Software · head to head
Google Calendar vs Outlook Calendar
Outlook Calendar
Software
Professional calendar management for Microsoft 365
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Google Calendar no AI-driven scheduling assistance or automatic meeting time optimization; Outlook Calendar offline support limited to only past 30 days of events, older events unavailable
- They diverge on capability: Google Calendar covers Event scheduling, Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar actually diverge.
| Attribute | Google Calendar | Outlook Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows | Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android |
| Founded | 1998 | 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 Google Calendar
- Event scheduling
- Multiple calendars
- Reminders and notifications
- Event sharing
- Video conferencing integration
- Gmail
- Google Meet
- Google Tasks
Only in Outlook Calendar
- Meeting scheduling
- Shared calendars
- Room booking
- Availability sharing
- Recurring events
- Microsoft Teams
- OneDrive
- SharePoint
Both cover
- Slack
- Zoom
- Web support
- Ios support
- Android support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Google Calendar
- 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.
Google Calendar
- No AI-driven scheduling assistance or automatic meeting time optimization
- Lacks built-in appointment booking pages or payment integrations for scheduling
- Limited mobile support for shared calendars and unreliable push notifications on phones
- No native task management or project tracking features within the calendar interface
- Limited offline functionality on the web (read-only mode only)
- Strict usage limits (maximum 60 calendars, 750 shares per time period)
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
Google Calendar
Free- PersonalFree
- Event scheduling
- Sharing
- Notifications
- Google Workspace Business Starter$7/month
- All personal features
- Team collaboration
- 30GB storage
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 Google Calendar if
- You need event scheduling.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
- You also want multiple calendars.
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 Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar better?
- Neither clearly leads. Google Calendar 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, Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar?
- Google Calendar starts at Free and Outlook Calendar at Free.
- Does Google Calendar or Outlook Calendar run on more platforms?
- Google Calendar runs on Web, iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Outlook Calendar runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android.
- Can I use Google Calendar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Google Calendar best used for?
- Google Calendar is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
- What can Google Calendar do that Outlook Calendar cannot?
- Google Calendar covers Event scheduling, Multiple calendars, Reminders and notifications, Event sharing. Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling, Shared calendars, Room booking, Availability sharing. Both handle Slack, Zoom, Web support, Ios support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Google Calendar: Can I use Google Calendar offline?
Yes. On the web, Google Calendar works in read-only mode offline for cached events. On iOS and Android, the Google Calendar app automatically caches recent events and lets you create, edit, and respond to events offline. Changes sync automatically when you reconnect to the internet.
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.
SourceGoogle Calendar: Can I export my calendar data?
Yes. Google Calendar exports as ICS files through Settings > Import & export > Export. ICS files are readable by Outlook, Apple Calendar, Thunderbird, and most other calendar applications.
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.
SourceGoogle Calendar: Does Google Calendar integrate with video conferencing?
Yes. Google Calendar integrates natively with Google Meet and Zoom. When you create an event, you can add a video conference link directly. Other platforms like Webex and GoTo Meeting can be integrated via Zapier or third-party automation.
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.
SourceGoogle Calendar: Can I share my calendar with teams?
Yes. You can share individual calendars with specific people or make them publicly viewable. However, accessing shared calendars on mobile devices has limitations, and push notifications for shared calendars may not work reliably on phones.
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.
SourceGoogle Calendar: Does Google Calendar work with Outlook?
No direct integration. You can manually import/export using ICS files or use third-party tools like Zapier to sync events. This is different from Outlook, which integrates seamlessly within Microsoft 365.
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.
SourceGoogle Calendar: Is there a cost to use Google Calendar?
Google Calendar is free for personal use. Google Workspace plans (which include Calendar) start at $7 per user per month for business use.
Source