Google Calendar for AI Agents: 4 Actions, Pay-Per-Call 2026
Orthogonal's Google Calendar skill adds 4 actions to AI agents: create, list, find, and delete events. Pay-per-call pricing, works with Claude Code and Cursor.
This Orthogonal skill lets AI agents create, list, search, and delete Google Calendar events through a single OAuth connection. Built for developers using Claude Code or Cursor, it runs on the Orthogonal pay-per-call platform with no monthly subscription. New accounts start with $10 in free credits. Best for agents handling scheduling and appointment workflows.
Orthogonal's Google Calendar skill gives AI agents 4 actions: create events with attendees, list calendar entries in a date range, search events by keyword, and delete events by ID. It uses OAuth to connect your Google account through the Orthogonal platform. Compatible with Claude Code, Cursor, and any orth CLI user. Pricing is pay-per-call with $10 in free credits for new accounts. No monthly subscription required.
Maker: Orthogonal · Protocol: MCP · Auth: oauth
Compatible agents: Claude Code, Cursor, Any orth CLI-compatible agent, Any MCP-compatible client
Required runtime: Node >= 18 (for orth CLI), Orthogonal account with credits, Google account connected via OAuth
About Google Calendar
The Google Calendar skill from Orthogonal is a SKILL.md package that gives AI agents 4 native calendar management actions: create events, list events in a date range, find events by search query, and delete events by ID. Created by Orthogonal, a YC W26-backed company building the unified API gateway for AI agents, this skill is one of 90+ available in the orthogonal-sh/skills GitHub repository. Rather than a standalone product, it is a capability that plugs into agents, enabling them to perform calendar operations through natural language commands. The skill works by placing structured instructions in a SKILL.md file that the agent reads when installed. Agents invoke calendar operations using the orth CLI command `orth run google-calendar /action-name --body '{"params"}'`, which routes through the Orthogonal REST API to the Google Calendar API v3. Authentication is handled through a one-time OAuth 2.0 connection at orthogonal.com/dashboard/integrations; once connected, all calendar calls use your linked Google account. The skill requires Node 18+ for the orth CLI and an active Orthogonal account. This skill is designed for developers using Claude Code, Cursor, or any tool that supports the orth CLI. Common workflows include scheduling follow-up meetings based on CRM data, checking availability windows before booking calls, and creating recurring events with RRULE syntax (e.g., weekly standups). The /create-event action supports 20+ parameters including attendees, timezone, duration in hours and minutes, visibility, and Google Meet room creation (which requires a paid Google Workspace subscription on the Google side). Orthogonal's pricing model is pay-per-call with no monthly subscription or minimum spend. New accounts receive $10 in free credits covering an initial batch of API calls. Once depleted, additional credits are purchased through the Orthogonal dashboard at rates listed on orthogonal.com/pricing. The SKILL.md file itself is open source in the orthogonal-sh/skills GitHub repository, so you can read the instructions freely regardless of Orthogonal billing. Orthogonal was accepted into Y Combinator's Winter 2026 batch, founded by Christian Pickett (formerly at Coinbase payments and Vercel billing) and Bera Sogut (formerly at Google reCAPTCHA/Maps and Amazon Robotics). The skills repository received its most recent commit in June 2026 and covers 90+ integrations spanning communication, productivity, developer tools, and data APIs. The platform currently partners with 30+ named API providers.
Key Features
- Create Events: Schedule calendar events with 20+ parameters including attendees (email array), duration in hours/minutes, timezone, RRULE recurrence, visibility, and optional Google Meet room creation.
- List Events: Retrieve events from any calendar ID within a date range, with text search (q parameter), sort order, pagination via pageToken, and incremental sync support via syncToken.
- Find Events: Search for specific events by keyword query and date range filters, returning matched events with full metadata including IDs needed for delete operations.
- Delete Events: Remove calendar events by event ID, with support for targeting non-primary calendars using the calendar_id parameter.
