If you’re running Bookly with three or four add-ons stacked on top — Stripe Connect, Google Calendar 2-way, SMS, Compound Services — this guide walks through switching to MyBookaro and consolidating the cost into one flat annual fee.

Bookly itself is a solid plugin. The migration case is usually about the add-on tax (which can easily compound to $300-500/year) or about wanting a real free tier and an actual MyListing integration. If neither of those motivates you, staying on Bookly is fine.

When the switch makes sense

• You’re paying for Bookly add-ons annually. CodeCanyon Envato license refresh + Stripe Connect ($49) + GCal ($39) + SMS ($39) + Recurring ($49) + Compound Services ($59) + Customer Accounts ($49) = ~$540 year 1, ~$80/yr renewals. MyBookaro Pro Single is $89/yr flat.
• You run a directory. Bookly doesn’t know what MyListing is. MyBookaro maps listing owners to providers automatically.
• You want a real free tier. Bookly Lite is functional but not feature-complete on the free tier; MyBookaro Lite covers the full request-to-book workflow with provider + customer dashboards.

Pre-migration checklist

1. List every Bookly add-on you actively use — many sites carry add-ons they bought once and don’t actually use. Only the ones you use need replacing.
2. Export Bookly’s appointment data: WP Admin → Bookly → Appointments → Export to CSV.
3. Snapshot your services + staff: name, duration, price, assigned staff, category.
4. Save your Stripe / payment gateway settings — they don’t migrate.
5. Note your “Custom Statuses” if you use them (Bookly add-on) — MyBookaro uses fixed statuses: pending, approved, rejected, cancelled, completed, no_show.
6. Database backup.

Step-by-step migration

1. Install MyBookaro Lite alongside Bookly

Don’t deactivate Bookly until the new flow is verified. Install MyBookaro Lite, run the Setup Wizard, pick your lane (MyListing Directory / Generic Directory / Single Business).

2. Recreate staff as providers

Each Bookly staff record maps to a MyBookaro provider. Make sure each provider is a WP user with the bookaro_provider capability — Bookly staff aren’t always WP users by default, so you may need to create matching accounts.

3. Rebuild service catalog

Walk through your Bookly services. For each, create a matching MyBookaro service on the appropriate provider(s). Bookly’s “Compound Services” (Compound Services add-on) map to single services with longer durations in MyBookaro — no add-on needed.

4. Configure schedules and special days

Bookly’s “Special Days” (per-staff blackouts via add-on) become MyBookaro’s Date Exceptions on each provider — built into Lite, no add-on needed.

5. Replace the booking shortcode

Where you had [bookly-form], use [bookaro_booking_form]. On MyListing, the form renders automatically per-listing — you can remove the explicit shortcode.

6. Cut over by date, not all at once

Pick a cut-over date 1-2 weeks out. Stop accepting Bookly bookings from that date forward (you can disable Bookly’s form). Let existing Bookly appointments play out. Take new bookings in MyBookaro from the cut-over date.

7. Set up Pro features

Install MyBookaro Pro ($89/yr Single Site, $179 Plus, $279 Agency). Configure Stripe via the standard WooCommerce gateway (see Connecting Stripe to WooCommerce) — Pro replaces Bookly’s Stripe Connect add-on. SMS via Twilio replaces Bookly’s SMS add-on. Google Calendar push replaces Bookly’s GCal add-on.

8. Deactivate Bookly + remove from CodeCanyon auto-renewals

Once verified working, deactivate Bookly. Disable Envato license auto-renewal on every Bookly add-on you no longer need — this is the part that actually saves the money.

Common pitfalls

• Compound Services translation. Bookly compound services (chain of services billed together) become single MyBookaro services with the total duration and price. The customer experience is the same; the back-end model is simpler.
• Custom Statuses. Bookly’s Custom Statuses add-on lets you invent your own booking statuses. MyBookaro uses fixed statuses; if you depended on this, you’ll need to map back to standard ones (rejected/cancelled/completed cover most use cases).
• Files add-on. Bookly Files lets customers upload documents during booking. MyBookaro Pro’s Custom Forms can capture text/select fields per-service but doesn’t natively upload files. If file upload is critical, plan a workaround (Google Forms post-booking, or a Pro custom-form text URL field).
• Stripe Connect. Bookly’s Stripe Connect add-on does Stripe’s marketplace split. MyBookaro Pro uses standard WC Stripe gateway — payouts split via Pro’s payout-split setting are an internal report, not actual Stripe split-payments.

Cost comparison (your actual savings)

The flat MyBookaro pricing pays for itself in year 1; subsequent years are roughly comparable but you get continued feature updates and active support included rather than via per-add-on Envato refresh.

FAQ

Do my Bookly bookings carry over?

Existing appointments in Bookly stay in Bookly’s database tables. There’s no automated migration tool — most teams let existing appointments play out in Bookly and take new ones in MyBookaro from the cut-over date.

Can I keep my CodeCanyon Bookly license valid in case I want to come back?

Yes — Envato licenses don’t expire (only updates and support require renewal). You can keep Bookly deactivated and unrenewed for years, then reactivate if needed.

What about my Bookly customer accounts?

Bookly’s Customer Accounts add-on creates WP user records. Those WP users stay intact when Bookly is deactivated — they keep their account and can use it to log into MyBookaro’s customer dashboard once you assign them the right role.

Try the destination

MyBookaro Lite is free on wordpress.org. Compare MyBookaro vs Bookly for the head-to-head. Pricing if you want Pro features.