10 Best Calendar Apps for Mac (and iOS + Web)
Utilities • Updated on Nov. 15, 2023
Editor’s note: We regularly check app availability and feature offerings, and updated to add new options to the roundups.
We believe most people underestimate the power of calendar apps for macOS.
When used properly, they can be better than a real-life personal assistant. Consider this scenario:
You wake up one day without any idea about what lies ahead. But a calendar app lets you know what stays ahead, how is your day and who you should wish Happy Birthday to. For those who use work calendars, there are more possibilities, such as creating an agenda and making sure that you get proper notifications without fail. You might even handle your schedules across multiple time zones.
But, wait, there’s one condition:
You should be using one of the best calendar apps out there. If you’re a Mac user and were thinking about using the default calendar app, you’re in the wrong place.
Quick Jump to…
- Problems with the built-in Calendar App
- 10 Best Calendar Apps for Mac, iOS and iPadOS
# BusyCal
# Fantastical
# Morgen
# Informant
# Calendars
# Clockwise
# Itsycal
# Cron
# Outlook Calendar
# Google Calendar - FAQs
Problems with the built-in Calendar App
Or, why did I leave one of the well-integrated apps on Mac?
There are many remarkable built-in apps on macOS. But, Apple Calendar isn’t one of them.
Of course, it works well with iCloud and your Apple ID, but that’s it. It has an intuitive UI too. The moment you discuss customization and some innovative features, the fame of Apple Calendar starts to fade away. It gets worse when you need advanced features for managing multiple calendars on your Mac.
Apple Calendar was my go-to option when I started using a Mac. Of course, I enjoyed the perks of native notifications and seamless integration with macOS, but it didn’t last long. Or, to be frank, it seemed very basic. I stopped using Apple Calendar after I came across some fantastic calendar apps for macOS.
The last time I checked, Apple Calendar on macOS isn’t for everyone. And, don’t even think about managing multiple profiles — say Work and College — using the same panel. You also get no customization options in the package. In the end, you miss out on many features that will help you save time and effort.
So, I figured, almost everyone needs one alternative to the default calendar app on Mac.
Best 3rd party calendar apps for Mac
While our main focus is on discovering the top calendar app for Mac, it is also important to assess their compatibility with iOS and the web. This ensures seamless accessibility from various devices when the need arises. Therefore, we have transformed this article into a compilation of the best calendar apps that excel on Mac, iOS, and the web.
In our evaluation, we considered the following factors, combining them with hands-on experiences. Read the full rundown of how we select tools to feature on TheSweetBits blog.
- Ease of Use: A calendar app should function as your reliable assistant, accessible and user-friendly. We prioritized apps with an intuitive interface, diverse viewing options, and a consistent design across macOS and iOS.
- Performance: The calendar app should cater to both the average and power user, ensuring ease of use for individuals of all ages, from your 70-year-old grandma to your 15-year-old daughter.
- macOS and iOS integration: I mean, you can’t expect the level of integration as you would from the default Calendar app. Still, the best calendar app should work fine with macOS and iOS. At least when it comes to on-time notifications, you should not have to use a third-party tool.
- Third-Party Integrations: You may have accounts in other Calendar services apart from iCloud. The basic example would be Google Calendar. So, we made sure that our best calendar app offers support for some of the third-party calendar services as well.
- Additional Features: We love additional features in every macOS app. So is the case of calendar apps as well. We have chosen calendar apps that offer features like multi-time zone support and automatic scheduling.
More so, we have made sure that we have included free and paid options. In addition, you would also come across freemium calendar apps that work towards giving you the basic calendar experience in the free version. But, whenever advanced features are required, you may have to pay. We have also noticed that many of these apps offer enterprise versions. But we have considered the personal use cases.
#1 Best Overall Calendar App: BusyCal
BusyCal has been called one of the best calendar applications available for macOS and iOS. So, when you need the best overall calendar app for Mac and iOS, we will have to recommend BusyCal. And it happens to offer almost all the features power users and beginners would love to have in a calendar app.
