In researching the best free apps for the Mac, I started by using Apple's category list. This makes it easier to cover the wide variety of content available. If an app is on the Mac App Store, it is in one of the 21 categories that Apple has listed. Calendar apps on your Mac help you enhance your productivity. You can plan your day, week, month, and year to achieve your professional goals. Moreover, these apps also help you manage your personal life. Manage all your events, assignments, appointments, and reminders with the best calendar apps for Mac in 2020. Informant; Calendar 366 II.
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- Best Calendar App Mac
Gone are the days when we could rely on our memory to remember what we need to do at any given moment. Today, there’s no way we could recall for when exactly did we schedule that meeting four weeks ago, or whether our dentist appointment is coming up soon. That’s why we use calendar apps, which keep a perfect record of everything scheduled in our lives.
There’s no shortage of Mac calendar apps out there, from the default option that comes pre-installed with the machine to other free alternatives to paid but full-featured third-party apps. Some are web-based, some are cross-platform, and some are also available on mobile.
The problem is you really need just one best free calendar app for Mac. Not sure which one you should choose? Then this guide is for you.
How To Choose A Mac Calendar App
As our work lives could vary greatly from one another, our ideas of the best calendar app could be different as well. Generally, there are five broad criteria you should evaluate calendar apps against:
- Usability. Since you’ll be using your Mac calendar app multiple times a day, how it looks and how it behaves is critical. Notice how many clicks does it take for you to create a new event or whether all the information you need is clearly displayed and could be understood at a glance.
- Features. When it comes to calendars, more is not always better. Some of the best calendar apps out there could be pretty bare in terms of functionality. And some of the most feature-packed ones are cumbersome to use. It’s all about what do you personally need to get out of the best calendar app for Mac.
- Speed. No one likes to wait around, looking at the spinning circle. The best calendar apps allow you to add events quickly and ideally never freeze up on you.
- Synchronization. We work in the multi-device world. The second you step out of the office, you expect to be updated on what’s coming next through your phone. Sometimes you use both laptop and desktop, and then your Mac calendar app is better to sync in time over a web server.
- Integration. Every year, more and more automation helps us in our work. APIs are omnipresent. Already lots of people use Slack and IFTTT to get notified about any changes in any part of their digital lives. Plugging your calendar into the larger ecosystem is something to consider, even if it’s just a possibility at this point.
There might be other aspects you’ve come to expect from the best calendar app for Mac. So your list might differ. The important idea here is to create a small framework that will aid you in comparing all the available options on the market. Now let’s break down some popular calendars and select the best ones.
Keep to the basics with Mac’s default calendar
For the first contender to become the best free calendar app for Mac, why not consider the Calendar app you already have pre-installed?
Mac Calendar app is straightforward and easy to use. The calendar itself is taking up most of the interface, and you can easily switch between different views using the tabs in the top bar.
Creating new events is simple too: just double-click on any time in the day and fill out any of the fields. If a similar event has been created before, you can pick an auto-suggestion. Likewise, your event location will be automatically suggested by Apple Maps. You can also invite anyone to your event by email, even if they don’t use Calendar. For the event itself, you can choose one of many custom-created and color-coded calendars.
Due to its simplicity, Calendar is a very speedy app. Built by Apple itself, it takes full advantage of having access to the whole sandboxed system, something not possible for third-party apps to do.
Calendar comes pre-installed on all iPhones, making it easy to access on the go. A web version is available too, but unfortunately only if you use iCloud to sync your calendars.
In terms of integration, Calendar is not big on integrating its API in other apps. It does however cover all popular calendar apps out there, from Google to Yahoo and Microsoft Exchange.
Work in sync within the Google ecosystem
If your whole office is already committed to the Google world, thinking of using Google Calendar would be a wise move.
Many consider Google Calendar to be the best shared calendar app around. While boasting clear and beautiful interface, the app makes adding other people’s (or even room’s) calendars just as easy as yours, especially if they are on the same Google corporate account. Additionally, all your events are created with an automatic Hangouts link for video calls.
Working in Google Calendar app means benefitting from its connection with all other Google services. Events from Gmail would automatically be added to your calendar and Google-powered auto-suggestions are truly powerful.
