OpenCal

Guide · October 8, 2026

How to share Google Calendar availability with other people

Google Calendar provides two built-in ways to share availability. You can share a calendar with free/busy permission, or you can create an appointment schedule with a booking page. OpenCal gives you one link with your free time from Google, Outlook and iCloud.

How do I share my Google Calendar availability with someone?

In Google Calendar, you share the calendar with the person and choose “See only free/busy (hide details)”, or you send the person an OpenCal link that shows only your open times. Google’s computer steps are: open Settings and sharing for the calendar, click Shared with, click Add people and groups, add the email address, choose the permission, then click Send. Google says the free/busy permission means “People can only find out when you're busy on your calendar.” Google also says: “The people you share your calendar with get an email. To add your calendar, they must click the link in the email.” Google Calendar Help: Share your calendar, fetched October 8, 2026.

How do I send a Google Calendar booking page?

Google Calendar creates a booking page when you create an appointment schedule, and OpenCal creates a link that people can use to book. Google’s steps are: on a computer, open Google Calendar, click Create, select Appointment schedule, set the duration and availability, then save. Google says: “You can't create an appointment schedule in the Calendar app for Android or iPhone and iPad.” Google also says that by default “there is a 4-hour minimum lead time to schedule an appointment.” Google Calendar Help: Create an appointment schedule, fetched October 8, 2026.

What does a free Google account get with appointment schedules?

A free Google account provides one booking page, and OpenCal is free with no limit on connected calendars. Google says: “With a personal Google Account or Workspace Business Starter plan, you can create a single booking page to let others schedule appointments on your calendar.” Google’s premium chart lists “Create more than one appointment schedule” and “Check availability across multiple calendars” among the features that need an eligible Google Workspace or Google One subscription. Google Calendar Help: Compare premium features for appointment schedules, fetched October 8, 2026.

How does OpenCal share Google Calendar availability?

OpenCal reads your Google Calendar busy times and shows your open times on one short link. You sign in with Google or Microsoft. You can connect several Google accounts, Microsoft accounts and one iCloud account. In Settings, you choose which calendars count as busy. The link shows your open times for the next two weeks, and visitors can page ahead up to 90 days. OpenCal asks Google only for free/busy times. It never asks for event titles, descriptions, locations or guests.

What does the person see when I send my OpenCal link?

The person sees only your open times and never sees your events or busy blocks. A visitor who signs in with Google or Microsoft sees the times that work for both of you. The server compares both calendars, so neither person receives the other’s busy times. A signed-in visitor can also book a time.

Can I paste my Google Calendar availability into an email?

Google Calendar does not copy free times as text. OpenCal copies your open times as text when you press Copy times on your OpenCal page. You then paste the text into your email. The copied text ends with your OpenCal link, except in One-time links only mode.

What does it cost?

OpenCal is free.

Get your OpenCal link

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