I Tested the 9 Best Calendar Apps: My Honest Review

The constant juggling of work tasks, personal events, and last-minute changes often left me feeling overwhelmed and disorganized. Between missed deadlines, overlapping meetings, and the sheer chaos of managing personal and professional commitments, I knew I needed a solution. 

When I finally decided to take control, I realized I needed one of the best calendar apps to streamline scheduling and bring order to the madness.

For years, I relied on a mishmash of sticky notes, scattered phone reminders, and mental math to keep track of my schedule—and let’s just say it wasn’t working. Important events slipped through the cracks, meetings overlapped, and planning my day became a source of stress rather than clarity. 

After countless hours of research, I’ve tested 15+ of the best calendar apps. I’ve analyzed their features, usability, and what G2 reviewers had to say to identify the ones that truly stand out. In this article, I’m sharing my findings so you can choose the app that’s right for you.

Whether you're managing a packed work schedule, coordinating with a team, or just trying to remember your dentist appointment, there’s an app here that can simplify your life and help you stay organized.

My top 9 best calendar app recommendations for 2025

A calendar app is a digital tool designed to help you organize, schedule, and track your daily activities, appointments, and tasks in one convenient place. These tools helped me go beyond traditional paper calendars and offered features like reminders and event integrations, making them one of my favorite tools to stay productive.

When I first started at G2, managing my time felt like a constant challenge—one that still makes me cringe. I once scheduled multiple back-to-back meetings without realizing they overlapped, leaving me scrambling between tabs, trying to juggle calls. That chaos made me realize how crucial it is to have a reliable calendar app to streamline my schedule.

Once I began using one, scheduling became effortless. I could quickly identify available time slots without endless back-and-forth emails, integrate video calls seamlessly, and ensure no meeting or task slipped through the cracks. These apps transformed my workflow, reduced stress, and allowed me to focus on the work that truly mattered.

What I look for in a calendar app

When selecting a calendar app, I prioritize a few key features that make managing my time more efficient:

• Easy scheduling: Managing meetings across different time zones can be a nightmare without the right tools. I need an app that can detect time zones automatically, analyze mutual availability, and suggest optimal meeting slots without constant back-and-forth communication. This is especially helpful when coordinating with remote teams or clients in various parts of the world. By automating these tasks, the app saves me time, reduces scheduling conflicts, and ensures meetings are set up efficiently, even when working with complex global schedules.
• Collaboration features: Seamless team coordination is essential for productivity. I often must share my calendar with colleagues for group scheduling, project planning, or aligning deadlines. An app that allows me to add collaborators easily customize access permissions (e.g., view-only or full-edit rights), and view others' availability simplifies this process. This eliminates the need for long email chains or manual checks, ensuring everyone stays on the same page. 
• User-friendly interface: With a packed schedule, I don’t want to waste time navigating a cluttered or overly complex app. A clean, intuitive interface lets me view my day, week, or month at a glance, ensuring I never miss an important task or meeting. Features like color-coded events, drag-and-drop scheduling, and customizable layouts make it easier to organize my time and adapt the calendar to my workflow. By minimizing the learning curve and navigation time, I can focus on my priorities instead of struggling with the tool itself.
• Artificial intelligence assistance: AI can take scheduling to the next level by offering features like conflict detection, automatic rescheduling, and meeting prioritization based on urgency or importance. AI can also learn my habits, such as preferred meeting times or recurring tasks, and proactively suggest schedules that align with my routines. This helps reduce decision fatigue, ensures that my schedule is optimized, and even prevents overbooking by identifying gaps or overlaps in advance.
• Mobile access: Since I’m often away from my desk, having robust mobile access to my calendar ensures I can stay organized no matter where I am. A responsive app with a fully functional mobile version allows me to schedule, reschedule, or cancel events on the go. Features like offline access, mobile notifications, and quick syncing with desktop versions make it easy to manage my day without missing a beat. This is particularly useful during travel or when unexpected changes arise.
• Payment integration: For events or appointments that involve payments—such as consultations, workshops, or freelance gigs—having built-in payment processing tools is invaluable. It eliminates the hassle of juggling third-party platforms and the calendar app, allowing me to handle scheduling and transactions in one place. This streamlines my workflow and enhances the experience for clients or participants by making the process seamless and professional.
• Customizable notifications and reminders: Effective time management relies on timely reminders, but a one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work for everyone. The best calendar app should allow customizable notifications for different events and tasks. For example, I might want a reminder an hour before a meeting but a full day’s notice for an important deadline. Adjusting these reminders based on priority or event type helps me stay organized and prepared without being overwhelmed by constant pings. 

