Nuudel: The online appointment planner with data protection

Nuudel is an online tool that serves as a Doodle alternative. It is a scheduler that allows users to schedule appointments and create polls. Nuudel is especially known for its privacy features. Unlike many other providers, Nuudel does not store IP addresses and does not perform user tracking.

How does Nuudel work?

Using Nuudel is simple and straightforward. Users can create an appointment survey by selecting a date and time, then sending a link to the survey to participants. Participants can then indicate their availability, and the date that suits the most participants is selected.

Privacy at Nuudel

Privacy is a central concern of Nuudel. The Doodle alternative does not store IP addresses and does not perform user tracking. Users can also choose not to provide an email address. In this case, they should bookmark the admin pages of their surveys.

Nuudel vs. doodle: A comparison

While Doodle is the best-known provider for online scheduling, Nuudel offers a privacy-friendly alternative. Unlike Doodle, Nuudel does not store IP addresses and does not perform user tracking. In addition, Nuudel is free, while Doodle offers paid premium options.

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meetergo: A DSGVO-compliant and free alternative

In the world of online scheduling, there are other alternatives besides Nuudel and Doodle that are worth looking at. One of them is meetergo. This online tool is a DSGVO-compliant alternative that stands out for its ease of use and privacy features.

Scheduling appointments with meetergo is simple and straightforward. Users can set appointments by selecting a date and time, then sending an email to participants with a link to the appointment survey. Participants can then indicate their availability, and the appointment that suits the most participants is selected.

Another advantage of meetergo is that it is free of charge. This makes it an attractive option for individuals and companies looking for an efficient and cost-effective solution for scheduling.

Compared to other providers such as Doodle and Nuudel, meetergo offers a number of features that make it an excellent choice. These include the ability to create polls, integration with calendars and the option to send emails to participants.

Overall, meetergo is a great alternative for those looking for a DSGVO compliant and free online tool for scheduling and survey creation.

Participant management with Nuudel

An important aspect of using online scheduling tools is the management of participants. Nuudel offers a number of functions here that facilitate the invitation and management of participants.

First, Nuudel users can simply enter an email address to invite participants to their survey. Participants will then receive an email with a link to the survey. This makes it easy to reach a large number of participants and ensure that everyone has the opportunity to take the survey.

In addition, Nuudel also offers functions for managing participants. Users can see who has participated and which dates they have selected. This facilitates the planning and coordination of meetings and events.

Another advantage of Nuudel is that it allows participants to change their choices as their availability changes. This provides flexibility and ensures that the survey always contains the most up-to-date information.

Overall, Nuudel provides a powerful participant management tool that makes scheduling and survey creation a simple and efficient process.

Nuudel at a glance: what it is and who it suits

Nuudel is a free, browser-based tool for finding a date or collecting a simple opinion. An organizer proposes options, shares one participation link, and reviews the combined answers. Digitalcourage operates the service on its own hardware using the free-software project Framadate. The official service description says access logging is disabled and only information entered into the forms is stored.

That narrow scope is Nuudel's strength. It works well for a committee, club, class, volunteer group, or team that needs to compare availability without asking every participant to create an account. It is less suitable when the desired outcome is an immediately confirmed customer appointment, automatic calendar synchronization, reminders, payments, or a branded booking journey. In those cases, use a dedicated scheduling page instead of treating a poll as a booking system.

How to create and run a Nuudel date poll

1. Define the decision before adding dates

Write a short title, explain what the meeting is for, and tell participants which time zone applies. Choose the date-poll option when the group must agree on one time. Use the standard-poll option when the choices are words rather than dates, or when an option spans several days.

2. Offer realistic time options

Check your own calendar first and offer only slots you could actually attend. Include enough alternatives to produce a useful result, but avoid a grid so large that people postpone answering. Nuudel does not need access to a participant's calendar to collect a vote, so each person should compare the proposed times with their calendar manually.

3. Set privacy and deletion choices deliberately

Use a neutral poll title when the subject itself is sensitive, ask only for information needed to make the decision, and choose an earlier deletion date instead of accepting the maximum retention period by default. If the poll URL could be guessed or forwarded beyond the intended group, add a password and distribute it through a separate channel.

4. Save the admin access and close the loop

Keep the administration link in a password manager or bookmark it immediately. If you use a fictional address ending in @invalid, Digitalcourage cannot recover the poll for you. After the deadline, choose the final option, notify the group, add the confirmed event to the relevant calendars, export the results if needed, and delete the poll when its purpose is complete.

Nuudel privacy and GDPR checklist for organizations

Nuudel reduces data collection, but a privacy-friendly service does not remove the organizer's responsibilities. Names, email addresses, availability, and free-text comments can still be personal data. Under the GDPR, collect only what the appointment decision requires, explain the purpose, restrict access to the participation link, and keep the information no longer than necessary.

Digitalcourage offers a data processing agreement for companies, public bodies, schools, associations, and other organizations. Its agreement documents the types of data that may be processed, technical and organizational safeguards, encrypted transmission, deletion controls, and the service's handling of access logs. Review and complete that agreement before using Nuudel for an organization rather than assuming the label 'GDPR-friendly' is sufficient on its own.

A poll link is an access credential. Anyone who receives it may be able to see the information exposed by that poll's settings, while the separate admin link permits changes. Share both links accordingly. For health, HR, legal, or other sensitive contexts, avoid revealing the subject in the title and consider whether even names plus availability create more disclosure than the meeting requires.

Nuudel, Doodle, or a booking page: which workflow fits?

Choose Nuudel when a group must compare options and minimal data collection matters more than integrations. Choose Doodle when you want a commercial group-poll product with account-based management and optional paid features such as advanced settings. Doodle's current help center and pricing pages should be checked before deciding because free-plan limits and paid features can change.

