Calendar Options for Calendly: iCloud Alternatives

If you're an Apple user seeking to connect your calendar with Calendly, you've likely encountered a significant roadblock. Calendly no longer supports new iCloud Calendar connections, creating challenges for Apple users who need that integration. 

But don't worry – there are several alternative calendars you can connect to Calendly. And if you prefer to keep using Apple Calendar, Zeeg offers a perfect solution with full and seamless iCloud integration.

Why you can't connect Calendly to Apple Calendar anymore

When you look at Calendly pros and cons, this is definitely one of the big disadvantages. And it's a recent one.

The relationship between Calendly and Apple Calendar has changed significantly. Previously, Apple users could connect their iCloud Calendar to Calendly with some limitations. For example, Calendly couldn't connect to subscription calendars in iCloud because they were public.

However, since August 20, 2024, Calendly has completely discontinued support for new iCloud Calendar connections. While existing users who had already connected their Apple Calendar to Calendly before this date can continue using the integration, new users or those who hadn't previously set it up are out of luck.

This change has left many Calendly users searching for alternatives. If you're wondering whether you can sync Calendly with Apple Calendar (formerly called iCal), the answer is no – not if you're setting up a new connection. The Calendar app on Apple devices is simply a display interface, and in the past, Calendly would direct you to connect to the underlying calendar service, which was iCloud Calendar. With that option now gone, Apple users need to explore other calendar options or switch to a different scheduling tool altogether.

For those who want to learn more about the previous relationship between these platforms, you can check out our detailed guide on Calendly Apple Calendar integration.

Calendar Options for Calendly - iCloud Alternatives:

1. Google Calendar: The most popular Calendly alternative to iCloud

Google Calendar stands as the most widely used alternative calendar that works flawlessly with Calendly. As a cloud-based service, Google Calendar offers robust features and seamless integration with numerous applications, including Calendly.

How Google Calendar works with Calendly

Connecting Google Calendar to Calendly is straightforward:

1. Visit your Calendar settings page in Calendly
2. Select "Google Calendar" under the connect options
3. Sign in to your Google account when prompted
4. Choose which calendars you want Calendly to check for conflicts
5. Select which calendar you want new Calendly events added to

Once connected, Calendly will check your Google Calendar for existing events before showing available times to your invitees. This prevents double-booking, as Calendly will only display times when you're free according to your Google Calendar. Additionally, when someone books time with you through Calendly, the appointment automatically appears in your Google Calendar.

Google Calendar also allows you to create and share multiple calendars – for instance, you might have separate calendars for personal appointments, work meetings, and family events. Calendly can check all of these calendars for conflicts if you grant the necessary permissions.

For a comprehensive walkthrough on how to sync Calendly with Google Calendar, we've created a dedicated guide to help you through the process.

2. Microsoft Outlook/Office 365: A solid business alternative

Microsoft's calendar solutions – available through Outlook.com and Office 365 – provide another excellent alternative to iCloud for Calendly users. These platforms are particularly popular in corporate environments and offer strong integration capabilities with scheduling tools.

How Outlook Calendar works with Calendly

Connecting your Outlook or Office 365 calendar to Calendly follows a similar process to Google Calendar:

1. Navigate to Calendar settings in Calendly
2. Select "Outlook Calendar" under connect options
3. Sign in to your Microsoft account
4. Select calendars to check for conflicts
5. Choose which calendar will receive new events

Outlook calendars work well with Calendly, allowing for conflict checking across multiple calendars and automatic event creation. This integration is especially useful in corporate settings where Microsoft products are the standard.

One advantage of using Outlook with Calendly is its status settings. You can mark events as "Free," "Working Elsewhere," "Tentative," "Busy," or "Away/Out of office." By default, Calendly considers you unavailable during times marked as "Busy," "Working Elsewhere," or "Away," but you can customize these settings based on your preferences.

For those using Outlook extensively, the Calendly for Outlook plugin add-in offers even more functionality, allowing you to manage Calendly appointments directly from your Outlook interface.

3. Exchange Calendar: For enterprise users

Exchange Calendar, Microsoft's enterprise-level calendar solution, is another alternative that works with Calendly. This option is relevant for organizations that maintain their own Exchange servers or use hosted Exchange services.

How Exchange Calendar works with Calendly

Connecting Exchange Calendar to Calendly requires a few specific steps:

1. Go to Calendar settings in Calendly
2. Select "Exchange Calendar" under connect options
3. Enter your Exchange email address and password
4. Provide your Exchange server information if prompted

Exchange Calendar integration with Calendly supports various Exchange versions (2013, 2016, and 2019). However, there are some limitations:

• Exchange accounts must use an EWS connection (ActiveSync connections aren't supported)
• Exchange via Amazon WorkMail is not currently supported
• Exchange IMAP/POP connections are unsupported
• If your Exchange account has 2FA/MFA enabled, Windows users need to use the Microsoft Outlook Plug-In instead

For enterprise users, Exchange Calendar provides robust functionality with Calendly, though the setup may require assistance from IT departments to configure properly, especially regarding server information and authentication requirements.