Ultimately, the right calendar app should save me time, reduce stress, and provide me with the tools to manage my workday easily, allowing me to focus on what matters most.

The list below contains genuine user reviews from our best calendar software category page. To be included in this category, software must:

• Allow scheduling from individual or collaborating users
• Enable users to share collaborative calendars
• Feature customizable viewing options (e.g., day, week, month, year)
• Facilitate scheduling of tasks, meetings, appointments, or events

This data has been pulled from G2 in 2025. Some reviews have been edited for clarity.

1. Google Workspace

I’ve used Google Calendar, part of the Google Workspace suite, for over five years now, and it’s definitely become an essential part of my daily routine.

What I’ve always liked is how effortlessly everything syncs across devices, making scheduling so much easier. The integration with other Google services, like Gmail and Google Meet, is super convenient. Whenever I get a meeting invite via email, it automatically adds all the details to my calendar. If it’s a Google Meet session, the link is right there, making it simple to jump into the meeting.

When setting up meetings, I can check someone’s availability in real-time. The “Find a Time” feature makes scheduling easier by showing available slots, so I don’t have to deal with the usual back-and-forth emails, especially when coordinating meetings across different time zones. 

Another thing I really appreciate is the reminder notifications. Whether it's an email or pop-up alert, it ensures I don’t miss important meetings or deadlines. Plus, I can set specific times for these reminders, allowing me to stay on top of tasks at the right moment.

While the calendar’s default views are effective, a more detailed “Agenda View” that groups meetings by category or priority (with collapsible sections) could help better plan for busy days. 

I think it could still improve by offering more granular control over what guests can do with the events they’re invited to. Giving hosts more options, like restricting whether guests can invite others or edit event details, would improve collaboration and reduce unnecessary changes.

What I dislike about Google Workspace:

• I experienced limited control over guest permissions. This made it challenging to restrict editing or prevent others from inviting participants. 
• I found the lack of a detailed "Agenda View" frustrating.  This made it difficult to quickly assess my schedule and prioritize tasks effectively.

What G2 users dislike about Google Workspace:

“When deleting a user and transferring calendar ownership, the process can be a bit buggy. As an admin, I can move most meetings, but the transferred ones remain locked, preventing me from managing them.”

- Google Workspace Review, Chays V.

2. Microsoft Outlook 

Before working with Microsoft Outlook, I was already familiar with its reputation within the Microsoft ecosystem, so I had high expectations. Outlook Calendar focuses on the calendar functionality tied to your Outlook email account.

I was curious to see how well it would integrate with the entire Microsoft 365 suite, and I was pleasantly surprised by how effortlessly it worked. Integrating Microsoft Teams for video calls and collaboration within calendar invites was especially convenient. The ability to add OneDrive files directly to events and easily sync emails from Outlook into calendar invites helped streamline my day-to-day tasks.

 Another thing I particularly liked was the robust search functionality, which made it easy to quickly find past events, emails, or files related to specific meetings or tasks.

Outlook Calendar can be overwhelming at first. The interface has so many options and menus that it can feel a bit cluttered, especially for someone who’s not super familiar with the tool. It took me a little time to figure out how to navigate efficiently, and sometimes, it felt like the default views didn’t help me find things quickly enough.

What I dislike about Google Workspace:

• I found the interface overwhelming, with too many options and menus. The cluttered design made it hard to focus on what was important.
• The default views were confusing and slowed navigation for new users like myself. 

What G2 users dislike about Google Workspace:

“In my experience, Outlook can sometimes be slow, especially with many emails or attachments. Setting it up for the first time can also be tricky for new users, as some features are hard to find or use. Additionally, more customization options for the interface would improve the overall user experience.”

- Outlook Review, Kayden K.

3. Zoom Workplace 

Having used Zoom Calendar, part of the Zoom Workplace suite, extensively to manage personal and professional schedules, I’ve come to appreciate its many features and integrations. 

One of the standout aspects of Zoom Calendar is how seamlessly it syncs with Google Calendar and Outlook. This ensures that all my meetings, including Zoom links, are automatically added without any extra effort. 

Zoom Workplace’s integration with payment solutions is particularly useful for hosting webinars and paid events. The ability to accept payments directly within the platform streamlined the booking process, making it incredibly convenient for me and the participants.

