Nylas API offers powerful APIs for email, calendar, and contacts integration, which allows developers to build strong communication features into their applications. But how much will it actually cost you? That's what we're here to unpack: No jargon, no confusion, just straightforward information about Nylas pricing that won't make your head spin. While we’re at it, we will also mention Zeeg - a more cost-effective alternative that provides similar calendar functionality without the complexity or the development overhead.
Nylas Platform options: More than just an API
Before diving into the dollars and cents, it's important to understand what Nylas offers. Based on the pricing information from their website, Nylas provides two main platform options:
- Full Platform - The complete suite of Nylas APIs, including email, calendar, and contacts functionality
- Calendar & Notetaker - A more focused offering centered on calendar integration and the Notetaker API
Which one is right for you depends entirely on your specific needs. Need the whole enchilada? Go for the Full Platform. Just looking to add some scheduling magic to your app? The Calendar & Notetaker option might be your best bet.
Nylas pricing structure: Breaking down the numbers
Now, let’s get to the meat of the matter: How much does Nylas actually cost? According to the latest pricing information (as of May 2025), Nylas offers three main tiers for their Full Platform:
Annual pricing (Per connected account)
1. Entry Platform: $3.30 per CA/month
2. Core Platform: $4.50 per CA/month
3. Plus Platform: $5.30 per CA/month
Custom: For enterprise deployments, custom features, and the "we need to talk" tier of pricing
What's a "connected account," you ask? It's basically each end-user email, calendar, or contacts account that connects through your application using Nylas APIs. So if your app has 1,000 users connecting their email accounts, you're looking at 1,000 connected accounts.
Monthly vs. annual plans
Nylas offers both monthly and annual plans, with annual plans giving you the best value. And if you're not ready for a 12-month commitment, Nylas also offers pay-as-you-go monthly plans. Just move the slider to switch between viewing monthly and annual pricing options.
What features do you get at each tier?
Now, time to break down what you actually get at each pricing tier:
Entry Platform ($3.30 per CA/month)
The Entry tier is designed for startups and email & calendar integrations. It includes:
- Universal sync for connected email, calendar, and contacts accounts (no limit!)
- Full CRUD capabilities
- Webhooks/notifications
- Recurring events
- Nylas Scheduler
Core Platform ($4.50 per CA/month)
The Core tier is built for larger critical use cases that need SLA and basic support. It includes everything in Entry, plus:
- 99% guaranteed SLA uptime
- White-labeled Hosted Auth (as an add-on)
- Round-robin availability
- Email send intelligence (email analytics, bounce detection, scheduled send)
- Event Message and Account Metadata
- Basic support
Plus Platform ($5.30 per CA/month)
The Plus tier is for the highest uptimes, SLA & HIPAA compliance. It includes everything in Core, plus:
- 99.9% guaranteed SLA uptime
- Advanced email intelligence (Smart Compose, Clean Conversations)
- Nylas Email for Salesforce
- Bulk Authentication
- HIPAA & HITECH BAA
- Multi-region data storage
- Full support
Add-ons and additional services
- White-labeled Hosted Auth: Available as an add-on for Core and Plus tiers
- ExtractAI: Available as an add-on across all tiers
- Full Support Plan: Available as an add-on for Core and Plus tiers
- Premium Support Plan: Available as an add-on for Core and Plus tiers
- Full Onboarding Plan: Available as an add-on for Core and Plus tiers
- Premium Onboarding Plan: Available as an add-on for Core and Plus tiers
One particularly note-worthy addition is the Nylas Notetaker API. This API offers features for recording, transcribing, and analyzing meetings and is included as an optional add-on with all plans (billed at $0.70/hour). The good news is that free 10 hours of Notetaker are included each month, and hourly rates are reduced as you scale on annual contracts.
Should you actually pay for this?
Nylas isn't the cheapest option on the market, but there's a reason for that. Their APIs are known for reliability, extensive documentation, and strong features. If you're building an application where communication features are quite important, the time and development resources you save might well justify the cost.
Consider these factors when evaluating the ROI:
- How central are email, calendar, and contact features to your application?
- How much development time would it take to build and maintain these features yourself?
- What level of reliability do your users expect?
- Do you need specialized features like HIPAA compliance or multi-region storage?
⚙️ Remember, sometimes the cheapest option ends up being the most expensive in the long run if it means your developers are constantly putting out fires instead of building new features.
Why Zeeg is the smarter alternative to Nylas
Looking at those complex Nylas pricing tiers might have you thinking you need to shell out big money for calendar functionality in your software. But we have some good news for you: You actually don't need to buy their expensive API packages when Zeeg offers a simpler, more cost-effective solution.
