FairCal vs TidyCal
Pricing, features & honest comparison — updated 2026
TL;DR
- TidyCal:
- $29 lifetime. One-time payment (AppSumo deal).
- FairCal:
- $0.10-0.25/booking. No subscription. No seat limits.
- Infrastructure cost:
- $0.03/booking
FairCal
$0.10-0.25/booking
per booking made
No subscription
TidyCal
$29 lifetime
One-time payment (AppSumo deal)
Free: Free plan available
Why people leave TidyCal
- Basic feature set
- AppSumo deals may not be sustainable
- Limited integrations
What it actually costs to run
The infrastructure cost for scheduling — servers, APIs, storage, delivery — is roughly $0.03/booking. TidyCal charges $29 lifetime.
Fair charges $0.10-0.25/booking — cost plus a small margin.
The verdict
Choose TidyCal if
Budget-conscious solopreneurs wanting basic scheduling
Choose FairCal if
You use scheduling occasionally and don't want to pay $29 lifetime for the privilege. FairCal charges $0.10-0.25/booking with full features and no subscription.
Where TidyCal's pricing model breaks down
- Very basic compared to Calendly
- Uncertain long-term sustainability
Related comparisons
FairCal vs Calendly FairCal vs Cal.com FairCal vs SavvyCal FairCal vs Acuity Scheduling Best Scheduling tools Scheduling pricing comparison
Fair is the anti-subscription. 13 tools, one account, pay for what you use.