Is Calendly GDPR Compliant? Here's What You Should Know

Are you using Calendly to schedule meetings with your European clients? Well, you need to listen. Understanding data protection requirements when using scheduling tools is extremely important, especially when you’re dealing with the EU market. Many businesses wonder if Calendly meets the strict requirements of the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR). Let's break down everything you need to know about Calendly and data privacy.

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What is GDPR and why does it matter for scheduling tools?

The "General Data Protection Regulation" is a legal framework designed to protect the personal data and privacy rights of individuals within the European Union (EU) and the European Economic Area (EEA). From May 25, 2018, the GDPR transformed how organizations collect, process, store, and manage personal information.

When you use scheduling tools like Calendly, you're inevitably collecting personal data from your invitees – including names, email addresses, and potentially phone numbers. For European residents, this seemingly routine information is now subject to strict legal protections.

What does personal data protection actually mean? Under GDPR, individuals have fundamental rights regarding their personal information:

Right to be informed about how their data is used
Right to access their personal data
Right to request correction of inaccurate data
Right to request deletion of their personal data
Right to restrict processing of their information
Right to data portability
Right to object to data processing

GDPR compliance isn't optional – companies can face substantial financial penalties for violations, up to €20 million or 4% of global annual revenue. This applies not just to EU-based companies, but to any organization scheduling meetings with European residents.

The regulation's scope extends beyond the EU, also significantly impacting businesses in the United Kingdom following Brexit, which adopted an essentially identical data protection framework known as the UK GDPR.¹

According to the European Commission's official documentation², the GDPR aims to give citizens back control of their personal data and to simplify the regulatory environment for international business by standardizing data protection laws across the EU.

Is Calendly GDPR compliant?

According to Calendly's documentation, they've built their data privacy program to comply with GDPR. They've taken some steps to meet the requirements:

Added a Data Processing Addendum (DPA) to their Terms of Use
Created features specifically for GDPR compliance
Improved how they protect user data
Updated their documentation about data protection

And what specific measures has Calendly taken? They've developed:

Tools to manage cookie consent
Processes for deleting data when requested
Opt-in features for Terms of Use
UK Addendum to their Standard Contractual Clauses

It's important to understand that when you use Calendly, you're still the "data controller" while Calendly acts as the "data processor." This means you have the main responsibility for GDPR compliance in how you collect and use your invitees' information.

How Calendly handles data under GDPR

Now, let's have a look at how Calendly actually processes and protects data:

Data collection and storage

Calendly collects these types of personal information:

Names and email addresses
Calendar availability
Meeting details and notes
Location information for in-person meetings
Any custom fields you set up

This data is stored on Calendly's systems, which use Google Cloud Services. According to Calendly, they encrypt all data during transmission using TLS SHA-256 with RSA Encryption and also when it's stored on their servers.

Where is the data processed?

A key GDPR concern is where data is stored and processed. Calendly is based in the United States, which means data may travel outside the European Economic Area.

To address this, Calendly has:

Implemented Standard Contractual Clauses (SCCs)
Added the UK Addendum to these clauses in 2022
Committed to protecting data during international transfers

These measures aim to legally protect data when it's transferred to countries like the US that don't have the same data protection standards as the EU.

Individual rights under GDPR

GDPR gives people specific rights regarding their personal data. Calendly offers features to help you respond when invitees exercise these rights:

Access to data: You can export meeting details to share with individuals
Correction of data: You can edit meeting information through the dashboard
Deletion of data: Calendly can process requests to delete personal information
Data portability: Their export feature lets you provide data in a usable format

When someone requests information about their data or asks for changes, you'll need to use these Calendly features to fulfill their rights. For example, if someone wants all their data deleted, you'll need to contact Calendly to complete this process since they store the information on their servers.

UK GDPR: What you need to know

While the United Kingdom has left the European Union, UK businesses are still subject to strong data protection regulations through the UK GDPR. This framework is essentially identical to the EU GDPR and maintains almost all the same principles and requirements for data protection.

