StitchLink vs. Cal.com
Two privacy-conscious scheduling tools. Different approaches.
Cal.com
The open-source approach
- Open source — inspect the code yourself
- Self-hostable for full control
- Calendar data stored on server (yours or theirs)
- Primarily designed for 1:1 scheduling
- Self-hosting requires technical expertise
StitchLink
The zero-retention approach
- Zero-retention — no calendar data stored anywhere
- Free/busy only — never reads meeting titles
- Built for 1:1 and group scheduling (2–15 people)
- Ephemeral tokens — deleted after processing
- Zero setup — works instantly, no hosting needed
Open Source vs. Zero-Retention: What's the Difference?
Cal.com's open-source model means you can verify what the code does — a great transparency win. But whether you self-host or use their cloud, your calendar data is still stored in a database. StitchLink takes a fundamentally different approach: we only read free/busy signals, never store calendar content, and delete all tokens after scheduling is complete. It's not about transparency of storage — it's about eliminating storage entirely.
Automatic Scheduling vs. Manual Booking
Cal.com excels at 1:1 booking pages — sharing a link where someone picks a slot from your calendar. StitchLink is designed for a different problem: finding the one time that works for everyone across 2 to 15 participants. Our consensus engine cross-references all calendars automatically, no polling needed.
When to Choose Cal.com
Cal.com is a great fit if you need full control over your scheduling infrastructure, have a technical team to self-host, or want to customize the booking experience at the code level. It's an excellent developer tool.
When to Choose StitchLink
StitchLink is the right choice if your priority is privacy-by-design (not just privacy-by-audit), you need scheduling that works automatically for 1:1 and groups, and you want a tool that's ready in seconds with zero infrastructure to manage.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is StitchLink open source?
No. StitchLink is a closed-source SaaS product. Our privacy guarantee comes from our zero-retention architecture — we physically cannot access your data because we don't store it. You can read our full security documentation at stitchlink.ai/security.
Do guests need accounts with either tool?
StitchLink never requires guest sign-ups. Guests click a single link and authorize calendar access — that's it. Cal.com's guest experience varies depending on how the host configures their booking page.
Which is better for enterprise?
Cal.com offers enterprise self-hosting. StitchLink offers self-serve enterprise plans with SSO (SAML), team scheduling, and zero-retention compliance — without any infrastructure to manage.
Privacy without the infrastructure
Get zero-retention scheduling without self-hosting a single server.
🛡️ Your calendar data is never stored. Read our security promise →