How Cal.com and Heartbeat compare
Cal.com is scheduling infrastructure you can own. Open source and self-hostable, with calendar sync across Google, Outlook, and iCloud, event types, round-robin and collective team booking, routing forms, workflows for reminders, payments at booking, and an API and embeds developers actually like. Individuals get a generous free plan.
Heartbeat is a friendly place to start a paid community without a big budget. For $49 a month you get channels, threads, chat, voice rooms, DMs, unlimited courses and events, a custom domain, checkout pages, five automation workflows, and Pulse, an AI that actually sets up channels, offers, and pages for you. Grow adds unlimited workflows, DM rules, an affiliate program, and white-label email; Scale adds a branded app. For a founder with a small group who wants courses and calls next to the conversation, Heartbeat covers a lot for the price.
Where they are different
Cal.com
- Cal.com is a booking page and API.
- Cal.com confirms by email.
- Cal.com charges at booking.
Heartbeat
- Heartbeat's landing page is the door to a private space.
- Heartbeat emails members through workflows and a weekly digest.
- Heartbeat's events sync to members' calendars.
- Heartbeat charges 5% to 1.25% on payments.
Choose Cal.com when scheduling is the whole need, especially for teams or developers who want control.
Choose Heartbeat when a small paid community with courses, calls, and member chat is the product.
Compare features
What's on Cal.com and Heartbeat
A check means that capability is available. Cal.com and Heartbeat are marked only when the offer is comparable, not the same product.
Site and brand
- Workspace siteCal.com: Not includedHeartbeat: Included
- Custom domainCal.com: Not includedHeartbeat: Included
Audience and email
- AudienceCal.com: IncludedHeartbeat: Included
- Marketing emailsCal.com: Not includedHeartbeat: Included
Commerce
- Shop paymentsCal.com: Not includedHeartbeat: Included
- Scheduling and bookingsLink to external scheduling available on Starter.Cal.com: IncludedHeartbeat: Not included
Team
- Admin usersCal.com: IncludedHeartbeat: Included
- Per-admin permissionsCal.com: IncludedHeartbeat: Included
* Note: This table does not capture every feature of Cal.com or Heartbeat, and is not intended as a comprehensive list. We keep this page current, but Cal.com or Heartbeat may add or remove features that are not shown here.
Cal.com vs Heartbeat pricing
Compare plans, prices, and what it costs to get started.
Cal.com
Current plans and prices
See what Cal.com charges on their pricing page.
Heartbeat
Current plans and prices
See what Heartbeat charges on their pricing page.
Cardel: An alternative to
Cal.com and Heartbeat
You don't pay until you publish.
Cardel provides a home for your craft. Share and sell your work, grow your audience, and bring your community together on a site of your own.
Common questions
Is Cardel an alternative to Cal.com or Heartbeat?
Cardel is a home for your craft: a site of your own with a blog, newsletter, shop, community, and one inbox. It can replace Cal.com or Heartbeat when you want your work, audience, and sales in one place. The feature list on this page shows where Cal.com and Heartbeat are marked.
Can I use Cardel with Cal.com or Heartbeat?
Yes. Cardel pages can link out to other products, so you can keep Cal.com or Heartbeat for what it does best and bring the rest of your work to Cardel.
How much does Cardel cost compared with Cal.com and Heartbeat?
You don't pay for Cardel until you publish. Choose Starter, Pro, or Studio when your site goes live. Cal.com and Heartbeat set their own prices, so check their pricing pages on this page for current plans.
How do I switch from Cal.com or Heartbeat to Cardel?
Start with Build Your Site, set up your home, and bring your work over at your own pace. You do not have to move everything on day one.