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Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
User consensusAlternativesIs it worth it?
Better options than

Calendar alternatives

Users often seek alternatives to the default Calendar app due to issues with data loss, syncing problems, and limited customization. Many look for more robust features like advanced widgets, better holiday filtering, and improved shared calendar functionality.

Why users look for alternatives to Calendar

The alternatives

Structured
4.8★ · 162,114 ratings · Free

Structured is a daily planner app designed to help users organize their day with a straightforward UI and a focus on task management R52R61. It allows for detailed scheduling and has been praised for its continuous improvements based on user feedback .

Better for: Structured is better for individuals who need a highly structured daily planner, especially those with ADHD, who benefit from its clear organization and task management features R53R61. It suits users who appreciate a clean interface and regular updates based on community input R52. However, the free version is very limited, only allowing 3 events per day, and the Pro plan can be expensive, with lifetime prices increasing R54R56.

Head-to-head: Calendar vs Structured
Google Calendar
4.5★ · 130,757 ratings · Free

Google Calendar is a widely used app for planning and scheduling events . It offers basic calendar functionality and is often used for work .

Better for: Google Calendar is better for users who need a reliable, free calendar that integrates well with other Google services . It's suitable for those who don't mind a static app icon that doesn't show the current date R69 and can manage without a dark mode toggle R68. However, it has limitations such as small widget size , lack of an 'every weekday' repeat option on mobile R74, and no text size adjustment for accessibility .

Head-to-head: Calendar vs Google Calendar
Calendars
4.7★ · 120,341 ratings · Free

Calendars is an app known for its ease of use, color-coding, and month-at-a-glance view R80. It offers a good view of weekly appointments on iPhone and tasks on OS .

Better for: Calendars is better for users who prioritize an easy-to-use interface with strong visual organization through color coding R80. It's particularly good for those who need a clear month-at-a-glance view and a good display of weekly appointments . However, the free version is very limited, requiring payment for recurring events and other basic features R84. Users have also reported issues with calendars disappearing if Apple or Google Calendar apps are deleted R81 and inconsistent syncing with shared calendars .

Head-to-head: Calendar vs Calendars
TimeTree
4.9★ · 87,770 ratings · Free

TimeTree is a shared calendar app that is convenient and easy to use, especially for couples and families to keep track of events R97R98R103. It allows users to add notes or locations and color-code events R103.

Better for: TimeTree is better for couples and families who need a shared calendar that works across different operating systems R97R103. It's praised for its ease of use and ability to color-code events and add details like notes and locations R98R103. However, the free version is heavily criticized for intrusive and numerous ads R93R96R98, and some users have experienced data loss or difficulty setting night shift schedules R94.

Head-to-head: Calendar vs TimeTree
Calendar · Planner & Reminders
4.6★ · 59,065 ratings · Free

Calendar · Planner & Reminders is an app designed to help users organize daily events and manage bills R108.

Better for: Calendar · Planner & Reminders is better for users who need a straightforward app for daily event planning and reminder management R108. However, many users who pay for the Pro version still experience constant ads and pop-ups, making it a frustrating experience R107R109R113. There are also reports of the app deleting entered events and birthdays .

Head-to-head: Calendar vs Calendar · Planner & Reminders
Stick with Calendar if

You should stick with the main Calendar app if you are deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem and rely on features like Siri integration and personalized event suggestions from iMessages or Apple Mail . It is also a good choice if you find the app generally useful on an iPad due to landscape mode and screen real estate , and if you don't encounter the common bugs or missing features reported by other users .

Evidence note: No alternative had too-thin evidence.

Frequently asked

Why do users switch from the default Calendar app?
Users switch from the default Calendar app primarily due to frequent data loss where events disappear R1R4R10R22, issues with alerts not working correctly R7R21R44, and a lack of customization options for event times, colors, and holiday filtering R2R3R6R11.
Which calendar app is best for sharing with family?
TimeTree is highly recommended for sharing with family and significant others, as it allows users on both Apple and Android devices to see and edit events, add notes, locations, and color-code items, making it very convenient for coordinating schedules R97R98R103.
Are there free calendar apps with recurring events?
While some calendar apps offer free versions, several alternatives like Calendars and Structured limit recurring events to their paid Pro versions R54R62R84. Google Calendar offers recurring events in its free version, but some users have noted the mobile app lacks an 'every weekday' option R74.
Which calendar app is good for ADHD?
Structured is specifically mentioned as being beneficial for individuals with ADHD due to its structured daily planning and straightforward user interface R53R61. However, the free version is very limited, and daily task repetition often requires the paid Pro plan R54R62.
Do paid calendar apps still show ads?
Some paid calendar apps, such as Calendar · Planner & Reminders, have been reported by users to still display ads and pop-ups even after purchasing a monthly or annual subscription R107R109R113R116.