Embed calendars instantly, no API required. With Zeeg, you can skip the complicated development work entirely. Our solution allows you to simply embed an inline iframe directly on your website or app. This means you get professional scheduling capabilities without writing a single line of API integration code or paying those monthly per-connected-account fees.
Free to use, no hidden costs. Why pay for Nylas when you can use Zeeg for free? Our core scheduling functionality doesn't come with the tiered pricing headaches or the constant upsells. We believe basic scheduling should be accessible to everyone: Not locked behind premium tiers and add-on fees.
Connect your existing calendars in seconds. Zeeg connects with your Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and other major calendar providers including Apple Calendar (with which Nylas doesn’t integrate). Your users can instantly book time with you through an intuitive interface that maintains your brand experience. The connections are direct and secure, which gives you all the functionality without the middleman costs.
Workflows that actually make sense. What Nylas calls "scheduling automation," we call "workflows" at Zeeg; and ours are more intuitive and flexible. Need to send automated confirmation emails? Set up reminder notifications? Create follow-up sequences after meetings? Zeeg handles all of this without having you purchase separate email API access.
More calendar integrations where it matters. While we don't focus on email APIs like Nylas, we offer more calendar integration options across the board. Our philosophy is simple: do one thing extremely well rather than many things adequately. For scheduling and calendar management, our specialized approach gives you deeper functionality and better reliability.
Email notifications without the email API price tag. The smart secret? You don't actually need a full email API for most scheduling applications. Zeeg offers you extensive email notifications as part of the platform. You can customize confirmation emails, reminders, follow-ups, and cancellation notices all without paying extra for email API access. Our workflow editor makes it simple to design exactly the communication sequence your business needs.
Real-world implementation in minutes, not months. Perhaps the biggest advantage is the implementation time. While Nylas requires developer resources, API keys, authentication setup, and ongoing maintenance, Zeeg can be up and running on your site in literally minutes. Copy an embed code, paste it where you want your calendar to appear, and you're done: No developer resources required.
Think of the time and money saved when you don't need to assign precious engineering resources to calendar integration. Your developers can focus on your core product while Zeeg handles the scheduling complexity behind the scenes.
The bottom line is simple: why build (or buy) what you can embed for free? Zeeg gives you professional scheduling capabilities without the development headaches or ongoing API costs that come with Nylas. It's the smarter choice for businesses that want effective calendar functionality without unnecessary complexity or expense.
👉🏻 For other Nylas API alternatives, feel free to check out our in-depth article.
Nylas vs. Zeeg pricing Comparison: Why you'll save big with Zeeg
Cost scenarios
Small Business (10 users)
- Nylas Entry: $3.30 × 10 users × 12 months = $396/year
- Zeeg Professional: €10 × 10 users × 12 months = €1,200/year (but with much more functionality and no development costs)
Medium Business (50 users)
- Nylas Core: $4.50 × 50 users × 12 months = $2,700/year
- Zeeg Business: €16 × 50 users × 12 months = €9,600/year
Why Zeeg's pricing model makes more sense
- No per-connected account fees: Nylas charges for each calendar account you connect, which can quickly add up. Zeeg charges per user, regardless of how many calendars they connect.
- No hidden development costs: With Nylas, you're paying for an API that still requires significant development resources to implement. With Zeeg, you're getting a complete, ready-to-use solution.
- No add-on surprises: Nylas charges extra for white-labeling, full support, and premium onboarding. With Zeeg Business, these features are included.
- Free option available: Zeeg offers a genuinely useful free tier for solopreneurs and small startups - perfect for getting started without any financial commitment.
- Predictable billing: Zeeg's per-user pricing makes it easy to forecast costs as your business grows, while Nylas's connected account model can lead to unexpected increases.
Making the right choice for your needs
Choosing the right API provider for your communication needs isn't just about price - it's also about finding the right fit for your specific requirements. Nylas offers a strong, feature-rich platform with tiered pricing that scales with your needs, while newer alternatives like Zeeg provide interesting options for teams looking for something different.
The best approach is to take advantage of free trials where available, talk to your development team about their specific needs, and carefully consider which features are must-haves versus nice-to-haves. Your future self (and your budget) will thank you for doing the homework upfront.
Remember, the right tool isn't always the most expensive or the cheapest - it's the one that solves your specific problems in the most efficient way possible.
Note: Pricing information in this article is based on publicly available data as of May 2025. Always check the official Nylas website for the most current pricing details.