For businesses operating in the UK, the key differences are subtle but important:

The UK GDPR is a standalone regulation, separate from the EU version
It's enforced by the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO)
Penalties remain similar: up to £17.5 million or 4% of global turnover
Businesses must appoint a UK representative if they process data of UK residents

If you're scheduling meetings with UK clients using tools like Calendly, you'll need to follow the same consent and data protection practices as you would for EU residents. This includes clear communication about data usage, providing opt-out mechanisms, and ensuring transparent data handling.

For international businesses, this means the compliance approach for the EU and UK markets remains consistent. Whether you're in London, Edinburgh, or working with UK-based clients from abroad, the data protection principles are essentially the same.

How to use Calendly in a GDPR-compliant way

If you decide to use Calendly, here are best practices for GDPR compliance:

Before you start

Review Calendly's DPA: Make sure it meets your compliance needs
Map your data flows: Identify what personal data goes through Calendly and where
Consider a Data Protection Impact Assessment: For high-volume or sensitive scheduling
Update your privacy policy: Add details about your use of Calendly

A Data Protection Impact Assessment (DPIA) is especially important if you'll be scheduling appointments that might involve sensitive information, such as health consultations or financial services. This assessment helps you identify and minimize data protection risks before they turn into problems.

During setup

Set up proper consent: Use a Consent Management Platform for embedded Calendly widgets
Limit what you collect: Only gather necessary information in Calendly's custom fields
Set retention periods: Create processes for deleting unnecessary meeting data
Document your decisions: Keep records of your compliance approach

When setting up custom fields in Calendly, follow the data minimization principle—only collect information that's truly necessary for the meeting. For example, if you don't absolutely need someone's phone number for the appointment, don't ask for it.

Ongoing management

Stay informed: Regularly review Calendly's privacy practices
Check for compliance gaps: Periodically assess if your setup remains compliant
Plan for data requests: Create procedures for handling rights requests
Train your team: Make sure staff understand their GDPR responsibilities

GDPR compliance isn't a one-time setup—it requires ongoing attention. Set reminders to review Calendly's privacy policies and terms of service at least once a year, as these may change. Also keep an eye on relevant regulatory guidance, as interpretations of GDPR requirements can evolve over time.

Make sure everyone on your team who uses Calendly understands the basics of data protection. They should know what information they can collect, how to respond if someone asks about their data, and the importance of not using meeting information for purposes beyond what was initially communicated to the invitee.

Creating proper consent for Calendly

Clear consent language

Your consent request should:

Name Calendly specifically as a third-party processor
Explain what data will be collected and why
Mention that data may go to the US
State that consent can be withdrawn anytime

For example:

"We use Calendly for scheduling appointments. By continuing, you agree to share your name, email, and scheduling preferences with Calendly, a US-based service. This helps us arrange meetings efficiently. You can withdraw this permission anytime by contacting us."

The language should be straightforward enough that the average person can understand what they're agreeing to. Avoid legal jargon or overly technical descriptions that might confuse users.

Proper consent design

The consent interface should:

Require a clear action (no pre-checked boxes)
Appear before Calendly loads or collects data
Offer a real choice without penalties for saying no
Make withdrawing consent as easy as giving it

The GDPR is very specific about what counts as valid consent. Pre-checked boxes or "implied consent" approaches don't meet the requirements. Users must take a positive action to indicate their agreement.

Using a Consent Management Platform

A Consent Management Platform (CMP) can help with GDPR compliance by:

Managing cookie and tracking consent
Recording user consent choices
Providing evidence for regulatory purposes
Offering ready-made compliance templates

Popular options that work with Calendly include OneTrust, TrustArc, and Cookiebot. These tools can make the technical implementation of consent much easier, especially for websites that aren't just embedding Calendly but also using other third-party services.

Many CMPs also provide detailed consent records, which can be invaluable if you ever need to demonstrate compliance to regulators. They track when consent was given, what specific permissions were granted, and any changes to consent over time.

