10 Best Resource Booking Software Shortlist
Here's my pick of the 10 best software from the 27 tools reviewed.
Get free help from our project management software advisors to find your match.
Ensuring your team has access to the right resources at the right time is essential for keeping projects on schedule. But manually managing bookings can lead to wasted time and avoidable errors.
Resource booking software offers a simple solution. It helps you easily reserve and track resources such as meeting rooms, equipment, or shared tools, reducing conflicts and keeping everything running smoothly. With the right tool, you can focus on your work instead of worrying about logistics.
In this article, I’ll cover the best resource booking software options available today. I’ve tested these tools with project managers in mind, focusing on practical features that solve real-world needs. Here, you can survey your options and find the best fit for your team.
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Compare Specs Side-by-Side
Here is a table where you can compare the tools we just covered in the overviews.
Tool | Best For | Trial Info | Price | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | Best for flexible resource management | 30-day free trial | From $4.16/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
2 | Best for agencies | Free trial available | From $9/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
3 | Best for drag-and-drop scheduling | 7-day free trial | Pricing upon request | Website | |
4 | Best for real-time project insights | Not available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
5 | Best for prefilled timesheets | Not available | Website | ||
6 | Best for professional services companies | 14-day free trial | From $27/user/month (billed annually) | Website | |
7 | Best for Gantt-based workflows | 14-day free trial | From $25 month/20 resources/unlimited users | Website | |
8 | Best for built-in time tracking | 30-day free trial | From $14/user/month | Website | |
9 | Best for AI resource scheduling | Free demo available | Pricing upon request | Website | |
10 | Best for various resource views | 14-day free trial + free plan available | From $7/user/month | Website |
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monday.com
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.6 -
Miro
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.8 -
Ravetree
This is an aggregated rating for this tool including ratings from Crozdesk users and ratings from other sites.4.1
Best Resource Booking Software Reviews
You can use the simple overviews of each tool below to understand how each one stands out from the other.
Resource Guru offers resource management for teams seeking a system that’s simple yet fast and powerful.
Why I picked Resource Guru: This platform offers drag-and-drop scheduling and waiting lists for in-demand resources. On top of that, booking your resources is great because you can use filters that they have built into the tool. These let you find resources based on their skills, department, location, or whatever custom field you have configured.
Daily schedule emails and personal dashboards ensure that everyone is in the loop at all times. And the leave management features help you track vacations, sick days, parental leave, and other absences.
Resource Guru Standout Features and Integrations
Features include clash management, which automatically identifies and prevents overbooking by flagging conflicts in schedules and ensuring resources are optimally utilized. The tool’s availability bar also provides a real-time visual indicator of resource capacity, which makes it easy to see who is free or fully booked at a glance. Resource Guru also offers a waiting list feature that allows users to queue bookings for in-demand resources and reallocate them as availability opens up.
Integrations include Basecamp, Google Calendar, Google Sheets, Gmail, Jira, Maintenance Care, Outlook, Slack, Teamwork, and Wrike.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Clear, big-picture view
- Quality reporting
- Useful email updates
Cons:
- No dark theme
- Limited search features
Bonsai Agency Software is an all-in-one platform designed to help agencies manage resources, projects, and client relationships.
Why I picked Bonsai Agency Software: Bonsai's resource planning and forecasting features let you book work based on your team's capacity and track utilization in real-time. This ensures that projects are assigned appropriately, preventing overloading and promoting balanced workloads.
The time-tracking and timesheet functionalities allow your team to log hours easily, providing a clear view of project progress and individual contributions. Monitoring availability and utilization becomes straightforward, enabling you to set custom billable and cost rates for members, tasks, and projects.
Bonsai Agency Software Standout Features and Integrations
Features include custom fields and properties that allow you to track specialized data for each resource, such as expertise, certifications, or availability, enabling precise booking decisions. Additionally, the software’s client portal offers a transparent way to share project timelines and resource updates with clients, fostering collaboration and trust.