Fast and reliable (when was the last time Google servers went down?), Google also offers native apps for Android and iOS. Sadly, Google Calendar desktop app Mac is not available at this time — only the web version, which can be accessed via any browser.
Google Calendar app for Mac is frequently integrated with other services, much more so than the default Apple option. And just like the Apple calendar, it’s a worthy contender to be the best free calendar app for Mac.
Access in a single click with InstaCal
When your days are frantic and ease of access becomes top priority, InstaCal is a worthy alternative that lives right in your menu bar.
Google Calendar App For Mac
InstaCal is hard to beat on usability. Click on its menu bar icon and it will show you all your tasks for the month in both calendar and list views. From here, you can easily edit or create appointments, as well as add new attendees. Simple reminders can be managed here too — something that differentiates InstaCal from competitors.
While InstaCal doesn’t support any unusual features, it’s as fast as an app can be due to it being preloaded in the background at all times.
A Mac calendar app first, InstaCal doesn’t have mobile or web versions available, but it syncs perfectly with iCloud, Google, and Microsoft calendars. InstaCal is the ideal example of an app that’s been optimized to the limit for speed and convenience. No fluff.
Power up on all fronts with BusyCal
Looking for the most feature-packed Mac calendar app around is likely to lead you to BusyCal. From being present in your menu bar to incorporating to-dos to even showing you the moon calendar, BusyCal has every feature you’d ever expect from your calendar.
In terms of design, BusyCal looks and feels like a mix between a pumped up default Mac calendar app and InstaCal (due to the menu bar extension). You can create a quick event using natural language by simply clicking on the plus icon in the top bar. To save a new to-do, right-click on the To Do panel on the right and choose New To Do.
Built as a native app for macOS, BusyCal feels quick and nimble. In addition, a full-featured iOS app is also available. Both versions are highly popular among heavy Mac users and thus integrate well with lots of other applications.
Which Mac calendar app is right for you?
Discussed above are four of the best calendar apps out there. In the end, it all comes down to what you value the most. If you’re looking for the best free calendar app for Mac, the default Apple option or the one from Google could be your choice. However, compared to the other two competitors, they lack functionality and convenience.
InstaCal is by far the fastest and the most at-hand Mac calendar app. It doesn’t distract you from your work when you need to quickly check the next meeting or correct a few details. Sometimes you might even feel you have a personal assistant right beside you.
BusyCal takes the default Mac Calendar app as its foundation and improves it on nearly every dimension. Use to-do lists, get more context around the weather, briefly peek at what’s going on in the menu bar, and much more.
Best of all, both InstaCal and BusyCal are available for a free trial through Setapp, a platform of over 150 Mac apps and tools created to streamline your work processes, from task management to web development. Let’s see what you have scheduled for today.
Setapp lives on Mac and iOS. Please come back from another device.
Meantime, prepare for all the awesome things you can do with Setapp.