It is incredibly easy to get started with BusyCal. Once the basic setup is done, you can connect your multiple calendar accounts and other services. For instance, BusyCal lets you connect Apple Reminders and some to-do task lists. All these accounts are easily manageable through the sidebar, even if you have more than one calendar from a single account.
This calendar for Mac excels in terms of integration as well. Once you have set up the calendars, you can connect your Apple calendar for native notifications. Even otherwise, the features are well integrated into macOS so that you can make changes with quick actions. As we mentioned earlier, BusyCal has support for almost every type of calendar service, including the ones like Google Calendar and Apple Reminders.
We love the scheduling options on BusyCal for Mac. To get started, you can use natural language to create events and changing these events is easy thanks to the drag-and-drop feature. We also love that the calendar app has multi-time zone support, which means you can plan events across multiple time zones without worrying about the technicalities.
The calendar app packs many additional features, including native support for elements like weather and alarms. You can also use tags and categories to filter out the different events and keep track of multiple workspaces. There are also options to keep track of conference calls and sync everything. So, regardless of how many calendars you have added, everything will be in sync across devices.
Pricing
You can get BusyCal for macOS for $49.99 and there is a 30-day free trial as well. Alternatively, you can get the calendar app through a Setapp subscription.
Our take
In our opinion, BusyCal is an all-in-one calendar app that can suit your different calendar management needs. Even though it is paid-only, it is a wise investment for users who need better control over their lives.
#2 Most Feature-rich Calendar: Fantastical
Even though our first pick, BusyCal, offers a lot of options, sometimes you need a calendar app with a lot more features that are accessible at the same time. In that case, we recommend checking out Fantastical, which is a popular calendar app available for Mac and other platforms.
It also comes with a UI design that is more appealing and intuitive. So, getting started with this calendar app is easier than ever. The wizard lets you easily connect your multiple calendar accounts and manage them with ease. It is also great that you can navigate between different viewing modes and have a quick look at the available events from the same screen.
The integration aspect of Fantastical is equally impressive. When you get started, you can connect all the calendars that you want to connect. For the most part, Fantastical works with almost every type of calendar that you might throw at it. It means you can use the same calendar app to manage the different calendars that you may need for personal and professional needs.
However, we should keep in mind that the integration options of Fantastical are not as great as the first pick, so you might be making a minute compromise here.
The scheduling options for Fantastical are also great in that they help you get the job done. As we said earlier, you can choose between multiple viewing options and also decide which information is shown while making decisions. So, you can use the natural language system to keep track of multiple events. Together, the way you can schedule your events using this calendar suite on Mac and iPhone is impressive, indeed.
One of the best additional features of Fantastical is that it can help you manage events, tasks and meetings from the same space. So you will find multiple features that help you get the best experience out of all these categories. You can check out our detailed comparison of BusyCal vs Fantastical if you need more insights on what they offer. I mean, apart from the ability to access all this information from different devices, you can choose between event and task templates and focus filters so that you can stay concentrated.
Pricing
The pricing structure of Fantastical is pretty straightforward because you can get the Flexibits Premium subscription for $4.75 per month. It would give you access to another app from the same developer.
Our take
Overall, if you are willing to pay, Fantastical offers a great calendar management experience across macOS, iOS, and iPadOS. You also get pretty impressive features that add aesthetic value.
#3 Best Calendar for Time Management: Morgen
Many want to use their calendar for accurate time management. If you are one of them, the best calendar you can get today would be Morgen. The Morgen calendar apps and the assist system have been designed to help you automate your time while giving you as many customization options as possible. It works great for professionals at multiple levels.
Before you can download the Morgen calendar app, you have to create an account on the platform. After that, you can download the unified app that not only works as a calendar but also lets you manage different aspects of your productivity. This app is available for Windows, Mac, Linux, Android and iOS and the UI has an intuitive design.
And, because Morgen has been designed for a hassle-free process of calendar management and scheduling, you don’t have to worry about integration. The apps have been designed to allow you to manage different calendars with the help of custom views and time zone support. You can also get on-time notifications and duplication management so that everything is accessible from the same point.