Integrations include QuickBooks Online, Zapier, Calendly, Xero, Google Drive, Slack, Gmail, Trello, Google Sheets, Google Calendar, ClickUp, and Jira.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrates time and budget tracking
- Good resource forecasting capabilities
- Professional-looking client portal
Cons:
- Mobile app could be enhanced with additional features
- May not be suitable for businesses with high volume operations
Screendragon is a work management platform designed to help marketing, agency, and professional services teams manage their projects, resources, and workflows.
Why I picked Screendragon: One reason I selected Screendragon is its real-time resource calendar. This feature provides instant oversight of all resources and their allocations across projects, helping you and your team stay informed about who is working on what and when.
Another notable feature is the drag-and-drop scheduling. This functionality allows you to easily adjust schedules by simply dragging and dropping resources, making it straightforward to reassign tasks or extend assignment durations as needed.
Screendragon Standout Features and Integrations
Features include talent profiles that let you quickly find team members with specific skill sets and availability, utilization tracking that presents visual dashboards showing how available hours are used at various levels, and capacity planning that connects your pipeline of potential work to your resource calendar, enabling scenario planning based on business opportunities.
Integrations include MS Power BI, Slack, MS Teams, Zapier, Google Drive, Trello, Microsoft 365, Box, Jira, Microsoft OneDrive, and PeopleSoft.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Integrates various tools like project management and budget tracking
- Good resource planning features
- Can tailor the platform to your specific needs
Cons:
- The platform's depth can lead to complexity
- Time-consuming setup
Kantata is a professional services cloud software that caters to businesses in a wide range of industries, helping them manage projects and other operational functions seamlessly.
Why I picked Kantata: The platform offers a suite of tools for resource forecasting, capacity planning, and scheduling, which supports real-time decision-making for staffing and project delivery. With everything in a centralized space, you can easily assign resources to projects and monitor performance to help you understand overall progress.
Kantata also includes a skills inventory to align project demands with available talent and identify skill gaps. This feature helps ensure you have the right personnel for any given task. It can also help you identify opportunities for employee development.
Kantata Standout Features and Integrations
Features include dynamic project resourcing that allows managers to allocate resources based on real-time availability, workload, and skills while automatically flagging overbooked or underutilized team members. Additionally, Kantata’s integration of internal and external talent networks allows for streamlined booking of freelance or contract resources alongside internal staff, ensuring full visibility and optimal utilization across all talent pools.
Integrations include Salesforce, Slack, Sage, NetSuite, QuickBooks, HubSpot, BambooHR, Jira, Expensify, and more.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Skills inventory to align talent with projects
- Resource forecasting and planning
- Detailed reporting capabilities
Cons:
- Can be challenging to see who is responsible for a task if multiple people are assigned to it
- Potential learning curve for new users
Float is a resource capacity and work scheduling tool that helps you make the most effective use of the resources at your disposal.
Why I picked Float: Using Float, you can centralize all your people and projects into one live timeline, then assign work and resources according to the available capacity.
Timesheets are prefilled with scheduled tasks so team members can log their hours easily, while managers can compare estimated versus actual time. You can sync events with your preferred calendar, import tasks from your project management system, and send hours to your billing software.
Float Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a live timeline that updates in real time, allowing you to instantly see how changes in one project affect overall resource capacity. Its drag-and-drop interface also lets you reassign tasks effortlessly, ensuring quick adjustments to resource availability. Furthermore, Float’s forecasting tools provide insights into future workload trends, helping you plan ahead and avoid overbooking or underutilization of resources.
Integrations include Asana, Google Calendar, Jira, Outlook Calendar, Slack, Teamwork, Trello, WorkflowMax, and Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Single, comprehensive dashboard
- Automatic reporting
- Powerful team manager
Cons:
- Limited customization options
- No self-hosted solution
Birdview PSA is a resource management, planning, and scheduling software with resource management features that will help you with your capacity planning.
