Software · head to head
BusyCal vs Harvest Forecast
The short version
- Only BusyCal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: BusyCal mac and iOS only, no Windows or Android support; Harvest Forecast the free plan allows a single seat and 2 projects
- They diverge on capability: BusyCal covers Customizable views, Harvest Forecast covers Visual scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BusyCal and Harvest Forecast actually diverge.
| Attribute | BusyCal | Harvest Forecast |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free | $5/month |
| Pricing model | Unknown | subscription |
| Free tier | Yes | No |
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPad | Web |
| Founded | 2007 | 2006 |
Identical on both: 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 BusyCal
- Customizable views
- Weather integration
- Natural language
- To-dos
- Travel time
- iCloud
- Exchange
- CalDAV
Only in Harvest Forecast
- Visual scheduling
- Capacity planning
- Project assignments
- Utilization reports
- Harvest integration
- Harvest
- iCal
- Web support
Both cover
- Google Calendar
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BusyCal
- Schedulingnot Harvest Forecast
- Appointment bookingnot Harvest Forecast
- Time trackingnot Harvest Forecast
- Resource managementnot Harvest Forecast
- Team coordinationnot Harvest Forecast
Harvest Forecast
- Time tracking and invoicing against client projectsnot BusyCal
- Forecasting team capacity and scheduling worknot 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
Harvest Forecast
- The free plan allows a single seat and 2 projects
- Paid plans bill per seat with usage charged beyond the base rate rather than being purely flat
- The Enterprise plan is $14 per seat per month against $9 on Teams
- The 20% saving requires annual payment
- Enterprise Plus is custom priced
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
Harvest Forecast
$5/month- Per seat$5/month
- Visual planning
- Harvest integration
- Team scheduling
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.
Choose Harvest Forecast if
- You need visual scheduling.
- You also want capacity planning.
Questions people ask
- Is BusyCal or Harvest Forecast better?
- Neither clearly leads. BusyCal starts at Free and Harvest Forecast at $5/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BusyCal or Harvest Forecast?
- BusyCal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for BusyCal and $5/month for Harvest Forecast.
- Does BusyCal or Harvest Forecast run on more platforms?
- BusyCal runs on macOS, iOS, iPad. Harvest Forecast runs on Web.
- Can I use BusyCal for free?
- Yes. BusyCal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Harvest Forecast starts at $5/month.
- 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 Harvest Forecast is typically brought in for.
- What can BusyCal do that Harvest Forecast cannot?
- BusyCal covers Customizable views, Weather integration, Natural language, To-dos. Harvest Forecast covers Visual scheduling, Capacity planning, Project assignments, Utilization reports. Both handle Google Calendar.
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.
SourceBusyCal: 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.
SourceBusyCal: What platforms does BusyCal support?
BusyCal is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
SourceBusyCal: 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