As we mentioned in the introduction, this calendar suite has been designed for scheduling with focus. So, it means you can use multiple features to schedule events and other entries within your team or at a personal level. For instance, you can use open invites and scheduling links to make sure that everything is in touch. At the same time, you can also bring in the calendars from multiple users, making it easy to avoid event clashes.
The best additional feature of the Morgen platform is Morgen Assist, which is an AI-powered tool that helps you automate the scheduling tasks. You can do it with the help of workflows which you can create either using code or an intuitive user interface. In either way, you can get many features including the upcoming smart time blocking and smart assistance.
Pricing
Morgen offers multiple pricing options with the free version that still lets you manage one calendar. But to manage multiple calendars, you will have to start paying $9 per month. You can check out enterprise options and student discounts as well.
Our take
Overall, if you are concerned about maximum productivity and automation, Morgen is the best calendar app for Mac, iOS, and iPad.
#4 Best Mac Calendar App for Planning: Informant
Pocket Informant, commonly known as Informant, is another professional-grade calendar app that you can use on Mac, iPhone, iPad, and Android. As for the macOS application, Informant for macOS brings all those core features you would need. With the help of the Informant Sync subscription, you can keep everything in sync as well.
While we have to agree that Informant does not have the most modern UI, it does get the job done. You do not need technical expertise to get started or establish a connection with multiple calendar services. After the setup, you can use various modules to take care of tasks and projects. The tabbed interface, with a built-in power search option, makes it easy to manage tasks. We also loved how the application is friendly for most people. While you have options for customization, it is possible to keep using Informant in the basic version.
Because Informant has been designed for professionals, you do not have to worry about integration. It has what it takes to manage multiple calendars, including enterprise ones. In addition to connecting to existing to-do and project management services, you can use the built-in modules of Informant. For instance, you can easily set up the integration with Google Tasks or Apple Reminders.
Even though Informant does not offer advanced scheduling options, task management with the app is easier than you can ever imagine. Now, some features like built-in templates and Quick Entry will aid you in this process. You can also use colors and icons to make sure that you have sanity while managing multiple sets of calendars from a single screen.
As we said, Informant is not big on additional features, per se. Instead, the developer has focused on how to provide a seamless calendar experience for professionals. It means you can expect all the core features on both mobile and desktop apps. With the help of Informant Sync, you do not have to worry about whether all the information is available everywhere.
Pricing
The core calendar app from Pocket Informant is available for $49.99. However, if you need the power of sync, you’d have to get the subscription, which starts at $5 per month.
Our take
We believe you should check out Pocket Informant for macOS if you need a professional tool with maximum room for expansion.
#5 Calendar App with Best Design: Calendars
Sometimes, you need a simple calendar app that gives you a glance, right? If you need such an app for Mac, you should check out Calendars. Compared to the other apps on this list, Calendars does not pack many features. However, for those who need a simple way to keep track of events with some aesthetic elements that they can appreciate, Calendars will not let them down.
For what it’s worth, the calendar app from Readdle gets the job done for most people. You don’t have to worry about tricky menu bars or selection options. Instead, you can simply arrange the calendars that you want to access and toggle them as you wish. Like many other apps from Readdle, Calendars is also known for its colorful UI, which makes things easy to navigate.
While it is not the most compatible calendar app out there, Calendars by Readdle is satisfactory in terms of integration. The best part is that you can set up all the required calendars during the setup. There is also an option to connect local calendars to the Readdle app. Even though many customization options are missing in the package, the overall integration and compatibility are great for a free app.
The scheduling options available with Calendars are also minimal. Of course, you can easily manage tasks and events from different calendars, but that is about the whole deal. For instance, you cannot expect any collaboration-oriented scheduling options in the app. For those features, you need a professional pick. It also lacks multi-time zone support, which can be crucial for pro users.
There are several additional features that you can unlock with the Pro version of Calendars. You get to check out the Planner module, which enables drag-and-drop support for planning. You also get a few other features like a built-in Tasks module, multiple accounts support, and natural language input. There is also an option to integrate weather information into the system.
