Best Scheduling Tools in 2026
A pricing-first comparison. We show what each tool charges, what it actually costs to run, and who it's best for. No affiliate links. No sponsored placements.
| Tool | Starting Price | Pricing Model | Free Tier | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| FairCal | $0.10-0.25/booking | Pay per use | Free actions on signup | Occasional users who don't want a subscription |
| Calendly | $10-16/user/mo | Per-seat monthly | 1 event type | Teams needing robust scheduling with CRM integrations |
| Cal.com | $12-25/user/mo | Per-seat monthly (cloud) or self-hosted (free) | Self-hosted is free; cloud has free tier | Developers and teams who want open-source scheduling |
| SavvyCal | $12-20/user/mo | Per-seat monthly | Free tier with basic features | Individuals wanting a polished, opinionated scheduling experience |
| TidyCal | $29 lifetime | One-time payment (AppSumo deal) | Free plan available | Budget-conscious solopreneurs wanting basic scheduling |
| Acuity Scheduling | $16-49/mo | Monthly subscription | 7-day trial | Service businesses needing payment collection with scheduling |
FairCal
FAIR$0.10-0.25/booking per booking made. No subscription, no seat limits. Infrastructure cost: $0.03/booking.
Best for occasional and moderate users who don't use scheduling tools heavily enough to justify a monthly subscription. Full pro features from the first use.
Try FairCal free →Calendly
$10-16/user/mo. Per-seat monthly. Free tier: 1 event type.
Best for: Teams needing robust scheduling with CRM integrations
Common complaints:
- Free tier limited to 1 event type
- Per-seat pricing punishes growing teams
Cal.com
$12-25/user/mo. Per-seat monthly (cloud) or self-hosted (free). Free tier: Self-hosted is free; cloud has free tier.
Best for: Developers and teams who want open-source scheduling
Common complaints:
- Self-hosted requires technical knowledge
- Cloud pricing is per-seat like Calendly
SavvyCal
$12-20/user/mo. Per-seat monthly. Free tier: Free tier with basic features.
Best for: Individuals wanting a polished, opinionated scheduling experience
Common complaints:
- Small team, slower feature development
- Per-seat pricing
TidyCal
$29 lifetime. One-time payment (AppSumo deal). Free tier: Free plan available.
Best for: Budget-conscious solopreneurs wanting basic scheduling
Common complaints:
- Basic feature set
- AppSumo deals may not be sustainable
Acuity Scheduling
$16-49/mo. Monthly subscription. Free tier: 7-day trial.
Best for: Service businesses needing payment collection with scheduling
Common complaints:
- Now owned by Squarespace
- Interface feels dated
What scheduling tools actually cost to run
Scheduling: Infrastructure cost is roughly $0.03/booking. FairCal charges $0.10-0.25/booking. Calendly charges $10-16/user/mo.
Infrastructure costs based on AWS/GCP published pricing. Updated quarterly.
Related comparisons
Fair is the anti-subscription. 13 tools, one account, pay for what you use.