When it comes to organization and productivity, calendar apps can be incredibly helpful. Not only does it take away the back-and-forth that usually precedes a meeting with clients and prospects, but calendar apps can also do a lot more. With the right features, a calendar app can help you with managing your day, setting up to-do lists and tasks, and much more. In this article, we’ll explore some of the best calendar apps currently available.
What Makes a Great Calendar App?
When looking for the best calendar app, there are key features you should be looking for to narrow down choices. They should be compatible with the devices you use, have an easy navigation menu, operate on Android and iOS as a mobile app, offer powerful features for scheduling and task management, and seamlessly integrate with other programs your business uses.
Why You Should Get a Calendar App
There are a variety of reasons why a calendar app can be useful:
- Scheduling: Instead of going back and forth via email or phone on when to schedule times, a calendar app can help streamline new business calls and internal meetings.
- Productivity: Calendar apps can help you manage tasks, sort out to-do lists, and send you reminders.
- Organization: With so much going on every day, it can often be difficult to keep track of what meetings you’re attending and what you’re doing. A calendar app can easily be called a work schedule app because it helps business owners by organizing their schedules.
- Balance professional and personal commitments: If you have trouble keeping track of your business calendar and personal calendar, then a calendar app can be incredibly beneficial. You’ll have everything in one place and can take more control over your schedule.
18 Best Business Calendar Apps
To help you decide what app to use, we have rounded up some of the best calendar apps available. There is a lot to choose from and we’ll look at key features that set the apps apart, device compatibility, cost, and other factors.
1. Google Calendar App
The Google Calendar app is one of the easiest ones to access if you have an existing Gmail account. You can create calendar entries, manage your diary, and sync across devices. You can use Google Calendar for professional Gmail accounts and personal Gmail accounts. Google Calendar also syncs with Google Tasks, allowing you to track to-do lists better.
Compatible with: All PCs, Macs, Android, and iPhone. You can always access Google Calendar from your browser.
Google Calendar App Pricing: Free with limited features for a personal Gmail account. For businesses, Google Calendar is free for 14 days. Pricing is between $6-18 depending on the number of users.
2. Calendar.com
Calendar.com is a one-stop calendar app that helps you with scheduling, productivity, and scheduling. It’s particularly useful if you’re trying to avoid conflicts and being double-booked, as you can pre-select available times. Calendar.com also uses artificial intelligence and machine learning to continually optimize the experience. It connects with Google calendar, Outlook calendar, and Office 365 Calendar.
Compatible with: PCs, Macs, Android, and iOS
Calendar.com Pricing: Free for one calendar, and goes up to $6-8 a month for additional users and/or calendars.
3. Asana
Asana is a great calendar web app if you’re looking to organize tasks, stay on top of your to-do list and become more productive overall. While it does not offer tools for scheduling meetings, it does offer plenty of integrations to give you customization options. Asana syncs with Gmail to tasks from emails, and the calendar function allows you to organize your to-do list through drag and drop features.
Compatible with: Browser from any device, and also has an app for iOS and Android.
Asana Pricing: Free version can be used for one member. For additional users and features costs between $10-13.
4. iCloud
the iCloud calendar app is one of the easiest calendar options for Apple device users. It has traditional calendar functionality and works across devices such as the iPad and Apple Watch, Macs, iPhones, etc. You can view your schedule with multiple views, and has an easy user interface to navigate.
Compatible with: All Apple devices and Android users can log into iCloud.com for calendar access.
iCloud Pricing: Free to use for calendars, other features such as storage incur additional charges.
5. Microsoft Outlook Calendar
For existing Microsoft users, the Outlook calendar tends to be the best option. It’s easy to use, offers great calendar features, and can help with getting organized. It does not offer scheduling features or to-do lists, however.
Compatible with: All Microsoft devices, the Outlook Calendar app is available for iOS and Android.
Microsoft Outlook Calendar Pricing: Basic features are free with Office 365 accounts and additional discounts are available for students. Business pricing will vary depending on users.
6. Business Calendar
Business Calendar allows for easy viewing of events, scheduler, and syncs with major calendars including Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Office 365. It provides alerts for meetings and widgets to remind you of your schedule.
Compatible with: Android
aCalendar Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
7. aCalendar
A great calendar app for Android, Calendar offers widgets, Google Calendar management, and streamlined schedule viewing. However, it can only be used as a calendar view app as it does not offer scheduling or productivity tools.
