The BusyCal Insider’s Guide
Everything we know about BusyCal in one document: what it costs, its grades, getting a refund, getting help and what else to look at. Read it here, or keep a copy.
BusyCal
The Insider’s Guide
Customizable calendar and task app for Mac and iPhone
Every plan, grade, refund rule and rival among calendar and scheduling apps, read from BusyCal’s own pages.
Made by Beehive Innovations FZE · checked Oct 5, 2026 · toolgpa.com
Contents
- 01WelcomeWhat it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
- 02What it costsEvery plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
- 03What it doesIts main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
- 04Where it standsIts grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
- 05The alternativesThe tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
- 06Quick answersThe questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
- 07About ToolGPAWho made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
ToolGPA put this guide together from BusyCal’s own pages, its app-store listings and our grades. Every fact in it is on BusyCal’s page too, where it is kept up to date. Checked Oct 5, 2026.
Part 01 · Overview
Welcome
What it is, who it suits, its grades and the ten things to know first
2.4
GPA, above 18 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade
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.
To get you started, here are 9 things to know about BusyCal, taken from its own pages and our grades.
Nearly everything is adjustable, so there's a lot to set before it feels like yours, and accounts to connect first.
- 1
Best for Mac users who like to fiddle with every view
It's Apple only, and the Free Edition's limits aren't published anywhere.
- 2
Paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year
As its pricing page puts it: $49.99 one-time for Mac, or $39.99 per year on the Mac App Store; iOS app $9.99.
- 3
There is 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.
- 4
It runs on 2 platforms
macOS and iOS.
- 5
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.
- 6
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.
- 7
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.
- 8
A 2.4 GPA, above 18 of 74
That is against the other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, on value, the free plan, features, ease of use and platforms.
- 9
Keep it
The plain part of BusyCal you could make: calendar, tasks and natural-language input. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
BusyCal at a glance
- Pricing
- Free plan, from $49.99 one-time for Mac, or $39.99 per year on the Mac App Store; iOS app $9.99
- Free plan
- Yes
- Free trial
- 14-day free trial of the full Mac app, from the direct download or the Mac App Store
- Runs on
- macOS, iOS
- Made by
- Beehive Innovations FZE, since 2007
- Category
- Calendar & Scheduling
- Our grade
- 2.4 GPA, fair
The report card
Best for Mac users who like to fiddle with every view
BusyCal is a Mac calendar where nearly every view can be adjusted, with tasks on the calendar next to events, sold once for $49.99 or by subscription on the Mac App Store. The $49.99 license covers 18 months of updates, after which new versions cost $39.99, and the iPhone app is a separate $9.99. It's Apple only, and the Free Edition's limits aren't published anywhere.
| Subject | Grade | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | B | $49.99 once is the dearest single payment in this category, whose one-time apps run from $2.49, and it buys 18 months of updates, after which a renewal is $39.99. The iPhone app is a further $9.99. Against a $6-a-month subscription it still pays itself back inside a year, which is why it isn't lower. |
| Free plan and trial | C | There is a Free Edition on the Mac App Store, described only as essential calendaring, and neither Apple's listing nor BusyMac says what it leaves out, while the licensing FAQ still says the App Store apps need a subscription. The 14-day trial of the full app is the dependable way to look. |
| Features | B | It covers the calendar job: five views you can reshape down to weeks per month and fonts, typed entry with a live preview, tasks that carry forward until done, Calendar Sets, Smart Filters, travel time with leave-now alerts and a menu bar calendar. No booking links, which Fantastical has. |
| Ease of use | C | No rating on record. Nearly everything is adjustable, so there's a lot to set before it feels like yours, and accounts to connect first. Typed entry in plain words is the easy part. |
| Platforms and integrations | C | One family of devices: Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, nothing beyond. It reads iCloud, Google, Microsoft 365, Exchange and Fastmail accounts, and pulls tasks from Reminders, Todoist and Microsoft To Do. |
An A is worth 4 points, a B 3, a C 2, a D 1 and an F nothing. The GPA is the average of the five.
Who BusyCal is for
- Fits if you're on a Mac and want to set exactly how your calendar looks
- Works for people who'd rather pay $49.99 once than subscribe, and keep iCloud, Google and Microsoft 365 accounts
Who it is not for
- Skip it if you use Windows or Android, because it's Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch only
- Pricey if you want it on your iPhone too, as the $9.99 iOS app isn't covered by the Mac license or subscription
- Watch out: the $49.99 license includes 18 months of updates, and newer versions after that need a $39.99 renewal
- Watch out: on the Mac App Store it's subscription only, $4.99 a month or $39.99 a year, and the Free Edition's limits aren't published
- Not for you if you need booking links, which BusyCal doesn't offer
Good to know
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.
Part 02 · Pricing
What it costs
Every plan, the free plan, ways to pay less and how prices have moved
$3.33
A month to start, paid by the year. There is a free plan too
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.
