Software · head to head
BusyCal vs Outlook Calendar
Outlook Calendar
Software
Professional calendar management for Microsoft 365
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: BusyCal mac and iOS only, no Windows or Android support; Outlook Calendar offline support limited to only past 30 days of events, older events unavailable
- They diverge on capability: BusyCal covers Customizable views, Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which BusyCal and Outlook Calendar actually diverge.
| Attribute | BusyCal | Outlook Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | macOS, iOS, iPad | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2007 | 1975 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), 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 BusyCal
- Customizable views
- Weather integration
- Natural language
- To-dos
- Travel time
- iCloud
- Google Calendar
- Exchange
Only in Outlook Calendar
- Meeting scheduling
- Shared calendars
- Room booking
- Availability sharing
- Recurring events
- Microsoft Teams
- OneDrive
- SharePoint
Both cover
- Macos support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
BusyCal
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
Outlook Calendar
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
Both are used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management, team coordination, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
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
Outlook Calendar
- Offline support limited to only past 30 days of events, older events unavailable
- Shared calendars and group calendars not available offline
- Cached Exchange Mode issues can limit available offline data
- Occasional sync conflicts when coming back online
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
Outlook Calendar
Free- FreeFree
- Outlook.com email and calendar
- 50MB attachment limit
- 1GB cloud storage
- Microsoft 365 Basic$19.99/year
- Outlook with limited features
- Cloud storage
- Microsoft 365 Personal$99.99/year
- Premium Outlook
- Ad-free email
- 100GB mailbox storage
- Microsoft 365 Business Basic$6/month
- Business-class email
- 1TB cloud storage
- Microsoft Teams
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 Outlook Calendar if
- You need meeting scheduling.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- You also want shared calendars.
Questions people ask
- Is BusyCal or Outlook Calendar better?
- Neither clearly leads. BusyCal starts at Free and Outlook Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, BusyCal or Outlook Calendar?
- BusyCal starts at Free and Outlook Calendar at Free.
- Does BusyCal or Outlook Calendar run on more platforms?
- BusyCal runs on macOS, iOS, iPad. Outlook Calendar runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- 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.
- What can BusyCal do that Outlook Calendar cannot?
- BusyCal covers Customizable views, Weather integration, Natural language, To-dos. Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling, Shared calendars, Room booking, Availability sharing. Both handle 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.
SourceOutlook Calendar: Is Outlook Calendar free?
Outlook.com with calendar is free via a Microsoft account. Outlook Calendar also comes with Microsoft 365 Personal ($99.99/year), Family ($129.99/year), or Business plans starting at $6/user/month.
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.
SourceOutlook Calendar: Does Outlook Calendar work offline?
Outlook Calendar has limited offline support. New Outlook caches only the past 30 days of calendar items. Shared calendars and group calendars are not supported offline. Changes sync when you reconnect.
SourceBusyCal: What platforms does BusyCal support?
BusyCal is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.
SourceOutlook Calendar: What platforms does Outlook Calendar support?
Outlook Calendar is available on Windows (desktop and web), macOS (desktop and web), iOS, and Android. Real-time synchronization works across all devices.
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.
SourceOutlook Calendar: Does Outlook Calendar integrate with Slack?
Yes. Outlook Calendar integrates with Slack to sync your status and receive meeting notifications. You can RSVP to invites directly in Slack and join Microsoft Teams meetings from Slack reminders.
SourceOutlook Calendar: Can you share calendars and set delegate permissions?
Yes. Outlook Calendar supports calendar sharing with delegate permissions, color categories for organization, and the Scheduling Assistant to view attendee availability for meeting times.
Source