Motility, invasion of host cells and egress from host cells are mediated by calcium signalling in apicomplexan parasites. Here, the authors investigated the role of Toxoplasma gondii kinases in host cell invasion and egress. They observed that calcium-dependent protein kinase 1 (CDPK1) was required during invasion, consistent with previous findings, whereas CDPK3 was dispensable. By contrast, both enzymes were necessary for parasite egress. This distinction was also apparent when examining microneme secretion, a process required for apicomplexan motility; CDPK1 was necessary at all times, whereas inhibition of CDPK3 affected microneme secretion only under certain conditions. Further analysis revealed that cyclic GMP protein kinase (PKG) could partially compensate for the loss of CDPK3 during egress under certain conditions. Thus, these three kinases all seem to contribute to apicomplexan motility by regulating invasion and egress.