The Double-Booking Problem
Double-bookings happen in three main ways:
1. The booking tool does not know about your personal calendar.
Your booking page might show 2pm as open because you have not blocked it in the tool. But you already accepted a lunch invitation on Google Calendar that runs until 2:30. Without sync, the booking tool has no way to know.
2. You book something manually after checking your booking tool.
You look at your booking page, see that Tuesday at 11am is open, and agree to a quick call with a vendor. You add it to Google Calendar. But you forget to block that slot in your booking tool. Now a client books 11am Tuesday too.
3. A booking lands while you are already confirmed elsewhere.
You accept a last-minute meeting invitation at 4pm. An hour later, a client books your 4pm slot on your booking page because the block had not been added yet.
All three of these problems share the same root cause: your booking tool is not reading your actual calendar in real time. Integration solves it by making Google Calendar the single source of truth.
Several booking platforms offer Google Calendar integration, but the depth of that integration varies significantly.
Calendly
Calendly is one of the most widely used scheduling tools and supports Google Calendar integration through OAuth. You connect your Google account, choose which calendars to check for conflicts, and select the calendar where new events should be created.
Calendly checks your selected calendars in real time and marks slots as unavailable if they conflict. It also creates a calendar event when a booking is confirmed, with the client's name and contact details included.
The limitation is that Calendly is primarily a scheduling tool, not a full business platform. It handles availability and notifications well, but does not include built-in video calling, payment processing, or session management.
Acuity Scheduling
Acuity (now part of Squarespace) also supports Google Calendar sync. You can connect multiple Google accounts and sync events bidirectionally, meaning bookings appear on your calendar and existing calendar events block your availability.
Acuity includes more service management features than Calendly, including intake forms, packages, and payment collection through Stripe or PayPal. The interface is more complex, which can be a trade-off depending on how much setup time you have.
Talkspresso
Talkspresso is built for creators, coaches, and consultants who need a complete platform, not just a scheduling link. It includes native Google Calendar integration that works the same way as dedicated scheduling tools, while also handling video calls, payment processing, and digital product sales in one place.
When you connect Google Calendar to Talkspresso, you select which of your calendars to check for conflicts. Any event on those calendars will automatically block the corresponding time on your booking page. Confirmed bookings create a calendar event with the session details, a video link, and the client's information.
The integration is particularly useful for creators who are booking paid video calls or workshops. The flow from booking to payment to video call to calendar event is handled in a single platform, which removes a lot of the stitching together that happens when you use separate tools.
Other Options
Several other tools support Google Calendar sync, including HubSpot's meeting scheduling feature (useful if you are already in HubSpot CRM), Book Like A Boss, and TidyCal. The integration quality varies, so it is worth testing with a personal booking before relying on any new tool for client-facing scheduling.
How to Connect Google Calendar to Your Booking System
The setup process is similar across most platforms. Here is a general walkthrough, with notes on Talkspresso's specific flow.
Step 1: Go to Your Booking Tool's Calendar Settings
Log into your booking platform and find the calendar or integrations section. This is usually under Account Settings, Integrations, or Availability.
Step 2: Connect Your Google Account
Click the button to connect Google Calendar. You will be redirected to Google's OAuth consent screen. Sign in with the Google account that holds the calendars you want to sync.
If you have multiple Google accounts (personal and work, for example), make sure you sign in with the one that contains the calendar you want to check for conflicts.
Step 3: Grant the Required Permissions
Google will ask you to grant the booking tool permission to view your calendar events. Some tools also request permission to create events on your behalf. Read the permission list carefully. Most reputable tools only request what they need.
Step 4: Select Which Calendars to Check
After connecting, you will usually see a list of all calendars associated with your Google account. Select every calendar you want the booking tool to check for conflicts.
This is an important step. If you only select your primary calendar but your family events are on a secondary calendar, those events will not block your availability. Select all calendars that could contain time you are unavailable.