What reviewers actually said

Built only from these 120 real reviews (foreign ones translated). Superscripts jump to the quote here. Apple has no per-review links, so [ref] opens that app's reviews on the App Store.

  1. [R1] Calendar 1/5 · US Frustrating: All my events are gone, and are no where to be found. Incredibly frustrating
  2. [R4] Calendar 2/5 · US Whyyyy: Why whole calendar keeps getting deleted I feel like every other week…
  3. [R10] Calendar 1/5 · US Disappear: I used to like this calendar. Not anymore. I constantly lose my past schedules. It is July 2026 and June 2026 is gone. I schedule reminders for Birthday’s. They never happen.
  4. [R22] Calendar 1/5 · US Where’s my stuff?: Out of nowhere every single work entry I’ve ever made just disappeared. Why?
  5. [R7] Calendar 1/5 · US Alerts don't work: My alerts don't work like they use too!! Apple sucks!!
  6. [R21] Calendar 3/5 · US It’s decent but makes me mad: I keep trying to make the first reminder 5 minutes before and my second reminder at time of event but IT KEEPS SWAPPING THEM
  7. [R44] Calendar 4/5 · US Alert Options Need Improvement: I really like the Apple calendar. However, the alert feature needs improvement. When I choose more than one alert, it automatically flips my selections. For example: My selections: Alert > 1 week before event 2nd alert > 1 day before Apple defect (switches my entries to): Alert > 1 day before event 2nd Alert > 1 week before event This is a clear defect and fi
  8. [R2] Calendar 4/5 · US Good but add specific times for events not just times that end in zeros and fives: Wonderful organization but add specific times for events not just times that end in zeros and fives and stickers and more colors that personalize it
  9. [R3] Calendar 3/5 · US I’d like a refund: I like this app, I use it for everything. I would like more access to change things; example: how are Jewish and Islamic holidays considered “U.S. Holiday” ( which is not true) and I can’t remove the holiday so it’s not in my calendar reminder
  10. [R6] Calendar 3/5 · US Optional Holidays: Apple, please make it possible to filter different holidays. We don’t all want to see Christian, Jewish, and Islamic holidays wholesale or none at all. Please add filters!
  11. [R11] Calendar 4/5 · US Adequate: I don't really use it in Apple's native environment; it syncs to another productivity app. It would be nice on the birthday calendar, which is read only, if I could at least change the color to something more appealing than grey.
  12. [R5] Calendar 4/5 · US Decent but needs improvement: Widgets need more options. Specifically, you should be able to mark a reminder complete by clicking on it in the widget. You should not have to open the app to mark a reminder complete. Also, need a widget that shows events in a month/weeks long calendar view. Something other apps offer.
  13. [R36] Calendar 3/5 · US Would like month at a glance feature: The "Details" view in the month calendar is a great idea, but the execution is frustrating. Because the event font is so large, the app stretches out the grid so much that you can only see two weeks at a time. I want a true "month at a glance" where I can see the text for the entire month on one screen. Please add a font-scaling option so we can shrink the tex
  14. [R49] Calendar 2/5 · US List View Needs to Show Multiple Days Events: The list view needs to show multiple days worth of events and reminders in the same manner that Fantastical and Google calendar do. This App should also be updated by Apple separately from the iOS updates to allow for more frequent rollout of new features and design changes.
  15. [R15] Calendar 3/5 · US Sync issues: Takes forever to sync with other devices
  16. [R17] Calendar 4/5 · US Great app but issue with updating Invites: Whenever I’ve updated an invite that was already sent out by editing the Repeat from weekly to an actual end date , the people who already accepted the invite initially still have the problem showing the invite repeated as weekly forever versus what I updated with the end date. Could this please be looked into? Otherwise the app has been a great use!
  17. [R18] Calendar 3/5 · US Requires Manual Intervention: Pro: I think you’re able to add pics/attachments unlike Google. Cons: Notifications won’t go away until you touch it. Some apps will only use Apple even though I prefer Google, and I have to manually sync every single important event because it defaults to the wrong calendar.
  18. [R30] Calendar 3/5 · US Calendar sharing: I’m having a hard time sharing my calendar events with my husband, he gets them doubled to him! When he sends them to me, they come doubled. When I go to delete one, it deletes both. It worked at first but now it’s doing this. We have had fights over it as I’m OCD and can’t do two items the same in my calendar! Please someone help me with this issue. We do a lot of things and he’
