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Top 5 Best Calendar Apps For Mac In 2024

Abhishek Agrawal
By Abhishek A Agrawal
December 2, 2023
Table of Contents

    Scheduling your day, week, or month is imperative to business success. In most cases, using a calendar app might be all the help you need. However, not every digital calendar is best for Mac users. 

    In this quick and easy guide, you’ll get the scoop on how using a calendar app can benefit your workflow and which ones we recommend for Apple users.

    How Do Mac-Based Calendar Apps Work?

    Calendar apps are relatively straightforward – you can schedule appointments, create agendas, and collaborate with team members. The best calendar apps for Mac integrate with your already-existing software and may sometimes include project management capabilities.

    What Makes A Great Calendar App For Mac?

    The best calendar apps for ac should be able to achieve the following: 

    • Easy scheduling: It should only take a few clicks and keyboard shortcuts to add an appointment. An app with additional features like native language recognition can simplify the process.
    • Device syncing: If you use multiple Apple devices like a Macbook and iPhone, you should be able to access upcoming appointments on both.
    • Multiple views: Being able to view your calendar entries in day, week, month, and year forms can help you visualize your agenda.
    • Integrations: Calendar integration is a must if you already have existing weekly or monthly schedules. A good app should be able to automatically import schedules and tasks from other software.

    What Are The Benefits Of Using Calendar Apps For Mac?

    Using the best calendar apps for Mac can transform your workflow in the following ways: 

    • Provides a familiar and intuitive user interface that only takes a few minutes to learn
    • Seamlessly integrates with existing appointments from iCloud, Exchange, and other software
    • Compatible with other built-in Mac apps that you can use for complete project management
    • Sends native notifications across multiple Apple devices for full accessibility 

    How Much Do Mac Calendar Apps Cost?

    Some calendar apps for Mac are built-in and come completely free with your Apple device. Others that you can download through the app store may come with a subscription price – typically between $4.99 and $9.99 – or a fee to access extra features.

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    Our Top Picks For The Best Calendar Apps For Mac In 2024

    If you’re on the market for the best calendar apps for Mac, these five should be on your must-try list!

    Microsoft Outlook

    Microsoft Outlook Calendar is a work-focused calendar with some powerful features you won’t get with other software. These include forecasts, collaboration, and support for many other calendars. Not to mention, you can automate every innovative feature on Microsoft Outlook using Integrately!

    👍Pros

    • Appointment templates: If you host regular meetings with the same attendees, templates can save you time on re-inputting the same details.
    • Forecast toolbar: Want to get a quick glimpse of the upcoming week? The forecast toolbar shows you what you have lined up for the next three days.  

    👎Cons

    • No smart entry: While you can use templates to schedule recurring meetings, Outlook doesn’t automatically input frequently-used details.

    Pricing

    You can get Outlook for $69.99/year per user with Office 365 Personal.

    Apple Calendar

    If you’re a fan of keeping all things Apple, this built-in and simple calendar is for you. You can sync appointments on your iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch with it.

    👍Pros

    • Unlimited calendars: You can create as many local calendars as you want and sync them via iCloud.
    • Natural language input: Create appointments using conversational language and let Apple Calendar do the rest!
    • Free: While it may lack some advanced customization options, this calendar app has everything you need without a price tag.

    👎Cons

    • No advanced features: Apple Calendar can go years without an update. The last one added support for Dark Mode.
    • Does not link up with Reminders: While Apple Calendar used to have a built-in task list, you now have to access your to-dos individually through the Reminders app.

    Pricing

    Apple Calendar comes free with all Apple devices.

    Fantastical

    Try Fantastical if you want an app similar to Apple Calendar but with additional, powerful features. Its beautiful interface incorporates an agenda view alongside your calendar and has to be the best-designed MacOS calendar out there.

    👍Pros

    • Identical event recognition: If you accidentally schedule the same event twice, it will only appear once on your calendar but indicate the duplicate.

    • Endless syncing options: There’s almostnoapp Fantasticalcan’tsync with. It’s compatible with iCloud, Exchange, Google, Yahoo, and more.

    👎Cons

    • Premium pricing: While its price isn’t too steep, you’re not going to get Fantastical’s best features without paying for them.

    Pricing

    A paid plan costs $4.99/month.

    BusyCal

    Equipped with a weather forecast and moon phases, there is more to BusyCal than it seems. This highly flexible program is highly customizable and fun to use.

    👍Pros

    • Availability panel: Find the next available time slots in your schedule with this nifty sidebar feature. 
    • Time zones: If you travel a lot or have teams across the world, side panel timezones can make scheduling a lot easier.

    👎Cons

    • Pricey: If you want all of what BusyCal has to offer, you’re going to have to stomach how much it costs.

    Pricing

    BusyCal costs $49.99 and comes with a 30-day free trial.

    Itsycal

    Looking for a highly accessible and handy menu bar calendar? Itsycal is a widget-like calendar that you can conveniently access through an icon.

    👍Pros

    • Customization features: For what it is, Itsycal is relatively customizable. You can toggle between light and dark mode or even change its icon appearance.
    • Everything at a glance: Because of its compressed layout, you’ll get to see everything you need to know about your day in one little extension. For easier access, you can pin this menu bar onto your screen to glance at anytime. 

    👎Cons

    • Not a fully functional calendar: While Itsycal is useful as a widget, it doesn’t boast premium features that other calendars have.

    Pricing

    You can use Itsycal for free.

    Which Calendar App For Mac Should You Use?

    For a lot of Mac users, Apple Calendar’s basic calendar features will suffice. However, if you are looking for something more – such as an app that incorporates to-do lists, customizable calendar colors, availability sharing, and weather alerts – you might be better off with an app like BusyCal or Fantastical.

    In Conclusion

    Whether you’re a student, freelance worker, or business owner, having the right calendar app can help you stay on top of your daily tasks and weekly schedule. We hope these five best calendar apps for Mac can give Apple users a better opportunity to manage their time.

    Are you looking for a way to make scheduling even easier? Automate more than eight million actions with Integrately and save on billable hours for your business!

    FAQs about calendar apps for Mac

    Is there a planner app for Mac?

    Yes – Apple Calendar is Mac’s default calendar app. You can use it alongside Reminders as a planner.

    How can I get my Google Calendar reminders as Mac notifications without getting the browser-based notifications?

    You can easily disable desktop notifications for Google Calendar through Google Chrome preferences. Simply click through to Content settings > Notifications > Manage exceptions, then select “block” for Google Calendar.
    Abhishek Agrawal
    Author - Abhishek A Agrawal
    Abhishek is the founder of Integrately, CompanyHub, and Dreamwares. He is passionate about technology and entrepreneurship. He is always looking to leverage technology for the growth of the business. He has a deep understanding of how businesses work and uses this knowledge to build products that help entrepreneurs grow their businesses.
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