Etar vs Google Calendar
We give Etar a 2.8 GPA and Google Calendar a 3.6, out of 4.0. Etar grades higher on value for money. Google Calendar grades higher on features, ease of use and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Google Calendar
Online calendar from Google, free with a personal account
How we grade them
| 2.8GPAEtarGood | 3.6GPAGoogle CalendarExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt's free. The whole app is open source under the GPLv3, and the project lists no paid version, so there's nothing to compare prices on. | BThe paid version only comes inside Google Workspace, from $7 a user a month on a 1-year commitment. That's about typical, and Gmail, Drive and Meet come with it. But Starter adds nothing to the calendar itself. More booking pages and payments wait for Standard at $14. |
| Free plan and trial | AEverything is free, with no paid tier at all. You install it from F-Droid or build it yourself from the source on GitHub. | AFree with a personal Google Account on web, Android and iPhone, with one appointment booking page thrown in. Most people will never pay. Extra booking pages, payments and automatic email reminders are the paid bits. |
| Features | BMonth, week, day and agenda views, an offline calendar, ICS sharing and an agenda widget. Those are the basics, done plainly. No CalDAV client is included, and the project itself warns that ICS import has known bugs. | AShared, colour-coded calendars you can view together, a booking page, Google Meet links and files on events, and Google Tasks next to them. Workspace plans add Gemini scheduling from Gmail and Time Insights, though Time Insights only shows on a computer. |
| Ease of use | CThere's no rating on record, and there's some wiring to do. It comes from F-Droid, since the Google Play link in the project's README returned Not Found when checked. And to sync with a server you set up a separate app like DAVx5. | B4.5 from about 132,000 App Store ratings. If you have a Google Account there's nothing to set up. On Workspace plans, an event spotted in an email can be added with one click. |
| Platforms and integrations | DAndroid only, and version 1.0.57 needs Android 6.0 or newer. It shows any calendar another app syncs to the phone, Google Calendar included, but there's no iPhone, desktop or web version. | AWeb, Android and iPhone, tied into Gmail, Google Meet, Google Tasks and Stripe for paid bookings. No desktop app is listed, so on a computer it lives in a browser tab. |
| Best for | a plain open-source calendar on Android | a free calendar for anyone with a Google Account |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Etar and Google Calendar. How we grade
Where they differ
- Etar is free. Google Calendar starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter).
- Only Google Calendar lists a web app.
- Only Google Calendar lists an iOS app.
- Etar is open source, according to its own site.
- Google Calendar also covers tasks and booking links.
At a glance
| Etar | Google Calendar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter) |
| Free plan | Free and open source under the GPLv3. The app is installed from F-Droid or built from the source on GitHub, and the project lists no paid version. | Free with a personal Google Account on web, Android and iOS, including one appointment booking page. Extra booking pages, payments and automatic email reminders need a paid plan. |
| Free trial | None listed | 14-day Google Workspace trial for new customers, limited to 10 users; billing details required |
| Web | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The Etar Project | |
| Price read from | github.com | knowledge.workspace.google.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
Etar
- Android users who want a plain calendar with open source code
- People who sync a self-hosted CalDAV server through DAVx5
- Keeping an offline calendar that stays on the phone
Google Calendar
- Anyone who already has a Google Account and wants a free calendar
- Organizations standardizing on Google Workspace for mail, files and meetings
- Taking bookings through a single free appointment page
Worth knowing
Etar
- Android only; the F-Droid build of version 1.0.57 requires Android 6.0 or newer.
- No CalDAV client is included. Syncing a calendar with a server needs another app, such as DAVx5.
- The project describes its ICS import as unstable and advises caution if your provider sends invitation emails automatically.
- The Google Play link in the project's README returned a Not Found page on the check date; F-Droid carries the current version.
Google Calendar
- The paid version is only sold as part of Google Workspace, which also includes Gmail, Drive and Meet.
- Personal accounts and Business Starter get one booking page; extra schedules, payments and reminders need Business Standard or higher, or an eligible Google One plan.
- Time Insights and working hours and location are limited to work or school accounts, and Time Insights can only be viewed on a computer.
- No desktop app is listed; Google offers it on the web and as Android and iOS apps.
Key features
Etar
- Month, week, day and agenda views
- Four views in a Material Design interface with dark and light themes. Recent versions let the week start on any day and can stagger overlapping events.
- Works with any Android calendar provider
- Etar reads Android's calendar storage, so it shows every calendar synced to the phone. You choose which ones are displayed and which one new events go to.
- Offline calendars
- A calendar can be created that is stored on the phone only and never synced to a server.
- ICS sharing, import and export
- Calendars can be shared as ICS files and imported or exported from storage, including invitations received by email. The project warns that import has known bugs.
- Agenda widget
- A home screen widget lists upcoming events in agenda form. The interface is translated into many languages by volunteers.
Google Calendar
- Appointment booking pages
- Publish a page where others pick a time on your calendar. Eligible paid plans allow several schedules, Stripe payments, email verification and up to 20 co-hosts.
- Shared and layered calendars
- Create calendars shared with a team or a whole organization, and view several calendars together, color-coded by category.
- Scheduling from Gmail with Gemini
- On Workspace plans, Gemini in Gmail can suggest meeting times and add events detected in an email with one click.
- Google Meet and attachments
- Events can carry a Google Meet video link and attached files, so the call and its documents open from the invitation.
- Time Insights and working location
- Work and school accounts can see how much time goes to meetings and who they meet most, and can share working hours and location.
- Tasks on the calendar
- Items from Google Tasks appear on the calendar next to events.
Plans
Etar
Etar$0
The complete app, built and signed by F-Droid from the public source code. Version 1.0.57 requires Android 6.0 or newer.
Google Calendar
Personal Google Account$0
Calendar for personal use with a single appointment booking page and no premium booking features.
Business Starter$7
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)
Google Workspace with 30 GB pooled storage per user. Calendar is still limited to one booking page.
Business Standard$14
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)
2 TB pooled storage per user, plus premium appointment schedules: multiple booking pages, payments and reminders.
Business Plus$22
per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)
5 TB pooled storage per user, with the same premium appointment schedule features as Business Standard.
EnterpriseCustom
For organizations beyond the 300-user limit of the Business editions; priced through Google sales.
Ways to pay less
Etar
No public discounts listed.
Google Calendar
- Annual discount
Lower rate with a 1-year commitment
Business Starter costs $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan versus $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.
- Nonprofit
Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0
Verified nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0 per user, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.
- Education
Education Fundamentals at no charge
Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is available at no charge to qualifying institutions.
- By country
Lower price shown to buyers in India
On 9 October 2026 Google's Workspace pricing page showed Starter at ₹270 per user a month to a reader in India. Google's help page gives the US rate for Business Starter as $7, or $8.40 without a 1-year commitment.
