GNOME Calendar vs Proton Calendar
We give GNOME Calendar a 3.0 GPA and Proton Calendar a 3.2, out of 4.0. GNOME Calendar grades higher on the free plan and ease of use. Proton Calendar grades higher on platforms. They get the same grade on value for money and features.
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
Proton Calendar
End-to-end encrypted calendar from the maker of Proton Mail
How we grade them
| 3.0GPAGNOME CalendarVery good | 3.2GPAProton CalendarVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| 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. | AMail Plus is $3.99 a month billed yearly ($47.88), which sits at the cheap end for calendars, and it comes with encrypted email, 15 GB and 10 addresses. The odd part: there's no Calendar-only plan, so you're buying mail either way. |
| 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. | BFree gets you 3 encrypted calendars and invitations, with no time limit. But there's no calendar sharing and no booking page, and the desktop app is only a 14-day trial on a free account. |
| 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. | BEnd-to-end encryption, repeating events with several reminders, imports from other providers and invitations handled inside Proton Mail. Solid basics. Sharing and booking are paid, though, and Mail Plus only includes 1 booking page. |
| 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. | C4.1 from about 1,500 App Store ratings, which is low for a calendar. On a computer you reach it through the Proton Mail app, not an app of its own. |
| 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, Mac, Windows, Linux, iPhone and Android. It ties into Proton Mail and Proton Meet, and can subscribe to calendars kept on other services. The Linux app is labelled beta. |
| Best for | Linux users on the GNOME desktop | a calendar your provider can't read |
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 Proton Calendar. How we grade
Where they differ
- GNOME Calendar is free. Proton Calendar starts at $3.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly.
- Only Proton Calendar lists a web app.
- Only Proton Calendar lists macOS, Windows, iOS and Android apps.
- Proton Calendar is end-to-end encrypted, according to its own site.
- Proton Calendar also covers booking links.
At a glance
| GNOME Calendar | Proton Calendar | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $3.99 per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly |
| 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. | Proton Free: 3 personal calendars with end-to-end encryption and event invitations. No calendar sharing or booking pages, and the desktop app is a 14-day trial. |
| Free trial | None listed | None listed |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| Windows | ||
| Linux | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | The GNOME Project | Proton AG |
| Price read from | apps.gnome.org | proton.me |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Oct 5, 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
Proton Calendar
- People who want event details kept unreadable to the provider
- Existing Proton Mail users who want invitations handled in the inbox
- Privacy-focused organizations standardizing on Proton's business suite
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.
Proton Calendar
- Proton Free allows 3 personal calendars; Mail Plus and higher plans allow 25.
- Calendar sharing and booking pages need a paid plan, and Mail Plus and Proton Unlimited include only 1 booking page.
- Calendar has no subscription of its own: paid features come with Mail Plus, Proton Unlimited or a business plan.
- Desktop use is through the Proton Mail app for Mac, Windows and Linux, a 14-day trial on free accounts; the Linux app is labeled beta.
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.
Proton Calendar
- End-to-end encrypted events
- An event's title, description, location and attendees are encrypted on your device. Events received from people on other calendar services are stored with zero-knowledge encryption.
- Appointment booking pages
- Publish a booking page that shows only the times you choose and syncs with your calendars to prevent double bookings. Confirmed meetings can include a Proton Meet link. Paid plans only.
- Calendar sharing
- On paid plans, share a calendar by link or by inviting people directly, showing either full event details or only your availability.
- Works with Proton Mail
- Send invitations from a Proton Mail address, manage them without leaving the inbox, and add events received by email, such as flights or meetings, to the calendar.
- Recurring events and reminders
- Events can repeat daily, weekly, monthly or on a custom pattern, with several reminders or email alerts each. Views switch between day, week and month.
- Import and calendar subscriptions
- The Easy Switch tool imports existing calendars from other providers, and you can subscribe to calendars that other people keep on a different service.
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.
Proton Calendar
Proton Free$0
3 personal calendars, end-to-end encryption, and sending and receiving invitations.
Mail Plus$3.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($47.88); $4.99 billed monthly
25 personal calendars, calendar sharing and 1 booking page, plus 15 GB of storage and 10 email addresses.
Proton Unlimited$9.99
per month, billed every 12 months ($119.88); $12.99 billed monthly
The same calendar features as Mail Plus, bundled with 500 GB of storage and Proton's VPN, password manager and cloud storage.
Workspace Standard$12.99
per user / month, billed every 12 months ($155.88)
Business suite with 25 calendars and 25 booking pages per user, 1 TB of storage per user and 15 custom email domains.
Workspace Premium$19.99
per user / month, billed every 12 months ($239.88)
Everything in Workspace Standard, plus 3 TB of storage per user, 20 custom email domains and data retention policies.
EnterpriseCustom
All Proton services in a customizable package with a dedicated account manager; priced through sales.
Ways to pay less
GNOME Calendar
No public discounts listed.
Proton Calendar
- Annual discount
20% off Mail Plus on the 12-month plan
Proton's pricing page lists Mail Plus at $3.99 a month when billed every 12 months ($47.88), against $4.99 billed monthly. Proton Unlimited is $9.99 instead of $12.99.
- Education
Student discount for the first 12 months
Students verified through Student Beans get 50% off Mail Plus and 62% off Proton Unlimited for the first 12 months; the plan then renews at the regular price.
- Nonprofit
Reduced pricing for registered nonprofits
Registered nonprofits can request discounted pricing on Proton's business plans from the sales team. No fixed percentage is published.
