Calday wants a subscription.
These cost $0.
6 free alternatives to Calday, checked for license, recent activity and real adoption. Each one tells you the catch, so you can switch with your eyes open.
Calday vs Free Alternatives Matrix
Quick side-by-side comparison · $0/mo vs paid
| Alternative | Type | License | Where It Runs | Stars | Head-to-Head |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Easy!Appointments | open source | GPL-3.0 | Self-host | ★ 4.3k | Calday vs Easy!Appointments → |
| Appointy Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Calday vs Appointy Free → |
| Setmore Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Calday vs Setmore Free → |
| Square Appointments Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Calday vs Square Appointments Free → |
| zcal Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Calday vs zcal Free → |
| Zoho Bookings Free | free | proprietary, free | Hosted | ★ $0 forever | Calday vs Zoho Bookings Free → |
The picks
1 open source · 5 free to use · ranked by fit
- 01
Easy!Appointments
open sourceGPL-3.0Self-host4.3kjul 2026A proper provider-and-service booking system, provided you will also become its PHP and MySQL caretaker.
The catch vs CaldayIt has no managed hosting, built-in payment stack or turnkey SMS service, and the owner must maintain PHP and MySQL.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webself-hostedself-host, real ops
- install
- Upload the release to PHP hosting, create a MySQL database, edit the configuration and run the web installer; Docker is optional
- setup
- PHP and MySQL hosting with database permissions; Google Calendar sync additionally requires a Google Cloud OAuth application
- your data
- Bookings, providers, services and customers live in MySQL; configuration and logs live on the web server, with optional Google Calendar synchronization
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 02
Appointy Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedOne staffer gets reminders, classes and Square checkout for 100 bookings a month; growth wakes the paywall.
The catch vs CaldayOne staff member, five services, 100 monthly appointments and no free two-way calendar sync make it easier to outgrow than Calday.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- your data
- Booking, customer, service and staff records live in Appointy's cloud, with connected calendar and payment data also handled by their respective providers
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 03
Setmore Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedFour staff, payments, classes and 200 monthly bookings; SMS, recurring appointments and two-way sync cost extra.
The catch vs CaldayThe free plan caps bookings at 200 and excludes recurring appointments, SMS reminders and two-way calendar sync.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- your data
- Booking, customer and staff records live in Setmore's cloud, with calendar and payment records also passing through connected providers
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 04
Square Appointments Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedA serious free solo booking stack where Square operates; processing fees remain and the feature mix varies by country.
The catch vs CaldayIt is available only in supported Square markets, the free tier is solo and the workflow is tied to Square's payment ecosystem.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebthey host it
- install
- Create or use a Square seller account and enable Appointments
- setup
- A Square seller account and identity verification, and the service must be available in the user's country
- your data
- Appointment, customer, staff and transaction records live in Square's cloud
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 05
zcal Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedUnlimited links and calendars, custom questions, email reminders and Stripe payments; teams are paid and zcal takes 3%.
The catch vs CaldayIt is more meeting-link-oriented and has less provider and service-business administration, while Stripe payments cost an extra 3%.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- webthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- your data
- Account and booking records live in zcal's cloud; Stripe processes and stores payment details for paid bookings
- checked
- 2026-08-10
- 06
Zoho Bookings Free
freeproprietary, freeHostedA real one-person booking desk with forms, reminders and two-way sync; staff and payment plumbing cost extra.
The catch vs CaldayIt is limited to one user and one service and does not include payment collection on the free plan.
Install, platforms & data +
- platforms
- mobilewebextensionthey host it
- install
- Hosted signup
- your data
- Account, booking and customer records live in Zoho's data centres and are synchronized with connected calendar and meeting providers
- checked
- 2026-08-10
Frequently Asked Questions
Direct answers · Calday open-source replacements
What is the best free alternative to Calday?+
The top free alternative to Calday is Easy!Appointments (open source, GPL-3.0). A proper provider-and-service booking system, provided you will also become its PHP and MySQL caretaker. Other popular Calday replacements include Appointy Free, Setmore Free, Square Appointments Free.
Can I self-host a free replacement for Calday?+
Yes. Of the 6 free alternatives to Calday, 1 can be self-hosted on your own server or local machine: Easy!Appointments (GPL-3.0).
Should I vibe-code or build my own Calday clone from scratch?+
Our build verdict for Calday is YES (the core loop fits in a weekend). Calday's solo core is compact: build a personal booking links tool that reads one calendar, publishes availability, reserves a slot, and writes the event back. A competent builder can reach a useful personal version in one sitting, while the paid product mainly wins on OAuth, calendar reliability.
What is the catch when switching from Calday to Easy!Appointments?+
It has no managed hosting, built-in payment stack or turnkey SMS service, and the owner must maintain PHP and MySQL.
