OpenCal

OpenCal vs Microsoft Bookings

Updated October 31, 2026

Microsoft Bookings is included in certain Microsoft 365 and Office 365 subscriptions. Microsoft Learn lists those subscriptions by name. OpenCal is free with a Google, Microsoft or email sign-in. Both products provide a page with a link that you can send to anyone.

Your decisionOpenCalMicrosoft Bookings
What you needOpenCal accepts a Google, Microsoft or email sign-in. OpenCal is free.Microsoft Bookings requires one of the subscriptions Microsoft Learn lists, such as Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium or Teams Essentials.
Calendars that count as busyOpenCal connects several Google and Microsoft accounts, one iCloud account and private .ics feeds.Microsoft Learn describes Microsoft Bookings as a booking page integrated with Outlook.
A personal linkYour OpenCal link shows your free time. Guests can book without an account.Personal Bookings publishes a page with a link that you can share with anyone.
Staff and servicesOpenCal does not provide staff, services or shared team pages.Shared Bookings adds team members, services, staff schedules and business hours.

Which subscriptions include Microsoft Bookings?

Microsoft Learn lists Office 365 A3, A5, E1, E3, E5, F1, F3, G1, G3 and G5. It also lists Microsoft 365 A3, A5, E1, E3, E5, F1, F3, Business Basic, Business Standard, Business Premium, Teams Essentials and Teams Premium. Microsoft does not list a free plan for Bookings on that page.

Can Microsoft Bookings check my Google or iCloud calendar?

Microsoft Learn describes Bookings as integrated with Outlook and says Bookings stores its data in Exchange Online. Before you rely on Bookings, check whether it sees a personal Google or iCloud calendar. OpenCal checks every Google, Microsoft and iCloud calendar that you connect and mark as busy.

How can I use OpenCal when my company does not let OpenCal read my Teams calendar?

OpenCal's Read from screen reads the Teams or Outlook week view in your browser. You review the busy blocks, and OpenCal saves only the times you approve. The screenshot stays in your browser. A screen read counts as checked for 24 hours. Follow the Teams setup guide for the exact steps.

  1. 1Microsoft Learn lists the Office 365 and Microsoft 365 subscriptions that include Bookings.
  2. 2Personal Bookings gives you a page with a link that you can share with anyone.
  3. 3In OpenCal Settings, every calendar you check counts as busy, including Google and iCloud.
  4. 4You add a Teams calendar that your company keeps closed under Other calendars and use Read from screen.
  5. 5OpenCal is free.

When is Microsoft Bookings a better fit?

Choose Microsoft Bookings when your organisation already pays for one of the listed subscriptions and you need shared booking pages with services, staff and business hours. OpenCal has no shared booking pages, services or staff.

When is OpenCal worth trying?

Use OpenCal when you want one free link across work and personal calendars or when you have no subscription that includes Bookings. If both people sign in, OpenCal shows the times that work for both without showing either person's events.

Get your OpenCal link

Sources checked October 31, 2026

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