Pricing
As we said, the core features of Calendars are available free of cost. But if you need the full set of features, a premium subscription is required. The subscription would set you back at $2.99 per month.
Our take
Calendars from Readdle is a limited package when you do not want to pay. However, we must recommend it as a great choice when you need a calendar with a colorful UI and basic features.
#6 AI-powered Calendar for Teams: Clockwise
Clockwise is an AI-powered time management calendar that uses GPT for many of its functions. Therefore, if you need a calendar that works across your team, you should check out Clockwise. In addition to the core features that you would expect from a standard calendar, many time and productivity optimization features are included in the package.
While analyzing the UI of Clockwise, we should keep in mind that it has been designed for the enterprise and professional crowd. Therefore, the design focuses more on optimizing your workflow and agenda. The core elements of the platform revolve around AI scheduling, which is automated. However, you have to spend a little more time during the setup process. Overall, we are indeed happy about the getting-started process. That is, once the process is done, you get a lot of productivity boost.
We have to keep in mind that Clockwise is primarily a web calendar app. It gives more options when you want to connect multiple calendar services with ease. More importantly, because the intended audience of the product is enterprise, you can expect the calendar to work with dedicated environments. So, even if one of the standard calendar apps does not support your service, Clockwise most definitely will.
Scheduling is where Clockwise gives you the most value for the price you pay. As we said earlier, the service has been designed to make the best use of Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning. Therefore, you can use features like Copilot and Autopilot to take care of event scheduling across your organization. As long as your entire team is available on Clockwise, you can save hours that you may otherwise spend on scheduling.
As you can imagine, the additional features on the Clockwise calendar are also designed for enterprise teams. For instance, you can use the built-in module to design an ideal day, in which you can either maximize focus time or maximize availability. You can also put schedules on autopilot so that they are changed with the help of real-time updates and insights.
Pricing
Depending on the features you need, you can choose between the Free, Teams, and Business plans of the web-based calendar app. The Teams plan starts at $6.75, which includes all the core features.
Our take
If you need a smart calendar that can manage the difficulties in scheduling, you cannot go wrong with the package from Clockwise. It comes at a cost, but you can save more time than you would otherwise cannot.
#7 Best Menu-bar calendar app for Mac: Itsycal
Sometimes, you don’t need an application that takes up the entire screen. Instead, you may need a calendar app that sits on the Mac menu bar. If you are looking for something like that, you should definitely check out Itsycal. This is a Mac-only application that does not offer a lot of features particular. However, you get the standard features such as dark mode and some level of customization.
Getting started with Itsycal is easier than you can ever imagine. For instance, as soon as you install Itsycal on your Mac, it will appear on the menu bar. From there, you can not only have a quick look at the monthly view but also see the events that are happening today or the next week. At the same time, the program packs a lot of features that many minimalistic users would appreciate.
As you can guess, compatibility and integration are not the strongest forte of this application. Of course, you will be able to connect your typical calendar apps with Itsycal, but that’s where the compatibility aspect ends. Then again, this program can’t help you with a multi-calendar management experience either. But if you simply want to manage one or two calendars with a simple UI, Itsycal for Mac would not disappoint.
You will also be disappointed if you are looking for advanced scheduling options. Of course, there is an option to change the schedule of events from the menu bar itself, but that is where things end. You cannot expect any automated scheduling options with this package.
The same goes for additional features because the Itsycal menu bar interface is so small and it does not take a huge software input. It is very difficult to consider this application as a fully-fledged calendar app even though you can use almost all the features from the menu bar.
Pricing
Probably the best part about Itsycal is that it’s completely free to use. You don’t have to worry about any subscriptions or any other features while you’re using it.
Our take
As you can see, Itsycal comes with a good share of issues and limitations. However, if you want a menu bar app that you can use combined with a local calendar app, Itsycal does the job very much.
#8 Best Free Calendar for Teams: Cron
Cron is a free calendar app that is available for macOS, iOS, iPadOS and web. And it happens to be one of the very few free calendar apps that comes with the necessary features for teams and professionals. Even though the app is available for multiple platforms, we have tried the macOS version for this testing.