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task managers to get things done. Calendar apps are another tool to plan your day and week. When selecting an app over the other, one must need to consider the devices they are using. It's important to invest in an app that provides the identical experience between the mobile and desktop OS. That got me looking for the best Calendar apps for iOS and macOS since I too use devices from both the OS family.The Apple ecosystem is full of such productivity apps. In this post, we are going to list out the top five calendar apps for iOS and macOS. The list will focus on the apps that are available on both Apple platforms. It will include both free and paid apps. We will also mention features, themes, third-party calendar support, price, and more. Let’s get started. 1. Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft purchased the Sunrise calendar app in 2015 and shut down the further development of the app. Over the years, the company has integrated its features in the Outlook Email app, making it one of the best Calendar apps out there.The UI is quite nice. Swipe left to reveal the hamburger menu and select the calendar options to display in the app. You can also add calendar entries from popular platforms like Facebook, Evernote, Meetup, and Wunderlist.While adding an event, Outlook lets you add details like location, Skype Call, description, and more. My favorite function is Interesting calendars. It lets you import schedules from well-known TV series and popular sports like Cricket, Basketball, Tennis, Football, etc.Speaking of its Mac app, users do require Office 365 subscription to use the Outlook app. It provides a monthly view and lets you add events on the go. I like how it integrates Sticky Notes as well as Tasks from the Microsoft To-Do app.Download Microsoft Outlook for iOSDownload Microsoft Outlook for MacAlso on Guiding Tech
Apple Calendar vs Fantastical: Which Calendar App Is Better for You
Read More2. Fantastical
Fantastical has the best user interface among all the calendar apps out there. It’s quick, fluid, and responsive. Fantastical has paid special attention to the ‘add event’ screen. By using the numbers raw above, one can quickly write like ’20:00 Client Call,’ and the app will set an event for 8.00 PM.Users can long-tap on any event and create a template out of it. I use it all the time to add my most-used events with a single click. Similar to Outlook, Fantastical supports third-party calendars. It lets you add events from Sports, TV, Finance, and more.Other functions include theme support, the ability to change app icons, AccuWeather integration (this should be present in every calendar app), 3D touch support, iOS widgets, and more.The Mac app is equally powerful too. Everything, including templates, gets synced over the desktop app. The quick add function remains the same on the big screen. Fantastical used to be a one-time purchase, but the developers recently switched to a subscription model, which now costs $5 per month.Download Fantastical for iOSDownload Fantastical for macOS3. Apple Calendar
Apple Calendar is a solid option for the majority out there. It’s free and works well with the Apple ecosystem. The app offers a familiar UI with all the major options within reach.While adding an event, you can integrate details such as travel time, attachments, URL, notes, and location. I would like to see FaceTime voice/video reminders in add event function.Apart from iCloud, it supports the major third-party calendars like Gmail and Outlook. The list of functionalities includes Siri Shortcuts, iOS 13 dark theme, the ability to share calendars, and more.Their Mac app is quite basic. Apart from adding a quick event, Apple Calendar doesn’t offer much for the big screen.Also on Guiding Tech
Apple Calendar vs Google Calendar: Which Calendar App Should You Use
Read More4. Woven Calendar
Woven Calendar brings a breath of fresh air among the traditional calendars. The default home page is a mixture of recent updates, stats of overall weekly meeting time, travel hours, and tags.These two functions stood out for me. While adding an event, you can create a group poll and ask your members to vote for an appropriate time for the meeting. You can share the poll link using the Woven iMessage app, Email, or SMS.The planning section is a nice place to dump all the tasks, polls, and events to schedule them later. Woven has an integrated map view that shows where your upcoming event is and how much traveling you will need in a day. Power users will appreciate template function, which lets you create templates for most used events.Woven’s Mac app is one of the best out there. All the major functions are nicely tied up in the hamburger menu. The templates, planning, and home have been carried over to the Mac app. It supports keyboard shortcuts too.Woven is completely free to use, which is surprising given the kind of functions it provides on both iOS and macOSApple Calendar App
Download Woven for iOSDownload Woven for macOS5. Any.do
Any.do is the ultimate Calendar and Task management app out there. By default, it imports tasks from the Apple Reminders app.While adding an event, you can add the basic details like Notes, URL, location, and more. Any.do holds an upper hand with third-party apps integration. It supports over 1500+ services, including some big names like Evernote, Trello, Slack, OneNote, and more.The company has added a neat WhatsApp integration, which reminds you of a task while using the chatting app.The Mac app mimics the functions of the mobile version and supports customizable wallpapers too. However, there are no keyboard shortcuts. Any.do is free for basic tasks, but the third-party apps integration and advanced theming engine costs $7 per month.Download Any.do for iOSDownload Any.do for macOSAlso on Guiding Tech
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As you can see from the list above, every app offers a few advantages over the other. Outlook is perfect for those living in the Microsoft ecosystem. Fantastical is an all-rounder, Apple Calendar is free, Woven is preferable for power users, while Any.do is a sweet mixture of task management and calendar.Next up:Using Windows 10 PC and looking for the best to-do apps for it? Read the post below to find the best seven apps for it.
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Best Mac App For Google Calendar
Read Next7 Best To-Do Apps for Your Windows 10 PCAlso See#task manager #calendarDid You Know
Notion, the productivity app, was founded in 2013.