Free Edition
$0
Essential calendaring in the Mac App Store version, for people without a subscription.
Mac App Store subscription
$4.99
per month, or $39.99 per year
The full Mac app by subscription. One subscription covers a family's Macs through Family Sharing.
BusyCal iOS
$9.99
one-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
$49.99
one-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
$79.99
one-time purchase
Both Mac apps as a bundle, listed at 20% off the $99.99 combined price.
The 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.
Trying it first
14-day free trial of the full Mac app, from the direct download or the Mac App Store
Read from busymac.com on Oct 5, 2026.
Ways to pay less
Education
20% 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.comOther savings
Volume 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.comOther savings
Discounted 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.comOther savings
Bundle 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
What the app costs elsewhere
Each country’s App Store price for “Monthly”, against $4.99 in the United States, in dollars at the day’s rate. The four cheapest and the four dearest of 11.
| Country | Price there | In dollars | Against the US |
|---|---|---|---|
| Philippines | ₱ 299.00 | $4.76 | about the same |
| Canada | $6.99 | $4.91 | about the same |
| Indonesia | Rp 89ribu | $4.98 | about the same |
| Turkey | ₺249,99 | $5.08 | about the same |
| Brazil | R$ 29,90 | $5.97 | 20% more |
| South Africa | R99.99 | $6.05 | 21% more |
| United Kingdom | £4.99 | $6.60 | 32% more |
| Germany | 5,99 € | $6.71 | 35% more |
Part 03 · Features
What it does
Its main features, where it runs, what it works with and who makes it
2
Places it runs: macOS and iOS
Customizable calendar and task app for Mac and iPhone. Here is what it does, as its own site describes it, and what it covers: works offline, one-time purchase, tasks, natural-language input, calendar, menu bar app.
No booking links, which Fantastical has.
- 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.
Where it runs
- macOS
- iOS
What it works with
- iCloud
- Google Calendar
- Microsoft 365
- Exchange
- Fastmail
- Apple Reminders
- Todoist
- Zoom
BusyCal is made by Beehive Innovations FZE, and has been around since 2007.
Part 04 · Standing
Where it stands
Its grades against its category, and whether to keep it or make your own
18/74
Other calendar and scheduling apps it is graded above
BusyCal's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, and level with 11.
It stands best on features (B, above 47 of 74) and worst on ease of use (C, above 0).
Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $6 for the category: 12 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
On features, ease of use and platforms it scores 2.3 out of 4. 13 tools score higher and cost less.
Each grade against the category
Every bar is all 75 calendar and scheduling apps we grade, cut by the letter each got. BusyCal’s own letter is outlined.
- BValue for moneyAbove 37 of 74
- CFree plan and trialAbove 3 of 74
- BFeaturesAbove 47 of 74
- CEase of useAbove 0 of 74
- CPlatforms and integrationsAbove 10 of 74
Price against what you get
Each dot is one of 67 calendar and scheduling apps. Further left costs less; higher up scores better on features, ease of use and platforms. BusyCal is the marked dot.
What paid plans start at, a month (each step along is roughly double) →
Keep it, or make your own?
Whether this is something you could build for yourself with an AI app builder, and what you would give up.
Keep it
The plain part of BusyCal you could make: calendar, tasks and natural-language input. What surrounds it you could not. The 5 things listed below take a company, not a weekend.
That makes this kind of software worth paying for, not this one in particular: 45 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps grade higher. It costs $39.99 a year.
What you could make
- Calendar, tasks and natural-language input: an app builder makes these well.
What you could not
- A native app living in the menu bar.
- Apps for macOS and iOS that stay in step with each other.
- It plugs into other products, iCloud, Google Calendar and Microsoft 365 among them.
- Hooks into the device itself: an Apple Watch app.
- The depth: we grade its features B, which means it covers the whole job.
What this rests on. BusyCal’s listing: what it does, where it runs, what it plugs into and what it costs. It is a judgement about the kind of software this is. We have not built a replacement for it, and making your own means looking after it too. How we decide, and every tool’s verdict.
Part 05 · Alternatives
The alternatives
The tools it is most often weighed against, side by side
Fantastical, Apple Calendar, Calendars by Readdle, Dato and Notion Calendar
The 5 tools BusyCal is most often weighed against, with where each one differs from it.
- 2.4GPA
Fantastical
Free plan · from $4.75/mo
Calendar and tasks app for Apple devices, Windows and Googlebook.
- Only Fantastical lists a Windows app.
- BusyCal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BusyCal also covers menu bar app.
- 3.2GPA
Apple Calendar
Free
Free built-in calendar for iPhone, iPad, Mac and iCloud.com.
- Only Apple Calendar lists a web app.
- BusyCal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BusyCal also covers menu bar app.
- 3.0GPA
Calendars by Readdle
Free plan · from $19.99/yr
Calendar and task planner for iPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch.
- BusyCal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- BusyCal also covers menu bar app.
