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Scheduling · head to head

Cal.com vs Sawyer

Cal.com logo

Cal.com

Scheduling

Scheduling infrastructure for everyone

From
Free
Rated
-
Sawyer logo

Sawyer

Scheduling

Class and camp booking software for children activity businesses, with a marketplace that takes up to 30 percent

From
$189/month
Rated
-

The short version

  • Only Cal.com has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Cal.com free plan limited to single user only; Sawyer the Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • They diverge on capability: Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Sawyer covers Class and camp registration.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 31 August 2026.

Where they differ

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

Attributes where Cal.com and Sawyer differ
AttributeCal.comSawyer
Starting priceFree$189/month
Pricing modelfreemiumPer business per month, plus marketplace commission
Free tierYesNo
PlatformsWeb, Mobile app, Browser extensionWeb, iOS, Android
Founded2021Unknown

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Scheduling).

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
  • Webhooks
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Zoom

Only in Sawyer

  • Class and camp registration
  • Memberships and class packs
  • Consumer marketplace
  • Auto-billing
  • Waivers and e-signature
  • Multi-location

What people use each for

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

Cal.com

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

Sawyer

  • A new kids activity studio with no mailing list that wants the marketplace to fill its first termsnot Cal.com
  • An established music school moving off spreadsheets that will run Sawyer as software only and never list on the marketplacenot Cal.com
  • A gym selling memberships, class packs and birthday parties that needs all three billed from one systemnot Cal.com
  • A provider running summer camps alongside term-time classes who wants a single parent account for bothnot 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

Sawyer

  • The Launch plan looks free but forces a marketplace listing at 30 percent commission, so a single high-value camp booking through the marketplace can cost more than a year of the Grow subscription would have.
  • Marketplace commission applies to the order value, not the margin, so low-margin providers can lose money on a marketplace booking.
  • Payment processing fees are charged separately by Stripe on top of the subscription and any commission, which the plan comparison does not surface clearly.
  • The step from Grow to Scale doubles the monthly cost for account management and integrations rather than for capability most providers need, making the middle tier the only sensible choice for many.
  • It is built for consumer activity businesses, so providers who invoice schools, councils or corporate clients will find the billing model a poor fit.

Pricing, plan by plan

Cal.com

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited event types
    • Calendar syncing
    • Workflow automation
  • Teams$16/month
    • Round-robin scheduling
    • Shared availability
    • Team workflows
  • Organizations$37/month
    • Organization-wide admin controls
    • Centralized management
  • Enterprise$null/month
    • Priority support
    • Dedicated database
    • Higher SLAs

Sawyer

$189/month
  • Launch$undefined/month
    • No monthly subscription fee
    • 3 percent per transaction
    • Marketplace listing required, 30 percent commission on marketplace orders
  • Grow$189/month
    • 189 USD per month billed annually, 219 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 20 percent commission if used
    • Advanced scheduling, waitlists, free trials
  • Scale$379/month
    • 379 USD per month billed annually, 399 monthly
    • Marketplace listing optional, 15 percent commission if used
    • Dedicated account manager and registration launch support
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Custom pricing for large multi-site operators

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.

Choose Sawyer if

  • You need class and camp registration.
  • You work on Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want memberships and class packs.

Questions people ask

Is Cal.com or Sawyer better?
Neither clearly leads. Cal.com starts at Free and Sawyer at $189/month, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Cal.com or Sawyer?
Cal.com has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at Free for Cal.com and $189/month for Sawyer.
Does Cal.com or Sawyer run on more platforms?
Cal.com runs on Web, Mobile app, Browser extension. Sawyer runs on Web, iOS, Android.
Can I use Cal.com for free?
Yes. Cal.com has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Sawyer starts at $189/month.
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 Sawyer is typically brought in for.
What can Cal.com do that Sawyer cannot?
Cal.com covers Custom booking pages, Team scheduling, Collective scheduling, Routing forms. Sawyer covers Class and camp registration, Memberships and class packs, Consumer marketplace, Auto-billing.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Cal.com: Does Cal.com have a free version?

Yes, Cal.com's free plan includes unlimited event types, calendar syncing, workflow automation, Stripe payments, and Cal Video at no cost, positioning it as one of the most fully featured free scheduling tools available.

Source
Sawyer: Is the Launch plan really free?

No. It has no monthly fee but charges 3 percent per transaction and requires a marketplace listing that takes 30 percent of marketplace orders.

Cal.com: What is the difference between Teams and Organizations pricing?

Teams plan costs $16/user/month and is designed for small businesses with round-robin scheduling and shared availability. Organizations plan costs $37/user/month and adds organization-wide admin controls and centralized management for larger companies.

Source
Sawyer: Can I use Sawyer without the marketplace?

Yes, on Grow and Scale the listing is optional. On Launch it is required.

Cal.com: Is there a limit on the number of team members?

The free plan and Teams plan do not specify member limits in the documented pricing. Organizations plan is designed to scale for larger deployments.

Source
Sawyer: What does the marketplace commission apply to?

The full order value of bookings originating on hisawyer.com, not to bookings from your own website.

Cal.com: How much does the Enterprise plan cost?

Enterprise plan pricing is custom. Cal.com requires contacting their sales team to obtain a quote based on specific needs and SLA requirements.

Source
Sawyer: Is there a contract?

Monthly plans are month to month with 30 days notice; annual billing saves roughly 5 to 14 percent depending on tier.

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