Zoom Calendar also integrates with task management tools like Asana and Trello. This integration allows me to automatically link meeting events to specific tasks, providing an all-in-one platform for tracking deadlines and action items.

However, not everything was perfect. One issue I encountered was Zoom Calendar’s handling of time zone adjustments. When scheduling meetings across multiple time zones, it didn’t always sync correctly, which sometimes led to confusion or missed meetings. This was especially problematic when coordinating with participants in different regions, as the time zone discrepancies weren’t always clear.

Another downside I noticed was the basic notification settings. While the reminders are functional, the ability to customize when and how you receive notifications is quite limited. As someone who relies on timely reminders to stay organized, I find this lack of granular control over notifications to be a bit frustrating, especially when I need more flexibility in managing my schedule.

What I dislike about Zoom Workplace:

• I encountered inconsistent time zone syncing, which sometimes caused scheduling issues. This inconsistency led to confusion when coordinating with people across different time zones.
• The limited notification customization didn’t allow me to tailor alerts to my preferences. As a result, I often missed important reminders or received unnecessary notifications.

What G2 users dislike about Zoom Workplace:

“Despite improvements, Zoom has faced ongoing scrutiny over security concerns, such as "Zoombombing" (unauthorized participants disrupting meetings) and potential vulnerabilities related to data encryption. While steps have been taken to enhance security, these concerns remain present. For our organization, we've also noticed that ZoomInfo appears to be capturing our data and using it on their platform. This raises concerns for us, as our information might be sold or used in ways that aren’t entirely transparent.”

- Zoom Workplace Review, Debbie Y.

4. Calendly Sales

Calendly Sales has been a total game-changer for me. It eliminates the back-and-forth emails I used to deal with when scheduling meetings. By sharing my scheduling link, others can pick a time that suits them based on my availability. 

The automatic blocking of unavailable times and syncing with my Google Calendar ensures no double-booking or missed appointments. It has also saved me a lot of time coordinating schedules.

I also really like the ability to customize my booking page. I can add personalized questions, various meeting types, and time slots, which gives it a more tailored feel for my clients.

Integrating payments via Stripe or PayPal has also been especially useful. It allows me to collect payments upfront before confirming sales, streamlining the entire process for my clients.

However, one downside is that Calendly doesn’t have its own native video conferencing feature. Although it integrates well with platforms like Zoom, relying on third-party tools can be a minor inconvenience. 

Additionally, while Calendly works great with Google and Outlook calendars, more advanced features, like integrations with Salesforce, Zapier, or Zoom, are locked behind the premium plans. For businesses needing these features, the cost of the premium plans could be a dealbreaker. 

Another thing I didn't like is the lack of a built-in reminder feature for clients. While I can set reminders on my calendar, it would be helpful to have a way to send automatic reminders directly through Calendly to ensure clients don't forget their meetings.

What I dislike about Calendly Sales:

• I missed having a native video conferencing feature, which relies on third-party tools like Zoom. This added an extra step to the scheduling process and made the experience less seamless.
• Advanced features, like integrations with Salesforce or Zapier, were only available on expensive premium plans. This limited access to powerful tools unless I upgraded, which felt restrictive for users on a budget.

What G2 users dislike about Calendly Sales:

“One downside is that I can’t connect my email accounts unless I upgrade. Also, the confirmation emails are too long and confusing. A simpler format would make it easier for my older clients.”

- Calendly Review, Jeri B.

5. Zoho Mail

Initially, I hesitated to use Zoho Mail Calendar because I assumed it might be overly complex, given its deep integration with Zoho CRM and its reputation for robust business tools. 

I expected the calendar to be tailored more for advanced CRM functionalities, potentially making it cumbersome for everyday use. However, I was pleasantly surprised by how intuitive and user-friendly it was. One of Zoho Mail Calendar’s biggest advantages is how seamlessly it connects with other apps in the Zoho suite.  If you're already using Zoho products, the calendar naturally complements these tools, keeping everything in sync without switching between platforms. 

Its strong collaboration features stood out to me—creating shared calendars and scheduling events with multiple team members is simple, and syncing availability across departments makes coordinating meetings effortless. 

While its functionality impressed me, the calendar interface feels a bit outdated and clunky compared to more modern tools like Google Calendar or Outlook. Navigating through different views, such as day, week, or month, lacks the smoothness and visual appeal of polished alternatives, making it functional but less enjoyable.