While there's an additional cost to using these platforms, they can reduce compliance risks and simplify the management of user privacy preferences across your entire website.

What you need to do for GDPR compliance when using Calendly

But how do you make Calendly GDPR compliant? Here's how:

Get proper consent

Under GDPR, when embedding Calendly on your website, you must:

Get clear permission from users before Calendly collects their data. Make sure no data goes to Calendly before consent is given. Clearly explain what information will be collected and how it will be used. Allow people to say no without any negative consequences.

💡 This is especially important because Calendly transfers data to a third party and potentially to countries outside the EU.

Let people withdraw consent

Even after someone has agreed to Calendly's data collection, they must have an easy way to change their mind. This means having an easy-to-find opt-out option, the ability to withdraw consent anytime, and making the withdrawal process as simple as the consent process.

Updating your privacy policy

Your website's privacy policy needs to include complete information about your use of Calendly: what specific data Calendly collects, why you're collecting this information, who handles the data (Calendly as the processor), your legal basis for using the data (usually consent or legitimate interest), and information about potential data transfers to the US.

For European businesses, this transparency is required by GDPR Article 13³.

💡 Make sure your policy is easy to find on your website and written in plain language that anyone can understand.

Understanding your role vs. Calendly's role

As we already mentioned, an essential part of GDPR compliance is understanding the relationship between you and Calendly:

You (the Calendly user): The "data controller" who decides why and how personal data is processed
Calendly: The "data processor" who handles data according to your instructions

This distinction naturally affects your GDPR responsibilities. As the controller, you must:

Have a legal basis for collecting personal data through Calendly
Provide privacy notices to your invitees
Respond to requests about personal data
Keep records of your data processing activities
Implement appropriate security measures

Calendly, as the processor, must:

Process data only as you instruct
Use appropriate security measures
Help you fulfill data requests
Notify you of data breaches quickly
Delete or return data when the service ends

This relationship is formalized through Calendly's Data Processing Addendum, which is part of their Terms of Use.

Potential concerns with Calendly's GDPR compliance

Despite Calendly's efforts to follow GDPR, there are a few areas to watch out for:

International data transfers

Since Calendly is US-based, data transfers happen outside the EU. In July 2020, the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) invalidated the EU-US Privacy Shield in the Schrems II case⁴. However, in that same judgment, the Court explicitly upheld the validity of Standard Contractual Clauses as a transfer mechanism.

"In today's judgment, the Court of Justice finds that examination of Decision 2010/87 in the light of the Charter of Fundamental Rights has disclosed nothing to affect the validity of that decision [on Standard Contractual Clauses]. However, the Court declares Decision 2016/1250 [Privacy Shield] invalid."

Calendly now relies on these valid Standard Contractual Clauses for data transfers, which remain a legally recognized mechanism. What the Court emphasized is that companies must conduct transfer impact assessments to make sure the receiving country provides adequate protection.

In 2021, the EU issued updated Standard Contractual Clauses that incorporate additional safeguards, and Calendly states they've updated their Data Processing Addendum to include these new clauses.

Cookie consent

GDPR and the ePrivacy Directive require explicit consent for non-essential cookies. While Calendly mentions cookie management tools⁵, you need to make sure that Calendly's booking pages on your website properly get consent before placing tracking cookies.

Integrations with other tools

When Calendly connects to other applications, data may flow to additional processors. Calendly says it marks invitees in GDPR countries as "transactional contacts" to limit marketing⁶, but you should review how each integration handles personal data.

An alternative to Calendly with strong GDPR compliance

If you're concerned about Calendly's GDPR compliance, we have an alternative for you:

Zeeg: A fully GDPR-compliant scheduling solution

Zeeg stands out as an excellent Calendly alternative specifically designed with European data protection laws in mind. Unlike many scheduling tools developed by US companies, Zeeg was built from the ground up to meet GDPR requirements.

