Cal.com
IFTTT
| Feature | ||
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $12/mo | Free / from $3.49/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.2 / 5 |
| Best For | developers, startups, agencies, privacy-conscious-teams | individuals, smart-home-users, beginners, personal-productivity |
| Founded | 2021 | 2010 |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✗ |
| Api | ✓ | ✗ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✗ |
| Round Robin | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collective Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Embed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Applets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Triggers | ✗ | ✓ |
| Actions | ✗ | ✓ |
| Smart Home | ✗ | ✓ |
| Widgets | ✗ | ✓ |
| Multi Action | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Tools | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Cal.com Pros
- Open-source and self-hostable
- Unlimited event types on free plan
- Full API and webhook access
- White-label and embed options
✗ Cal.com Cons
- Self-hosting requires technical setup
- Fewer integrations than Calendly
- UI less polished than Calendly
✓ IFTTT Pros
- Extremely simple to use
- Supports smart home devices
- Free tier includes 2 applets
- Great for personal automations
✗ IFTTT Cons
- Limited to simple triggers (no branching)
- Slow execution compared to Zapier
- Less suitable for business workflows
The Verdict
Cal.com is built for developers and startups, with a focus on scheduling and self-hosting. IFTTT targets individuals and smart home users and leads with applets and triggers.
On pricing, IFTTT is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $3.49/mo compared to $12/mo for Cal.com. That $8.51/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Both offer free plans, so you can test each with your real workflow before committing to a subscription.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.