- OAuth Integration: One-time Google account connection via Orthogonal's OAuth flow at orthogonal.com/dashboard/integrations; the skill returns HTTP 428 if the connection is not active, making errors easy to diagnose.
- Multi-Calendar Support: All actions accept a calendar_id parameter so agents can read and write to secondary calendars, shared team calendars, or resource calendars, not just the primary account.
Install
orth skills add orthogonal/google-calendarRequirements
- Install the orth CLI
- Connect your Google Calendar at https://orthogonal.com/dashboard/integrations
- OAuth connection must be active (an HTTP 428 response means it is not connected)
Actions
Create Event
Schedule a new calendar event with attendees and settings.
orth run google-calendar /create-event --body '{
"start_datetime": "2024-03-15T14:00:00",
"summary": "Team Meeting",
"description": "Weekly team sync",
"event_duration_hour": 1
}'start_datetime(string) — required: Event start time in "YYYY-MM-DDTHH:MM:SS" format (NO timezone).summary(string): Event title / summary.description(string): Event description / details.location(string): Event location or meeting room.timezone(string): IANA timezone (e.g., "America/New_York").attendees(array): Array of attendee email addresses.event_duration_hour(number): Duration in hours.event_duration_minutes(number): Duration in minutes (0-59 only).recurrence(string): Recurrence rule (RRULE format).visibility(string): Event visibility (default, public, private).calendar_id(string): Specific calendar to create event in.send_updates(boolean): Send email invitations (true/false).transparency(string): Show as busy/free (opaque/transparent).exclude_organizer(boolean): Exclude organizer from attendee list (true/false).guests_can_modify(boolean): Allow guests to modify event (true/false).create_meeting_room(boolean): Create Google Meet room (requires paid Workspace).eventType(string): Event type classification.guestsCanInviteOthers(boolean): Allow guests to invite others (true/false).guestsCanSeeOtherGuests(boolean): Allow guests to see other attendees (true/false).
List Events
Retrieve events from your calendar within a time range.
orth run google-calendar /list-events --body '{
"calendarId": "primary",
"timeMin": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z",
"maxResults": 10
}'calendarId(string) — required: Calendar ID to query ("primary" for main calendar).timeMin(string): Start time filter (RFC3339 format).timeMax(string): End time filter (RFC3339 format).q(string): Text search query.orderBy(string): Sort order (startTime, updated).maxResults(number): Maximum events to return.pageToken(string): Token for pagination.singleEvents(boolean): Expand recurring events (true/false).showDeleted(boolean): Include deleted events (true/false).timeZone(string): Timezone for results.eventTypes(string): Filter by event types.updatedMin(string): Only events updated after this time.maxAttendees(number): Maximum attendees to return per event.syncToken(string): Sync token for incremental sync.showHiddenInvitations(boolean): Include hidden invitations (true/false).
Find Event
Search for specific events by query and filters.
orth run google-calendar /find-event --body '{
"query": "team meeting",
"timeMin": "2024-03-01T00:00:00Z"
}'query(string): Search query text.timeMin(string): Search start time (RFC3339 format).timeMax(string): Search end time (RFC3339 format).calendar_id(string): Specific calendar to search.order_by(string): Sort results (startTime, updated).max_results(number): Maximum results to return.single_events(boolean): Expand recurring events (true/false).show_deleted(boolean): Include deleted events (true/false).
How to Invoke
Agent runs `orth run google-calendar /action-name --body '{"params"}'` via the orth CLI or Orthogonal MCP server
Pricing
Pay-per-call via Orthogonal platform. New accounts get $10 in free credits. No monthly subscription. Per-call rates listed at orthogonal.com/pricing. Google Workspace required for Meet room creation.
Strengths
- Single Orthogonal API key covers Google Calendar plus 90+ other integrations, eliminating per-service OAuth setup for multi-integration agents.
- Install in under 2 minutes: `npm install -g @orth/cli` then `orth skills add google-calendar` with no Google Cloud project required.
