The free version is really only a demo

  • UPDATED THIS REVIEW DUE TO INSTANT FEEDBACK FROM AUTHOR

    This is a review of the ‘Webba Booking Lite’ version, not the premium. And because the lite version does not send an email, you have absolutely no way of knowing if anyone has booked an appointment without continually logging in to WordPress to check. Not ideal! So therefore the Lite version is really only a demo at best.
    HOWEVER, I understand an update to send an email to the administrator would enable the Lite version to be useful for an evaluation period.

    PREMIUM 3 stars at best.
    I would only give the premium version 3 out of 5 stars due to the lack of integration with Google Calendar or other external calendar. With the premium version you are dependent on checking your emails and then signing into WordPress. Not really ideal.

    The need to integrate with Google Calendar is crucial so you can be instantly aware of bookings on all devices that integrate with Google Calendar… watches, tablets, phones etc. So whilst this booking plugin is highly developed, to use it in the real world to actually manage and respond to new bookings, it is CRITICAL you are made aware of any new appointments the moment they are made. So, Google Calendare (or some alternative way) has got to be at the very top of the roadmap. Alerting about new appointments is the requirement.
    *** If it had this feature, I have to say we would buy this plugin immediately, no questions. ***

    BUGS
    There is an option for a ‘schedule’ (service) to select an alternative form such as Gravity or ContactForm7 etc. It is not immediately clear that some adjustment is required to make this work, but as ever we developers never read the instructions. The instructions give a good explanation on how to make use of this excellent feature.

    RECOMMENDATION
    Add the ability for the Lite version to send an email to the administrator at least and the Lite version gets 4 stars.
    Add support to the Premium version for Google Calendar API and you will probably move to the number one booking app. All the other features are just nice to haves… The ability to know when you have received a booking is simply the most important feature of all.

    SUMMARY
    There are other significantly better free plugins simply because of the email alerts.
    Because the paid version does not integrate with Google Calendar API, this limits the ability to ensure your team is instantly aware of a new booking without being dependent on reading an email.
    If you do not need the Google integration then the paid version is likely to be a good choice. But it does cost more than many other excellent booking plugins, but it is very very good.

    HOWEVER, this is one to watch, as it has SERIOUS potential to be possibly the best booking plugin ever if it gets support for the all important Google Calender API.

    I amended this review to 3 Stars in anticipation of the Administrator alert email.

    • This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by bdbrown.
    • This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by gosteve. Reason: further review of features
    • This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by gosteve.
    • This topic was modified 7 years, 8 months ago by gosteve. Reason: Feedback from the author
Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • Plugin Author Webba Appointment Booking

    (@webba-agency)

    Hello,

    Firstly. thank you for the detailed review.

    Let me answer in order:

    1. We will add administrator email notification in the lite version.

    2. Bugs with contact form. I suppose you didn’t read our online documentation and didn’t edit the code of the form according to the examples provided in the docs (https://webba-booking.com/documentation/working-with-custom-fields/). You don’t need to include submit button in the code. We have no bug reports about the CF7 integration.

    3. Google calendar. We are working on this and you’re right 100%. Just one question: what it better – publish plugin with Google Calendar integration once, it will be done or make it available right now and help hundreds of users (who don’t need gg calendar integration) to organize booking?

    4. When you compare Webba Booking with other’s plugins, why there is nothing about the features, available only in our product – full appearance customization with 80+ layout options, local time detection by the customer’s location, multiple booking mode, autolock?

    Thanks again for your feedback, hope you will improve your rate as sooon as we will add notifications in the lite version and you will setup the intgration with CF7 (if you plan to use it of course).

    Regards,
    WebbaPlugins

    Plugin Author Webba Appointment Booking

    (@webba-agency)

    Thank you again for taking time to share your impressions and thereby contribute to your way to improve our plugin. Indeed, we are very attentive to all returns, whether in comment or through our support.

    My opinion is this lite version is much more than just a demo (just sayin’). It’s pretty nice actually.

    Plugin Author Webba Appointment Booking

    (@webba-agency)

    Due to the importance of your review in terms of quality, we have to notify you first of the addition you suggested to us concerning the notification by email to the administrator in the 3.1.22 release of the Webba Booking lite. So, thanks you again, Gosteve.

    Plugin Author Webba Appointment Booking

    (@webba-agency)

    “Add support to the Premium version for Google Calendar API and you will probably move to the number one booking app. All the other features are just nice to haves… The ability to know when you have received a booking is simply the most important feature of all.!”

    Our latest version now allows integration with Google Calendar. We will never say enough thanks to all the users, those who take their time to make us an honest return for the greater good of the WordPress community.

Viewing 5 replies - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)
  • The topic ‘The free version is really only a demo’ is closed to new replies.