Cal.com
n8n
| Feature | Cal.com | n8n |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $12/mo | Free / from $24/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✓ Yes |
| Rating | 4.4 / 5 | 4.6 / 5 |
| Best For | developers, startups, agencies, privacy-conscious-teams | developers, technical-teams, agencies, cost-conscious-teams, ai-builders |
| Founded | 2021 | 2019 |
| Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Self Hosting | ✓ | ✓ |
| Api | ✓ | ✓ |
| Webhooks | ✓ | ✓ |
| Round Robin | ✓ | ✗ |
| Collective Scheduling | ✓ | ✗ |
| Embed | ✓ | ✗ |
| Workflows | ✗ | ✓ |
| Code Nodes | ✗ | ✓ |
| Ai Agents | ✗ | ✓ |
| Docker | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ 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
✓ n8n Pros
- Free self-hosting (forever)
- Full JavaScript/Python in every node
- AI agent workflow builder
- No per-task pricing when self-hosted
✗ n8n Cons
- Requires technical setup for self-hosting
- 400+ integrations vs Zapier's 7,000+
- Steeper learning curve than Zapier or Make
The Verdict
Cal.com is built for developers and startups, with a focus on scheduling and self-hosting. n8n targets developers and technical teams and leads with workflows and self-hosting.
On pricing, Cal.com is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $12/mo compared to $24/mo for n8n. That $12/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.
Both tools are a solid fit for developers, agencies — in those cases, the decision often comes down to workflow style and how your team prefers to organize work.
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.