Why I picked BirdviewPSA: This tool has everything you need to support your projects through its resource planning center. It allows you to access 3 main views. The first one is planning. This view gives you the option to book resources in advance and ensure your capacity meets the demands. Birdview PSA displays your team's skills and other useful information that will help you make informed decisions.
Then, you have the workflow view. This view shows current projects and resource allocations in real time. The system will automatically color-code for you those resources that are over or under-allocated and allow you to address conflicts with a simple drag-and-drop.
The last view is simulation. In this view you can assess the viability of working on a new project, run scenarios to inform your resource hiring, and create project drafts for a quick start. The simulator also allows you to alter resource allocation percentages and modify team members in case someone becomes over-allocated after you run the sim.
Birdview PSA Standout Features & Integrations
Features include a skills-based matching system that can help you allocate resources by aligning team members' expertise with project requirements for optimal performance. Additionally, Birdview PSA's simulation view allows you to model various resource scenarios, assess the impact of taking on new projects, and plan hiring needs, which can offer unparalleled insights for strategic capacity planning.
Integrations include 2000+ pre-built connectors, including MS Teams, Jira, Adobe, Hubspot, Salesforce, Slack, Zoom, Olark, TimeCamp, Xero, and Invision. Additionally, you can connect to 5000+ apps using Zapier and Workato. Both of these need you to have a paid plan with them.
Ganttic is a resource planning tool that creates a visual workflow of all your resources, tasks, and projects.
Why I picked Ganttic: Using Ganttic, you can quickly drag and drop new work into your schedule, then adjust quickly when conflicts arise. You can get a new perspective on your data and develop a clear action plan for your team.
The flexible design makes it easy to rotate your Gantt chart and see plans from the perspective of tasks or resources. You can also use the high-level overview or separate points of view, to understand how your plans work together.
Ganttic Standout Features and Integrations
Features include a resource grouping capability that allows users to categorize resources by teams, departments, or custom attributes for more organized scheduling. Additionally, Ganttic’s customizable reporting tools allow you to analyze resource usage trends and project performance, enabling data-driven decisions for better planning and execution.
Integrations include Google Calendar, Microsoft Azure, Microsoft Outlook, and OneLogin. Other integrations are available via Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Makes it easy to see bottlenecks
- Numerous color options
- Great for planning multiple projects
Cons:
- Tutorials could be improved
- Outdated UI
Elapseit is a workforce management platform that helps you with resource planning, time tracking and project management.
Why I picked Elapseit: Elapseit is a holistic tool that allows you to review projects, allocate people depending on their role, and approve vacations based on the timeline of your projects. Every task can be managed via approval workflows and email notifications.
You can facilitate document sharing, send invoices, keep smart timesheets, and work in multiple languages. Task management options such as Kanban boards and Gantt charts give a clear overview of activity and progress.
Elapseit Standout Features and Integrations
Features include an interactive resourcing dashboard that provides a comprehensive view of team allocation, availability, and capacity in real time. Additionally, Elapseit’s integrated leave management system ensures seamless scheduling by automatically reflecting approved time-off requests in resource plans, preventing conflicts or overbooking.
Integrations include a native integration with Xero. Other integrations with thousands of additional apps are available via Zapier.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Multiple access levels
- Excellent visual planner
- Informative dashboards
Cons:
- No mobile app
- Limited customization options for reporting
Dayshape is an AI-powered planning and project scheduling platform that helps you maintain an optimal workforce and ensure it supports your business objectives.
Why I picked Dayshape: The tool has three levels of AI resource scheduling automation. You can be the one in control by selecting resources based on their skill, location, or availability, or you can let AI choose the best resources and ask you for confirmation.
The AI-powered software gives you all the information you need to achieve the most efficient capacity planning. You can set performance parameters, quickly identify the best people for each project, and activate to bring poor-performing engagements to your attention.