In Talkspresso, this step appears immediately after connecting your Google account. You will see a list of all your calendars with checkboxes. Check any calendar that should block your booking availability.
Step 5: Select Where New Bookings Should Appear
Choose which Google Calendar should receive new booking events. This is typically your primary work calendar. New events will appear there automatically when clients book sessions.
Step 6: Test the Integration
Before going live, test with a booking from a secondary email address or a colleague. Confirm that:
- The booking appears on your Google Calendar with the correct details
- The video link (if applicable) is included in the calendar event
- A time that is blocked on Google Calendar does not show as available on your booking page
To test the conflict detection, add a test event to your Google Calendar at a time that should be available on your booking page. Refresh your booking page and confirm that slot is now blocked.
Step 7: Set Buffer Times and Availability Windows
Once the integration is confirmed to be working, review your availability settings. Most booking tools let you set:
- Buffer before and after sessions: Blocks time for preparation or follow-up
- Minimum notice: How far in advance a client must book (prevents same-day bookings if that does not work for you)
- Maximum advance booking: How far ahead clients can schedule (prevents bookings six months out if you prefer a shorter horizon)
- Availability windows: The specific days and hours when you accept bookings
These settings work alongside the Google Calendar sync to give you complete control over what appears as available.
Common Issues and How to Fix Them
Calendar events are not blocking availability.
Check that you selected the correct calendars during setup. If the event is on a calendar you did not check, it will not block the slot. Go back to your calendar settings, review the list, and make sure every relevant calendar is checked.
Bookings are not appearing on Google Calendar.
This usually means the booking tool does not have write permission to your calendar, or the wrong calendar was selected as the destination. Revisit your integration settings and confirm write access is enabled.
Double-bookings are still happening after integration.
This can happen if there is a delay between when a Google Calendar event is created and when the booking tool checks for conflicts. Most platforms sync every few minutes rather than in real time. If a client books a slot seconds after you add a conflicting event to Google Calendar, a race condition can create a double-booking. The fix is to add a minimum notice window (30 to 60 minutes) so there is always a buffer for the sync to catch up.
Timezone is wrong on calendar events.
Verify that your timezone is set correctly in both Google Calendar settings and your booking tool settings. These are independent settings and both need to match your actual timezone.
Getting the Most Out of Calendar Integration
Once the basic integration is running, a few habits will keep it working reliably.
Add personal events to Google Calendar before accepting bookings. The integration only works if your calendar actually reflects your real availability. If you know you will be traveling next week, block those days on Google Calendar before clients start booking that period.
Use calendar events as your session prep tool. When a booking lands on your calendar, add your prep notes directly to the event. That way your notes are in the same place as the video link and client details.
Review your integration monthly. OAuth tokens occasionally expire or need reauthorization. If you notice your availability looks wrong or bookings are not appearing on your calendar, re-authenticate the integration in your booking tool's settings.
Do not rely on the integration for same-day availability. If you are accepting a last-minute commitment, manually block that time in your booking tool immediately rather than waiting for the calendar sync to propagate.
Conclusion
A Google Calendar booking system is one of the highest-leverage setup tasks for any service provider. It takes 10 to 15 minutes to configure and saves you from double-booking headaches for as long as you are in business. Whether you use Calendly, Acuity, or Talkspresso, connecting your Google Calendar booking system should be step one before you share your booking link.
The core principle is simple: your booking tool should read from your real calendar so clients only see time that is actually available, and confirmed bookings should write back to your calendar automatically so you have everything in one place.
If you are looking for a platform that handles this alongside video calls and payments, Talkspresso includes native Google Calendar integration as part of its setup flow. Connect your calendar, set your availability, and your booking page is ready to share. No separate tools to stitch together.
Start with the integration, test it thoroughly, and then focus on what actually matters: delivering great sessions to the people who book with you.
See how creators use Talkspresso to monetize their audience with paid video calls, or compare 9 platforms for paid video calls.
See how creators use Talkspresso to monetize their audience with paid video calls, or compare 9 platforms for paid video calls.