Compatible with: Android
aCalendar Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
8. DigiCal Calendar
DigiCal Calendar is one of the best app options for Android users. It syncs with calendars such as Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and Office 365, color-coding organization. DigiCal Calendar also includes a scheduling tool to streamline collaboration.
Compatible with: Android
DifiCal Calendar Cost: Free with premium feature purchase options.
9. Apple Calendar
The Apple Calendar is the calendar version on devices such as the iPad and Apple Watch, Macs, iPhones, etc. While iCloud calendars can be accessed from other devices, the Apple calendar is local to your device, making it one of the easier calendars to keep track of. It is free for Apple users.
Compatible with: All Apple devices
10. Lightning Calendar by Thunderbird
The Lightning Calendar is free to use with a Thunderbird email. You can manage multiple calendars, and manage tasks and to-d0 lists in one place. You can also subscribe to different calendars, and have everything in one place with your email.
Compatible with: Anywhere Thunderbird email can be accessed
11. CloudCal
CloudCal syncs with all major calendars, and other programs such as Evernote for easy productivity. It also offers an innovative timeline view to see your schedule. The free version also has the Magic Circles where each day of the month is turned into a clock face so you can easily see when you’re free and busy.
Compatible with: Androids and computers
CloudCal Calendar Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
12. SavvyCal
SavvyCal is one of the best apps if you’re looking for customization options when managing events. It offers easy ways to manage a schedule, the ability to adjust availability, and can sync across multiple calendars. It is best for increased collaboration and makes time management a more simple process.
Compatible with: iOs and Android, Macs, PCs
SavvyCal Pricing: 7-day free trial, pricing varies between $12-20 for additional users and features.
13. Fantastical
Fantastical is known for its beautiful user interface and powerful features. It is another contender in rankings for best calendar apps. Fantastical includes multiple views, scheduling tools, task management, and collaboration features for a team. It is another example of a calendar app where everything is in a single [place.
Compatible with: Android, iOS, Apple, PCs
Fantastical Pricing: Free 14-day trial, pricing varies between $3-5 thereafter.
14. Timepage
An easy and intuitive calendar app available on iPhone, Timepage also has easy navigation for managing your schedule. Timepage includes many features such as calendar views, weather reports, and maps out busy times for easier scheduling of events.
Compatible with: iOS
Timepage Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
15. Business Calendar 2
Evolution of Business Calendar for Android, Business Calendar 2 offers extra features for calendar management. Multiple views and calendars can be synced to see all events. It also has a quick widget to give you at-a-glance information on meetings.
Compatible with: Android
Business Calendar 2 Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
16. Any.do
Organize tasks, lists, and calendars in one place to make life easier for a student or business owners. Any.do also has calendars with progress bars to track productivity, and help stay on top of tasks.
Compatible with: Android, iOS, Apple, PCs
Any.do Pricing: Free for basic features, the premium version is between $2-7 a month.
17. Fantastical 2
Perfect for having everything such as tasks and calendars on your mobile phone, ready to go. Fantastical 2 is one of the best apps available for iPhones to help manage your life from schedules to tasks. You can also use natural language to create repeating events and alerts and it includes support for an additional language.
Compatible with: iPhone
Fantastical2 Pricing: Free with premium feature purchase options.
18. Calendly
Calendly is best if you’re looking for a scheduling tool for events. You can use an easy link to send to meeting attendees to select times and manage all your events in one place. It does not offer task management but can be accessed via the app or the site. It’s best used as a companion app to sync with other calendars and manage everything from one place.
Compatible with: PCs, Macs, Android, iOS
Calendly Pricing: Free for basic features, $8-12 for additional users.
Best Calendar Apps for iOS
While not all apps are available for iOS, we’ll look at the best calendar app for iPhone and some of the options available.
The best apps are a blend of calendar and productivity apps. This includes:
- Calendly: Free to use for scheduling events directly from mobile
- Fantastical 2: Beautiful design and powerful features for productivity and time management
- Any.do: Easy organization of schedules, tasks, and other life events
- iCloud: Already integrated with iOS, so very convenient.
- Asana: Great for managing tasks in a calendar view
- Google Calendar: Best if using Gmail since it’s a seamless integration
- Apple Calendar: If using devices such as an iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch this is one of the best free calendars.
What is the best calendar app for iOS?
The best calendar app for iOs is Fantastical 2 due to its beautiful design, easy scheduling for events, and clean navigation menu.
