, because it asks them to fit into your calendar instead of offering to fit into theirs. The bigger the favor, or the more senior the person, the more that matters.
People disagree about this. Some see any link as a power move; others think a long email thread is ruder. Most advice comes down to the same two things: think about who asked for the meeting, and give the other person an easy way to suggest their own times. Wes Kao’s piece on the power dynamics of scheduling links is a good read on why.
When to send a link, and when to offer times
| Situation | What to do |
|---|---|
| They asked to meet with you, or they’re booking a service you offer | Send your link, with a line about what the meeting is for. It’s the fastest way for them to get on your calendar. |
| A colleague or peer, about routine work | A link is fine. Say what it’s for and how long it takes. |
| You’re asking for their time: cold outreach, a favor, an investor, someone more senior | Offer to work around them first. Ask for a few times that suit them, or for their scheduling link, and offer yours as an option. |
| They’ve said they’d rather not use links, or didn’t respond to one | Paste two or three specific times into your email. |
| Three or more people | Use a meeting poll, so everyone votes on times instead of one person picking for the group. |
What should I say when I send a scheduling link?
Say why you’re sending it, and give them another way to reply. One or two sentences is enough.
A few things make any link feel more considerate:
- Show enough choices. Two open slots three weeks out reads as “fit around me.”
- Say what the meeting is for and how long it is.
- Show times in their time zone, not yours.
- Don’t make them create an account or fill in a long form before they can book.
- Offer to make room if nothing works.
“Happy to talk. Here’s my calendar so you can pick a time that works for you: [link]. If none of those times work, let me know and I’ll make room.”
“Would you be open to a 20-minute call next week? I’m happy to work around your schedule, so send a few times that suit you and I’ll make one work. If it’s easier, you can also pick a time here: [link].”
“Would any of these work for you? Tuesday at 10:00 am or 2:30 pm, or Wednesday at 11:00 am (Eastern). If not, here are more options: [link].”
How do I stop the back-and-forth emails when booking a meeting?
Share your open times in a form the other person can act on in one step: a booking link, or a short list of specific times they can click to book. Connect your calendar first so busy times never show, and let the tool send the invite when they pick.
- 1
Connect every calendar you use. Work and personal, so nothing double-books.
- 2
Set your hours. Set the hours you take meetings and the gap you want between them.
- 3
Send your link. Or paste a few specific times.
- 4
Let the tool send the invite. When they pick a time, the event goes on your calendar and they get an invite. No reply needed.
In SavvyCal: if you’d rather suggest times than send a link, use Propose times on your Links page or in the SavvyCal Chrome extension. Select the times you want to offer, and SavvyCal copies them as a short list grouped by day, in the time zone you choose. Each time is a link that opens your booking page with that time already selected, and the list ends with a link to see more times.
How do I share my availability with a client?
Send a booking link that shows the times you’re open, not what’s on your calendar. Your client picks a time, enters their name and email, and gets a calendar invite. They don’t need an account.
Ways to share it:
- In an email, or in your email signature.
- On your website, embedded on a page or opened from a button.
- As a link made for one client, with their name on it.
- As a few specific times pasted into an email.
On Basic, you can set your link’s colors, banner image, and avatar. Premium adds your own domain, removes SavvyCal branding, and can take payment through Stripe when a client books (see scheduling for consultants).
How can people book me without it feeling transactional?
Make the booking page about them: their name on it, times in their time zone, a full week to choose from, and their own calendar next to yours. Then send it with a sentence in your own words.
Can people see their own calendar on my link?
Yes. Invitees click “Overlay my calendar” and sign in with Google, Microsoft, or Fastmail. Their events then appear on top of your open times, so they can spot a time that works without switching tabs. Only they can see their events, and overlaying is free for them.
What does the booking page look like?
A week of your open times in a calendar grid, much like a calendar app, instead of picking a day and then a time from a list. Times show in the invitee’s time zone, detected automatically. You can switch any link to a month view. On phones, invitees pick a day and then a time.
Can I steer people toward the times I prefer?
Yes. Turn on “Highlight preferred times” on a link, and SavvyCal shows your preferred times first; invitees can click to see the rest. You can choose the preferred times yourself with a saved schedule, or let SavvyCal prefer mornings or afternoons and times next to your other meetings, so your free time stays in long blocks. Nobody is told no; they just see your preferred times first.
Can I make a link for one person?
Yes. Duplicate any link and add the person’s name and email, so they see their name on the page and don’t have to type it. Change the title, description, or available times for them, and open or block specific times on that link only. Make it single-use, and it’s archived after they book.
Can I limit how many meetings people book?
Yes. On any SavvyCal link, you can add buffers, minimum notice, and limits: buffers before and after meetings, a minimum amount of notice, and a cap on how many meetings can be booked per day, week, or month, on one link or across all of them. These are on the Basic plan.
Scheduling for a team? See round robin scheduling.
What doesn’t SavvyCal do?
- Links need a paid plan. You can sign up, connect your calendars, and set up links for free, and meeting polls are free to use. To let people book from your links, you need Basic ($10 per user per month billed annually, or $12 monthly).
- Overlaying needs a Google, Microsoft, or Fastmail sign-in. On a link embedded in a website, it’s only offered to people already signed in to SavvyCal.
- The week view is for larger screens. On phones, invitees pick a day and then a time.
- A tool doesn’t fix tone. If you’re asking someone for a favor, offer to work around their schedule first.
Less awkward for everyone
SavvyCal makes me feel better about finding time to meet with clients, partners, and colleagues. It goes beyond similar tools by removing the awkwardness of imposing your schedule upon others.
François Lanthier Nadeau
CEO of Snipcart
I feel more comfortable sharing a SavvyCal link than any other scheduling link.
Pieter Beulque
Product at Polar
Questions, answered
Something we didn’t cover? Drop us a line.
Is it rude to send a Calendly link?
Not usually, whatever tool you use. A scheduling link is polite when the other person wants the meeting. If you’re asking for their time, offer to work around their schedule first, and share your link as an option.
Should I send my link or ask for their availability?
Send your link when they asked to meet, or when you’re peers. Ask for their times, or their link, when you’re asking a favor or they’re more senior. For three or more people, use a meeting poll.
What should I write when I send a scheduling link?
Say what the meeting is for and how long it is, then offer another way to reply. For example: “Here’s my calendar so you can pick a time that works for you. If nothing fits, let me know and I’ll make room.”
Do people need an account to book from my link?
No. They pick a time and enter their name and email. Signing in is only needed if they want to overlay their own calendar, and that’s free.
Can people see my calendar events on my link?
No. They see the times you’re open. The names and details of your events stay private.
Can people see their own calendar when they book?
Yes. On a SavvyCal link, invitees can overlay their Google, Microsoft, or Fastmail calendar on your open times. Only they see their events.
How do I find a time with a group?
Use a meeting poll. You suggest times, everyone votes, and you book the one that works. Meeting polls are free to use.
Meeting pollsHow much does SavvyCal cost?
Basic is $10 per user per month billed annually ($120 per year), or $12 monthly. Premium is $200 per user per year, or $20 monthly. It’s free to sign up, links need a paid plan, and every plan has a 30-day money-back guarantee.