If you’ve got a hectic schedule or like to plan things beforehand, a calendar app can help you manage time and improve productivity. Today, you can easily find a ton of options. From simple and easy-to-use to advanced and featured-packed apps to make your every minute count. That said, with hundreds of apps available on the App Store, it can be quite overwhelming to decide the one that suits your requirements. If you are looking for the best calendar app for your iPhone, you’re in luck! After trying out multiple options, we’ve listed the 7 best calendar apps for iPhone that should be on your radar.
1. Apple Calendar
The Apple Calendar app comes pre-installed on all iPhones, and it’s the best free calendar app for iOS in 2023. I’ve put this app at the top spot because it’s easy to use and beautifully integrated with other iPhone apps like Notes, Siri, and Messages so you can create events with utmost ease. It’s a great option for users who prefer to use a simple calendar app for iPhone that syncs across their Apple devices.
You can view, edit, and create events, and if you’ve added a location, you can even use the built-in Time Travel feature to get notified about when you should leave. It’s a supremely handy feature for people with hectic schedules.
Moving on, this iPhone calendar app also lets you sync other calendars like Google Calendars and Microsoft Outlook to manage your personal and professional calendars within a single app. Thankfully, there’s no limit on the number of apps you can sync. What sets this iPhone calendar app apart is the fact that all the features are free to use and there are no annoying ads. While I have no major complaints about Apple Calendars.
However, I also cannot deny the fact that it’s not as feature-rich as other apps. If you’re a power user who needs a plethora of advanced features, you may need an Apple Calendar alternative.
Pros | Cons |
Easy to use | Lack of advanced features |
Automatically syncs across all Apple devices | |
Tight intergration with iPhone apps | |
You don’t have to deal with ads |
2. Google Calendar
Google Calendars on the web has been one of the most convenient services for many users. And, its companion iOS app is no different. So, if you’re looking for a simple, free calendar app for iPhone that syncs with your Google account, why not use Google’s own offering – Google Calendar? The app stays true to Google’s design philosophies and displays your events throughout the day in nice, large, colored cards. It seamlessly integrates with the entire suite of Google apps like Gmail, Meet, Maps, Drive, and more.
So, you can easily add flight reservations or online meetings from your Gmail to the calendar. You can also create events, add tasks, and schedule meetings manually by tapping on the “+” icon on the bottom right of the screen. Events, reminders, tasks, etc can even be set as recurring events if you want.
The app supports a number of views ranging from Day and 3-day to Week and Month views. The events are displayed in a neatly organized manner, and they look really good. Google Calendar allows you to customize your calendar to some extent, although not as much as Fantastical, or Calendars by Readdle do. You can change the day that will be treated as the start of the week. In case you don’t want your device timezone to be used by default, you can set a custom time zone. Also, just like Apple Calendar, the Google Calendar app for iPhone is completely free to use and works with other calendar apps as well.
Pros | Cons |
Free to use | Limited cutomization options |
Integration with other Google apps | |
Sleek and clean interface | |
Works with all calendar apps |
Pricing: Free
3. Fantastical Calendar
Well, you’ll find this app on everyone’s recommended iOS calendar apps list. Living up to its hype, Fantastical Calendar is the cremè de la cremè of calendar apps. This calendar app for iPhone has bagged multiple awards, and there are reasons for it. The app has a very well-designed main screen, and shows all of your events and reminders, in a neat-looking table. Also, the app shows weather forecasts by default. You can tap on the “calendar icon” to switch to “month”, “quarter”, or “year” calendar views. One of the good things about Fantastical is the fact that it displays your to-dos right alongside your events. After all, where else should they be?
This is the best part of this calendar app for iPhone is Natural Language support for creating events and reminders. So, you can type in something like “Flight to Lucknow on Sunday at 12:30”; and Fantastical will automatically create an event on Sunday, at 12:30, titled “Flight to Lucknow”. The app seamlessly integrates with Siri, Reminders, and Shortcuts, so you can create tasks using your voice.
That’s not all. The app offers more than 10 widgets for Home Screen, Lock Screen, and iOS 17 StandBy Mode. The basic features of Fantastical are available for free. Advanced features like cross-platform syncing, responding to invitations, Zoom/Teams calls, and many more are locked behind the premium tier. At $6.99, I wouldn’t call the app inexpensive, but it’s well worth the price. In short, if you’re looking for a perfect Apple Calendar alternative that packs the same simplicity and is loaded with advanced features, your search should end here.
Pros | Cons |
Clean and user-friendly interface | The premium version is a bit expensive |
Supports for Natural Language | The learning curve might be intimidating for some users |
Multiple calendar views | |
Built-in weather forecast |
Pricing: Free, starts at $6.99/month
4. Any.do
Here comes a task management, reminder, and calendar planner app for iPhone so you can plan your day and organize your life. Any.do app has a crisp and minimal interface that doesn’t overwhelm you with a raft of unnecessary features, showing the essential ones at your glance. It’s a thoughtful calendar app for iOS users that packs all the necessary features.
The list includes location-based reminders, recurring events, event creation using natural language, and much more. I particularly like how well and instantly this iOS calendar app integrates with Apple Reminders and Calendar app. Like most calendar apps for iPhone, Any.do works well with Siri, and also supports commands from Amazon Alexa.
