BusyCal
Customizable calendar and task app for Mac and iPhone
BusyCal report card
Very good · out of 4.0 · graded Oct 9, 2026
Best for Mac users who like to fiddle with every view
BusyCal is a Mac calendar for people who want it exactly their way: how many weeks show in a month, which fonts, which calendars in which set. Tasks sit on the calendar next to events, and you can buy it once for $49.99 and skip the subscription. It's Apple only though, and the iPhone app is a separate $9.99.
Who BusyCal is for
- Great if you're on a Mac and want to control exactly how your calendar looks
- Handy when you'd rather buy a licence once than rent your calendar by the month
- Good for people juggling iCloud, Google and Microsoft 365 accounts in one place
Who BusyCal is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, because it's Mac and iPhone only
- Pricey if you expected one purchase for everything, as the iPhone app isn't covered by the Mac licence
- Not for you if you want new versions forever, since updates past 18 months need a paid renewal
Why BusyCal gets a 3.2
Five grades, each with its reason. The GPA is their average: an A is 4 points, an F is none.
- AValue for money$49.99 once for the Mac app on up to 5 of your Macs, with 18 months of updates, and it keeps working after that. That's under a year of a typical calendar subscription. Or it's $39.99 a year on the Mac App Store. The iPhone app is $9.99 extra.
- BFree plan and trialThe Mac App Store version has a Free Edition for essential calendaring, but the listing doesn't spell out which premium features it leaves out. You also get a 14-day trial of the full Mac app.
- AFeaturesDay, week, month, year and list views you can reshape, typed entry like "Lunch with Joe next Tuesday at 12:30", tasks that carry forward until done, Calendar Sets, Smart Filters, travel time with leave-now alerts and a menu bar calendar.
- BEase of useWe have no App Store rating on record, so a B is the most we'll give. Typing events in plain words helps a lot. Everything else being adjustable means there's plenty to set before it feels like yours.
- CPlatforms and integrationsMac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and nothing else. It does sync with iCloud, Google, Microsoft 365, Exchange and Fastmail, and pulls tasks from Apple Reminders, Todoist and Microsoft To Do.
What these grades rest on. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from BusyMac's own pages on 5 October 2026. Not based on using the product, and shorter than our full reviews. How we review and grade.
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<a href="https://toolgpa.com/tools/busycal#review"><img src="https://toolgpa.com/badge/busycal.svg" alt="BusyCal: 3.2 GPA on ToolGPA" width="196" height="56"></a>What is BusyCal?
BusyCal is a calendar app for Mac, with a separate app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, now developed by Beehive Innovations. It shows events and tasks together, syncs with iCloud, Google, Microsoft 365, Exchange and other CalDAV servers, and lets you adjust nearly every part of each view. The Mac app can be bought once as a perpetual license with 18 months of updates, or used by subscription through the Mac App Store, where a Free Edition covers basic calendaring.
BusyCal has a free plan. Paid plans start at $49.99 one-time for Mac, or $39.99 per year on the Mac App Store; iOS app $9.99. See every plan
Good for
- Mac users who want fine control over how their calendar looks
- People who prefer a one-time license to a subscription
- Anyone juggling iCloud, Google, Microsoft 365 and CalDAV accounts
Worth knowing
- Mac and iOS only. The iPhone and iPad app is a separate $9.99 purchase and is not covered by the Mac license or subscription.
- A direct license includes 18 months of updates. The app keeps working after that, but newer versions need a paid renewal.
- The Mac App Store version is sold by subscription only ($4.99 a month or $39.99 a year); the one-time license is sold on BusyMac's own store.
- The App Store listing does not detail the Free Edition's limits, and BusyMac's licensing FAQ still says the App Store apps need an active subscription.
Key features
- Views you can reshape
- Day, Week, Month, Year planner and List views, with control over weeks per month, days per week, fonts, colors and density, plus a sidebar or floating Info Panel.
- Natural language quick entry
- Type a phrase such as "Lunch with Joe next Tuesday at 12:30" to create an event or task, with a live preview of the title, time and location. Several languages are supported.
- Tasks on the calendar
- Tasks appear on their due dates and carry forward until completed, and a sidebar list sorts them by date, priority or tag. They sync with Apple Reminders, Google Tasks, Todoist and Microsoft To Do.
- Smart Filters and Calendar Sets
- Group calendars into sets for work, personal or family, and save combinations of searches, sets and view settings as Smart Filters you can switch between.
- Travel time and time-to-leave alerts
- Travel time to an event is calculated from your location or set by hand, and alerts adjust to traffic so you know when to leave.
- Menu bar app
- A menu bar calendar with a mini month, a heat map of availability, a scrolling event list and task entry. It keeps working when the main app is closed.
