classroombookings vs desk.ly

Classroombookings is an online room and resource booking system for schools, colleges, charities, and other organisations. It can run as a hosted web service or be self-hosted. Its timetable settings support one-week, two-week, or longer cycles mapped to calendar weeks, and recurring bookings can repeat at the same time, in the same room, and on the same timetable week. Different room groups can follow different schedules, with periods restricted to selected weekdays. Viewing and booking permissions can be assigned by department, role, or individual user. Rooms can be grouped and described with custom fields, locations, owners, and images. The system can also manage resources such as equipment, labs, meeting rooms, community spaces, sports fields, event spaces, minibuses, and coaches. Self-hosting requires a PHP-capable web server and MySQL database; that edition is offered under AGPLv3, with a source-sharing condition for modified software used over a network. Cloud organisations have isolated databases, and the hosted service includes maintenance, updates, and email support.

desk.ly is a workplace management platform for booking desks, meeting rooms, and parking spaces in hybrid workplaces. Its booking analytics show office occupancy and space use, helping organisations identify opportunities to adjust how their offices are used. Visitors can also have workstations, meeting rooms, or parking spaces booked for their visits. The desk.ly Connect add-on tracks actual workplace usage, automates check-in, and provides utilisation insights without costly hardware investments.

The service is available through a browser and requires an internet connection, but no special software, hardware, or servers. Native iOS and Android apps support bookings from a phone. The site advertises more than 250 integrations, including Microsoft Teams, Outlook, and Google Calendar; Enterprise Plus adds HRIS integrations, calendar synchronisation, and a RESTful API. Plans include a free option for up to 15 users, Corporate at €1.65/user/mo, and Enterprise at €2.75/user/mo. Enterprise Plus has custom pricing.