Head to Head: Pricing
Calendly:
- Free plan: 1 event type, basic scheduling
- Standard: $10 per user per month (billed annually) or $12 monthly
- Teams: $16 per user per month (billed annually) or $20 monthly
- Enterprise: custom pricing
TidyCal:
- Free plan: limited features
- Paid plan: approximately $29 one-time (check current pricing on TidyCal's site, as this may change)
- No per-user pricing for individuals
Hidden costs for paid session sellers:
Both tools require Zoom (or another video tool) for the actual session. Zoom Pro is $13.33 per month (billed annually). Add that to Calendly's standard plan and you are at $23.33 per month minimum before any payment processing fees.
TidyCal plus Zoom is around $13.33 per month after the TidyCal one-time cost pays off (two to three months in). Still $13.33 ongoing per month.
Total monthly cost comparison for someone running 10 sessions per month at $100:
| Stack | Monthly Platform Cost | Per-Session Fee | Take-Home (10 sessions) |
|---|
| Calendly + Zoom + Stripe | $23.33 | ~$3.20 (processing) | ~$943 |
| TidyCal + Zoom + Stripe | $13.33 (after month 3) | ~$3.20 (processing) | ~$953 |
| Talkspresso (free plan) | $0 | $13.20 (10% + processing) | ~$868 |
| Talkspresso (Pro) | $29.95 | ~$3.20 (processing) | ~$937 |
At 10 sessions per month, TidyCal plus Zoom is cheapest on total dollars. Talkspresso Pro is close and includes recording, AI summaries, and digital product sales. Calendly plus Zoom is the most expensive option in this scenario.
At 20 sessions per month at $100, the numbers shift. Talkspresso Pro at 0% fee plus $29.95 becomes more competitive with the DIY stack. At $150 or $200 per session, the fee percentages matter more.
For a deeper look at how the full Calendly plus Zoom plus Stripe stack compares to an all-in-one approach, see Talkspresso vs Calendly plus Zoom plus Stripe.
Head to Head: Features
| Feature | Calendly | TidyCal | Talkspresso |
|---|
| Monthly cost | $10-$16/mo | ~$29 one-time | $0 / $29.95/mo |
| Multiple event types | Yes (paid) | Yes | Yes |
| Calendar sync (Google, Outlook) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Team scheduling / routing | Yes (Teams plan) | Limited |
Where Both Fall Short
The shared gap between Calendly and TidyCal is significant for anyone who sells paid video sessions: neither platform hosts the call.
What this means in practice: a client books through Calendly or TidyCal, gets a Zoom link in their confirmation email, joins Zoom, and the session happens in Zoom. The payment was either collected through a Stripe integration at booking (which Calendly and TidyCal both support) or chased manually after. The recording, if it exists, lives in Zoom's cloud and must be manually shared with the client.
None of the session workflow (recording, sharing, client history, AI summaries) is in the scheduler. The scheduler's job ends when the booking is confirmed. Everything after that is stitched together manually or via another tool.
For coaches and consultants who do a lot of sessions, this adds up to real overhead: finding last session's notes, locating the recording, updating the client on what was discussed. An all-in-one platform keeps all of this in one place. See does Calendly support payments for a full breakdown of what Calendly's payment integration actually covers versus what it leaves to other tools.
For a broader list of schedulers that go beyond what Calendly offers, scheduling tools for consultants beyond Calendly covers alternatives that include more session management features.
The Live-Video Third Option
For coaches and consultants who sell paid sessions, a dedicated session platform eliminates the scheduler as a separate tool entirely.
Talkspresso is the all-in-one option worth comparing here:
What it includes: HD video for 1:1 sessions and group workshops, scheduling with Google Calendar sync, intake forms, automatic session recording, AI session summaries, payment collection at booking, client management with session history, and digital product sales.
What it costs: Free plan at 10% of each booking. Pro at $29.95 per month with 0% platform fee. Payment processing applies on both plans.
What you do not need: Zoom subscription, Calendly or TidyCal subscription, separate note-taking app for session summaries, manual recording sharing. One less recurring subscription per month.
Take-home comparison at 10 sessions per month at $150:
- Calendly (Standard) + Zoom Pro: $23.33/mo fixed, ~$4.65 processing per session = you keep approximately $1,480 per month
- TidyCal (after one-time cost) + Zoom Pro: $13.33/mo fixed, ~$4.65 processing per session = you keep approximately $1,490 per month
- Talkspresso (free plan): 10% fee + ~$4.65 processing per session = you keep approximately $1,285 per month
- Talkspresso (Pro): $29.95/mo, ~$4.65 processing per session = you keep approximately $1,447 per month
Talkspresso Pro and TidyCal plus Zoom are within $43 of each other per month at this volume. Talkspresso adds recording, AI summaries, client history, and digital products. TidyCal plus Zoom adds nothing beyond the scheduling and video call.
Which Should You Pick?
You are a freelancer, consultant, or solo operator who just needs basic scheduling (non-paid sessions, team meetings, client check-ins): TidyCal is the value choice. One-time cost, clean interface, no recurring subscription.
You manage a team, use complex routing, or need Salesforce or HubSpot integration: Calendly's Teams plan is worth the monthly cost for the integrations and team features.
You sell paid video sessions (coaching, consulting, mentorship) and do more than 5 to 8 sessions per month: Evaluate whether an all-in-one platform replaces Calendly, Zoom, and Stripe in one tool. Talkspresso Pro at 0% plus $29.95 per month is worth running the math against your current scheduler plus Zoom stack.
You are just starting out and unsure: Start with TidyCal's free plan and Zoom's free tier. See if the scheduling and video setup works for your workflow. When you have paying clients and a clearer sense of volume, revisit the all-in-one option.
For a broader comparison of scheduling tool options in 2026, see Calendly alternatives for creators and coaches. The TidyCal review for 2026 covers the TidyCal product in more depth including specific plan limitations.
Bottom Line
TidyCal wins the scheduler comparison for most solo operators who need basic booking features. The one-time cost is significantly cheaper than Calendly's monthly subscription.
Calendly wins for teams and complex integration needs where per-seat pricing for multiple users and deep CRM connections justify the monthly cost.
Both require additional tools for anyone who sells paid video sessions: Zoom for the call, Stripe for payment, and some other tool for session notes and recording.
For session sellers, the more interesting question is whether an all-in-one platform makes the scheduler comparison irrelevant. One booking link that handles scheduling, video, payment, recording, and client history costs less than two subscriptions (Calendly plus Zoom) and removes the friction of managing multiple tools.