  19. [R13] Calendar 1/5 · US Confusing for me: I might just be bad at navigating, but I hate using this app. It requires some scrolling and clicking small buttons, which is not my kind of thing. I tried to add a new calendar but it didn’t even alert me and a birthday was still there.
  20. [R19] Calendar 2/5 · US Do Apple's sw engineers ever USE their Apps?: Lost three Stars: Most recent iteration does away with "HIDE ALL" for all Calendars, so for using Apple Calendar to search for past present or future events it sadistically makes arthritic hands go thru a meaningless waste of time clicking off all other myriad categories in order to usefully search their sole category of interest for one event, then h
  21. [R25] Calendar 1/5 · US Timeline Unecessary: I don’t like the new format. I don’t need to see the time line all the way down. I’m sure some people it’s helpful, however, I like the simpler look. I already have times and alerts added to my events.
  22. [R27] Calendar 3/5 · US Can’t remove sidebar: I used this app for years, decades, and now suddenly there’s a side bar that I can’t remove. If you’re going to add things that we didn’t need, at least make it obvious how to remove them when we don’t want them. 😑
  23. [R16] Calendar 1/5 · US Rouge Calendar: Just recently whenever I put Inneh project item, reminder event it always and save the information it erases all my login information on Calendar. Something needs to be done to fix this bug.
  24. [R37] Calendar 2/5 · US Keeps crashing: It’s been crashing a lot lately. Does it need an update?
  25. [R42] Calendar 3/5 · US glitch: I was setting a event Until all of a sudden it kicks me out on the home screen, and when I get back in all of a sudden, my data disappears and all my events are gone I tried recovering them from iCloud but that didn’t work so I had to put the same events on there like last time before it kicked me out.
  26. [R48] Calendar 3/5 · GB Locations disappearing?: There seems to be a bug where the locations on an event keep disappearing. I’m having to re-enter them when it happens.
  27. [R40] Calendar 1/5 · US Sexual Calendar Entries Allowed: Allows uninvited calendar entries to show up on the calendar from junk mail. I have a whole bunch of junk email every day with people sending nasty calendar invites that I have never accepted showing up with sexual meeting invites that I cannot make go away they just keep showing up on the calendar, making it useless to use without seeing these things. The whole
  28. [R52] Structured 5/5 · US Love: I've been using Structured every day for a couple years now. It's very straightforward to use and the UI isn't overwhelming. Plus, the team actually takes user feedback into consideration when updating the app.
  29. [R53] Structured 3/5 · US Good but could use improvement.: I am trying this app out, but find myself severely disappointed in how app handles “overlapping” tasks. I juggle 2 jobs with variable schedules, and have ADHD which this app claims to be aimed at, so I schedule out work shifts in my calendar so I visualize my week and plan other events around them. I want to be able to nest work tasks within that scheduled time, bu
  30. [R54] Structured 2/5 · US Free version too limited: Can only add 3 events per day with the free version. Want you to pay $30/year. No way to hide the AI button in the middle of the screen that you need to pay for.
  31. [R56] Structured 1/5 · US Too expensive: The price for this ?!? Ridiculously expensive
  32. [R65] Google Calendar 2/5 · US Colors disappeared: Where did the color options for markings go? Now there's only one default color. · translated
  33. [R67] Google Calendar 3/5 · US More widgets: Missing a full size schedule widget and calendar widget (similar to minicals design if possible for the calendar widget) in my opinion
  34. [R68] Google Calendar 1/5 · US No Dark Mode Toggle: Dark/Light mode cannot be set, and is only based on the system theme. The 3-way Dark/Light/System theme toggle had been an app standard since 2020. If you advertise 'dark mode' as a feature of this app, then just give us a setting for it.
  35. [R69] Google Calendar 4/5 · US Please make the app button change date: The app works well on my phone, but it’s really frustrating that the logo doesn’t change on the app like the Apple calendar. It would be nice to see the actual date on my screen. Please change this 🙏🙏🙏
  36. [R79] Calendars 1/5 · US Disappointed: Had this app for an about two years have lost all of my important dates twice! Look for a better and more reliable app!
  37. [R80] Calendars 5/5 · US Excellent: So easy to use, everything color coded makes it easy to see at a glance.