Dayshape Standout Features and Integrations
Features include dynamic engagement forecasting that uses AI to predict resource needs based on changing project scopes and timelines. Its intelligent scheduling feature also allows users to optimize resource allocation by considering multiple factors, including skills, availability, and location, while automatically adapting to updates in real time. Additionally, Dayshape’s capacity alerts notify you of potential over- or under-utilization.
Integrations include Salesforce, SAP Cloud Platform, and Workday. The company also offers an integration service so the software can work with your systems and preferred method of data extraction.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Sync with your resource/skills database
- Powerful time tracking
- AI-powered resource management
Cons:
- Significant learning curve
- Few native integrations
ClickUp is a cloud-based collaboration and project management tool suitable for all kinds of organizations.
Why I picked ClickUp: ClickUp helps you plan, track, and manage any type of work or resources to increase business productivity. The box view displays resource information on workload and resource-specific task progress information to help you make quick decisions.
Additionally, you can assign comments and tasks to specific team members, mark comments and tasks as resolved or in progress, or create custom statuses. You can view projects from an Agile dashboard, or organize them by assignee.
ClickUp Standout Features and Integrations
Features include the ability to create detailed capacity planning with custom fields that allow you to track resource-specific metrics like skills, availability, and effort. Its Workload view also provides drag-and-drop functionality to reallocate tasks dynamically to ensure balanced workloads. Additionally, ClickUp’s real-time collaborative Whiteboards enable teams to visually plan and allocate resources while discussing strategies and aligning on project goals in a single space.
Integrations include Dropbox, Gmail, Google Calendar, Harvest, HubSpot, Loom, Make, Slack, Unito, and Zoom. You can also use ClickUp’s API to build custom integrations with your current tech stack.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Informative dashboards
- Available on multiple devices
- Clear notification system
Cons:
- Occasionally slow
- Can be overwhelming
Other Resource Booking Software
Here are a few more options that didn’t make the best resource booking software list.
- monday.com
For its color-coded workload view
- Scoro
For resource forecasting
- Productive
For tracking resources against budget
- Wrike
For scalability
- Hub Planner
For team capacity planning
- Silverbucket
For comprehensive resource management
- Runn
For resource scenario planning
- eResource Scheduler
For real-time resource visibility
- Zoho Projects
For optimizing resource utilization
- Smartsheet
For a work management solution based on advanced spreadsheets
- Meisterplan
For its role-based resource allocation prior to staffing
- Forecast
For cutting down on non-billable work using AI
- Paymo
For tracking the financial aspects of resource usage
- Mosaic
For its AI-powered resource planning
- Parallax
For professional services companies
- Saviom
For highly-customizable, scalable resource management
- TeamGantt
For project scheduling based on Gantt charts
Resource Booking Software Selection Criteria
When selecting the best resource booking software to include on this list, I considered common buyer needs and pain points like the need for efficient scheduling and the challenge of managing shared resources effectively. I also used the following framework to keep my evaluation structured and fair:
Core Functionality (25% of total score)
To be considered for inclusion on this list, each solution had to fulfill these common use cases:
- Booking shared resources
- A centralized booking calendar
- Automated notifications for booking changes
- Conflict-free scheduling
- User role management
Additional Standout Features (25% of total score)
To help further narrow down the competition, I also looked for unique features, such as:
- Advanced analytics on resource usage
- Integrations with popular calendar tools
- Mobile-friendly booking options
- Recurring bookings
- Customizable booking workflows
Usability (10% of total score)
To get a sense of the usability of each system, I considered the following:
- An intuitive user interface
- Minimal steps to complete tasks
- Easy navigation of features
- Responsive design for various devices
- A minimal learning curve for new users
Onboarding (10% of total score)
To evaluate the onboarding experience for each platform, I considered the following:
- Training videos and tutorials
- Templates to simplify initial setup
- Interactive product tours
- Onboarding webinars for teams
- Access to a knowledge base or help center
Customer Support (10% of total score)
To assess each software provider’s customer support services, I considered the following:
- Live chat support
- Email and phone support options
- Quick response times to inquiries
- Access to 24/7 support for critical issues
- Dedicated account managers for enterprise users
Value For Money (10% of total score)
To evaluate the value for money of each platform, I considered the following:
- A fair price-to-feature ratio
- Transparent pricing structures
- Flexible pricing tiers for different needs
- Free trials or freemium options
- Discounts for annual or bulk subscriptions
Customer Reviews (10% of total score)
To get a sense of overall customer satisfaction, I considered the following when reading customer reviews:
- Positive ROI mentioned by users
- Ease-of-use highlighted in user feedback
- Indications of reliability and the uptime of the system
- Strong customer support ratings
- Satisfaction with customization options
How to Choose Resource Booking Software
It’s easy to get bogged down in long feature lists and complex pricing structures. To help you stay focused as you work through your unique software selection process, here’s a checklist of factors to keep in mind:
Factor | What to Consider |
Scalability | Make sure the software can grow with your business, whether you’re managing a small team or scaling globally. |
Integrations | Check if the software connects with tools like Google Calendar, Outlook, Slack, or your existing project management software. |
Customizability | Look for options to tailor booking workflows, permissions, or notifications to fit your team’s specific needs. |
Ease of Use | Choose a tool that’s intuitive and doesn’t require extensive training, so your team can start using it right away. |
Budget | Ensure the solution fits your budget and offers transparent pricing with no hidden fees. Consider free trials or freemium plans. |
Security Safeguards | Verify features like role-based access, data encryption, and compliance with GDPR or other relevant standards. |
Mobile Accessibility | Ensure the platform offers a mobile app or responsive design so bookings can be managed on the go. |
Reporting Features | Look for analytics to track resource utilization, identify trends, and optimize your booking processes. |
Trends in Resource Booking Software
In my research, I sourced countless product updates, press releases, and release logs from different resource booking software vendors. Here are some of the emerging trends I’m keeping an eye on:
- AI-Powered Optimization: Tools are starting to use AI to predict resource demand and recommend scheduling adjustments. For example, some platforms analyze booking patterns to minimize downtime or flag underused resources.
- Self-Service Portals: More software now offers self-service portals where users can manage bookings independently. This reduces admin workload and empowers users to take control of their own reservations.
- Real-Time Analytics: Advanced dashboards now give teams immediate insights into resource utilization. Vendors are adding real-time heatmaps and metrics to help managers make quicker, data-driven decisions.
- Sustainability Tracking: Some solutions are integrating features to track the environmental impact of resource usage, like energy consumption or carbon footprint. This appeals to businesses prioritizing sustainability goals.
- Hybrid Work Support: Vendors are now building features to address the needs of hybrid teams, such as managing shared office spaces or coordinating remote equipment reservations alongside in-person bookings.
What is Resource Booking Software?
Resource booking software is a tool that helps businesses schedule and manage shared resources like meeting rooms, equipment, or workspaces. It’s commonly used by office managers, IT teams, and project coordinators to keep schedules organized and avoid conflicts. Centralized calendars, automated notifications, and role-based access support efficient scheduling, reduce downtime, and improve resource usage. Overall, these tools help teams save time and maximize the value of their shared resources.
Features of Resource Booking Software
When selecting resource booking software, keep an eye out for the following key features:
- Centralized calendar: Allows you to view all bookings in one place, helping to avoid double-booking and easily track resource availability.
- Automated notifications: Sends alerts for booking confirmations, cancellations, or changes to keep everyone informed.
- Conflict resolution: Flags overlapping bookings and provides suggestions to resolve scheduling conflicts.
- Role-based permissions: Controls who can book, modify, or view specific resources to maintain order and security.
- Recurring bookings: Allows users to schedule repeating reservations without re-entering details.
- Usage analytics: Tracks resource utilization to help teams identify trends and optimize efficiency.
- Mobile access: Provides a mobile-friendly interface or app so bookings can be managed on-the-go.
- Customizable booking forms: Lets users tailor fields to gather relevant details specific to each resource or team.