- Calendars by Readdle also covers habit tracking.
- 2.4GPA
Dato
Free trial · from $18 one-time
Mac menu bar calendar with world clocks and meeting alerts.
- BusyCal has a free plan. Dato does not, though it has a free trial.
- Only BusyCal lists an iOS app.
- BusyCal also covers tasks and natural-language input.
- 3.6GPA
Notion Calendar
Free
Free calendar app that connects to Notion databases.
- Only Notion Calendar lists a web app.
- Only Notion Calendar lists Windows and Android apps.
- BusyCal can be bought with a one-time purchase.
Part 06 · Questions
Quick answers
The questions people ask about it, each answered in a line or two
16
Questions, each answered in a line or two
The short version of everything above, for when you only need the answer. Each one is told in full in its part of the guide.
Is BusyCal free?
BusyCal has a free plan. The Mac App Store version has a Free Edition for non-subscribers that covers essential calendaring.
How much does BusyCal cost?
BusyCal lists 5 plans. Free Edition: $0.
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.
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.
How does BusyCal compare with other calendar and scheduling apps?
BusyCal's GPA of 2.4 is higher than 18 of the 74 other calendar and scheduling apps we grade, and level with 11.
Is BusyCal good value for money?
ToolGPA grades BusyCal B for value for money. Its paid plans start at $3.33 a month when paid by the year, against a middle price of $6 for the category: 12 of the 52 others that charge start lower.
Could I make my own version of BusyCal?
The plain part of BusyCal you could make: calendar, tasks and natural-language input.
Where this guide comes from
The prices, plans, platforms and features were read from BusyCal’s own pages on Oct 5, 2026, and the grades were given on Oct 10, 2026. Graded from this listing, whose facts were read from BusyMac's own pages on 5 October 2026. Also tested with a demo account on 2026-07-17.
Every tool we list gets five grades, A to F, each with its reason, and a GPA that averages them. How each is decided is at toolgpa.com/grades. This guide is ToolGPA’s own work; it is not made, paid for or approved by Beehive Innovations FZE. Prices change, so check busymac.com before you buy.
Part 07 · About
About ToolGPA
Who made this guide, what else is on the site, and how to cite it
3,189
Tools graded, in 94 categories
ToolGPA grades software the way a school report grades a pupil: five subjects, a letter for each with the reason written beside it, and a GPA that averages them. Prices, plans and platforms are read from each maker’s own pages and dated, so you always know how fresh a figure is.
Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. Every tool on the site has a guide like this one, free to download and pass on. It all lives at toolgpa.com.
3,189
tools graded
94
categories
426
price changes on record
579
apps priced in 12 countries
What else is on toolgpa.com
- BusyCal, kept up to dateEverything in this guide, with prices and grades as they are todaytoolgpa.com/tools/busycal
- How grades are givenThe rules behind every letter and every GPAtoolgpa.com/grades
- Value chartsWhat each tool costs against what it scores, for every categorytoolgpa.com/charts
- CompareAny two tools side by side, plan by plantoolgpa.com/compare
- Price changesEvery price rise and cut on record, each with its sourcetoolgpa.com/price-changes
- Prices by countryWhat apps cost on the App Store in 12 countriestoolgpa.com/prices-by-country
- Pay lessEvery public discount: yearly billing, students, nonprofitstoolgpa.com/save
- Keep or makeWhich tools are worth paying for, and which you could build yourselftoolgpa.com/keep-or-make
Scan for the live page
Prices and grades as they are today
Quoting this guide?
Please name ToolGPA and link to the live page, so readers can check the figures for themselves:
ToolGPA, "BusyCal: The Insider's Guide", checked Oct 5, 2026. https://toolgpa.com/tools/busycal
Know someone choosing between calendar and scheduling apps?
Send them this guide: toolgpa.com/tools/busycal/guide
ToolGPA elsewhere: youtube.com/@toolgpa
See our other guides
The best-graded calendar and scheduling apps after BusyCal, each with an Insider's Guide of its own.
- Calendar & Scheduling Insider's GuideEvery one of the 75 calendar and scheduling apps we grade, compared
- Notion Calendar Insider's GuideFree calendar app that connects to Notion databases3.6 GPA
- Google Calendar Insider's GuideOnline calendar from Google, free with a personal account3.4 GPA
- World Time Buddy Insider's GuideVisual time zone converter and world clock for planning calls3.4 GPA
Choosing software? Every tool graded, every price dated.
Compare tools at toolgpa.com ›Everything in this guide is ToolGPA’s own summary of what BusyCal’s pages, its app-store listings and public reviews said on the dates shown. Grades are our judgement under the rules at toolgpa.com/grades. Every grade, review and ranking on ToolGPA is our own judgement. No company can pay for a grade or change one. BusyCal is a trademark of its owner, and this guide is not made, paid for or approved by Beehive Innovations FZE. Prices and plans change: check busymac.com before you buy.