Choose a booking page when one host or team controls the available times and the invitee should receive an immediate confirmation. A booking workflow can use live calendar availability, buffers, routing, reminders, and rescheduling rules. Asking a customer to vote in a poll and then wait for a manual confirmation adds work that a booking page is designed to remove.

The practical test is simple: if participants are peers choosing a shared time, start with a poll. If one side is providing a service and owns the calendar, start with a booking page. Run one test from creation through deletion before using either workflow with real participants, and verify the current product documentation linked in the sources below.

Nuudel Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use images with Nuudel?

For privacy and IT security reasons, Nuudel has disabled the feature that would otherwise load external resources. Therefore, users cannot insert images into their surveys.

Who runs Nuudel?

Nuudel is run by Digitalcourage, a non-profit organization that advocates for a livable world in the digital age.

Do I have to register with Nuudel?

No, registration is not required to use Nuudel. You can simply create a survey and send the link to the participants.

Is Nuudel GDPR compliant?

Nuudel is designed for data minimization: Digitalcourage says it disables user tracking and access logging and stores only information entered into the forms. Compliance still depends on how you configure and use the poll. An organization must define a lawful purpose, limit the data requested, control access, set an appropriate deletion date, and provide required privacy information.

Does Digitalcourage provide a data processing agreement for Nuudel?

Yes. Digitalcourage provides an AVV, the German form of a data processing agreement, for organizations using Nuudel. The official AVV page explains how to download, complete, sign, and return it. Review it before processing customer, employee, student, patient, or member information through the service.

Does Nuudel store IP addresses or track users?

Digitalcourage states that access logging is disabled in both the Framadate application and the web server, so IP addresses are not stored in access logs and no user tracking is performed. Information that organizers and participants intentionally enter into a poll is still stored for the poll's operation.

How long does Nuudel keep a poll?

The official Nuudel FAQ says polls are deleted automatically after a maximum of 24 months, or 720 days. The organizer can choose an earlier deletion date and can manually delete the poll. For business use, select the shortest period that still serves the scheduling purpose instead of relying on the maximum.

Can I protect a Nuudel poll with a password?

Yes. Digitalcourage's FAQ says password protection is available. A cryptic participation URL already limits casual discovery, but a password is useful if the address is easy to guess or the link may be forwarded. Store the password safely because Digitalcourage says it cannot recover or reset it.

Can participants use Nuudel without an account?

Yes. Participants open the shared link and submit their choices without registering. Organizers also do not create a conventional account. The service asks for an email address when creating a poll, but Digitalcourage permits a fictional address ending in @invalid if the organizer saves the admin link independently.

What happens if I lose the Nuudel admin link?

If you supplied a real email address, the 'Where are my polls?' function can help identify polls associated with that address, although the official FAQ notes that the participation links are not included there. If you used an @invalid address and did not save the admin page, Digitalcourage cannot reconstruct access for you.

Can I change a Nuudel poll after people have voted?

Only some settings can be edited after creation. Digitalcourage warns that most initial values cannot be changed and that deleting columns after votes exist can cause data loss. Confirm the title, options, privacy settings, and deletion date in a test poll before sharing the real link.

Can I export Nuudel poll results?

Yes. The official FAQ recommends exporting poll data as a CSV file when you need to format, print, or retain the result outside Nuudel. Export only when necessary, protect the downloaded file like any other personal data, and delete local copies when they are no longer needed.

Does Nuudel connect to Google Calendar or Outlook?

Nuudel's official materials describe it as a standalone date-finding and survey tool, not as a calendar-connected booking system. Participants compare options with their calendars themselves, and the organizer records the final choice. If live availability checks and automatic calendar events are required, use a dedicated scheduling product.

What is the difference between Nuudel and Doodle?

Both can collect availability for a group. Nuudel is a free Digitalcourage service focused on data minimization and runs without conventional user accounts. Doodle is a commercial scheduling platform with free and paid plans, account-based management, calendar connections, and advanced paid settings. Compare the current official pricing and privacy pages before choosing.

What is the difference between a Nuudel poll and a booking page?

A Nuudel poll asks several people which proposed options work and leaves the organizer to select the final time. A booking page shows a host's available slots and confirms one immediately when an invitee selects it. Polls suit peer groups; booking pages suit customer calls, consultations, interviews, and other host-led appointments.

Is Nuudel suitable for business use?

It can be, especially for internal or association-style group decisions where a simple poll is enough. Businesses should complete Digitalcourage's data processing agreement, document the purpose and deletion period, and avoid sensitive free text. For client scheduling that needs confirmations, reminders, routing, or calendar synchronization, a booking workflow is usually a better fit.

Nuudel in practice

Nuudel is a useful tool for planning meetings, appointments and events. Whether you're planning a get-together with friends or organizing a big event, Nuudel makes scheduling simple and straightforward## Nuudel for business

Nuudel is also a valuable tool for companies. It enables efficient scheduling and facilitates the coordination of meetings and events. In addition, many companies appreciate Nuudel's privacy features.

Nuudel and the TU Dresden

Dresden University of Technology is an example of an institution that uses Nuudel for scheduling. The university appreciates the simplicity and privacy features of Nuudel.

Conclusion

Nuudel is a powerful online tool for scheduling and survey creation. With its focus on privacy, it offers an attractive alternative to other providers like Doodle. Whether you're scheduling appointments with friends, coordinating meetings for your company, or organizing a large event, Nuudel is an excellent choice.

For a plain date poll without accounts, use the free meeting poll – share a link, everyone votes.