There’s something of a misconception when it comes to the Mac: that Mac apps cost more, just like the computer itself. While powerful tools like Photoshop or Final Cut Pro certainly have price. Parallels Desktop is the go-to app for running another operating system on your Apple computer. Run Windows 10, Linux, Chrome, and even Android right on your Mac.
Nothing beats a capable and feature-rich calendar app for keeping things organized. It’s the first thing I glance at to see my schedule for the rest of the day. Every operating system comes with the default calendar app. But they are basic at best. Apple Calendar on macOS is one of those passable calendar apps. However, the Mac App Store and the web are full of rich third-party calendar apps for Mac. We have selected the best 5 options among them.
1. Fantastical – Calendar & Tasks
Fantastical comfortably tops the list with the best user interface for any calendar app for the Mac. The animations are smooth, and the whole experience is quick, fluid, and responsive.
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. While it may not be the most full-featured publishing option, iStudio Publisher is a supreme value for novices and users that don’t need the extra bells and whistles. Mac users have given Publisher a 4.2 out of 5 star average on the Mac App Store and have raved about this as a much lower-cost alternative to Adobe InDesign and Photoshop. As a Mac photo editor, Affinity Photo is not for the easily intimidated. If you’re willing to put in the time to get comfortable with the less-than-intuitive interface, though, the rewards can be great. Where you can use it: Browsers on Mac and Windows, and as an app for Android and iOS.
My favorite function about Fantastical is the ability to create an event from the ‘+’ menu quickly. Click + in the menu bar and type ‘Marketing meeting at 2 PM’, and it will create the schedule for you.
If you frequently need to create the same event for the near future, you can create a template out of the added event. It lets you compose an event with a single click. Need to add schedule from Sports, TV, Finance, and more? Fantastical has got you covered on that front as well. The app has added support for all the popular third-party calendars.
As for pricing, Fantastical used to be a one-time affair but the developers recently switched to a subscription model.
Price: Free (In-app purchases starts from $4.99)
2. Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook, mostly known for its email functionality, hasn’t always had a capable calendar add-on. In 2015, the software giant purchased the popular Sunrise Calendar app and improved its default Calendar capabilities.
As for creating an event, users have all the options they can think of. One can create an event with location, Skype call, meeting notes, and more. Interesting calendars is my favorite add-on from Outlook. Similar to Fantastical, you can import schedules from popular TV channels, and sports like Baseball, Tennis, Football, Cricket, Basketball, etc. You need to add them using the Outlook iOS app and then it will appear on the Outlook Mac app.
The new Outlook for Mac app is a joy to use. Those invested in the Microsoft ecosystem will appreciate close integration with Sticky Notes and Microsoft To-Do service.
Price: Free (In-app purchases starts from $69.99)
3. Calendar 366 II
This is designed as a supplement to the default Apple calendar, but it could also replace it entirely depending on your workflow. It’s pretty comprehensive and gives you the convenience of managing your dates using only this app; It’s a breeze to view your appointments and add new ones. Moreover, you can choose from various views such as yearly, monthly, weekly, schedule, current day, etc.
The best part is the natural text input that makes it easy to input data. For example, you can type in:” Meeting tomorrow, 11.00 am – 1 pm, or “Date night next Sunday 6 pm – at the new Mexican place”, or to make it even simpler: “time to read tomorrow.” Use this calendar your way and it’ll help you manage all of life’s happenings.
You can also sync data seamlessly across devices via iCloud, customize the menu bar according to your needs, and easily find what you want with Spotlight search.
Calendar 366 II fully supports English, German, Spanish, French, Japanese, Dutch, Italian, Polish, and Chinese.
Price: $14.99
4. BusyCal
By default, BusyCal allows you to view your calendar in Day, Week, Month, Year, and List. I like the customization options on the offer. You can change the calendar’s appearance by choosing a font face and size, calendar colors, time format, and more.
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Looking at BusyCal’s take on creating an event, you can clearly see how the developers want users to spend less time in the app and instead get things done without much of a hassle. You can view and edit event details right from the sidebar. No need to move around menus and different screens. It’s customizable as well. You can select which section to showcase and leave out other details.
Similar to Microsoft To-Do, BusyCal offers task management as well. It’s displayed on the date they are due and carried forward until completed. I appreciate the Travel time add-on that allows users to add time for traveling to a meeting (um, pre-COVID times). Either set an approximate time for traveling or use the default location services or Apple Maps to take the guess for you.
Price: $49.99 (30-day free trial)
5. Any.Do
Any.Do is primarily a task management app that offers an excellent calendar add-on. I love the Any.Do aesthetics on the Mac app. You can change the theme and even choose from different background wallpapers.
Similar to any decent calendar app, you can fill up the event details with relevant information such as Notes, URL, location, and more. The software simply shines with the third-party app integration. Any.Do supports over 1500+ (Yes, you read that right) services, including some heavy-hitters like Evernote, Trello, Slack, OneNote, and more.
Zaps is an exciting add-on. There are ready-to-go automation services that work with third-party apps and Any.Do. For example, you can directly integrate Evernote reminders to Any.Do. Neat, isn’t it? There are more than 2000 built-in Zaps available for Any.Do.
Price: $2.99/month (When billed annually for the premium version)
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Most Mac users stick with the default Apple Calendar app. However, it’s always advisable to check out the competition that offers more features for a price. Go through the apps list above and tell us which app you ended up using in the comments section below.
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