4. Calendar integrations through Zapier and other automation tools

Beyond direct calendar direct connections, Calendly integrations offers connections through automation platforms, being Zapier the most popular. With this, there’s a workaround for calendars that don't have native Calendly integration, though it typically provides fewer features than direct connections. And, most importantly, it doesn’t let you connect Calendly to iCloud Calendar.

How Zapier connects other calendars to Calendly

Using Zapier as an intermediary:

1. Create a Zapier account and connect both Calendly and your preferred calendar
2. Set up a "Zap" (automated workflow) that triggers when a Calendly event is created
3. Configure the Zap to create an event in your calendar

This method works with some calendar platforms, though most of them are less popular. However, it typically offers one-way synchronization (from Calendly to your calendar), and may not provide conflict checking. This means Calendly won't know when you're busy based on existing calendar events.

5. Zeeg: Keep using Apple Calendar with your scheduling tool

If you'd prefer to continue using Apple Calendar rather than switching to an alternative, Zeeg offers the perfect solution. Unlike Calendly, Zeeg maintains full integration with iCloud Calendar, making it an ideal alternative to Calendly Apple Calendar for those committed to the Apple ecosystem.

Why choose Zeeg for iCloud Calendar integration

Zeeg offers several advantages over Calendly for Apple users, no matter if you’re a small business or a large organization looking to automate and simplify your meeting scheduling. 

Here’s a few of those benefits:

• Full iCloud Calendar integration: Connect directly to your Apple Calendar for seamless scheduling
• More generous free plan: Two scheduling pages included (versus one with Calendly)
• Enterprise-grade security: End-to-end encryption and full GDPR compliance
• Advanced scheduling features: Team scheduling, round-robin distribution, smart routing forms, automated workflows, availability rules, buffer times, stack mode, payments per meetings, multiple integrations with your business tools, and much more

Setting up Zeeg with your iCloud Calendar takes just a few simple steps

1. Sign up for a Zeeg account
2. Navigate to Calendar Connections in your dashboard
3. Select "+ iCloud account"
4. Enter your iCloud email and an app-specific password from your Apple ID account
5. Select which calendars to sync for availability checking and event adding

With this setup, Zeeg will check your Apple Calendar for conflicts and automatically add new appointments when someone books time with you through your Zeeg scheduling page.

You can read more about Zeeg-iCloud integration here.

Overview of those calendar connections

When choosing an alternative calendar to use with Calendly, it's worth comparing the major options. While Google Calendar offers excellent integration with Calendly and works well for both personal and professional use, it might not be ideal for users deeply embedded in the Apple ecosystem.

Outlook and Office 365 calendars also provide strong business features and integrate well with Calendly, but they're primarily designed for professional rather than personal use. Exchange Calendar, especially, offers enterprise-level features but requires more technical setup.

For a detailed comparison focusing on two popular options, our article on Calendly vs Google Calendar explores the strengths and weaknesses of each platform.

The scheduling issue with calendars switches

If you’re switching from iCloud Calendar to an alternative calendar for Calendly, it's important to understand how this affects your Calendly link management. Your scheduling links remain the same regardless of which calendar you connect, but the available times shown to invitees will change based on the events in your newly connected calendar.

If you're using multiple calendars (such as personal and work calendars), you'll need to ensure that Calendly checks all relevant calendars for conflicts to present accurate availability. This is really important when transitioning from iCloud, to make sure you don't end up with double bookings.

Sharing calendars across platforms

When using an alternative calendar with Calendly, you might still want to share your schedule with colleagues or family members who use Apple Calendar. This can become complicated when you're working across different calendar platforms.

Google Calendar allows you to share calendars with specific people, including those using different calendar systems. Similarly, Outlook and Office 365 offer sharing capabilities that can work with various platforms. However, the process isn't always seamless - if you need to maintain visibility with Apple Calendar users while using a different calendar with Calendly, you might want to review our guide on how to share Apple Calendar for some helpful strategies.

Or just go try Zeeg now, and use iCloud calendar synced to your scheduling tool. 

Conclusion: Weigh your options for calendar integration

While Calendly's discontinuation of new iCloud Calendar connections presents a challenge for Apple users, you have several viable alternatives. Google Calendar, Outlook/Office 365, and Exchange Calendar all offer solid integration with Calendly, though they pull you away from the Apple ecosystem.

👉 For those who prefer to maintain their commitment to Apple Calendar while enjoying powerful scheduling features, Zeeg provides the best of both worlds with its full iCloud Calendar integration. This allows you to keep using your preferred calendar while gaining access to advanced scheduling capabilities that match or exceed what Calendly offers.

But ultimately, the right choice depends on your business needs and preferences, and existing technology ecosystem. The point being: whether you decide to adopt an alternative calendar that works with Calendly or switch to Zeeg to maintain your iCloud Calendar integration, there are options.