European data hosting and privacy by design

What makes Zeeg especially a good choice for privacy-conscious businesses is its commitment to keeping all data within European borders:

All personal data stays on EU-based servers
Complete end-to-end encryption for all data
No transfers to countries without adequate protection
Data processing agreements built into their terms of service
Privacy by design principles incorporated throughout the platform

This European-first approach eliminates many GDPR compliance challenges that arise with US-based services. You don't need to worry about the complexities of cross-border data transfers or changing international privacy frameworks.

Key features that rival Calendly

While prioritizing data privacy, Zeeg doesn't compromise on functionality:

Customizable booking pages that match your brand
Integration with multiple calendar services, including Apple Calendar
Automated email notifications and reminders
Buffer times between appointments
Team scheduling with availability management
Round-robin distribution for fair meeting allocation
Intake forms to gather information before meetings
Payment processing for paid appointments

The platform was designed to provide all the scheduling capabilities businesses need while maintaining strict data protection standards. Many users find Zeeg's interface intuitive and similar to Calendly, which makes the transition between platforms relatively smooth.

Simplified GDPR compliance

Using Zeeg simplifies GDPR compliance in several ways:

No need for complex Standard Contractual Clauses
Clearer processor-controller relationship
Easier management of data subject rights
Transparent data processing activities
Built-in GDPR-compliant consent mechanisms

For businesses operating primarily in Europe or with many European customers, these compliance advantages can save significant time and reduce legal risks.

Pricing that works for businesses of all sizes

Zeeg offers competitive pricing with a structure that works well for growing teams:

Free plan with basic features for individuals
Professional plan at $8/user/month with additional customization
Business plan at $13/user/month with advanced team features
Enterprise options for larger organizations with specific needs

💡 Their free plan actually includes two scheduling pages (compared to Calendly's single page limit), which makes it more generous for basic users.

For European businesses or any company concerned about data protection, Zeeg provides a solid alternative that combines strong GDPR compliance with all the scheduling features you'd expect from a modern booking solution.

Get started with Zeeg

Try any of the paid plans for free on a 14-day trial. You can also just keep the free plan forever.

Calendly's additional security measures

Beyond basic GDPR compliance, Calendly has taken some serious security measures:

Infrastructure security

Calendly uses Kubernetes/Google Cloud Services, which has these security certifications:

ISO 27001
SOC 1 and SOC 2/SSAE 16/ISAE 3402
PCI Level 1
FISMA Moderate
Sarbanes-Oxley (SOX)

These certifications mean that the physical infrastructure where Calendly stores your data meets industry standards for security and has been verified by independent auditors⁷.

How they protect your data

Calendly uses various methods to secure information:

Encryption for all connections to their website
Full encryption for stored data
Password security that prevents even employees from accessing them

By encrypting data both during transmission and storage, Calendly adds layers of protection to prevent unauthorized access to your information and your invitees' details.

Access controls

To prevent unauthorized access to user data, Calendly:

Uses OAuth authentication with calendar providers instead of storing passwords
Restricts employee access to customer data
Requires multi-factor authentication for internal systems
Trains all employees on security practices

These measures help ensure that only authorized people can access sensitive information. For example, by using OAuth, Calendly connects to your calendar without needing to store your actual calendar password, which reduces security risks.

Conclusion: Finding the right balance

Calendly offers helpful scheduling features that can save time and improve efficiency. But using it with European customers needs careful attention to GDPR compliance.

While Calendly has taken steps to follow GDPR, you're still responsible for making sure your specific implementation meets data protection regulations. This includes getting proper consent, providing clear information about data processing, and being ready to fulfill data rights requests.

For businesses with European operations or strong data protection concerns, EU-based alternatives like Zeeg might offer simpler compliance. But with proper setup and attention to data protection principles, Calendly can be used in a fully GDPR-compliant way.

Remember that GDPR compliance requires ongoing attention. Regularly review your scheduling tool's privacy practices and your own implementation as regulations and technology change.

Disclaimer: This article provides general information about GDPR compliance and is not legal advice. Businesses should consult with legal professionals familiar with data protection regulations before making decisions about GDPR compliance strategies.

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