What I dislike about Zoho Mail:

• The interface felt clunky, and the design lacked the modern, intuitive feel that would have made scheduling faster and more enjoyable.
• Switching between views wasn’t smooth. The lag between transitions disrupted my workflow and made it harder to manage my calendar effectively.

What G2 users dislike about Zoho Mail:

“Zoho Mail's extensive features can feel overwhelming for new users, as the platform has a steeper learning curve than simpler email tools, requiring time to fully grasp its functionalities. Additionally, while Zoho Mail integrates seamlessly with other Zoho apps, users relying on non-Zoho productivity tools may encounter challenges with third-party compatibility, which isn’t as smooth as within the Zoho ecosystem.”

- Zoho Mail Review, Anubhav M.

6. Apollo.io

Having been familiar with Apollo.io's reputation for sales engagement and prospecting, I was curious to see how its calendar feature would perform. 

One standout aspect was the ability to design meeting templates with fields like objectives and key discussion points. This feature significantly streamlined the meeting process by ensuring each meeting had a strong agenda. 

The smooth integration with CRM platforms also allowed for quick access to prospect data. Pulling prospect information directly into the calendar removed the need to toggle between multiple platforms, allowing for faster decision-making and a more organized workflow. This was particularly valuable when handling a high volume of prospects and meetings, as it allowed me to manage them with ease and precision.

The calendar's customization options felt somewhat limited. For example, while it was easy to set up templates, the calendar lacked the flexibility to apply specific rules for different meeting types or set detailed parameters for recurring events. This could have further tailored the workflows to specific needs.

Moreover, while Apollo.io excels for sales-related meetings, it lacks standard calendar features like event categorization or task management platform integrations, making it less versatile for balancing professional and personal schedules.

What I dislike about Apollo.io:

• I found limited customization options for recurring events and meeting types. This made it harder to tailor my calendar to my specific needs and resulted in repetitive manual adjustments.
• It lacked features like event categorization and task management, which would have been helpful. Without these tools, I struggled to efficiently organize and prioritize different types of meetings and tasks.

What G2 users dislike about Apollo.io:

“It lacks the ability to send out availability links restricted to specific time frames.”

- Apollo.io Review, Mesfin M.

7. Acuity Scheduling

When I used the calendar feature in Acuity Scheduling, I was impressed by its highly customizable booking pages. The ability to fully tailor the design to match my brand made the whole scheduling process feel cohesive and professional, which was a pleasant surprise.

I also felt that the detailed client profiles were a great feature. Storing contact details, appointment history, and custom fields for specific data like client preferences or special requests made it easy to personalize interactions and build stronger relationships.

The integration with payment gateways like Stripe and PayPal was incredibly convenient. It simplified the payment process by allowing clients to pay when booking, which not only made scheduling more efficient but also helped manage cash flow smoothly.

That said, I did find the platform to have a bit of a learning curve. While I appreciated the wealth of features, it was initially overwhelming. Setting up advanced features like client intake forms or automated workflows took some time to understand, and I had to go through a bit of trial and error before I could fully take advantage of everything it offers.

What I dislike about Acuity Scheduling:

• The platform had a learning curve, especially when exploring advanced features. It required some time to get familiar with it.
• Setting up features like intake forms and workflows took time and trial to perfect. While powerful, these features were not intuitive, and it took effort to configure them to fit my needs.

What G2 users dislike about Acuity Scheduling:

“I'd like the general landing page of Acuity Scheduling to be more customizable to better reflect my branding. Additionally, it would be helpful if clients could add one or more additional email addresses (attendees) when scheduling an appointment. This feature would ensure that I'm aware when clients want to include someone else in a Zoom call, rather than finding out during the appointment when an unexpected participant joins.”

- Acuity Scheduling.io Review, Nathan A.

8. Reclaim.ai

Reclaim.ai has been a game-changer for my time management. The AI-driven scheduling automatically analyzes my work habits and task priorities, allowing me to focus more on my work rather than constantly managing my calendar. For instance, if a meeting is canceled or rescheduled, Reclaim adjusts my calendar in real-time, ensuring that nothing gets overlooked and that my schedule remains optimized.

One of my favorite features is the advanced time-blocking. It recommends the best times for meetings and tasks and helps prioritize deep work by adjusting if meetings run late. This has allowed me to consistently find focus time, even during busy days, without the stress of manually adjusting my schedule.

