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Software · head to head

Outlook Calendar vs Webex by Cisco

Outlook Calendar logo

Outlook Calendar

Software

Professional calendar management for Microsoft 365

From
Free
Rated
-
Webex by Cisco logo

Webex by Cisco

Software

A simpler, smarter way to work

From
Free
Rated
-

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Outlook Calendar offline support limited to only past 30 days of events, older events unavailable; Webex by Cisco listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)
  • They diverge on capability: Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling, Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Outlook Calendar and Webex by Cisco actually diverge.

Attributes where Outlook Calendar and Webex by Cisco differ
AttributeOutlook CalendarWebex by Cisco
Pricing modelUnknownsubscription
PlatformsWeb, Windows, macOS, iOS, AndroidWeb, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android
Founded19751984

Identical on both: starting price (Free), 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 Outlook Calendar

  • Meeting scheduling
  • Shared calendars
  • Room booking
  • Availability sharing
  • Recurring events
  • OneDrive
  • SharePoint
  • Zoom

Only in Webex by Cisco

  • Video and audio conferencing
  • Screen sharing and annotation
  • Virtual backgrounds
  • Recording and playback
  • Meeting transcription
  • Chat and messaging
  • Calendar integration
  • Breakout sessions

Both cover

  • Microsoft Teams
  • Slack

What people use each for

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

Outlook Calendar

  • Schedulingnot Webex by Cisco
  • Appointment bookingnot Webex by Cisco
  • Time trackingnot Webex by Cisco
  • Resource managementnot Webex by Cisco
  • Team coordinationnot Webex by Cisco

Webex by Cisco

  • Video conferencingnot Outlook Calendar
  • Webinarsnot Outlook Calendar
  • Virtual eventsnot Outlook Calendar
  • Trainingnot Outlook Calendar
  • Enterprise communicationnot Outlook Calendar

Where each one falls short

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

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

Webex by Cisco

  • Listed on UK G-Cloud at £6 per user per month for Cisco Webex, via reseller Conscia Group UK Ltd (ITGL)

Pricing, plan by plan

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

Webex by Cisco

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Unlimited 1:1 meetings
    • Group meetings (40 min limit, 100 participants)
    • HD video
  • Pro$13.5/month
    • Unlimited meetings (500 participants)
    • Cloud recording and storage
    • Advanced scheduling
  • Business$18/month
    • Everything in Pro
    • Custom branding
    • Advanced security
  • Enterprise$undefined/month
    • Unlimited everything
    • Dedicated account manager
    • Custom deployment

Which should you pick?

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.

Choose Webex by Cisco if

  • You need video and audio conferencing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
  • You also want screen sharing and annotation.

Questions people ask

Is Outlook Calendar or Webex by Cisco better?
Neither clearly leads. Outlook Calendar starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Outlook Calendar or Webex by Cisco?
Outlook Calendar starts at Free and Webex by Cisco at Free.
Does Outlook Calendar or Webex by Cisco run on more platforms?
Outlook Calendar runs on Web, Windows, macOS, iOS, Android. Webex by Cisco runs on Web, Windows, Macos, Linux, Ios, Android.
Can I use Outlook Calendar for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Outlook Calendar best used for?
Outlook Calendar is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Webex by Cisco is typically brought in for.
What can Outlook Calendar do that Webex by Cisco cannot?
Outlook Calendar covers Meeting scheduling, Shared calendars, Room booking, Availability sharing. Webex by Cisco covers Video and audio conferencing, Screen sharing and annotation, Virtual backgrounds, Recording and playback. Both handle Microsoft Teams, Slack.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Outlook 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.

Source
Outlook 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.

Source
Outlook 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.

Source
Outlook 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.

Source
Outlook 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

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