Cal.com
Review · Meeting & Scheduling · Freemium
About Cal.com
Cal.com is an open-source alternative to Calendly that can be self-hosted or used as a cloud service. It offers similar scheduling features with the added benefits of data ownership and customization.
The platform includes all standard scheduling features: calendar sync, event types, team scheduling, and video integrations. Being open-source means you can modify the code, add custom features, or host it yourself for complete data control.
For organizations with privacy requirements or those wanting to avoid vendor lock-in, Cal.com provides a compelling alternative. The cloud version is competitively priced, while self-hosting is free (just pay for your own infrastructure).
Our Take on Cal.com
Verdict: Cal.com is the open-source scheduling platform with the most generous free plan in the category: unlimited event types and calendars, payments and CRM sync for one user. Teams cost $12/user/month (yearly), less than Calendly Teams. Technical teams can self-host it. Its main disadvantage is that guests are less familiar with it than with Calendly.
Pricing
| Plan | Price (per user/month, yearly) | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Free | $0 | 1 user, unlimited event types and calendars, Stripe/PayPal payments, Salesforce/HubSpot sync |
| Teams | $12 | Round-robin, collective events, routing forms, booking analytics |
| Organizations | $28 | Sub-teams, company subdomain, SAML SSO, SCIM, SOC 2/HIPAA/ISO 27001 |
| Enterprise | Custom | Dedicated support, SLAs, dedicated database |
Teams and Organizations come with a 14-day trial. Cal.com can also be self-hosted from its open-source code.
Against Calendly: a solo consultant with three meeting types pays $0 on Cal.com and $10/month on Calendly Standard. A 10-person sales team pays $120/month on Cal.com Teams versus $160 on Calendly Teams.
Where Cal.com shines
- Free plan that covers most solo needs.
- Open source and self-hostable for data control.
- Routing forms and team scheduling at lower cost.
Where it falls short
- Less brand recognition with invitees.
- Self-hosting requires engineering time.
- Compliance features sit on Organizations ($28).
Choose Cal.com if
- You want a capable free scheduler, or lower team pricing
- Data control or self-hosting matters
Avoid Cal.com if
- Your audience expects a Calendly link and you want zero friction. Use Calendly
Compare: Calendly vs Cal.com. More in meeting & scheduling tools.
Sources (checked 2026-10-10)
Key Features
- ✓Open-source (self-hostable)
- ✓Unlimited event types (free)
- ✓Calendar and video integrations
- ✓Team scheduling
- ✓Custom workflows
- ✓API and webhooks
Pricing
Free
$0
- • 1 user
- • Unlimited event types
Teams
$12/user/mo (yearly)
- • Round-robin
- • Routing forms
Organizations
$28/user/mo (yearly)
- • SSO
- • SCIM
- • Compliance
Other Meeting & Scheduling Tools
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Cal.com really free?
Yes, Cal.com offers a free cloud plan with unlimited events and core features. Self-hosting is also free—you just pay for your own server.
Is Cal.com better than Calendly?
Cal.com has a more generous free tier and is open-source. Calendly is more polished with more integrations. Choose Cal.com for value and control, Calendly for the best experience.
Can I self-host Cal.com?
Yes, Cal.com is open-source and can be self-hosted on your own infrastructure. This gives you complete data control and no monthly fees.
Quick Verdict
Open-source scheduling platform that is self-hostable and privacy-first
92/100 · Excellent
Pros
- ✓More generous free tier than Calendly
- ✓Open-source and self-hostable
- ✓Full data ownership
Cons
- ✗Smaller ecosystem than Calendly
- ✗Self-hosting requires technical skill
- ✗Fewer native integrations
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