Verithiathe honest score on any app
Updated July 2026 · real, multi-region App Store reviews
Head-to-head

Calendar vs Google Calendar

Calendar 4.9★ · Free to download 75
Winner Calendar
Google Calendar 4.5★ · Free to download 55

Calendar (App A) is a better choice for Apple users due to its deep system integration and generally reliable core functionality, despite some recent issues with data loss and customization, while Google Calendar (App B) struggles with critical bugs and a less user-friendly experience on iOS.

Full reviews: Calendar · Google Calendar

Calendar (App A) benefits from seamless integration with Apple's ecosystem, offering convenience and personalized suggestions, though recent updates have introduced frustrating bugs like data loss and limited customization. Google Calendar (App B), while a popular cross-platform option, is plagued by persistent issues on iOS, including a non-updating app icon, crashing when adding locations, and poor widget functionality.

Head to head

Features tieR2R3R5R6
Calendar Users appreciate Calendar's integration with Apple services like Siri and iMessages for event suggestions R8. However, many desire more customization options, such as specific event times R2, color coding R24R48, and better widget functionality to mark reminders complete or show a month/week view R5R54. There's also a strong demand to filter or remove unwanted holidays R3R6R20.
Google Calendar Google Calendar users on iOS frequently request the app icon to display the current date, similar to Apple's Calendar R65R71R73R75. Many also ask for more color options for events R61R85 and improved, resizable widgets that show more events or a month view R63R72. The ability to set events to repeat every weekday on mobile is also a requested feature .
Ease of Use edge: CalendarR13R20R21R25
Calendar Calendar is generally considered easy to use , especially on iPad with landscape mode R20. However, some users find it confusing to navigate R13 and dislike recent UI changes like the timeline R25 or unremovable sidebar . Issues with reminder settings swapping R21 and the app not defaulting to 'Today' after searching also hinder usability.
Google Calendar Google Calendar is described as intuitive and easy to use by some , but others find it frustrating. Specific complaints include the inability to change text size for accessibility , an annoying month bar , and the ease of accidentally changing or adding events . The lack of a dark mode toggle, relying only on system theme, is also a point of frustration .
Reliability tieR1R4R7R10
Calendar A significant number of recent reviews for Calendar report critical reliability issues, including events disappearing R1R4R10R22, alerts not working R7, and sync problems with other devices . Some users also experience crashes and bugs with updating invites or alert options . Data older than 6 months is reportedly dropped for some users .
Google Calendar Google Calendar users report frequent issues with the app freezing or crashing when trying to add a location to an event . Syncing issues are also common, with changes made on desktop taking days to reflect on the mobile app . Notifications sometimes fail to work , and the app struggles with displaying events past a few years back .
Price/Value edge: CalendarR8R57R58R67
Calendar As a free, pre-installed app, Calendar offers good value for Apple users, especially with its deep system integration R8. However, some users feel the lack of customization and recurring bugs detract from its overall value R57R58.
Google Calendar Google Calendar is also free, but its value is diminished by persistent bugs and missing features on iOS, leading some users to consider paying for an alternative R67. The inability to display the current date on the app icon is a frequent complaint that impacts its perceived value .
Support tieR3R4R6R10
Calendar Users express frustration over unaddressed issues, such as the inability to remove certain holidays R3R6 or fix bugs like event deletion R4R10. The lack of frequent updates separate from iOS is also a concern .
Google Calendar Users frequently report long-standing bugs, particularly with the location field causing crashes, suggesting a lack of timely fixes from developers . Requests for features like an updating app icon have also gone unaddressed for a long time .
Pick Calendar if

You are an Apple user who values deep system integration with Siri and other Apple services R8. You prioritize a generally straightforward calendar experience and are willing to tolerate occasional bugs or limitations in customization .

Pick Google Calendar if

You need a cross-platform calendar solution that syncs with your Google account, especially if you use it extensively on desktop . You might be willing to overlook significant iOS-specific bugs, like location field crashes and a static app icon, for the sake of ecosystem consistency .

Evidence note: Both apps are free, so there is no free-vs-paid asymmetry. Recent reviews for both apps show a negative skew due to recurring bugs and unaddressed feature requests.

