Doodle
eM Client
| Feature | Doodle | eM Client |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $6.95/mo | Free / from $49.95/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.2 / 5 | 4.3 / 5 |
| Best For | group-organizers, event-planners, managers, committees | professionals, windows-users, outlook-alternatives, small-businesses |
| Founded | 2007 | 2007 |
| Group Polls | ✓ | ✗ |
| Booking Pages | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Integration | ✓ | ✗ |
| Reminders | ✓ | ✗ |
| Custom Branding | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Zone Support | ✓ | ✗ |
| Admin Console | ✓ | ✗ |
| ✗ | ✓ | |
| Calendar | ✗ | ✓ |
| Contacts | ✗ | ✓ |
| Tasks | ✗ | ✓ |
| Chat | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pgp Encryption | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Doodle Pros
- Best-in-class group scheduling with polls
- Participants don't need accounts to vote
- Simple and intuitive for non-technical users
- 1:1 booking pages for professional scheduling
✗ Doodle Cons
- Free plan has ads and limited features
- Less suited for complex recurring scheduling
- Integration options fewer than competitors
✓ eM Client Pros
- One-time purchase
- Feature-rich
- Good Exchange support
- Modern UI
✗ eM Client Cons
- Desktop only
- Free limited to 2 accounts
- Occasional sync issues
The Verdict
Doodle is built for group organizers and event planners, with a focus on group-polls and booking-pages. eM Client targets professionals and windows users and leads with email and calendar.
On pricing, Doodle is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6.95/mo compared to $49.95/mo for eM Client. That $43/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
Feature-wise, Doodle offers broader built-in capabilities (7 features vs 6), while eM Client takes a more focused approach — which can mean a simpler, faster onboarding experience.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.