BusyCal vs Notion Calendar
Notion Calendar is a clean, lightweight calendar tied to the Notion ecosystem. BusyCal is a deeply configurable native Mac calendar built for power users who live in their schedule.
Last reviewed: February 2026.
Feature Snapshot
| Capability | BusyCal | Notion Calendar |
|---|---|---|
| Native macOS desktop app | Yes | Yes |
| Multi-provider sync (iCloud + Google + Exchange + CalDAV) | Yes | Google + iCloud + Outlook |
| On My Mac offline calendars | Yes | No |
| CalDAV account support | Yes | No |
| Calendar Sets | Yes | No |
| Calendar Groups | Yes | No |
| Nested Smart Filters (ALL/ANY/NONE) | Yes | No |
| Natural language Quick Entry | Yes | No |
| Working Hours toggle (collapse non-work hours) | Yes | No |
| Sunrise & sunset shading in Day/Week views | Yes | No |
| Side-by-side vs stacked layout for overlapping events | Yes | No |
| Context menu event alignment (Match Start/End, Create Between) | Yes | No |
| Multiple time zones in time ruler (up to 3) | Yes | Limited |
| Customizable view spans (2–90 days in week, 1–12 weeks in month) | Yes | No |
| Weather forecasts & moon phases | Yes | No |
| Travel time with live traffic updates | Yes | No |
| Tags with auto-coloring and automatic tagging rules | Yes | No |
| Configurable defaults (alarms, travel time, duration, priority, floating TZ) | Yes | No |
| Journal entry type | Yes | No |
| Sticky notes attached to dates | Yes | No |
| Event/date graphics and icons | Yes | No |
| Customizable Info Panel | Yes | No |
| Alarm Window with flexible snooze | Yes | No |
| Holiday event display styles (footer, graphics) | Yes | No |
| Year Planner + Overview | Yes | No |
| Spreadsheet List View | Yes | No |
| Task list printing | Yes | No |
| Task sorting, filtering, and grouping by calendar | Yes | No |
| Cross-calendar blocking events | Yes | No |
| Conference call integration (Zoom, Teams) | Yes | No |
| Upcoming event countdown | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic local backups | Yes | No |
| CSV export | Yes | No |
| Private LAN sync | Yes | No |
| Custom fonts for views, notes, and titles | Yes | No |
| Notion database integration | No | Yes |
| Meeting notes linked to events | No | Yes |
| Shareable scheduling links | No | Yes |
| Free with Notion plan | No | Yes |
| Cross-platform (Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, Web) | Mac + iOS | Yes |
| One-time purchase (perpetual license) | Yes | Free with Notion |
Where Notion Calendar May Be Better
- Your workflow revolves around Notion databases and project pages.
- You want scheduling links to share availability with others.
- You prefer a minimal, clean interface without extensive configuration.
- You want meeting notes linked directly to calendar events inside Notion.
- You need a free calendar app — Notion Calendar is included with Notion at no extra cost.
- You want cross-platform access on Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, and the web.
- You value tight integration with Notion project timelines and databases.
Where BusyCal May Be Better
- You need a deeply configurable calendar workspace. Learn more.
- You want nested Smart Filters with ALL/ANY/NONE logic. Learn more.
- You want to collapse non-working hours with a one-click Working Hours toggle. Learn more.
- You want sunrise & sunset shading in Day and Week views. Learn more.
- You want context menu event alignment — Match Start/End, Create Between, Create After. Learn more.
- You need multiple time zones displayed simultaneously in the time ruler. Learn more.
- You want customizable view spans — 2 to 90 days in Week, 1 to 12 weeks in Month. Learn more.
- You want weather forecasts and moon phases in your calendar. Learn more.
- You want traffic-aware travel time with Time to Leave alarms. Learn more.
- You want tags with auto-coloring and automatic tagging rules. Learn more.
- You need CalDAV support or On My Mac offline calendars. Learn more.
- You want one app that syncs iCloud, Google, Exchange, and CalDAV calendars together. Learn more.
- You want a Year Planner for long-range scheduling. Learn more.
- You want a spreadsheet-style List View with configurable columns. Learn more.
- You want cross-calendar blocking events that stay synced to the original. Learn more.
Official Links
Want to compare a few more options before deciding? Browse all BusyCal comparison guides.