Softwr

Software · head to head

Basecamp vs Cal.com

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Software

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Software

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Cal.com free plan limited to single user only
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Cal.com covers Custom booking pages.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Cal.com actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Cal.com differ
AttributeBasecampCal.com
PlatformsWebWeb, Mobile app, Browser extension
Founded20042021

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Basecamp

  • Message boards
  • To-do lists
  • Schedules
  • Documents & files
  • Group chat
  • Check-in questions
  • Hill Charts
  • Email forwards

Only in Cal.com

  • Custom booking pages
  • Team scheduling
  • Collective scheduling
  • Routing forms
  • Webhooks
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Basecamp

  • Project management for a small team in one placenot Cal.com
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Cal.com
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Cal.com
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Cal.com

Cal.com

  • Schedule meetings and manage availabilitynot Basecamp
  • Accept payments via Stripe and PayPalnot Basecamp
  • Integrate with Salesforce and HubSpotnot Basecamp

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Basecamp

  • The free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage
  • Pro is $15 per user per month, so cost scales with headcount unlike the flat Pro Unlimited at $299 a month billed annually
  • Storage beyond the plan costs $50 a month per additional terabyte
  • Timesheet and the Admin Pro Pack are paid upgrades on Pro and only bundled with Pro Unlimited

Cal.com

  • Free plan limited to single user only
  • Free plan restricted to 1 user account
  • Teams plan requires yearly billing at $12/user/month
  • Organizations plan requires yearly billing at $28/user/month
  • Free plan lacks team collaboration features

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Basecamp review.

Cal.com

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Cal.com review.

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

  • You need message boards.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You also want to-do lists.

Choose Cal.com if

  • You need custom booking pages.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
  • You also want team scheduling.

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Cal.com better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Cal.com at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Cal.com?
Basecamp starts at Free and Cal.com at Free.
Does Basecamp or Cal.com run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Basecamp best used for?
Basecamp is most often used for project management for a small team in one place, message boards and chat alongside to-dos, client collaboration, since guests are not charged, flat-rate project management for a larger team on pro unlimited. Of those, project management for a small team in one place and message boards and chat alongside to-dos are not what Cal.com is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Cal.com cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms.

Related pages

Other head to heads