  38. [R81] Calendars 3/5 · US Calendars kept dissapearing because you have to have an apple or Google calender already: My whole calender disappeared and the whole reason I had it was because I had deleted the Apple calendars app but it needs it for it to work? Defeats the whole purpose of a calender app
  39. [R82] Calendars 1/5 · US Could not even use because it wouldn’t load: Just like the title says.
  40. [R93] TimeTree 1/5 · US 100% NOT worth it: Why can’t I export this calendar to something like Google Calendar?? I’m forced to use this one now. The ads at the top make the overall calendar hideous. Money hungry app that forces you to pay if you don’t want to see ads. Please just use Google calendar or Apple calendar.
  41. [R94] TimeTree 4/5 · US Night shift: Ok love this app but it’s hard to set a night shift schedule when I work go into work at 11:30 pm on say a Monday and get off work at 7:30am on the following Tuesday
  42. [R95] TimeTree 3/5 · US Good product: Overall good product. It’s only screwed me one time when I put in a doctors appointment for 8:30 AM and when it was saved and you go out of the appointment, it showed 9:30 AM could not fix that event. Had to delete it and redo it but I didn’t notice that until after I missed my appointment.
  43. [R96] TimeTree 2/5 · US ads: too many ads, very annoying. other than that works well.
  44. [R107] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 2/5 · US Not Getting What I Paid For Again: I paid for the Pro version of this app, and I am experiencing for the third time this year not getting what I have paid for. When I use the contact link on the developer site, I continually get an error that my message cannot be sent. This app is fine if you don’t mind constant ads but be aware that you will get them even if you pay not to.
  45. [R108] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 5/5 · US Reeee-View: Great App to keep ur Bills from bumping into your Oops and ur Laters fom bumping into your Nows!
  46. [R109] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 3/5 · US Good but…: I love this app but it constantly makes me “restore” my subscription. Which is not a be deal in theory, but when you have to pull up your calendar fast but then have watch a one minute ad (when you pay 5 dollars a month), it’s not ideal… please fix this problem!! I might have to look for another calendar app if it’s not resolved.
  47. [R110] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 2/5 · US Missing part of words: Don’t like the look
  48. [R97] TimeTree 5/5 · US I love it: Me an my significant other have been looking for a calendar to share and this works great for us !
  49. [R98] TimeTree 3/5 · US Great Calendar for Fam, Obnoxious ads…: Pros: Great planner for keeping up to date with family. Convenient and easy to use. Easy to navigate and set up. Cons: Too many ads, many large and invasive. Ads take up 1/3 the screen. Gambling and casino ads. :( Recommendation: Make small banner ads at the bottom. Ads make the app look low quality and shady.
  50. [R103] TimeTree 5/5 · US Wife-hub: I love this app very convenient and always recommend to my couples friends! I have Apple and hubs has android and this is so great for me keeping track of everything with our toddler and families. Allows him to see and edit also! You can add notes or locations for events and I’m a visual person so I color code certain things like Dr apt.
  51. [R62] Structured 1/5 · US You can do better: As a Person with severe ADHD, I think this app is not giving me the opportunity to be organized. Without the Structured Pro plan, I can’t repeat some of the tasks that I need to do on a daily basis. To be honest, I do not have the money and patience for having to pay for this pro to only get 2 things unlocked. I know you guys got an Apple Award but the only award I would be givi
  52. [R74] Google Calendar 1/5 · US need every weekday option on mobile: really need the option to repeat a calendar item every weekday on the mobile app not just on desktop
  53. [R84] Calendars 3/5 · US Don’t bother if looking for free: Can’t even have weekly events repeat without buying Pro. Thanks but no thanks.
  54. [R61] Structured 5/5 · US LOVEEE: I have been using this app for over a year now and I love it so much. It helps me plan my day a lot easier than any other way. One thing I do wish was that you could just write things down without worrying about putting a time down. Thats my only complaint tho and I love every other thing about structured! (Update I learned you actually can do that nvm!) I love the app even more now!
  55. [R113] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 1/5 · US Ads?: Why do I get ads? I pay for subscription
  56. [R116] Calendar · Planner & Reminders 2/5 · US Pop ups?: Not sure why you get a pop up every time you open the calendar? I payed for the premium subscription and still get pop ups? Very disappointing

Synthesized from 120 recent App Store reviews · updated July 2026 · View on the App Store