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Calendars · head to head

BusyCal vs Cron Calendar

BusyCal logo

BusyCal

Calendars

The most powerful calendar app for Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Cron Calendar logo

Cron Calendar

Calendars

The next-generation calendar for professionals

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BusyCal mac and iOS only, no Windows or Android support; Cron Calendar no longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
  • They diverge on capability: BusyCal covers Customizable views, Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BusyCal and Cron Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where BusyCal and Cron Calendar differ
AttributeBusyCalCron Calendar
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, iPadMacos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web
Founded20072016

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

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 BusyCal

  • Customizable views
  • Weather integration
  • Natural language
  • To-dos
  • Travel time
  • iCloud
  • Exchange
  • CalDAV

Only in Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Multi-timezone
  • Scheduling links
  • Team availability
  • Menu bar access
  • Notion
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Macos support
  • Ios support

What people use each for

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

BusyCal

  • Schedulingnot Cron Calendar
  • Appointment bookingnot Cron Calendar
  • Time trackingnot Cron Calendar
  • Resource managementnot Cron Calendar
  • Team coordinationnot Cron Calendar

Cron Calendar

  • Keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedulenot BusyCal
  • Managing several Google calendars in one viewnot BusyCal
  • Scheduling links for meeting availabilitynot BusyCal
  • Joining video calls from the menu barnot BusyCal

Where each one falls short

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

BusyCal

  • Mac and iOS only, no Windows or Android support
  • Cannot sync iCloud calendars with Google Calendar directly, requiring workaround of hosting calendars on separate services

Cron Calendar

  • No longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
  • Tied to the Notion account system rather than standing alone

Pricing, plan by plan

BusyCal

Free
  • Free EditionFree
    • Basic calendaring needs
  • Premium Subscription$39.99/year
    • Advanced features
    • 14-day trial available
  • Perpetual License$49.99/once
    • One-time purchase
    • Lifetime use

Cron Calendar

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Notion Calendar access
    • Basic calendar features
  • Plus$10/month
    • Notion Calendar included
    • Unlimited users
    • All Notion workspace features
  • Business$20/month
    • Notion Calendar included
    • Unlimited users
    • All Plus features
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Notion Calendar included
    • Custom pricing
    • Unlimited users

Which should you pick?

Choose BusyCal if

  • You need customizable views.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPad.
  • You also want weather integration.
BusyCal review

Choose Cron Calendar if

  • You need keyboard shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want multi-timezone.
Cron Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is BusyCal or Cron Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. BusyCal starts at Free and Cron Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BusyCal or Cron Calendar?
BusyCal starts at Free and Cron Calendar at Free.
Does BusyCal or Cron Calendar run on more platforms?
BusyCal runs on macOS, iOS, iPad. Cron Calendar runs on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use BusyCal for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is BusyCal best used for?
BusyCal is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Cron Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can BusyCal do that Cron Calendar cannot?
BusyCal covers Customizable views, Weather integration, Natural language, To-dos. Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Multi-timezone, Scheduling links, Team availability. Both handle Google Calendar, Macos support, Ios support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

BusyCal: How much does BusyCal cost?

BusyCal offers a one-time perpetual license for $49.99 USD, a premium subscription at $39.99/year or $4.99/month, and a free edition for basic calendaring needs with 14-day trial for premium features.

Source
Cron Calendar: How much does Notion Calendar cost?

Notion Calendar is included at no additional cost with any Notion plan. The Free Notion plan includes Calendar at $0/month. Paid Notion plans start at $10/member/month for Plus and $20/member/month for Business, with Enterprise custom pricing.

Source
BusyCal: What calendar services does BusyCal sync with?

BusyCal syncs with iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and CalDAV servers. However, you cannot directly sync iCloud calendars with Google Calendar through BusyCal; you must host some calendars on iCloud and some on Google.

Source
Cron Calendar: Is Notion Calendar free?

Notion Calendar is included free with all Notion plans, including the free tier. There is no separate pricing for the Calendar feature.

Source
BusyCal: What platforms does BusyCal support?

BusyCal is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Source
Cron Calendar: What is the per-user cost for Notion Calendar?

Notion Calendar has no separate per-user cost as it is bundled into Notion's pricing. Free Notion accounts include it at $0/month. Plus plan is $10 per member/month and Business is $20 per member/month.

Source
BusyCal: What are BusyCal's key features?

BusyCal includes day/week/month/year/list views, availability panel for finding open time slots, timezone side panel, travel time trackers, and integrated to-do lists.

Source
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