GNOME Calendar vs Google Calendar
We give GNOME Calendar a 3.0 GPA and Google Calendar a 3.6, out of 4.0. GNOME Calendar grades higher on value for money. Google Calendar grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
GNOME Calendar
Free, open-source calendar app for the GNOME desktop on Linux
Google Calendar
Online calendar from Google, free with a personal account
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAGNOME CalendarVery good | 3.6GPAGoogle CalendarExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AIt's free. The complete app is on Flathub under the GPL-3.0-or-later licence, and the project lists no paid version. If you want to give something back, it points you to the GNOME Foundation. | 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 | AAll of it is free, with no paid tier, and the project describes calendars and events as unlimited. Local calendars work offline, so you don't even need an account. | 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 | BA month view that scrolls forever, a week timetable and an agenda list, with time zones per event, repeats, ICS import, weather and labelled video-call links. Solid basics. Sound-only alarms went in version 50, so every reminder is a notification now. | 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 | BThere's no App Store rating to go on, as it's a Linux app. You install it from Flathub and it matches the rest of GNOME. Recent versions added keyboard navigation and screen reader support in the Month view. | 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 | DLinux only, shipped as a Flatpak for x86_64 and aarch64. The project lists no Windows, macOS, Android, iOS or web version. It does connect to Nextcloud, Google Calendar and CalDAV or WebDAV servers. | 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 | Linux users on the GNOME desktop | 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: GNOME Calendar and Google Calendar. How we grade
Where they differ
- GNOME Calendar is free. Google Calendar starts at $7 per user / month with a 1-year commitment (Workspace Business Starter).
- Only GNOME Calendar lists a Linux app.
- Only Google Calendar lists a web app.
- Only Google Calendar lists iOS and Android apps.
- GNOME Calendar is open source, according to its own site.
- Google Calendar also covers tasks and booking links.
At a glance
| GNOME Calendar | 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 GPL-3.0-or-later license, installed from Flathub. The project lists no paid version and points supporters to donations to the GNOME Foundation. | 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 | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The GNOME Project | |
| Price read from | apps.gnome.org | knowledge.workspace.google.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 9, 2026 |
Who each one suits
GNOME Calendar
- GNOME desktop users who want a calendar that matches the rest of the system
- Linux users syncing Nextcloud, Google Calendar or CalDAV calendars
- Keeping local calendars that work without a connection
- People who need a calendar that works with a keyboard and a screen reader
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
GNOME Calendar
- Linux only: it is distributed as a Flatpak on Flathub, and the project lists no Windows, macOS, Android, iOS or web version.
- Calendars are stored and synced through Evolution Data Server, the GNOME component the app is built on.
- Help comes from the community chat and the issue tracker; the project page lists no paid support.
- Sound-only alarms were removed in version 50, so every reminder now shows a notification.
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
GNOME Calendar
- Month, week and agenda views
- A month view that scrolls without end, a week timetable and a scheduling list. Since version 49 the sidebar can be hidden and the window adapts to narrow widths.
- Online and local calendars
- Calendars can be added from services such as Nextcloud, Google Calendar and CalDAV or WebDAV servers, and local calendars work without a connection. The project describes calendars and events as unlimited.
- ICS file import
- Opens .ics files and imports their events through an importer dialog that previews them with their time zones. Since version 47 a file can also be dragged onto the window.
- Time zones, recurrences and reminders
- The start and end of an event can each be given a time zone, recurring events can be created and edited, and reminders appear as desktop notifications.
- Weather and video-call links
- Weather forecast temperatures are shown in the Month view when there is room. Recognized videoconferencing links are labelled with the service name, and version 51 added support for Teams links.
- Keyboard navigation and screen readers
- Versions 49 to 51 added keyboard navigation between days and events in the Month view and made event widgets readable by assistive technologies such as screen readers.
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
GNOME Calendar
GNOME Calendar$0
The complete app, published on Flathub by The GNOME Project for x86_64 and aarch64 Linux. Version 51.0 was released on 2026-09-11.
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
GNOME Calendar
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.