Frequently asked

Does Calendar (App A) or Google Calendar (App B) have better widgets?
Neither app has universally praised widgets; Calendar (App A) users want more options like marking reminders complete from the widget or a month/week view R5R54, while Google Calendar (App B) users frequently request resizable widgets that show more events or a full month calendar R63R72.
Do these calendar apps have issues with data loss?
Yes, both apps have users reporting data loss issues; Calendar (App A) users frequently report events disappearing or being deleted R1R4R10R22, and some mention data older than 6 months being dropped . Google Calendar (App B) users report that events older than a few years disappear when trying to view them .
Can I customize event colors in these apps?
Calendar (App A) users desire more color options for events R24R48, indicating current customization is limited. Google Calendar (App B) users also frequently request more event color customization options, noting the colors have been the same for a long time and the new look is less colorful R61R85.
Which app has a dynamic icon showing the current date?
Calendar (App A) has a dynamic icon that shows the current date, which is appreciated by users R65R71. Google Calendar (App B) does not, with its icon consistently showing '31,' a frequent and frustrating complaint from users who wish it would update daily like Apple's R65R71R73R75.

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. [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
  2. [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
  3. [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.
  4. [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!
  5. [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.
  6. [R20] Calendar 4/5 · US Very useful in iPad: This is a great app on iPad due to being able to use it in landscape mode and the bigger screen real estate. Would really really like the ability to edit (and delete) unwanted holidays. They get in the way and it would very useful to be able to reclaim the screen space they take up.
  7. [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
  8. [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.
  9. [R1] Calendar 1/5 · US Frustrating: All my events are gone, and are no where to be found. Incredibly frustrating
  10. [R4] Calendar 2/5 · US Whyyyy: Why whole calendar keeps getting deleted I feel like every other week…
  11. [R7] Calendar 1/5 · US Alerts don't work: My alerts don't work like they use too!! Apple sucks!!
  12. [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.
  13. [R8] Calendar 4/5 · US Almost Perfect for Any Apple User: Apple’s calendar app has one leg up over the competition, and that is the integration with its products and services. I can ask Siri for the next event on my calendar from any of my Apple devices, and I can get personalized suggestions for new events as well based on conversations in iMessages or Apple Mail. There is one problem with this app, though, and it is t
  14. [R57] Calendar 3/5 · US Poor execution: It’s a calendar. How bad can it be? It’s one of the least changed and updated apps in their library. It’s just not user friendly. They should default (or at least have a setting to default) to travel time being “on” and set to “current location”. Also the preset reminder times is a weird choice. I want variable hours and days. Not preset reminders that trigger at weird intervals.
  15. [R58] Calendar 1/5 · US What a pain to switch from Samsung calendar: I had to switch to Apple since all my family using iPhones, but I'm really missing my Samsung calendar when you can put stickers and colors to the events, I'm visual person, it was helping a lot. I guess I'll stick with Google calendar even it's acting a bit glitchy on the iPhones.
  16. [R67] Google Calendar 1/5 · US Terrible: This is the worst calendar app on the market. I would rather pay for one than use this for free.
  17. [R54] Calendar 3/5 · US Needs more customization: Needs a better widget calendar that shows month view along with top scheduled appts for each day. Also want to show full day of the week on the lock screen. Not just an abbreviation.
  18. [R63] 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
  19. [R72] Google Calendar 3/5 · US Can’t resize widgets: I live by my calendar and need a good widget so I can see it at a glance without opening the app - the widget is so small it can only display 3 events. Needs to be resizable.
  20. [R22] Calendar 1/5 · US Where’s my stuff?: Out of nowhere every single work entry I’ve ever made just disappeared. Why?
  21. [R24] Calendar 3/5 · US Add Color Coding: Overall well functioning, but I'd love to have color options to organize different types of events and keep track of them easier
  22. [R48] Calendar 3/5 · US More customization: very simple app to use but I really wish they allowed you to customize your calendar more possible like maybe a few different fonts and different color options to choose from!
  23. [R61] Google Calendar 2/5 · US Colors disappeared: Where did the color options for markings go? Now there's only one default color. · translated
  24. [R85] Google Calendar 1/5 · US Bring back the classic Google Calendar feel!: 1. Bring back the original app icon. The new icon feels out of place and doesn’t fit as well with Google’s overall design language and branding. 2. Add more event color customization options. This has been requested by many users. 3. Make the app icon reflect the current day. It would make the app more functional and visually useful at a glance.
  25. [R65] 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 🙏🙏🙏
  26. [R71] Google Calendar 4/5 · US 31?: Great app but can you please make the icon show the date instead of always saying 31? Check out Apple’s calendar icon as an example.
  27. [R73] Google Calendar 2/5 · US App Icon: Please change the app icon to something other than a static number. I have to use this app for work and having the native apple calendar app displaying the correct date next to this app on my Home Screen makes this app look like a joke. Easy fix for a proper design decision.
  28. [R75] Google Calendar 3/5 · US Suggestions: Can you please make it so the app icon has today’s date? And is there a way to delete past events, but not one by one?

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