Software Alternatives, Accelerators & Startups

Cal.com VS Google Calendar

Compare Cal.com VS Google Calendar and see what are their differences

Cal.com logo Cal.com

Cal.com (formerly Calendso) is the open source Calendly alternative.

Google Calendar logo Google Calendar

Spend less time managing your day & more time enjoying it
  • Cal.com Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-10-08
  • Google Calendar Landing page
    Landing page //
    2023-07-27

Cal.com features and specs

  • Customizable
    Cal.com allows extensive customization to fit various branding and scheduling needs, which makes it adaptable for different types of users including businesses and individuals.
  • Open-source
    Being an open-source platform, Cal.com provides the flexibility for developers to modify and extend the software as per their specific needs, fostering a collaborative development environment.
  • Integrations
    Cal.com offers a wide range of integrations with other software tools like Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Zoom, enhancing its functionality and making it easier to fit into existing workflows.
  • User-friendly Interface
    Cal.com has an intuitive and clean interface that makes it easy for users of all technical skill levels to set up and manage their scheduling.
  • Privacy-focused
    Cal.com emphasizes data privacy, ensuring user information is handled securely, which is crucial for users who need to comply with regulations like GDPR.

Possible disadvantages of Cal.com

  • Learning Curve
    Although it is highly customizable, the plethora of options and features may result in a steeper learning curve for new users who are not familiar with such scheduling tools.
  • Limited Free Version
    The free version of Cal.com comes with limitations that may not be sufficient for growing businesses or advanced users who require more comprehensive features.
  • Dependency on Integrations
    Cal.com's effectiveness heavily depends on its integrations. Without these integrations, some users might find the tool less useful or incomplete, especially if their primary tools are not supported.
  • Support
    While open-source has many benefits, it may also mean that immediate, personalized support could be limited compared to fully commercial solutions. This might pose a challenge for users needing quick resolutions.
  • Performance
    As an open-source platform, the performance might vary depending on how it is hosted and managed. Suboptimal configurations could lead to slower performance or downtimes.

Google Calendar features and specs

  • Cross-Platform Accessibility
    Google Calendar is available on various platforms (web, iOS, Android), allowing users to access their calendar from any device with an internet connection.
  • Integration with Other Google Services
    Seamless integration with other Google services like Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Drive, providing a cohesive experience for users and enhancing productivity.
  • Collaborative Features
    Users can easily share their calendars with others, create events with multiple participants, and assign tasks, making it ideal for teams and organizations.
  • Event Notifications
    Customizable event reminders and notifications through email or push notifications help users stay on top of their schedule.
  • User-Friendly Interface
    The interface is intuitive and easy to navigate, with drag-and-drop functionality for event scheduling and a clean design that simplifies calendar management.
  • Multiple Calendar Support
    Users can create and manage multiple calendars for different purposes, such as personal, work, or family, all within a single account.
  • Third-Party Integration
    Google Calendar supports integration with third-party applications like Slack, Zoom, and Trello, enhancing its utility in various workflows.
  • Search Functionality
    Powerful search feature that allows users to quickly find events and appointments from past, present, and future dates.

Possible disadvantages of Google Calendar

  • Privacy Concerns
    As with any Google service, there are privacy concerns regarding the collection and use of personal data for advertising and other purposes.
  • Internet Dependence
    Full functionality requires an internet connection, and offline capabilities are limited, which may be inconvenient in areas with poor connectivity.
  • Customization Limitations
    While functional, the customization options for themes and interface elements are limited compared to some other calendar applications.
  • Advanced Feature Lock-in
    Some of the more advanced features may require the use of other Google services or a Google Workspace subscription, potentially leading to vendor lock-in.
  • Learning Curve for New Users
    Although user-friendly, new users, especially those not already familiar with Google products, may experience a learning curve.
  • Notification Overload
    If not managed properly, the frequent notifications and reminders can become overwhelming and disruptive.
  • Limited Task Management
    The built-in task management feature is relatively basic compared to dedicated task management apps, potentially necessitating the use of additional tools.

