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Calendars · head to head

Rise Calendar vs Vimcal

Rise Calendar logo

Rise Calendar

Calendars

The modern calendar for Mac

From
$16/year
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Vimcal logo

Vimcal

Calendars

The world's fastest calendar

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Vimcal has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: Rise Calendar product discontinued as of March 31, 2025; Vimcal the free tier is iOS only; the desktop app for Mac and PC requires the $20 per month plan
  • They diverge on capability: Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, Vimcal covers Vim-style shortcuts.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Rise Calendar and Vimcal actually diverge.

Attributes where Rise Calendar and Vimcal differ
AttributeRise CalendarVimcal
Starting price$16/yearFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionfreemium
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsiOS, Android, macOS, WindowsMacos, Windows, Ios, Android
Founded20212020

Identical on both: 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 Rise Calendar

  • Native Mac app
  • Natural language
  • Menu bar widget
  • Quick event creation
  • Minimal design
  • iCloud
  • Exchange

Only in Vimcal

  • Vim-style shortcuts
  • Time zone support
  • Scheduling links
  • Speed optimization
  • Quick actions
  • Zoom
  • Google Meet
  • Windows support

Both cover

  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook
  • Macos support

What people use each for

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

Rise Calendar

  • Schedulingnot Vimcal
  • Appointment bookingnot Vimcal
  • Time trackingnot Vimcal
  • Resource managementnot Vimcal
  • Team coordinationnot Vimcal

Vimcal

  • Fast keyboard-driven calendar management for executives with heavy meeting loadsnot Rise Calendar
  • Delegated scheduling by executive assistants across multiple executivesnot Rise Calendar
  • Sharing availability and booking links across time zonesnot Rise Calendar

Where each one falls short

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

Rise Calendar

  • Product discontinued as of March 31, 2025
  • Failed to achieve sufficient commercial traction despite 900 teams and 30% month-over-month growth

Vimcal

  • The free tier is iOS only; the desktop app for Mac and PC requires the $20 per month plan
  • Events created on the free tier carry a Created with Vimcal signature, and removing it requires the paid plan
  • Personal booking links, scheduling polls and team scheduling features are excluded from the free tier
  • The executive assistant tier costs $75 per month, or $62.50 billed yearly
  • SAML SSO, advanced security controls and a dedicated support manager are Enterprise only, and Enterprise is quote only with no published rate
  • The lower rates of $16.67 and $62.50 per month require yearly billing

Pricing, plan by plan

Rise Calendar

$16/year
  • Annual$16/year
    • Full calendar
    • Menu bar access
    • Natural language

Vimcal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Basic calendar
    • Keyboard shortcuts
  • Pro$15/month
    • Scheduling links
    • Time zones
    • Team features

Which should you pick?

Choose Rise Calendar if

  • You need native mac app.
  • You work on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows.
  • You also want natural language.
Rise Calendar review

Choose Vimcal if

  • You need vim-style shortcuts.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
  • You also want time zone support.
Vimcal review

Questions people ask

Is Rise Calendar or Vimcal better?
Neither clearly leads. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year and Vimcal at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Rise Calendar or Vimcal?
Vimcal has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $16/year for Rise Calendar and Free for Vimcal.
Does Rise Calendar or Vimcal run on more platforms?
Rise Calendar runs on iOS, Android, macOS, Windows. Vimcal runs on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android.
Can I use Vimcal for free?
Yes. Vimcal has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Rise Calendar starts at $16/year.
What is Rise Calendar best used for?
Rise Calendar is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what Vimcal is typically brought in for.
What can Rise Calendar do that Vimcal cannot?
Rise Calendar covers Native Mac app, Natural language, Menu bar widget, Quick event creation. Vimcal covers Vim-style shortcuts, Time zone support, Scheduling links, Speed optimization. Both handle Google Calendar, Outlook, Macos support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Rise Calendar: Is Rise Calendar still available?

No, Rise Calendar was discontinued on March 31, 2025. The service shut down after failing to achieve commercial traction in a competitive market. All user data was permanently deleted.

Source
Vimcal: What is the cost of Vimcal after the free trial?

Vimcal costs $20 per month or $200 per year after the trial period ends.

Source
Rise Calendar: What were Rise Calendar's main features?

Rise offered calendar management with synchronization to Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud; integrated task and project management; scheduling optimization with FocusGuard; and cross-platform apps for iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

Source
Vimcal: Does Vimcal require a credit card to start the free trial?

No, the Vimcal free trial is available with no credit card required.

Source
Vimcal: Does Vimcal offer team or enterprise pricing?

Vimcal supports team and enterprise deployments. Enterprise customers can contact Vimcal directly for custom quotes.

Source
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