How to Integrate Cal.com into Your Website in a GDPR-Compliant Way

Why this matters

Scheduling tools like Cal.com or Calendly are extremely practical: customers can book appointments directly on your website, internal coordination is reduced, and leads are automatically assigned to the right team member.
But many businesses overlook one problem: data protection.
With third-party embeds like Cal.com, the GDPR requires that no data may be collected without the user’s active consent.

What data does Cal.com collect?

If Cal.com is embedded into a website via an iFrame, data is automatically collected – even before the user interacts with the tool. This includes:

• IP address
• Browser and device information
• Date and time of access
• Cookies / session data for calendar functionality

This data flow happens before a booking takes place – which is a GDPR issue.

The GDPR-compliant way

To remain legally compliant, you need a consent mechanism.
Our recommended solution:

• Add a button informing the user:
  “To view the booking tool, we load content from Cal.com. More information in the Cal.com Privacy Policy.”
• Only when the user clicks does the Cal.com embed load – meaning they have actively agreed.
• The booking tool then opens in a popup or overlay, without data being sent beforehand.

This way, the user experience remains smooth and GDPR compliance is ensured.

What about self-hosting Cal.com?

Cal.com is also available as open source software and can be self-hosted. In this case, all bookings and data run through your own infrastructure – not Cal.com’s servers.

Advantages:

• Full data control (IP addresses, logs, booking data remain internal)
• Easier GDPR compliance (no third-party transfers)
• Flexibility (privacy policy tailored to your setup)
• Direct embed possible (consent can be handled via your cookie banner, saving the user an extra click)

Note: Even with self-hosting, GDPR still applies – users must be informed that data is processed and stored by you.

For companies with high privacy and sovereignty requirements, self-hosting is an attractive option.

Does this approach work with other tools?

Yes – the consent-button mechanism also applies to other booking tools:

• Calendly: Same issue as Cal.com → consent required.
• Microsoft Bookings: Integrates with Microsoft 365, but still transfers data → consent advisable.
• Zoho Bookings: Also collects data when embedded → consent button needed.
• SimplyBook.me: Some built-in GDPR features, but consent is still the safer route.

Conclusion

Calendar booking tools are a central part of modern websites – but data protection must not be overlooked.
Cal.com is a strong alternative to Calendly, provided the integration is GDPR-compliant.

With a consent button + clear user information, you can ensure that your site remains both user-friendly and legally sound.