The scheduling API that grows with your product
TidyCal is unbeatable on price: a one-time payment for basic scheduling. But if you need a developer-grade API, white-label embedding, or AI agent support, you'll hit its limits fast. Astrocal is built for teams that ship products, not just book meetings.
Which is right for you?
Astrocal is right for you if...
- You need a full REST API to embed scheduling into your own product
- You want white-label booking (TidyCal always shows its branding)
- You need native MCP support so AI agents can manage scheduling
- You need a DOM-native widget embed, not an iframe
TidyCal is right for you if...
- You're a solopreneur who just needs basic appointment booking at the lowest possible cost
- You want a one-time lifetime payment with no recurring fees
- You need PayPal payment collection (Astrocal supports Stripe only)
Astrocal vs TidyCal
| Feature | Astrocal | TidyCal | Why it matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | Flat monthly fee: free tier available, $49/mo Pro for your whole team | One-time payment: $29 (Individual) or $79 (Agency) | TidyCal's lifetime pricing is genuinely cheap. But you get what you pay for: limited API, no white-label, and slower feature development. |
| REST API | Full read/write API with OpenAPI 3.1 spec, all plans including Free | Basic API on Individual plan ($29) and above, limited write capabilities | — |
| MCP / AI agent support | Native: @astrocal/mcp-server on npm | Not available | — |
| White-label booking | Your domain, your brand. No Astrocal branding on paid plans. | Not available. TidyCal branding always displayed. | TidyCal shows 'Powered by TidyCal' on all plans. Paid plans reduce the logo size but cannot remove it. |
| Widget embed | Native embed: renders in your DOM, not an iframe | Inline iframe embed | — |
| Webhooks | All plans including Free | Available via API | — |
| Payment collection | Stripe on all paid plans | Stripe and PayPal on all plans including Free | — |
| Google Calendar sync | Two-way sync on all plans | Google, Outlook, and iCloud sync on all plans | — |
| Round-robin scheduling | Yes, included in Pro | Agency plan only ($79 one-time) | — |
| Group bookings | Yes | Individual plan and above | — |
| Video conferencing links | On roadmap | Zoom, Google Meet, and Microsoft Teams (paid plans) | — |
| Free plan | Up to 10 bookings/month, full API, webhooks | Unlimited bookings, 1 calendar connection, Stripe/PayPal payments | — |
What does it actually cost for a team of 5?
Astrocal
- Full REST API on every plan
- White-label booking
- Native MCP server
- DOM-native widget embed
TidyCal
- Full REST API on every plan
- White-label booking
- Native MCP server
- DOM-native widget embed
At the Year 2+ total cost tier, you’d TidyCal wins on price. Astrocal wins on capabilities. compared to TidyCal for a team of 5.
Migrating from TidyCal? Here’s how.
- 5 min
Export your booking types
Note your TidyCal booking type settings: durations, availability, pricing, and custom questions. Screenshot or copy the settings you need from your TidyCal dashboard.
- 5 min
Recreate your services in Astrocal
Use the Astrocal dashboard to set up equivalent event types, or POST to /v1/event-types if you prefer the API. Match your durations, availability, and booking rules.
- 3 min
Update your booking links
Replace your TidyCal booking links wherever they appear: your website, email signature, social profiles. Or embed the Astrocal widget directly on your site.
- 5 min
Reconnect integrations
Connect Google Calendar via OAuth. Reconnect Stripe if you take payments. Set up webhooks for any automations you need.
Total estimated time: ~20 minutes
What carries over
- Your availability preferences and working hours
- Booking durations and buffer times
- Client contact details (export from TidyCal)
What to rebuild
- Custom branding and booking page theme
- Stripe payment connections
- Webhook automations
Simple, transparent pricing
Start for free. Upgrade as you grow. No hidden fees, no per-seat pricing.
Free
For prototyping
- 10 bookings/month
- 1 calendar connection
- 30 req/min API rate
- Calendar sync
- Email notifications
Starter
For small teams
- 50 bookings/month
- 3 calendar connections
- 60 req/min API rate
- Everything in Free
- Custom branding
Pro
Most PopularFor growing teams
- 500 bookings/month
- 20 calendar connections
- 500 req/min API rate
- Everything in Starter
- Priority support
Business
For scaling up
- 5,000 bookings/month
- 100 calendar connections
- 2,000 req/min API rate
- Everything in Pro
- Dedicated support
No per-seat pricing. Ever. See full pricing →
Frequently asked questions
Try Astrocal free. No card, no commitment.
Full API, white-label, and MCP support from day one.