Softwr

Software · head to head

Cal.com vs n8n

Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Software

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
n8n logo

n8n

Software

The fair-code workflow automation tool

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Cal.com free plan limited to single user only; n8n starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • They diverge on capability: Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, n8n covers Workflow automation.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Cal.com and n8n actually diverge.

Attributes where Cal.com and n8n differ
AttributeCal.comn8n
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Browser extensionWeb, Docker, Self-hosted
Founded20212019

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 Cal.com

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

Only in n8n

  • Workflow automation
  • Visual editor
  • Conditional execution
  • Looping
  • Error handling
  • Scheduling
  • REST API
  • 400+ integrations

Both cover

  • Webhooks

What people use each for

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

Cal.com

  • Schedule meetings and manage availabilitynot n8n
  • Accept payments via Stripe and PayPalnot n8n
  • Integrate with Salesforce and HubSpotnot n8n

n8n

  • Building AI agents and workflow automation for technical teamsnot Cal.com
  • Visual workflow design with capability to write custom JavaScript or Python codenot Cal.com
  • Enterprise deployments with self-hosted or cloud optionsnot Cal.com
  • Integrating 500+ pre-built applications with custom API connectionsnot Cal.com

Where each one falls short

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

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

n8n

  • Starter tier limited to 1 project and 5 concurrent executions
  • Starter and Pro tiers restricted to Cloud hosting only, not self-hosted
  • Business tier requires 6 months minimum commitment at €667/month
  • SSO/SAML/LDAP authentication requires Business or Enterprise tier
  • Dedicated support with SLA available only on Enterprise plan

Pricing, plan by plan

Cal.com

Free

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

n8n

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the n8n review.

Which should you pick?

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.
Cal.com review

Choose n8n if

  • You need workflow automation.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
  • You also want visual editor.
n8n review

Questions people ask

Is Cal.com or n8n better?
Neither clearly leads. Cal.com starts at Free and n8n at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cal.com or n8n?
Cal.com starts at Free and n8n at Free.
Does Cal.com or n8n run on more platforms?
Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension. n8n runs on Web, Docker, Self-hosted.
Can I use Cal.com for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Cal.com best used for?
Cal.com is most often used for schedule meetings and manage availability, accept payments via stripe and paypal, integrate with salesforce and hubspot. Of those, schedule meetings and manage availability and accept payments via stripe and paypal are not what n8n is typically brought in for.
What can Cal.com do that n8n cannot?
Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms. n8n covers Workflow automation, Visual editor, Conditional execution, Looping. Both handle Webhooks.
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