# Cal.com setup for PopMCP

One Cal.com API key, starting with cal_ or cal_live_, that you paste into PopMCP's API Key field.

- Auth: API credentials
- Setup time: 3 min
- API base URL: https://api.cal.com/v2
- Credentials screen: https://app.cal.com/settings/developer/api-keys
- Provider docs: https://cal.com/docs/api-reference/v2/introduction

## Before you begin

- A Cal.com cloud account at app.cal.com. The free plan is enough
- The key inherits your own permissions, so create it as a user who can see every event type, booking and team you want PopMCP to reach
- Self-hosted Cal.com works too, but the key must come from your own instance and the API host will differ

## Get your credentials

### 1. Open Settings, then Developer

Click the dropdown beside your name and choose My Settings. Scroll the settings sidebar to the Developer section and click API keys.

Screen: https://app.cal.com/settings/developer/api-keys

### 2. Add a key

Click + Add in the upper-right corner of the API keys page.

Screen: https://app.cal.com/settings/developer/api-keys

### 3. Name it and turn on Never expires

Enter `PopMCP` as the Personal note and switch on Never expires. Click Save.

Screen: https://app.cal.com/settings/developer/api-keys

### 4. Copy the key into PopMCP

Copy the key from the dialog before you close it. Paste it into PopMCP's API Key field with the `cal_live_` prefix intact, then save.

## Fields PopMCP asks for

- API Key (apiKey) [required]: In Cal.com go to Settings → Developer → API Keys and create an API key (it starts with cal_ or cal_live_; older docs call this the Security tab). Copy it exactly. It's sent as an Authorization: Bearer header, stored encrypted, and used server-side only.

## Verify

The Cal.com connector in PopMCP shows Connected. Asking for your event types returns the same list you see under Event Types in app.cal.com.

## Troubleshooting

### 401 Unauthorized

Cause: The key was deleted, has expired, or the cal_live_ prefix was trimmed when pasting.

Fix: Add a fresh key with Never expires on and paste the whole string, prefix included.

### 403 Forbidden on team endpoints

Cause: The key inherits the creator's permissions and that user is not on the team.

Fix: Mint the key from an account that is a member of the team, or grant that user access in Cal.com.

### 429 Too Many Requests

Cause: You exceeded 120 requests per minute on this key.

Fix: Space the calls out, or ask Cal.com to raise the limit for your key.

### Calls hit the v1 API instead of v2

Cause: Older Cal.com integrations pass the key as an ?apiKey= query parameter against api.cal.com/v1.

Fix: PopMCP uses v2 with an Authorization: Bearer header. Make sure you pasted a key rather than a v1 URL.

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Source: https://www.docs.popmcp.com/docs/integrations/calcom/