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Project Management · head to head

Basecamp vs Rise Calendar

Basecamp logo

Basecamp

Project Management

Project management & team collaboration software

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Rise Calendar logo

Rise Calendar

Calendars

The modern calendar for Mac

From
$16/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Basecamp has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Basecamp the free tier allows one project and 1 GB of storage; Rise Calendar product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • They diverge on capability: Basecamp covers Message boards, Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Basecamp and Rise Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where Basecamp and Rise Calendar differ
AttributeBasecampRise Calendar
Starting priceFree$16/year
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWebiOS, Android, macOS, Windows
CategoryProject ManagementCalendars
Founded20042021

Identical on both: pricing model (subscription), user rating (Not yet rated).

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 Rise Calendar

  • Native Mac app
  • Natural language
  • Menu bar widget
  • Quick event creation
  • Minimal design
  • Google Calendar
  • iCloud
  • Outlook

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 Rise Calendar
  • Message boards and chat alongside to-dosnot Rise Calendar
  • Client collaboration, since guests are not chargednot Rise Calendar
  • Flat-rate project management for a larger team on Pro Unlimitednot Rise Calendar

Rise Calendar

  • Schedulingnot Basecamp
  • Appointment bookingnot Basecamp
  • Time trackingnot Basecamp
  • Resource managementnot Basecamp
  • Team coordinationnot 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

Rise Calendar

  • Product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • Failed to achieve sufficient commercial traction despite 900 teams and 30% month-over-month growth

Pricing, plan by plan

Basecamp

Free
  • FreeFree
    • 1 active project
    • 1 GB storage
    • 5 maximum users
  • Freelancer$25/month
    • 3 active projects
    • 5 GB storage
    • 20 maximum users
  • Studio$59/month
    • 10 active projects
    • 25 GB storage
    • Unlimited users
  • Pro$99/month
    • 25 active projects
    • 100 GB storage
    • Unlimited users

Rise Calendar

$16/year
  • Annual$16/year
    • Full calendar
    • Menu bar access
    • Natural language

Which should you pick?

Choose Basecamp if

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

Choose Rise Calendar if

  • You need native mac app.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want natural language.
Rise Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is Basecamp or Rise Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. Basecamp starts at Free and Rise Calendar at $16/year, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Basecamp or Rise Calendar?
Basecamp has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Basecamp and $16/year for Rise Calendar.
Does Basecamp or Rise Calendar run on more platforms?
Basecamp runs on Web. Rise Calendar runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
Can I use Basecamp for free?
Yes. Basecamp has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year.
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 Rise Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can Basecamp do that Rise Calendar cannot?
Basecamp covers Message boards, To-do lists, Schedules, Documents & files. Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, Natural language, Menu bar widget, Quick event creation.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Basecamp: Does Basecamp charge per user?

No, Studio tier and higher include unlimited users at no additional charge. The Free plan supports up to 5 users, and Freelancer supports up to 20 users.

Source
Rise Calendar: Is Rise Calendar still available?

No, Rise Calendar was discontinued on March 31, 2025. The service shut down after failing to achieve commercial traction in a competitive market. All user data was permanently deleted.

Source
Basecamp: How much storage does each Basecamp plan include?

Free includes 1 GB; Freelancer includes 5 GB; Studio includes 25 GB; Pro includes 100 GB; Unlimited includes 1 TB and can be expanded to 6 TB for an additional $100/month.

Source
Rise Calendar: What were Rise Calendar's main features?

Rise offered calendar management with synchronization to Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud; integrated task and project management; scheduling optimization with FocusGuard; and cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

Source
Basecamp: What trial periods does Basecamp offer?

30-day free trial is available for all plans except Unlimited, which offers a 45-day free trial. No credit card required.

Source
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