Unlike Google on Android, Apple offers Photos, Mail, Calendar, Notes, Reminders, etc. It combines its default apps like iOS with the iOS system. These apps get major updates once a year with the next version of iOS upgrade. This can be a good or a bad thing depending on how you look at it. But if you are using Calendar feverishly, you should look for third-party Apple Calendar alternatives for iPhone.
The current setup helps Apple unify design and UI across all apps with iOS. They look and feel consistent. On the other hand, a yearly update means slow development of apps compared to third-party competitors in the App Store. One such example is the Apple Calendar app.
While the default calendar app for iOS has gained various functionality over the years, third-party offerings in the App Store eclipse Apple’s on many fronts.
We’ve reviewed some of the best Apple Calendar alternatives on the App Store and selected five of the best for you in 2020. We will talk about its features, unique functions, price and more. Lets start.
1. Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft has acquired several mobile apps to accelerate its ‘mobile first, cloud first’ strategy. Among them was a popular calendar app called Sunrise. The company bought the team and closed further development in favor of Outlook Calendar.
Now the Outlook Calendar is packed with useful functions and features. Go to the calendar section in Outlook and you will see a layout similar to the old Sunrise app. You can switch between different views and add an event with various details such as location, description and even schedule a Skype call.
Users can add usual calendar data from iCloud and Gmail. It also lets you import events from Evernote, Facebook, and Meetup.
My favorite add-on is the interesting calendars section. You can add the schedule of your favorite sports from NBA, Cricket, Tennis, Football and more. It also supports a TV show schedule.
As expected, the app comes with a powerful Outlook Mail functionality, which is a capable competitor to many well-known email apps.
2. Google Calendar
Google offers a solid calendar app in the App Store. The app has the usual Material Theme 2.0 which looks good overall.
The homepage displays the agenda view showing upcoming events, shows, and reminders in colored tabs. When adding an event, you can select a location, guest, add a note and even attach a file from the Google Drive service.
By default, it shows the account from Gmail, but you can add Outlook or iCloud by going to Settings > Manage accounts.
My favorite feature of Google Calendar is Goal. In 2015, the search giant bought a smart scheduling app called Timeful and integrated it into its calendar app.
Goal allows you to exercise according to your preference, create a habit, meditate and more, and schedule the event for the month. Google Calendar is available on iOS, Android, and the web. It is completely free to use.
3. Anybody
So far, we’ve talked about the offerings from big guns like Microsoft and Google. Now let’s talk about other third-party apps in the App Store.
Any.do works as a calendar and task management app. The calendar user interface is similar to that of Microsoft Outlook. Imports events from all the popular options out there. Just swipe through the hamburger menu and take a look at the selected calendars.
Task management is where Any.do really shines. Integrates with Apple Reminders to sync to-dos. Location, time, subtasks, notes, and attachments can be added to a task.
Any.do can connect with more than 1500 apps and services to import/export tasks and events. Users will appreciate the WhatsApp reminder function that notifies you in the chat app.
Other functions include themes, Siri Shortcuts, tags, and more. They are part of the Any.do premium of $3 per month. The app is available on Android, iOS, Windows and Mac.
4. Weaving
Woven brings a mix of smart scheduling, templates, planning and statistics in the app. The company recently introduced Woven home, which provides a nice overview of upcoming events, recent updates, weekly stats and tags.
Two functions stood out for me. When adding an event, you can create a group poll and ask your members to vote for a convenient time for the meeting. You can share the survey link using the Woven iMessage app, Email or SMS.
The planning section is a nice place to throw away all the tasks, surveys, and events to plan for later. Woven has an integrated map view that shows you where your upcoming event is and how far you need to travel in a day.
Power users will appreciate the template functionality that lets you create templates for the most used events.
Woven is exclusive to Apple platforms. Available on iOS and macOS. The app is completely free to use and is surprising considering the number of functions it provides.
5. Fantastic
Fantastical is the best looking calendar app in the App Store. The user interface is intuitive and looks beautiful, combining the best of Gmail, Outlook, and iCloud activities and tasks.
The best feature of Fantastical for me is that it lets you add event time with a built-in number row. I love it. You can write ‘15:00 Conference call‘ to set the time of an event to 3 PM. I like how the app displays weather data for the day with its AccuWeather integration.
Customization options include light/dark themes, the ability to change app icons, and notification badges. You can also add an interesting calendar from TV shows and sports.
Fantastical has 3D touch integrated within the app. You can tap and reschedule an event or create a template for later use.
Fantastical is available on iOS and macOS. It recently switched to a $6 monthly subscription model.
Plan Your Day Like a Pro
Use any of the above options and you will have no trouble managing your day. Outlook and Google are free and robust alternatives to Apple Calendar. Any.do completes task management. Woven is packed with free-to-play features, and finally, Fantastical is versatile from the entire series.
Next: Leaning on Google Calendar compared to Apple Calendar? Read the post below to get the most out of it.
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