- 4 well-documented actions with 20+ parameters on /create-event cover the full scheduling workflow including RRULE recurrence and attendee management.
Weaknesses
- Pay-per-call billing adds up for high-volume automation; Google's free direct API quota may be more cost-effective above a few hundred calls per day.
- Google Meet room creation requires a paid Google Workspace subscription on the Google side, which is not obvious from the skill documentation alone.
- No support for updating existing events: the skill covers create, list, find, and delete but lacks a /update-event action as of June 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is Google Calendar (via Orthogonal) and what does it do?
Orthogonal's Google Calendar skill is a SKILL.md package that gives AI agents 4 callable calendar actions: /create-event, /list-events, /find-event, and /delete-event. It is published by Orthogonal, a YC W26-backed platform that acts as a unified API gateway for AI agents, with 90+ skills in its open-source GitHub repository. Agents invoke these actions using the orth CLI command `orth run google-calendar /action-name`, which routes the request through Orthogonal's REST API to the Google Calendar API v3. Authentication is handled through a one-time OAuth 2.0 connection at orthogonal.com/dashboard/integrations; once connected, all calls route through your linked Google account. The skill supports rich event creation including attendees, RRULE-based recurrence, Google Meet room creation, visibility settings, and timezone configuration. List and find actions support filtering by date range, keyword, and event type with full pagination support. This enables an AI agent to schedule meetings, check availability, and manage a user's calendar without any manual calendar access.
How much does Google Calendar (via Orthogonal) cost in 2026?
Orthogonal operates on a pay-per-call model with no monthly subscription or minimum spend required. New accounts receive $10 in starting credits upon signup, which covers an initial set of API calls across all skills including Google Calendar. Each Google Calendar action (create, list, find, delete) deducts a small credit amount per call; exact per-call prices are shown on the Orthogonal pricing page at orthogonal.com/pricing. Once your $10 credit balance is depleted, additional credits must be purchased through the Orthogonal dashboard to continue using the skill. Google Calendar itself requires a free Google account, with no additional Google charge for basic calendar API usage within standard quota limits. Creating Google Meet rooms via the /create-event action additionally requires a paid Google Workspace subscription on the Google side, which is separate from Orthogonal billing. There are no hidden Orthogonal platform fees beyond the per-call credits.
What are the main features of Google Calendar (via Orthogonal)?
The Google Calendar skill provides 4 primary actions covering the full calendar management workflow. The /create-event action supports 20+ parameters: start_datetime, attendees (email array), event_duration_hour, event_duration_minutes, recurrence (RRULE format), timezone, visibility, location, send_updates, guests_can_modify, and Google Meet room creation via create_meeting_room. The /list-events action retrieves events from any calendar ID within a specified time range, with text search via the q parameter, sort order, pagination via pageToken, and incremental sync via syncToken. The /find-event action searches events by keyword query and date range, returning event IDs needed for deletion. The /delete-event action removes events by event ID, with an optional calendar_id parameter to target non-primary calendars. All actions return structured error codes including HTTP 428 for disconnected OAuth, 403 for insufficient permissions, and 409 for scheduling conflicts. The skill installs via `orth skills add google-calendar` and places a SKILL.md file in the agent's skills directory.
Is Google Calendar (via Orthogonal) free to use?
The Google Calendar skill is not permanently free; it uses Orthogonal's pay-per-call billing model where credits are consumed for each API call. New Orthogonal accounts receive $10 in free starting credits, which provides an initial set of Google Calendar operations at no cost. Once those credits run out, additional credits must be purchased to continue making calendar API calls through the Orthogonal platform. There is no unlimited-call free tier on the Orthogonal side, though the per-call costs are small for low-volume use. The SKILL.md file itself is free and open source in the orthogonal-sh/skills repository on GitHub. Google Calendar's own API is free within Google's standard quota (which is generous for individual developers), so the cost is entirely Orthogonal's platform fee. If you want zero-cost Google Calendar agent integration, using Google's official free Calendar MCP Server at developers.google.com is an alternative that avoids Orthogonal billing entirely.