We believe Cron Calendar is a great option for those who don’t want to pay a lot to manage multiple calendars. So, when you get started with Cron Calendar, you will have to do it with the help of the web interface where you can connect your Google account to start with. Of course, the calendar allows you to add extra calendar accounts as you wish, but then the starting point is easier as it gets.
In addition to calendars, Cron can also accommodate video conferencing services and something else like Notion. For instance, if you can connect your Notion workspace with this calendar, it will be easy to bring in not just information, but also the templates that we are using.
As far as the pricing is concerned, Krone is completely free to use and it does not make things difficult with pop-ups or reminders. Therefore, if you are looking for a free calendar app that gets the job done across your team, you should check this out.
#9 Outlook Calendar
Another option that you can consider while looking for a calendar app for Mac, iOS and iPadOS would be Outlook Calendar. Outlook Calendar is part of the Office suite from Microsoft and it works great with the other applications such as Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.
So, if you are using these services and the products to take care of your company at a different level, you will love what Outlook Calendar has to offer. The core idea of Outlook Calendar may be free, but you will have to get some subscriptions if you are looking for additional controls. At the end of the day, you can get all the core features of the calendar even when you are accessing it from a web-based interface.
There are of course some limitations that you can expect. For instance, Microsoft Outlook Calendar is supposed to work well with the Windows ecosystem and the Microsoft Office system that they have developed.
Therefore, you may find some issues when you are using the same calendar app on a Mac or iPad. This is not to say that the app is bad, but that there are better options. Many of these features are great if you have already invested in the Office ecosystem.
#10 Google Calendar
Last but not least, we have Google Calendar, which is a web-based calendar app that you can access from Mac, iOS, Android, Windows or almost any other device. There are also some applications that you can try, for instance, on iOS you can use the official Google Calendar app.
It will help you to take control of not just your Google account calendar, but also other calendars. For instance, Google Calendar is a great option when you want to manage different calendars that are associated with your Google account. All this information is tightly integrated with your Google account so that you can get on-time notifications and mail integrations without spending time or effort.
You should also appreciate the fact that you can take Google Calendar to some heights depending on how you integrate other services with it. It is one thing that Google services are well integrated with Google Calendar and you can also access your events, goals and tasks from the same interface.
In total, as a web-based calendar app, Google Calendar does not disappoint.
FAQs
How do I sync my calendar across Mac, iOS, and web platforms?
You have to select a calendar app that comes with multi-device sync options. Or, you can simply use a sync-based calendar on different devices.
Are there any free calendar apps that work well on both Mac and iOS?
Yes, there are many free calendar apps that work well on both Mac and iOS. The built-in Apple Calendar app is the best example in this category. You can also find some other options in the article.
How do I import my existing calendar data into a new calendar app?
You will have the option to export the data from your old calendar app and import the same into the newer version. It also becomes easy to manage multiple calendar sets.
Are there calendar apps that support natural language input for event creation?
Yes, there are many calendar apps that support natural language input. It means you can use the interface to describe the event instead of entering manual information.
Can I manage multiple time zones in these calendar apps?
If you have a calendar app with support for multiple time zones, you can do that. For instance, our top pick in the article, BusyCal, works great with multiple time zones.
What privacy concerns should I be aware of when using calendar apps?
It is important to make sure that you don’t share your private information with any subpar or privacy-sensitive calendar services. It is also important to understand whether the calendar app is reputed enough.
Staying on schedule on your Mac
Gradually, all these specific calendar apps are available for personal and enterprise users, which is a great thing. It means you will have the ability to expand the AI-based scheduling and time management across your team for collective productivity goals.
So, after going through all the apps that topped our list, what do you think? We think you’d agree that getting BusyCal could get much of your work done at an apt price point.
Fantastical 3 is great if you are a power user, and would like to have more integrations with other calendars, such as calendars of your favorite music groups and sports teams.
On your journey to productivity, if you just need a calendar to get the most basic of events and tasks logged with little automation, then any of the free calendar apps like Cron could do the job.
