A Doodle alternative with no sign-up (and where Doodle is still better)
Doodle is the name everyone knows. But Doodle's help centre says you now need an account to create a group poll (its article on the change is dated August 2025). If you only want to find a free Saturday for the curry club, that's an extra step.
Whenabouts is a free, no-login date picker for friend groups. Here's an honest side-by-side, including where Doodle wins. Want the five-scenario verdict? See Whenabouts vs Doodle, head to head. Weighing up more than two tools? Try our round-up of free group date planners.
The short version
- Picking a day or evening with mates? Whenabouts. No account for anyone, and it's built for WhatsApp.
- Booking a work meeting at a set time, with calendars synced? Doodle. It's built for that.
Whenabouts vs Doodle at a glance
| Whenabouts | Doodle (Free), as of October 2026 | |
|---|---|---|
| Organiser needs an account | No | Yes, according to Doodle's help centre (change dated Aug 2025) |
| Participants need an account | No | No |
| Cost | Free | Free plan; paid Pro and Team plans |
| Limits | Invite as many friends as you like | Free plan: one group poll, up to 20 time slots per poll |
| Ads and tracking | No ads, no advertising cookies, no third-party trackers (first-party analytics only, with consent) | Ads on the free plan; Pro is ad-free for you and your participants |
| What you compare | Days, set to evening, daytime or any time, with a weekdays/weekends/individual-days filter | Specific time slots |
| "Maybe" answers | Yes | Yes ("if need be", always on) |
| Telling people the final date | Anyone who opens the plan link sees it, with calendar links. Nothing is emailed | Doodle says participants are notified automatically when the organiser picks the final time |
| Calendar connection / sync | No. Once you confirm, anyone who opens the link can add it to Google Calendar or download a .ics file | One calendar connection on free. Syncing meetings to your calendar and sending calendar invites are Pro features |
| Video links (Zoom, Teams, Webex) | No | Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Webex are listed as Pro features |
| Deadlines and automatic reminders | No | Pro only |
| Booking pages, 1:1s, sign-up sheets | No | Yes. Free gets one booking page, one 1:1 and basic sign-up sheets; Pro is unlimited |
| Activity picker | Spin the Plan wheel | No |
Where Whenabouts is better
Nobody makes an account. Not even you.
Make a plan, share the link, done. With Doodle, your friends can vote without an account, but Doodle's help centre says you'll need one to create the poll.
It thinks in evenings and days, not slots
Friends don't book "19:00–20:00 on Tuesday". They ask "which night?" Whenabouts lets you set a plan to evening, daytime or any time, and pick which days work: any day, weekdays, weekends or individual days.
It's made for the group chat
There's a WhatsApp share button, and the whole thing works on your phone. Once you confirm the date, anyone who opens the link can tap "Add to Google Calendar" or download a .ics file. No ads, no advertising cookies, no third-party trackers.
A bit of fun
Can't decide what to do? Spin the Plan: add your ideas, spin the wheel, then pick the date.
Where Doodle is better (honestly)
Work meetings
If you need a 45-minute slot at a specific time, with Zoom, Teams or Webex links attached (a Pro feature), Doodle is the right tool. Whenabouts doesn't do time slots or video links.
Calendar integrations
A free Doodle account can connect one calendar. On Pro, Doodle can sync meetings straight into your calendar and send calendar invites to everyone in one go. With Whenabouts, people add the confirmed date themselves from the plan link. It doesn't read or write your calendar, and nothing is emailed or pushed out.
Admin features
Doodle has booking pages, 1:1 scheduling, sign-up sheets and, on paid plans, deadlines, automated reminders, hidden participant lists and custom branding. Whenabouts keeps it simple on purpose.
It tells people when the date is set
Doodle's help centre says participants are notified automatically when the organiser picks the final time. With Whenabouts, people see the confirmed date when they open the link again, so you'll need to give the group a nudge.
How Whenabouts works
- Create a plan. Name it, set a date range, pick evening, daytime or any time, and choose which days work.
- Share one link. WhatsApp or anywhere else. Everyone taps the days they're free, or "maybe". No account needed.
- Lock in the best date. Whenabouts highlights the date that suits the most people. Once you confirm, everyone who opens the link can add it to their calendar.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need an account to use Whenabouts?
No. Not you, not your friends. There's nothing to sign up for or download.
Is Whenabouts really free?
Yes. It's free to create a plan, collect availability, share the link and lock in a date.
Does Doodle need an account?
Doodle's help centre says you now need a free or paid account to create a group poll. People voting in your poll don't need one.
Is Doodle free?
There's a free plan with one group poll (up to 20 time slots), one booking page and one calendar connection, and it shows ads. Paid plans remove ads and add features.
Can Whenabouts book meeting times like Doodle?
No. It finds the best day or evening for a group. For timed work meetings, Doodle or a similar tool will suit you better.
Sources
Doodle facts checked on Doodle's own site on 29 October 2026. Doodle changes its plans often, so check before you rely on one.