What are the best alternatives to Google Calendar (via Orthogonal)?
The most direct alternative is Google's official Google Calendar MCP Server, launched in 2025 and documented at developers.google.com/workspace/calendar/api/guides/configure-mcp-server, which is free within standard Google API quotas. The nspady/google-calendar-mcp open-source project on GitHub is another option with similar create/list/delete actions, requiring self-hosting a Node server and managing your own OAuth credentials. Composio offers a managed Google Calendar integration compatible with Claude, GPT-4, and Cursor with a per-operation billing model similar to Orthogonal. Workato's Google Calendar MCP server targets enterprise buyers with compliance controls and robust error handling, at enterprise pricing. Google's official MCP server is the better choice if Google Calendar is your only integration and you want zero ongoing cost. Orthogonal wins when you need Google Calendar alongside 90+ other Orthogonal skills under a single API key and billing account. The key trade-off is convenience (Orthogonal's unified billing) versus cost (Google's direct API at no charge).
Who is Google Calendar (via Orthogonal) best for?
This skill is best for developers and AI engineers building agents in Claude Code or Cursor who need calendar integration without setting up a Google Cloud project or managing OAuth credentials themselves. It suits teams already using other Orthogonal skills (Gmail, Google Sheets, Notion, Slack) who want a single Orthogonal API key covering all their integrations under one billing account. Founders and solo developers building personal assistant agents, meeting scheduler bots, or CRM-to-calendar automation pipelines are the primary individual users. It is not appropriate for high-volume calendar automation where hundreds of API calls per day would make Orthogonal's per-call fees more expensive than Google's free direct API quota. Non-technical users who want a visual scheduling tool (like Calendly or Cal.com) are not the audience; this is a programmatic API skill for agent builders. Enterprise teams requiring SOC 2 compliance, audit logs, or SLA guarantees should evaluate whether Orthogonal's current compliance posture meets their requirements.
How do you get started with Google Calendar (via Orthogonal)?
First, sign up for an Orthogonal account at orthogonal.com to claim your $10 in free starting credits. Install the orth CLI globally by running `npm install -g @orth/cli` in a terminal with Node 18 or later installed. Authenticate the CLI by running `orth login` and entering your Orthogonal credentials. Navigate to orthogonal.com/dashboard/integrations, find Google Calendar in the integrations list, and complete the Google OAuth flow to link your Google account; you will see an active connection badge when the setup is complete. Install the skill by running `orth skills add google-calendar`, which places the SKILL.md file in your agent's skills directory (e.g., ~/.claude/skills/ for Claude Code or ~/.cursor/skills/ for Cursor). Your agent will now recognize calendar-related requests and route them through the installed skill. Test the integration by running `orth run google-calendar /list-events --body '{"calendarId":"primary","maxResults":5}'` from your terminal.
How does Google Calendar (via Orthogonal) compare to the official Google Calendar MCP Server in 2026?
Google's official Google Calendar MCP Server is a remote MCP endpoint launched in 2025 that connects to Claude and other MCP clients without any local CLI installation, only MCP client configuration pointing to calendarmcp.googleapis.com. Orthogonal's Google Calendar skill, by contrast, requires installing the orth CLI locally and connecting your Google account through the Orthogonal OAuth flow rather than directly through Google Cloud. Google's official server is free within standard Google API quotas but requires a Google Cloud project with the Calendar API enabled and OAuth credentials configured. Orthogonal charges per call through its credit system but handles all Google credential management on its platform, removing the Google Cloud setup overhead. Both support the same 4 core actions (create, list, find/search, delete) and OAuth-based Google account linking. Google's official server wins on cost for high-volume or single-integration use; Orthogonal wins if you want one API key covering Google Calendar plus dozens of other APIs without separate Google Cloud configuration. Pick Orthogonal if you already use other Orthogonal skills; pick Google's official server if Google Calendar is your only integration.