CalCal offers a free trial and several paid subscription levels — from full bookkeeping with VAT to tax-return-only plans. Understanding what your plan includes helps you avoid surprises when VAT submission, MTD, or customer limits are blocked until you upgrade.
Free trial
New accounts can start on a free trial with core bookkeeping: daily entries, customers, suppliers, reports, and limited counts. The trial is ideal for trying CalCal before committing.
Trial limits include:
- Up to 250 customers and 50 suppliers
- Up to 50 assets in the asset register
- No VAT return submission to HMRC (you can still enter VAT on entries if registered)
- No Self Assessment or MTD Income Tax submission
- No bank import (feature not yet live on trial)
- Dashboard may show a yellow banner with trial end date and UPGRADE
Each mobile number can only be used for one free trial — if signup says your number is already registered, log in to your existing account or choose a paid plan. See PIN and mobile.
Paid subscriptions — what unlocks
| Plan type | You get |
|---|---|
| Full accounting (Unlimited) | Calendar, invoicing, people, reports, unlimited customers, SA filing included |
| With VAT (Unlimited+) | Everything above + MTD VAT submission menu |
| Tax return only | Tax Years / SA or MTD — no Dashboard or Daily Entries tabs |
| Pay per return | Single tax year filing — see pre-sales article |
Compare current pricing on calcal.uk subscription levels. VAT registration affects which unlimited plan you need.
Managing your subscription in the app
- Open the menu → Subscription (or Membership).
- View current plan, renewal date, and trial usage.
- iPhone / Android: upgrade via in-app purchase (App Store or Google Play). Use Restore Purchases if you already paid.
- Website-managed plans: CalCal may open calcal.uk to complete payment — the app shows status after sync.
Read-only mode (expired subscription)
When a subscription ends without renewal, CalCal switches to read-only mode. You may see:
“Subscription ended — view only”
In read-only mode you can still view data, run many reports, and export — but you cannot add or edit entries, submit returns, send invoices, or create new people until you renew.
The dashboard + button prompts renewal instead of quick-add. Your data is not deleted when a plan lapses.
Tax-return-only plans
Tax-only subscribers see Tax Years as the main area — not Dashboard, Daily Entries, or People. Bookkeeping figures may not sync into legacy SA; you enter in the tax workflow or upgrade for full accounting. MTD quarterly updates and final declaration need an eligible paid plan.
See MTD for Self Assessment and Legacy SA.
Demo accounts
Try a demo on the mobile login screen uses sample data only — not a subscription. Demo cannot be upgraded; create a real account to subscribe. Log out from the menu when finished.
Common questions
I upgraded but still see upgrade prompts
Log out and back in. App Store subscriptions: Restore Purchases. Web plans may take a few minutes — contact support with receipt if stuck overnight.
Can I submit VAT on the trial?
No — VAT MTD submission requires a paid VAT-inclusive plan.
Cancelled but still charged
Mobile: cancel in Apple/Google subscription settings. Website: cancel via calcal.uk profile. Support cannot refund App Store charges directly.
Hit customer limit on trial
250 customers / 50 suppliers max — upgrade for unlimited.
When to contact support
Contact support if payment succeeded but features stay locked, if you have a paid plan but see trial limits, or if read-only persists after renewal. See how to raise a ticket.
Related: Sign up · VAT · MTD Self Assessment · Unlimited plans
Quick reference
| If you say… | Try this |
|---|---|
| Upgrade | Menu → Subscription |
| View only banner | Renew subscription |
| Can’t save entries | Read-only / expired plan |
| VAT blocked | Paid VAT plan required |
| Too many customers | Trial limit — upgrade |
| Tax only, no calendar | Tax-return plan |
| Demo upgrade | Create real account |