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Calendars · head to head

BusyCal vs Notion Calendar

BusyCal logo

BusyCal

Calendars

The most powerful calendar app for Mac

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
N

Notion Calendar

Calendars

Free standalone calendar app from Notion, formerly Cron, usable without a paid Notion subscription

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: BusyCal mac and iOS only, no Windows or Android support; Notion Calendar calendar source support is narrower than Morgen, focusing primarily on Google Calendar rather than a wide range of providers.
  • They diverge on capability: BusyCal covers Customizable views, Notion Calendar covers Multi-calendar view.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 1 September 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which BusyCal and Notion Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where BusyCal and Notion Calendar differ
AttributeBusyCalNotion Calendar
Pricing modelUnknownFree product, no licence fee
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, iPadMac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android
Founded2007Unknown

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Calendars).

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 Notion Calendar

  • Multi-calendar view
  • Keyboard-driven scheduling
  • Menu bar countdown
  • One click video links
  • Notion page linking
  • Availability sharing

What people use each for

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

BusyCal

  • Schedulingnot Notion Calendar
  • Appointment bookingnot Notion Calendar
  • Time trackingnot Notion Calendar
  • Resource managementnot Notion Calendar
  • Team coordinationnot Notion Calendar

Notion Calendar

  • A Google Calendar user who wants a faster, keyboard-driven interface without paying anythingnot BusyCal
  • A Notion workspace user who wants calendar events linked directly to project pages and tasksnot BusyCal
  • Someone who wants a menu bar countdown to their next meeting without opening a browser tabnot BusyCal
  • A user comparing calendar apps who does not want an ongoing subscription like Morgen now requiresnot BusyCal

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

Notion Calendar

  • Calendar source support is narrower than Morgen, focusing primarily on Google Calendar rather than a wide range of providers.
  • Its most distinctive feature, linking events to Notion pages, only benefits users already working inside a Notion workspace.
  • It lacks the task-list-to-calendar time blocking automation that Morgen offers as a paid feature.
  • As part of Notion product suite, its roadmap priorities are set by Notion broader business rather than the calendar being the company sole focus.
  • Some advanced scheduling features found in dedicated paid calendar tools, such as AI-assisted rescheduling, are not present in the free Notion Calendar.

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

Notion Calendar

Free
  • Notion CalendarFree
    • Free standalone use, no subscription required
    • Google Calendar sync
    • Notion page linking included, even on Notion free plan

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.
BusyCal review

Choose Notion Calendar if

  • You need multi-calendar view.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Mac, Windows, Web, iOS, Android.
  • You also want keyboard-driven scheduling.
Notion Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is BusyCal or Notion Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. BusyCal starts at Free and Notion Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, BusyCal or Notion Calendar?
BusyCal starts at Free and Notion Calendar at Free.
Does BusyCal or Notion Calendar run on more platforms?
BusyCal runs on macOS, iOS, iPad. Notion Calendar runs on Mac, Windows, Web, 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. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Notion Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can BusyCal do that Notion Calendar cannot?
BusyCal covers Customizable views, Weather integration, Natural language, To-dos. Notion Calendar covers Multi-calendar view, Keyboard-driven scheduling, Menu bar countdown, One click video links.

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.

Source
Notion Calendar: Do I need to pay for Notion to use Notion Calendar?

No. It is free to use on its own, and calendar features are included even on Notion free workspace plan.

BusyCal: 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.

Source
Notion Calendar: What calendars does it connect to?

Primarily Google Calendar accounts, with Notion workspace page linking as an additional feature for Notion users.

BusyCal: What platforms does BusyCal support?

BusyCal is available for Mac, iPhone, and iPad.

Source
Notion Calendar: Was this app previously called something else?

Yes, it was originally Cron before Notion acquired it and rebuilt it as Notion Calendar.

BusyCal: 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.

Source
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