Cal.com videos

What can you do with Cal? | Cal.com Version 1.1 Launch | 10 new languages

More videos:

  • Review - Cal.com Version 1.0 Launch Event

Google Calendar videos

Master Google Calendar for Mobile 2018 with This Killer Tutorial

More videos:

  • Review - App Review: Google Calendar

Category Popularity

0-100% (relative to Cal.com and Google Calendar)
Productivity
100 100%
0% 0
Calendar
0 0%
100% 100
Appointments and Scheduling
Appointment Scheduling
100 100%
0% 0

User comments

Share your experience with using Cal.com and Google Calendar. For example, how are they different and which one is better?
Log in or Post with

Reviews

These are some of the external sources and on-site user reviews we've used to compare Cal.com and Google Calendar

Cal.com Reviews

I've poked around a while ago at some Calendly alternatives (specifically was lo... | Hacker News
I tried using https://cal.com for a bit but ended up just switching over to https://zcal.co and it has been great so far. All these other scheduling tools end up trying to do too much and always seem to end up a bit clunky and charge absurd amounts for it

Google Calendar Reviews

15 Best Free Daily Planner Apps for 2024 (Features, Price)
However, a potential drawback lies in the visual complexity when dealing with multiple daily events. The time-list format, while comprehensive, may require scrolling, making it challenging to grasp a quick overview of your entire schedule. Perhaps it's time to explore alternatives by searching for "Google Calendar alternatives."
Source: affine.pro
The Best Alternatives to Doodle That You Should Check Out
Although it’s sometimes overlooked, there is a button in the top left corner to create a new event. After creating the event, you can add guests and tap on “Find a Time.“ Google Calendar will start searching for the invitees’ availability in their calendars. Then you can schedule the meeting at the best time for everyone.
Source: trafft.com
The 14 Best Meeting Scheduling Tools for 2022
While everyone on your team needs to be using both Pick and Google Calendar for this solution to work, it’s well worth it. This app will schedule a group meeting by automatically scanning your team’s Google calendars to find availabilities, and then send you a list of options. You can also invite everyone directly from the app, which rightfully earns it a spot on the meeting...
11 of the Best Meeting Scheduler Tools to Organize Your Day
If you find yourself struggling to make your availability known to clients, try out YouCanBook.me. This freemium service offers users a custom URL where users can view free spots on your Google Calendar or iCloud Calendar and book time with you.
The 13 best calendar apps for Android and iOS help you organize a chaotic day
You’ll find the usual options, like being able to set reminders for upcoming events and check your to-dos scheduled for the same day as those events. There are different calendar views to show you what’s taking place on a certain day or during a specific week. Google Calendar also links seamlessly with other calendars you may use, such as Samsung’s S-Planner or Apple’s...

Social recommendations and mentions

Based on our record, Cal.com seems to be more popular. It has been mentiond 56 times since March 2021. We are tracking product recommendations and mentions on various public social media platforms and blogs. They can help you identify which product is more popular and what people think of it.

Cal.com mentions (56)

  • 5 Side Project Ideas for Developers to Monetize as Micro-SaaS in 2025
    Take Cal.com (https://cal.com/), formerly known as Calendso. It started as an open source alternative to Calendly which offers a free, self-hostable version for users. - Source: dev.to / 2 months ago
  • Using Clerk SSO to access Google Calendar and other service data
    BookMate is an open-source, publicly accessible, lightweight clone of popular booking services like cal.com or Calendly. - Source: dev.to / 5 months ago
  • My Journey into Open Source: First Contributions and Lessons Learned
    Then, I came across Cal.com, a fantastic open-source project for scheduling meetings and managing tasks (super useful for productivity!). I knew the basics of Git but wasn’t quite there with forking, merging branches, and all the intricate Git processes. After some YouTube tutorials, I started to get the hang of things. 😅. - Source: dev.to / 6 months ago
  • Start your own (side) business with open-source in mind
    Cal.com is an open-source event-juggling scheduler for everyone, and is free for individuals. - Source: dev.to / about 1 year ago
  • Fellow HSP entrepreneurs, how do you manage your energy and stress?
    I force clients who want to talk to me to book a call. I use cal.com (free) and my Google Calendar (which its linked to) only allows calls on specific days/times. I have a few "Call Blocks" where they can book. That let's me do calls in a small section of my week, with ample downtime to recover the rest of the week. I'm still learning how many calls a day I can handle. Currently anything more than 2 is too much. Source: over 1 year ago
View more

Google Calendar mentions (0)

We have not tracked any mentions of Google Calendar yet. Tracking of Google Calendar recommendations started around Mar 2021.

What are some alternatives?

When comparing Cal.com and Google Calendar, you can also consider the following products

Calendly - Say goodbye to phone and email tag for finding the perfect meeting time with Calendly. It's 100% free, super easy to use and you'll love our customer service.

Fantastical 2 - Fantastical, the Mac calendar app you'll enjoy using. Quickly create new events with natural language input and more.

TidyCal - Optimize your schedule with custom booking pages and calendar integrations

Microsoft Outlook - Organize your world. Outlook’s email and calendar tools help you communicate, stay on top of what matters, and get things done.

SavvyCal - A scheduling tool both the sender and the recipient will love.

Morgen.so - All-in-one Calendar, Tasks & Scheduler. Morgen is the single hub for everything that revolves around time management.