Having the best calendar app installed on your smartphone, tablet or PC can make a world of difference to your time management. Not only do the best calendar apps tell you the date, but they can keep you posted about upcoming events and meetings.
They can also give you directions to where the meetings are, invite other people or tell them if you're running late.
Best business calendar app The most stalwart of calendar apps, Microsoft Outlook is more of a personal information manager than a place to see your next appointment. The desktop app unifies your calendar, email, notes, tasks, and contacts into one view.
In this guide to the best calendar apps of 2019, we take a look at a range of calendar apps for mobile devices and computers.
1. Any.do
Platforms: Android, iOS, Windows, web | Price: Free/$2.99 per month for pro
Free version
Free version is limited
Any.do is our pick of the best all-round calendar app. It is available on mobile and desktop platforms, but it really shines on mobile thanks to an easy-to-use interface that gives you all the tools and information you need on smaller touchscreens. It easily connects to existing calendar apps to import events, and it color codes various calendars and events to help keep everything in order. It's not as in-depth as some specialised business calendar apps, but for most people this is a brilliant way of keeping your meetings and appointments in order. Best of all, there's a free version you can try.
2. Fantastical 2
Platforms: iOS, macOS | Price: $4.99 (iOS version), $49.99 Mac version
Designed specifically for Apple devices
Pricey
If you've got a wide range of Apple devices, from MacBooks to iPhones and even an Apple Watch, then Fantastical 2 is the best calendar app for you. It has an app for pretty much every Apple product, and has been built from the ground up to support macOS. Best of all, it all syncs seamlessly between your devices, making this a powerful and useful calendar apps for Apple fanatics. You can quickly and easily set up meetings and events, and it can also check to make sure your coworkers are available for a proposed meeting using Google Apps or Exchange, making it a more powerful app than Apple's default calendar.
3. Business Calendar 2
The best calendar app for Android
Platforms: Android | Price: Free/$4.99/£3.99 for Pro version
Large choice of widgets
Android users are a bit spoiled, as the default Google Calendar app is so good, however, the best calendar app for Android devices is Business Calendar 2. Don't be put off by its name, as although this is an app that's geared towards business use, it is an attractive and easy-to-use calendar app that is perfect for home users as well. It comes with a number of themes and widgets that lets you customise the look and feel of your calendars. It does an excellent job of handling multiple calendars and displaying them in an easy-to-understand layout and it comes as a free download. There's also a pro version that removes ads and includes a few extra features, all for a reasonable price.
4. Outlook Calendar
The best calendar app for Windows
Platforms: Windows, web, Android, iOS, macOS | Price: Free
Integrates with Windows and Microsoft Office
If you're a Windows 10 user, then Microsoft's very own Outlook Calendar is arguably the best calendar app for you. It integrates closely into Windows 10 and uses the same Microsoft account you use to log into Windows, which means your contacts, events and calendars should all be waiting there for you. It's free, but if you subscribe to Microsoft's Office 365 service then you get premium features that makes it an essential business calendar app as well. You can even connect your LinkedIn account. Despite it being made by Microsoft, the Outlook Calendar is available on a huge range of platforms, including Android and iOS, and you can view your calendar online as well.
5. Lightning
The best calendar app for Linux
Platforms: Linux, Windows | Price: Free
Easily configurable
Dated appearance
There are a number of open source calendar apps for Linux, but in our view the Lightning add-on for Mozilla's Thunderbird email client is the best. It has an easy to use (if slightly dated) interface, and as an add-on it integrates easily with Thunderbird, allowing you to turn emails into events, as well as respond to meeting invitations. You can easily manage multiple calendars and to-do lists, and it's easily configurable as well. The downside is that it's not a standalone app, so you need to use it with Thunderbird (and install it from the Thunderbird add-ons website). However, Thunderbird is also one of the best email clients, so we'd recommend installing it anyway. It also works with Windows PCs.
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