Strapi vs Cal.com
Leading open-source Node.js headless CMS — self-host or Cloud
vs. Open-source scheduling infrastructure — the self-hostable Calendly alternative
Pricing tiers
Strapi
Self-Hosted (OSS)
MIT-licensed Node.js CMS. Run free on any infra. Full admin + plugin ecosystem.
$0 base (usage-based)
Cloud Free (trial)
14-day free trial of Strapi Cloud.
Free
Cloud Essential
$18/month ($15 annual). 500k API requests, 50 GB asset bandwidth, 50 GB storage. Transparent overages.
$18/mo
Cloud Pro
$90/month. Higher quotas, faster support.
$90/mo
Cloud Scale
$450/month. Enterprise-grade infra, priority support.
$450/mo
Enterprise Edition (self-host)
Self-host + Enterprise license. SSO/SAML, audit logs, review workflows, content releases.
Custom
Cal.com
Free (Cloud)
$0. 1 user. Unlimited event types. Unlimited meetings. Cal branding.
Free
Self-Hosted (OSS)
Free forever. AGPL-3.0. Docker/K8s deploy. Full feature parity with cloud.
$0 base (usage-based)
Teams
$12/user/mo. Round-robin, collective events, routing forms, Cal Video, Workflows.
$12/mo
Organizations
$37/user/mo. SSO, advanced routing, dashboards, analytics, dedicated support.
$37/mo
Enterprise
Custom. SAML, HIPAA, dedicated deployments, security reviews.
Custom
Free-tier quotas head-to-head
Comparing self-hosted on Strapi vs free on Cal.com.
| Metric | Strapi | Cal.com |
|---|---|---|
| No overlapping quota metrics for these tiers. | ||
Features
Strapi · 16 features
- Audit Logs (EE) — Track every admin action.
- Components — Reusable field groups shared across content types.
- Content Types Builder — Visual schema builder — fields, relations, components, dynamic zones.
- Custom Fields — Plugin-based custom field types (color picker, markdown, etc.).
- Draft & Publish — Two-phase publishing workflow.
- Dynamic Zones — Flexible page builder — authors pick components to add.
- GraphQL API (plugin) — Optional GraphQL layer via official plugin.
- Internationalization — Multi-locale content out of the box.
- Media Library — Upload + organize media. Providers: local, S3, Cloudinary, DO Spaces.
- Releases (EE) — Bundle content changes and publish atomically.
- REST API (auto-gen) — Auto-generated REST endpoints per content type. Full CRUD + filters.
- Review Workflows (EE) — Approval-based content workflows.
- Role-Based Access Control — Per-role permissions at content type + field level.
- SSO / SAML (EE) — Enterprise identity for admin users.
- Strapi Cloud — Fully-managed hosting of Strapi instances.
- Webhooks — Built-in webhooks on content lifecycle events.
Cal.com · 16 features
- Availability — Multiple schedules per user.
- Buffer Time — Padding between meetings.
- Cal Video — Built-in video conferencing.
- Embed — Inline/popup/floating-button embeds.
- Event Types — One-on-one, group, collective, round-robin.
- Insights Dashboard — Booking trends + team analytics.
- Paid Bookings — Stripe integration for paid appointments.
- Platform API — Embed scheduling in your SaaS.
- Recurring Events — Weekly/monthly recurring bookings.
- Round-Robin — Distribute bookings across team.
- Routing Forms — Route leads by answers.
- Self-Host — Deploy to your infra.
- SSO — SAML + OIDC.
- Timezone Detection — Auto-detect viewer timezone.
- Webhooks — Outbound events.
- Workflows — Automated email/SMS reminders.
Developer interfaces
| Kind | Strapi | Cal.com |
|---|---|---|
| CLI | Strapi CLI | cal CLI (self-host) |
| SDK | @strapi/client (JS) | @calcom/embed-react |
| REST | Admin REST API, Strapi Content REST API | Cal.com REST API v2, Platform API (embed in SaaS) |
| GRAPHQL | GraphQL API (plugin) | — |
| OTHER | Webhooks | Cal.com Dashboard, Cal.com Webhooks |
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