BusyCal pricing
- Starts at
- $49.99 one-time for Mac, or $39.99 per year on the Mac App Store; iOS app $9.99
- Free plan
- The Mac App Store version has a Free Edition for non-subscribers that covers essential calendaring. The listing does not spell out which premium features it leaves out.
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the full Mac app, from the direct download or the Mac App Store
| Plan | Price | What you get |
|---|---|---|
| Free Edition | $0 | Essential calendaring in the Mac App Store version, for people without a subscription. |
| Mac App Store subscription | $4.99per month, or $39.99 per year | The full Mac app by subscription. One subscription covers a family's Macs through Family Sharing. |
| BusyCal iOS | $9.99one-time purchase on the App Store | Universal app for iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, with Family Sharing. Not included with the Mac license or subscription. |
| BusyCal for Mac license | $49.99one-time purchase with 18 months of updates | Perpetual license from BusyMac's store for one user on up to 5 personal Macs. Renewing for further updates is optional. |
| BusyCal + BusyContacts | $79.99one-time purchase | Both Mac apps as a bundle, listed at 20% off the $99.99 combined price. |
Read from busymac.com on Oct 5, 2026. Prices change, so confirm with BusyCal before you buy.
Ways to pay less
- Education20% off for staff and students
BusyMac's store offers a 20% discount to staff and students at educational institutions, requested by email.
Stated on busymac.com - Other savingsVolume discounts from 2 licenses
Discounts apply automatically at checkout: 10% off 2 to 4 licenses, 20% off 5 to 9, 25% off 10 to 49, 30% off 50 to 99 and 35% off 100 or more.
Stated on busymac.com - Other savingsDiscounted license renewals
Renewing a license for another 18 months of updates is 20% to 40% off the original price. The licensing FAQ puts a renewal at $39.99.
Stated on busymac.com - Other savingsBundle with BusyContacts for $79.99
Buying BusyCal and BusyContacts together costs $79.99, which the store lists as 20% off the $99.99 combined price.
Stated on busymac.com
Works with
BusyCal alternatives
- BusyCal vs Fantastical
Free plan · from $4.75/mo
- BusyCal vs Calendars by Readdle
Free plan · from $19.99/yr
- BusyCal vs Dato
Free trial · from $18 one-time
Common questions
Is BusyCal free?
BusyCal has a free plan. The Mac App Store version has a Free Edition for non-subscribers that covers essential calendaring. The listing does not spell out which premium features it leaves out. Paid plans start at $49.99 one-time for Mac, or $39.99 per year on the Mac App Store; iOS app $9.99.
How much does BusyCal cost?
BusyCal lists 5 plans. Free Edition: $0. Mac App Store subscription: $4.99 per month, or $39.99 per year. BusyCal iOS: $9.99 one-time purchase on the App Store. BusyCal for Mac license: $49.99 one-time purchase with 18 months of updates. BusyCal + BusyContacts: $79.99 one-time purchase. Prices were read from busymac.com on Oct 5, 2026.
What platforms does BusyCal work on?
BusyCal is available on macOS and iOS.
Does BusyCal offer any discounts?
BusyCal publicly lists the following: 20% off for staff and students; Volume discounts from 2 licenses; Discounted license renewals; Bundle with BusyContacts for $79.99.
Does BusyCal have an Android app?
No Android app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. BusyCal is listed for macOS and iOS.
Does BusyCal have a Windows app?
No Windows app was listed when its pages were read on Oct 5, 2026. BusyCal is listed for macOS and iOS.
Is BusyCal open source?
BusyCal is not described as open source on its own site, as read on Oct 5, 2026.
Does BusyCal work offline?
Yes, according to its own site. What works without a connection differs by plan and platform, so check the vendor's page for the detail.
What does BusyCal integrate with?
BusyCal's listing names iCloud, Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Exchange, Fastmail, Apple Reminders, Todoist and Zoom. A listing names up to eight integrations, so it may connect to more.
Does BusyCal have a student discount?
20% off for staff and students. BusyMac's store offers a 20% discount to staff and students at educational institutions, requested by email.
Does BusyCal have a free trial?
Yes. 14-day free trial of the full Mac app, from the direct download or the Mac App Store.
Who makes BusyCal?
BusyCal is made by Beehive Innovations FZE. It dates from 2007.
What are the alternatives to BusyCal?
The closest alternatives to BusyCal in our directory are Fantastical, Apple Calendar, Calendars by Readdle, Dato and Notion Calendar. Each one has a side-by-side comparison with BusyCal.
Sources for this page
The prices, plans, platforms and features above were read from these pages on Oct 5, 2026.