ClaroCal vs Sunsama: planned for you vs planned by hand
Sunsama walks you through planning each day deliberately. ClaroCal drafts the plan for you. The split comes down to whether you want the ritual or the result.
| ClaroCal | Sunsama | |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | Free, then $7.99/mo | $22/mo (no free plan) |
| Annual price | $59.88/yr (~$5/mo) | $17/mo billed yearly |
| Free plan | Yes | No, 14-day trial only |
| How the day gets planned | Auto-drafted, then you adjust | You plan it by hand |
| Google Calendar sync | Two-way | Yes |
| Pulls tasks from many tools | No, task list in ClaroCal | Yes (Asana, Todoist, email, more) |
| Planning ritual / weekly review | No | Yes, a core feature |
| Best fit | Wants the plan drafted for them | Wants a deliberate planning practice |
The short version
Sunsama and ClaroCal both want you to end up with a realistic plan for the day. They get there in opposite ways.
Sunsama is a calm, deliberate ritual: it walks you through choosing tasks, estimating time, and planning each day by hand. ClaroCal drafts the plan for you from your task list and your Google Calendar, then lets you adjust. One asks you to plan; the other hands you a plan.
For the wider category, see the best time blocking apps guide.
Who Sunsama is for
Sunsama is a lovely product for people who want planning to be a practice, not just an output. The daily and weekly planning flows are thoughtful, it pulls tasks from many tools (Asana, Trello, Todoist, email, and more), and the whole thing is built to slow you down and make you choose intentionally.
If that ritual is what keeps you grounded, Sunsama is worth the money. It’s a single paid plan around $22 a month ($17 a month billed annually), with a 14-day trial and no permanent free plan. The deliberate, manual approach is the feature, not a gap.
Who ClaroCal is for
ClaroCal is for people who don’t want to sit down and plan, they want the plan already drafted. You add tasks, and ClaroCal builds a realistic day around the meetings already on your Google Calendar. You open it to a today view and tweak from there.
It’s also cheaper and has a free tier, which Sunsama doesn’t. The free plan syncs hourly. Basic is $7.99 a month, or $59.88 a year (about $5 a month), with 15-minute sync and a 14-day trial on paid.
If you would rather read it as a switch, see the Sunsama alternative page.
The core difference
Sunsama’s value is the act of planning. ClaroCal’s value is not having to.
Neither is automatically better. If the morning ritual of choosing your day calms you and helps you commit, manual is the point and Sunsama does it beautifully. If that ritual is the thing you keep skipping, an auto-drafted plan you adjust will probably stick better, and that’s ClaroCal.
What's good
- Drafts the day for you instead of asking you to plan it
- Has a free plan; Sunsama doesn't
- Cheaper at every tier
- Two-way Google Calendar sync
What's not
- No guided daily or weekly planning ritual
- Doesn't pull tasks from Asana, Trello, or email the way Sunsama does
- Built around Google Calendar only
- Younger and leaner product
The verdict
Pick Sunsama if planning is something you want to do deliberately each morning, you value the weekly review, and you want tasks pulled in from a stack of other tools. The ritual is the product and it's well made.
Pick ClaroCal if you'd rather have the day drafted for you and skip the planning session, or if you want a free plan and a lower price. Try the free tier and see if an auto-drafted day fits how you actually work.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free Sunsama alternative?
What's the real difference between ClaroCal and Sunsama?
Is ClaroCal cheaper than Sunsama?
Does ClaroCal connect to my other task apps like Sunsama?
Ready to clear your mind?
Connect Google Calendar, add your tasks, and let Claro draft your day. Free plan, no card required.
Last reviewed June 2026.