- Integration with calendars: Syncs with tools like Google Calendar or Outlook to streamline scheduling workflows.
- Resource tagging: Categorizes resources by type, location, or other attributes to simplify search and selection.
Benefits of Resource Booking Software
Implementing resource booking software provides several benefits for your team and your business. Here are a few you can look forward to:
- Flexibility: Allows bookings to be managed on mobile devices, supporting remote and on-the-go teams.
- Improved organization: Keeps all bookings in one place, making it easy to track and manage resource availability.
- Time savings: Reduces manual scheduling and conflict resolution with automated tools and notifications.
- Better resource utilization: Tracks usage data to help you identify underused resources and adjust accordingly.
- Enhanced collaboration: Provides a transparent booking system where everyone can see resource availability and plan effectively.
- Fewer scheduling conflicts: Prevents double-booking with conflict alerts and real-time updates.
- Cost efficiency: Optimizes how resources are used, potentially saving money on unnecessary rentals or purchases.
Costs and Pricing of Resource Booking Software
Selecting resource booking software requires an understanding of the various pricing models and plans available. Costs vary based on features, team size, add-ons, and more. The table below summarizes common plans, their average prices, and typical features included in resource booking software solutions:
Plan Comparison Table for Resource Booking Software
Plan Type | Average Price | Common Features |
Free Plan | $0 | Basic resource booking, limited calendar views, and email notifications. |
Personal Plan | $5-$25/user/month | Single-user access, basic analytics, mobile access, and simple integrations. |
Business Plan | $30-$100/user/month | Multi-user access, advanced analytics, role-based permissions, customizable booking forms, and reporting. |
Enterprise Plan | $100+/user/month | Unlimited users, API access, advanced security, custom integrations, and dedicated account support. |
Resource Booking Software Frequently Asked Questions
Here are a few popular questions other people ask about this topic.
What is resource booking?
Resource booking refers to reserving or scheduling a particular resource, such as a meeting room, equipment, or personnel, for a specific time or duration. It is commonly used in project management organizations and businesses to ensure resources are efficiently allocated across projects.
How does the software handle conflicts or double-bookings?
Resource booking software typically alerts users of conflicts and avoids project conflicts by following customizable rules. For tools where they have implemented colored indicators, you will see a red or amber shading on resources that have a scheduling conflict. Other times, the software will immediately display a warning message after encountering a possible double booking or scheduling conflict.
How can Gantt charts help with resource booking?
Gantt charts help with resource booking by visually mapping resource availability and workload balance across tasks and timelines. They allow project managers to identify scheduling conflicts, optimize resource allocation, and ensure tasks are evenly distributed. This clarity aids in avoiding overbooking and ensures efficient use of resources.
How can resource booking software support real-time collaboration?
Resource booking software supports real-time collaboration by allowing multiple users to simultaneously plan and adjust schedules while ensuring changes are visible to all team members instantly. It also enables effective management of user permissions, ensuring only authorized individuals can modify bookings or access sensitive data. This fosters teamwork and minimizes scheduling conflicts.
Can I keep using spreadsheets for resource scheduling?
While spreadsheets can work for basic resource scheduling, dedicated resource planning software offers advanced features like real-time updates, workload balancing, and automated conflict detection. These tools are easier to use for complex projects and reduce the risk of errors common in manual spreadsheet management. Overall, transitioning from spreadsheets to resource scheduling software helps improve efficiency and scalability as your needs grow.
Are there industry-specific resource management tools?
Yes, many resource management tools are designed to cater to specific industries. These tools offer tailored features such as project templates, compliance tracking, or industry-specific reporting. Choosing an industry-specific tool ensures your resource planning aligns with unique operational needs. Such tools include:
What’s Next?
That brings us to the conclusion of my deep dive into the world of the best resource booking software. But we have much more to offer you, you may like to check out our step-by-step guide to resource allocation or our ultimate guide to project resource management plans. With the help of the best resource booking software, you can improve efficiency, save money, and get projects completed on time—and on budget.
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