Free Calendar Apps
There are many free calendar apps available that offer great features, such as:
- DigiCal: Easy navigation and interface and quick scheduling tools
- Calendly: Best for scheduling meetings and events.
- Asana: Great for task management and one of the best productivity apps
- TimePage: Simple to use for managing schedules and seeing busy times at a glance.
What is the best free calendar app?
The best free calendar app is Google Calendar for managing events, tasks, and meetings on both android and iOS.
Features to Look Out for in a Calender App for your business
It’s crucial to choose an app with features that suit your business and help make your life easier. For business owners or a student, a good calendar app needs to let you meet with a team or other classmates easily, show your events in a single place and help manage productivity such as tasks and other commitments.
Excellent Time Management
Whether you are using a calendar app to manage your class schedule, find at-a-glance information about an appointment, or schedule events, a calendar app should help you manage your time better. Fantastical, SavvyCal, Calendly, Any.do are all great examples.
User-Friendly Features
Ideally, you’re looking for a calendar app that has a simple design, great calendar view options, and a version that can operate across different systems. Business Calendar, Asana, and DigiCal all have user-friendly features.
Automatic Syncing Capabilities
Managing multiple calendars can become stressful, so look for calendar apps that automatically sync. All calendar apps mentioned in this list offer automatic syncing for different calendars.
Appointment and Meeting Scheduling
Setting up a time to chat, or an appointment can be difficult. Calendar apps that take the headache out of scheduling can be incredibly beneficial. The best calendar apps for scheduling include SavvyCal, Calendly, and Fantastical.
Customization Features
You should be able to make your calendar app feel like your own. Any version you use should allow for some form of customization whether it’s the way you organize events, set up preferred times, and/or use an additional language. The best apps for customization include Fantastical, CloudCal, Fantastical 2, SavvyCal, and Calendly.
Heat Map Capabilities
Being able to see busy and free times with a heat map can make scheduling far simpler. An app like Timepage is great if you’re looking for heat map capabilities.
Collaboration and Sharing with Team Members
Collaboration and working with other team members is a key feature for business owners and can help with increasing productivity. For example, apps such as Asana, Easy.do and Calendar.com are the best options for this feature.
Management for Multiple Calendars
If you balance different calendars, streamlining them can make life far less hectic and help you get a better sense of availability. All apps mentioned in this list include functionality to help you manage multiple calendars.
Natural Language Processing
Natural language processing is very useful if you are always on the go, want to see better optimization as you use the calendar, or just want more control over how you add information to your calendar. Apps such as Fantastical 2 and Calendar.com offer natural language processing.
Multiple Device Compatability
Being able to access your calendar from anywhere is integral for easy productivity and time management. It can be challenging with calendar apps that are only for mobile. If you’re looking for functionality like this, the best calendar app is Any.do. Other options also include SavvyCal, Calendly, Google Calendar, and Outlook Calendar.
Easy Management of Calendar Events
It’s vital to see all your events in a single place and manage it from a central app to keep them from getting confused or double-booked too often. An app such as Timepage, aCalendar, or DigiCal are some of the best ones for easy calendar event management.
Reminders
Reminders can be incredibly helpful for keeping on top of tasks, meetings, and other key commitments. You can use an app like iCloud, Apple Calendar, and Asana for reminders.
Which calendar app is best for businesses?
The best calendar app for businesses will depend on the other systems being used. For example, Google Calendar is one of the best calendar apps if the business is already using Gmail. Similarly, for companies already using Microsoft or Office 365, Outlook is the best calendar. For businesses that do not have a set system in place, Calendar.com is another best calendar app for businesses.
Is there a better calendar than Google?
Google Calendar is an extremely good calendar app that is available, especially if working together as a team. However, there are other apps such as SavvyCal, Calendly, and Fantastical that offer advanced features for scheduling and finding available meeting times that are better than Google.
Is Apple calendar app good?
Apple Calendar is a very good calendar app for reminders, seeing events, and your schedule at a glance. It is also available across multiple Apple devices, so it is extremely convenient for those already using those devices.
What is the best free calendar app for Apple iPhone?
There are several free calendar apps available for Apple iPhone, each with distinct offerings to make scheduling and life simpler. While most are free, there are upgrade options for additional premium features with most of the apps currently available. The best free calendar app for Apple iPhone is Fantastical 2.
Image: Depositphotos
This article, "18 Calendar Apps to Help Organize Your Busy Days" was first published on Small Business Trends
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