You’ll surely admire the “My Day” feature that shows a full-fledged plan for your day by importing your upcoming events. Then, there’s an option to plan your week as well. Moreover, the app lets you connect with 5,000+ apps, including Slack and WhatsApp, so you always stay on top of the time management and planning game.
Besides being a reliable calendar app for iPhone, Any.do excels at creating to-dos and lists. In minutes, you can create shopping and grocery lists on your iPhone. Even better, there’s an option to share these lists so your family or friends can add items in real-time. The app offers some limited features for free, you can unlock all the benefits with a subscription model.
Pros | Cons |
Serves multiple purposes | The free version has limited features |
Cross-platform support | |
Offers Smart Suggestions | |
Supports 5,000+ app integrations |
Pricing: Free, starts at $9.99/month
5. Microsoft Outlook
For users who wish to keep their work email account and calendar in one convenient place, make sure to check out Microsoft Outlook. Several working professionals must have used this app because their companies asked them. I know, you must be thinking how can an email app for Windows users can be a calendar app for iOS users, isn’t it? Well, Microsoft Outlook has amped up its game with a beautifully designed, simple, and easy-to-use calendar app. So, whether you wish to stay at the top of your inbox or schedule the next big thing, this iOS productivity app is a great option.
The app has a neat and crisp interface with several view options, including Agenda, Day, 3-Day, and Month. Simply tap on the calendar icon from the top-right to switch between different views. To add a task, event, or reminder, tap on the “+” icon from the bottom right and choose your preferred option.
You can also use your voice to create events and tasks. This calendar app for iPhone lets you sync other calendars that you may use with Outlook, making it easy to manage your work and personal schedule in one place. Also, your work calendar is automatically shared with your teammates. You can also add widgets to stay updated with the upcoming events. Putting it simply, it’s one of the best work email and calendar app combos for iPhone users.
Pros | Cons |
An easy-to use app that serves multiple purposes | Users looking for a dedicated calendar app may not find this interesting |
iCloud syncing | |
Several useful view options | |
Support for iOS widgets |
Pricing: Free, starts at $2.99/month
6. Calendars 5 by Readdle
Over the years, Readdle has established itself as one of the “go-tos” for productivity apps. The Calendars 5 app by Readdle, is no different. To start with, it offers the ability to sync with Google Calendar, the iCloud calendar, Google Maps, and Apple Maps. Then comes the home screen – it is simply great and nicely focused on events. All of your tasks and events are placed in the form of cards, that are color-coded according to the calendar you added them to.
Tap on an event and you’ll get a small pop-up with the details (provided you’re not like me, and you’ve actually added some). This powerful and versatile calendar app for iPhone is available for iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac, allowing users to easily sync calendars across their Apple devices.
The app also supports a fair share of advanced features like “Natural Language” for creating events, “Task Manager” to track & complete your to-do’s, and the ability to set “recurring events“. You’ll also find nifty and useful features like an option to set custom alerts and invite people to events.
Now, coming to my biggest complaint about this app. I think this calendar app should have offered a free version, even if it had limited features. This way, users could have a look & feel rather than going for a premium version up front. That said, if you don’t mind going for a paid calendar app for an iPhone, you would probably have no complaints. The Calendars 5 app is available for use at $29.99 per year, with in-app purchases to add extra features.
Pros | Cons |
Powerful and feature-rich | You can’t download the app for free |
Works offine as well | |
Supports natural language input | |
Drag & drop tasks and events |
Price: $28.99/year
7. TimeTree
If you and your family or spouse are having trouble adjusting your time together, we’ve spotted the best family calendar app for iPhone. TimeTree is one of the best-rated calendar apps on the App Store that’s loved for its advanced functionalities and fantastic sharing abilities. When you open the app for the first time, it will ask you to select the calendar type- Family, Relationship, Work, Friends, or Personal. Once you select the purpose, you’ll see a sleek and nice interface that shows your events. You can seamlessly sync other calendars on your device like Apple Calendar and Google Calendar.
Besides easy calendar-sharing abilities, the app also lets you chat to discuss important details related to events and tasks. Also, for events that have no fixed dates, you can share notes or use memos. You can also pin important events so you never miss them while planning or rescheduling other events.
That’s not all. This iPhone calendar app also allows families to post images and other details about the events. How cool, right? As new events and tasks are added, the app sends you reminders and notifications so there’s no need to open and check the app all the time. Even better, you can add widgets to keep an eye on the upcoming events.
Putting it simply, TimeTree is one of the best iOS calendar apps for families and groups.
Pros | Cons |
Multiple calendar types for different purposes | The interface and overall design might not impress everyone |
Great for families, couples, and groups | |
You can add recurring reminders | |
Ability to pin important events |
Pricing: Free, starts at $4.49/month
With these powerful and feature-rich calendar apps for iPhone at your disposal, managing your day will definitely become an easy task. All of these apps are very good, in their way, and you will definitely find one that meets your requirements. Be it power features, natural language capabilities, or just a simple free calendar app that syncs with your Google account. we have covered them all. So, which calendar app do you like the most? We’d love to hear from you in the comments below.