Head to Head: Pricing
Pricing for all platforms changes, so the numbers below are directional as of mid-2026. Check each platform's pricing page for current rates.
Calendly (as of mid-2026):
- Free plan: basic booking, limited integrations
- Essentials: approximately $10 per month per user
- Professional: approximately $15 per month per user
Zoom (as of mid-2026):
- Free: up to 40-minute meetings with limitations
- Pro: approximately $13.33 per month per host
Stripe: 2.9% + $0.30 per transaction (no monthly fee)
Total for Calendly Essentials plus Zoom Pro: approximately $23.33 per month, plus Stripe processing on every session.
Talkspresso:
- Free plan: $0 per month, 10% per session
- Pro: $29.95 per month, 0% per session
Fee math on a $100 session:
- Calendly plus Zoom plus Stripe: $0 platform fee, $3.20 processing, $23.33 monthly amortized across sessions
- Talkspresso free: $10 platform fee, $3.20 processing, $0 monthly
- Talkspresso Pro: $0 platform fee, $3.20 processing, $29.95 monthly amortized across sessions
At 4 sessions per month at $100: Calendly plus Zoom total cost is $29.13 per month. Talkspresso free total cost is $53.28. Talkspresso Pro total cost is $43.07.
At 10 sessions per month at $100: Calendly plus Zoom total cost is $55.53. Talkspresso free total cost is $132. Talkspresso Pro total cost is $62.
At 20 sessions per month at $100: Calendly plus Zoom total cost is $87.73. Talkspresso free total cost is $264. Talkspresso Pro total cost is $93.95.
The crossover where Talkspresso Pro becomes cheaper than Calendly plus Zoom is around 10 sessions per month. Below that, Calendly plus Zoom costs less. Above that, Talkspresso Pro is comparable or cheaper, and includes significantly more features.
Head to Head: Features
| Feature | Calendly | Zoom | Talkspresso |
|---|
| Scheduling and booking | Yes | No | Yes |
| Payment collection | Via Stripe integration | No | Yes, built-in |
| Built-in HD video | No | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic session recording | No | Manual (Pro plan) |
Where the Stack Falls Short
The Calendly plus Zoom stack has three specific gaps that matter for coaches and consultants:
Automatic recording is manual. Zoom Pro includes cloud recording, but you have to remember to enable it before each call. Many coaches forget. The recording also lives in Zoom's cloud, separate from your client management. Sharing it requires downloading and re-uploading or sending a Zoom cloud link that expires.
No session history. There is no unified view of all sessions with a specific client across Calendly and Zoom. Each client is a separate Zoom recording in a folder and a separate Calendly appointment in a list. Reviewing a client's history before a call requires searching across two systems.
Intake forms are disconnected from the video call. Calendly supports intake forms, but those answers live in Calendly while the video call happens in Zoom. There is no connection. You either reference Calendly on a second screen or copy intake answers elsewhere before the session.
For more on what to look for in scheduling tools, see scheduling tools for consultants beyond Calendly.
For a direct look at the payments question, see does Calendly support payments for a detailed breakdown of Calendly's payment integrations and limitations.
Talkspresso as the All-in-One Alternative
Talkspresso maps to each of the stack's components:
Replaces Calendly: Scheduling with real-time calendar sync, service listings with custom intake forms, automatic confirmation emails with video links included.
Replaces Zoom: Built-in HD video for 1:1 and group sessions, screen share, automatic recording that lives in your Talkspresso dashboard alongside client history.
Replaces Stripe: Payment collected at booking, funds deposited after sessions, fee structure of 10% (free) or 0% (Pro).
Adds what the stack does not have: AI-generated session summaries and action items after each call, client session history, digital product listings on the same profile as your booking links, and group session ticketing for workshops and cohorts.
One login, one dashboard, one confirmation email for the client. When a client books a Talkspresso session, they receive one email with the time and the video link. There are no separate Zoom links, no Calendly confirmation plus Stripe receipt plus Zoom link across three emails.
For more on how Talkspresso compares to the broader Calendly and Zoom ecosystem, see zoom alternatives for coaches with paid calls built in and talkspresso versus the Calendly plus Zoom plus Stripe stack.
For a broader comparison of alternative scheduling tools, see Calendly vs Acuity vs Talkspresso in 2026.
Which Should You Pick
Use this decision framework:
Stick with Calendly plus Zoom if:
- You are already running both tools and the setup works
- You do 15 or more sessions per month and the per-transaction savings matter
- You need Calendly's specific scheduling features (team scheduling, round-robin, complex rules) that Talkspresso does not match
- Recording and session history are not priorities in your practice
Switch to Talkspresso if:
- You are setting up your first paid session business and want to go from zero to live in an afternoon
- You do fewer than 15 sessions per month and want to avoid monthly subscription costs
- Recording and client session history matter to your practice
- You want AI summaries and action items after every session without a separate tool
- You want to sell digital products alongside sessions from one profile link
- Your clients find the three-email booking flow confusing (Calendly confirmation, Stripe receipt, Zoom link)
Run both if:
- Your scheduling needs are complex enough to require Calendly's power
- Your video and session management needs are best served by Talkspresso
- The combined cost is justified by the combined capability
For most coaches and consultants starting out or operating at low to medium volume, Talkspresso's free plan is the simpler and often cheaper starting point. The Calendly plus Zoom stack earns its place at high volume when the per-transaction savings outweigh the feature gaps.
How to Migrate From Calendly Plus Zoom to Talkspresso
If you decide to make the switch, the migration is straightforward and takes a few hours:
Step 1: Set up your Talkspresso profile. Create your account, add your bio and photo, and create your session types. Mirror your existing Calendly service types: same names, durations, and prices.
Step 2: Build your intake forms. If you currently use Calendly intake forms, rebuild them in Talkspresso. The intake questions should collect the same pre-session information.
Step 3: Test the full client flow. Book a session with yourself using a test card. Confirm the checkout, confirmation email, video link, and recording all work correctly before sending any real clients to the new link.
Step 4: Honor existing bookings. Keep your Calendly link active for any sessions already booked. Do not move confirmed bookings; let them complete in the original tool.
Step 5: Switch your booking link. Update your Instagram bio, YouTube description, website, LinkedIn profile, and email signature with your new Talkspresso booking link. Send a short email to your client list explaining the new booking process.
Step 6: Cancel subscriptions when ready. After your last Calendly booking completes and you have no further Zoom-only sessions scheduled, cancel those subscriptions.
For a broader look at the Zoom alternatives landscape for coaches, see Zoom alternatives for coaches with paid calls built in. For guidance on whether Calendly payments alone can solve the problem without switching platforms, see does Calendly support payments.
