Calendar & Time Management · head to head
Float vs Outlook Calendar
Float
Calendar & Time Management
Resource management for agencies and teams
- From
- $6/month
- Rated
- -
Outlook Calendar
Calendar & Time Management
Professional calendar management for Microsoft 365
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Outlook Calendar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Float web-only platform without native desktop applications; Outlook Calendar offline support limited to only past 30 days of events, older events unavailable
- They diverge on capability: Float covers Resource scheduling, Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Float and Outlook Calendar actually diverge.
| Attribute | Float | Outlook Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $6/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 2011 | 1975 |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Calendar & Time Management).
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 Float
- Resource scheduling
- Capacity planning
- Time tracking
- Project planning
- Reports
- Asana
- Jira
- Teamwork
Only in Outlook Calendar
- Meeting scheduling
- Shared calendars
- Room booking
- Availability sharing
- Recurring events
- Microsoft Teams
- OneDrive
- SharePoint
Both cover
- Slack
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Float
- 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.
Float
- Web-only platform without native desktop applications
- No offline mode for resource planning
- Limited reporting customization on lower-tier plans
- No built-in payroll or invoicing features
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
Float
$6/month- Starter$6/month
- Resource scheduling
- Time off
- Basic reports
- Pro$10/month
- Time tracking
- Budget tracking
- Advanced reports
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 Float if
- You need resource scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want capacity planning.
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 Float or Outlook Calendar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Float starts at $6/month and Outlook Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Float or Outlook Calendar?
- Outlook Calendar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Float and Free for Outlook Calendar.
- Does Float or Outlook Calendar run on more platforms?
- Float runs on Web, Ios, Android. Outlook Calendar runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Outlook Calendar for free?
- Yes. Outlook Calendar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Float starts at $6/month.
- What is Float best used for?
- Float is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
- What can Float do that Outlook Calendar cannot?
- Float covers Resource scheduling, Capacity planning, Time tracking, Project planning. Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling, Shared calendars, Room booking, Availability sharing. Both handle Slack, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Float: What does Float pricing start at?
Float's Starter plan begins at $7 per user per month for basic resource scheduling and capacity management. The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month with advanced features like estimates and actuals tracking.
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.
SourceFloat: Is Float independent or backed by investors?
Float is independent and self-funded. The company is a B Corp certified since 2024 and is profitable. It has never raised venture funding and operates with a fully remote team.
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.
SourceFloat: What platforms does Float support?
Float is a web-based platform accessible through modern browsers. It provides visual resource management, scheduling, capacity planning, time tracking, and forecasting tools.
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.
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