It took a little time to figure out the more advanced features, like customizing AI-driven scheduling and task prioritization. For someone who prefers simpler tools, this might feel a bit challenging. Additionally, Reclaim works well with Google Calendar and Outlook, but the integration with other calendar platforms is limited, which could be a barrier if you use something different.

What I dislike about Reclaim.ai:

• I found the advanced features challenging to learn at first. The complexity of the options required a learning curve.
• There was limited integration with calendars outside of Google and Outlook, which was restrictive. This lack of compatibility made it challenging to sync my schedule across different platforms.

What G2 users dislike about Reclaim.ai:

"Reclaim has a few areas for improvement. It struggles with prioritizing tasks based on custom preferences, as tasks sometimes appear incorrectly, requiring manual adjustments. Additionally, its time-blocking feature doesn't group related tasks, cluttering the calendar with individual entries instead of a single block.

Recurring habits can’t be directly integrated into the calendar, and there's no "done" button for completed tasks requiring manual updates. Reclaim also doesn’t handle deadlines well, cluttering the calendar with tasks without a set due date. Time overruns aren't confirmed, and shorter intervals (5 minutes) aren't available, limiting granular task management. Finally, the lack of a comment feature makes it difficult to leave notes for specific tasks.”

- Reclaim.ai Review, Motty C.

9. iCal

I used iCal to manage my personal and team calendars and really like its seamless integration with Apple devices. The ability to sync events across my iPhone, iPad, and Mac made scheduling easy and efficient. It ensured I never missed an appointment, regardless of the device I was using.

Another positive feature was the intuitive interface. Creating, editing, and organizing events was quick and simple, and the color-coding feature helped distinguish between personal, work, and project-related schedules. This made it easy to keep everything organized without feeling overwhelmed.

However, iCal's collaboration features are somewhat limited compared to other calendar apps. While you can share calendars with others, there’s no robust permission management to control who can see or edit specific events, which could be an issue for larger teams or businesses needing fine-grained control over scheduling.

Additionally, while iCal works well within the Apple ecosystem, integration with non-Apple apps and services could be better. Syncing with third-party calendars like Google Calendar sometimes resulted in delays or missing events. 

The mobile app, though user-friendly, lacked some customization options available on the desktop version, which occasionally made managing my schedule on the go a bit less efficient.

What I dislike about iCal:

• The lack of robust collaboration features is a challenge. I can't control who can see or edit specific events, which is crucial for managing teams and projects.
• I’ve faced syncing issues with third-party calendars like Google Calendar. Events sometimes don’t sync properly, causing delays and disruptions in my schedule.

What G2 users dislike about iCal:

“iCal can get cluttered easily, and it lacks a streamlined way to send invites, which can be frustrating. While it's a good option for personal use due to being free, for business purposes, I’d recommend a more robust solution with better collaboration features.”

- iCal Review, Iyer A.

Calendar apps: frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Q. What is the top calendar app for personal use?

Google Calendar is a leading option for personal scheduling. It is user-friendly, syncs seamlessly across devices, and integrates effectively with other Google services. Users can sync personal and work calendars to view everything in one place, with the option to adjust privacy settings to keep personal events private.

Q. Which is the best-shared calendar app?

The Teamup Calendar is an excellent choice for team projects or shared deadlines. It allows multiple users to manage and view events with customizable permissions, making collaboration smooth and efficient.

Q. Are there free calendar options available?

Google Calendar is a popular free option that offers essential features like cross-device syncing, easy event creation, and reminders. Another great free choice is Outlook Calendar, which integrates seamlessly with Microsoft apps.

Q. Is Google Calendar better than Apple?

Google Calendar is often preferred for its superior cross-platform compatibility, especially for users with various devices. While iCal (Apple Calendar) is excellent for Mac and iPhone users, it tends to feel more restrictive outside the Apple ecosystem.

Q. What calendar apps support payment integrations for booking appointments?

Don't worry, I time everything perfectly!

In my experience, the best calendar app depends on your unique needs and how it fits into your workflow. 

A calendar that syncs effortlessly across devices and works well with other services is key for those looking for simplicity and seamless integration. If you need more advanced features, such as natural language input or enhanced task management, it’s worth considering apps with those specific capabilities. 

Ultimately, the right calendar app should help you stay organized, manage your time effectively, and integrate smoothly into your daily routine. 

I’ve found that collaboration tools help you stay organized and productive, no matter the project. Explore the best tool now!