A free OneCal alternative for merging iCal feeds
Updated
OneCal connects your Google, Outlook, iCloud and CalDAV accounts and syncs events between them in real time. It also has scheduling links and a unified calendar view. Annual plans run from $5 per user a month for 2 calendars to $25 for 50, after a 14-day trial.
If you are looking for a OneCal alternative because you only need to see everything together, you may not need a sync tool at all. iCal Merge reads each calendar's iCal link and publishes one combined, read-only link you can subscribe to anywhere. It never gets access to your accounts. The free plan covers 1 calendar with 3 sources. Pro is $5/mo or $50/yr for 10 calendars and 100 sources.
These tools do different jobs. If you need events or busy blocks written into your other calendars, stay with OneCal or another sync tool.
iCal Merge vs OneCal at a glance
| iCal Merge | OneCal | |
|---|---|---|
| What it does | Merges feeds into one read-only link | Syncs events between connected calendars |
| Free plan | Yes: 1 calendar, 3 sources, hourly refresh | 14-day trial, then paid |
| Paid plans | $5/mo or $50/yr for 10 calendars, 100 sources each | $5 (2 calendars), $10 (5) or $25 (50) per user a month |
| Works with | Any iCal/ICS link | Google, Outlook, iCloud, CalDAV |
| Adding an ICS feed | Paste the link | Subscribe in Google or Microsoft first, then import |
| Access to your accounts | None, reads links only | Connected accounts, writes synced events |
| Copies busy time between accounts | No | Yes |
| Update speed | Hourly free, 15 minutes on Pro, plus your calendar app’s check | Real time for connected accounts; ICS feeds follow Google or Microsoft |
| Scheduling links | No | Yes |
OneCal details come from its pricing page and documentation (verified November 2026). Prices are its annual-billing rates. Check its site for the latest.
Where iCal Merge fits better
- Feeds from anywhere, added directly. Paste any iCal link: a sports app, a school, a booking site, or a work scheduling tool. OneCal's documentation says it does not subscribe to ICS URLs itself. You add the feed to a Google or Microsoft account first, then import it from there.
- No account access. iCal Merge only reads the links you give it. Nothing it does can change or delete an event in your real calendar. Sync tools need a connection to your accounts because they write events into them.
- A free plan. One calendar with up to 3 sources costs nothing and needs no card. OneCal's pricing page lists a 14-day trial and then paid plans.
- Lots of feeds for one price. Pro's 100 sources per calendar suit someone with one export per team, property or client. Pro is priced per account, not per user, and anyone can subscribe to the merged link.
Where OneCal does more
- Sync between calendars. OneCal copies events or busy blocks between connected calendars, one-way or multi-way. A meeting in one account can block the time in another. iCal Merge produces a separate combined feed and writes nothing back.
- Real-time updates. OneCal advertises real-time sync across connected accounts. A merged feed refreshes hourly on our free plan and every 15 minutes by default on Pro. Your calendar app then checks the link on its own schedule, which can add hours. See how sharing an iCal calendar works.
- Scheduling links. OneCal has individual and team booking links. iCal Merge does not do scheduling.
- Editing. OneCal's unified view can edit events on connected accounts. Events in a merged feed are read-only. Change them at the source.
OneCal also lists public calendar feeds as a feature, so sharing alone may not separate the two. The real question is whether you need anything written to your accounts. If you are trying to stop double-booking between work and personal accounts, a sync tool blocks the time for you. Our double-booking guide covers what a merged view can and can't do.
What a merged feed looks like
Every source keeps its label, so you can see where each event came from. You subscribe to one link, and a new source added later shows up without changing that link.
Which one should you pick?
- Pick iCal Merge if you want one read-only feed to view, share or embed, your calendars include feeds from other services, or you don't want a tool connected to your accounts.
- Pick OneCal if you need availability copied between accounts, booking links, or edits from one view.
- Pick neither if you only have two or three feeds and no one else needs them. Subscribe to each one directly in your calendar app. Our iCal feed guide shows how.
Comparing sync tools as well? The CalendarBridge comparison covers another one in the same category.
Frequently asked questions
Is iCal Merge a free OneCal alternative?
For seeing several calendars in one place, yes. The free plan merges up to 3 sources into one read-only link, refreshed hourly, with no card. It does not replace OneCal’s sync: it never writes events or busy blocks into your accounts.
Does OneCal have a free plan?
OneCal’s pricing page lists a 14-day trial with no credit card, then paid plans starting at $5 per user a month on annual billing for 2 calendars. Check its site for current terms.
Does OneCal support ICS feeds?
Indirectly. Its documentation says OneCal does not subscribe to ICS URLs itself. You subscribe in Google Calendar or Outlook, connect that account, then import the calendar. An ICS calendar can be the source of a one-way sync but never a target, and it updates when Google or Microsoft refresh it.
Can iCal Merge stop double-bookings like OneCal?
Not automatically. It shows every calendar in one view so overlaps are easy to spot, but it does not block time in your other accounts. If you need that, use a sync tool such as OneCal.
Do I have to connect my Google or Microsoft account to iCal Merge?
No. You paste each calendar’s iCal link. iCal Merge reads the link and publishes the combined feed, with no access to the account behind it.