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Fantastical 2 vs BusyCal (best free calendar apps for mac)

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Winner
Ease of use
Syncing capabilities
Customizability
Integration with other apps
User Interface
Price
Cross-platform support
Sharing and collaboration features
Event and task management
Alerts and notifications
FREE / PAID
BusyCal has no free version. You have to pay a one-time fee of $49.99 to use it.
Fantastical 2 has a free version, but to access all its features requires a subscription at $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
Conclusion

BusyCal offers a unique blend of features and ⏰ accessibility, perfect for power users seeking a comprehensive calendar management solution. 💪🖥️

If you’re looking for a highly customizable calendar app with natural language event creation, 📆 Fantastical 2 is a fantastic choice. 💼👨‍💻

BusyCal Pros & Cons

Top Pros
  • Powerful and versatile features 🛠

  • Weather forecasts in calendar view 🌦

  • Unique Smart Filters and Custom Views 👀

  • Integration with contacts and maps 📍

  • Supports syncing with Google, iCloud, Exchange and more ☁️

Fantastical 2 Pros & Cons

Top Pros
  • Intuitive interface 🎨

  • Natural language event creation 🗣

  • Great syncing features 👥

  • Flexible viewing options (day, week, month, year) 📅

  • Extensive customization and appearance settings 🎚

  • Great integration with apps (Facebook, Google, iCloud, etc.) 📲

Top Cons
  • May be overkill for casual use ⚠️

  • Initial setup can be a bit complex 🔧

  • Higher price point 💵

  • Lacks a modern, sleek interface 🧱

  • Weak sharing features 🔄

  • No Android version ❌

Top Cons
  • A bit pricey 💵

  • Less efficient for very simple scheduling tasks 🔍

  • Lacks free version ❌

  • Requires subscription for full functionality 📝

  • Limited collaboration features 👥

Other best free calendar apps for mac

3

Apple’s native 🍏 Calendar app provides a simple and straightforward calendar solution for Mac users with seamless iCloud integration. 🌐📲

4

Google Calendar, while free, offers a robust feature set for both personal and professional scheduling, including cross-platform syncing. 🌍💼

5

Microsoft Outlook Calendar excels for its seamless integration with Outlook’s email and tasks, making it great for ⚙️ professional use. 👔💼

FAQ

Several prominent free calendar apps for Mac users include Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Any.do. Each of these apps offers a range of features to help keep your schedule organized.

Fantastical 2 is noted for its advanced features like a natural language parsing engine, a full calendar window with day, week, month and year views, and an ultra-quick access mini-window. It also enables real-time syncing for Google Calendar and Exchange.

BusyCal‘s distinguishing features include customizable views, integrated to-dos, and weather forecasts. Additionally, it permits syncing with Google Calendar, Exchange, and iCloud, which offers greater flexibility and convenience to users.

Downloading Fantastical 2 on Mac is easy. Just visit the official Fantastical 2 website and follow the download prompts to get started.

You can install BusyCal on your Mac from the BusyMac official website. Just follow the instructions to download and install the app.

The user interface of Fantastical 2 is intuitive and user-friendly. It displays a full calendar view with day, week, month, and year options. Furthermore, the app uses color-coding for easier event identification.

BusyCal provides several features including customizable views, integrated to-dos, weather forecasts, and graphics. It also supports syncing with iCloud, Google Calendar and Exchange, for a comprehensive scheduling solution.

No, Fantastical 2 is not a free app. It offers a free trial but after that, a purchase is required.

Yes, BusyCal offers a free 30-day trial. After the trial period ends, a purchase is required to continue using the app.

Absolutely. Fantastical 2 is compatible with Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch.

Yes, BusyCal can be used on iPhone and iPad. The app is designed to sync seamlessly across all devices.

Within Fantastical 2, you can add your Google Account under the Accounts section in the app settings to sync Google Calendar.

Yes, BusyCal supports syncing with Google Calendar. Once you add your Google account in the Accounts section, your calendars will be displayed in the app.

Absolutely. One of the features of Fantastical 2 includes setting reminders for your upcoming events or tasks. The app will notify you at the time you choose ahead of the event.

Yes, BusyCal‘s integrated to-dos feature works as a reminder or alert system. You can set up to-dos that display in your calendar and carry forward until completed.

Yes, Fantastical 2 allows you to share your calendar with others. This can be done through iCloud, Google Calendar, or Exchange by inputting the recipient’s email address to share.

Yes. Like many similar apps, BusyCal allows you to share your calendars with others via Google Calendar, Exchange, and iCloud, which can be particularly useful in a teamwork setting.

Yes, Fantastical 2 can integrate with several third-party apps. This includes apps like Reminders, Google Maps, and Dialpad, helping to streamline tasks and improve productivity.

Yes, BusyCal allows for third-party app integration. The applications compatible with BusyCal vary, so check the app’s settings for a current list of supported apps.

Fantastical 2 provides language support for multiple languages aside from English, including French, German, Italian, Spanish, and more.

While there are many free calendar apps on the market, the top-rated ones for Mac include Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Any.do. Each offers their unique strengths and features, depending on what the user is looking for.

No, Fantastical 2 is a paid application. Nevertheless, it provides a free fourteen-day trial for its users to test and evaluate its features.

Yes, Fantastical 2 allows you to sync appointments, meetings, and reminders across all your Apple devices, providing a seamless user experience.

Fantastical 2 offers several unique features, like natural language parsing, event and task management, reminders, weather forecasts, and compatibility with multiple calendar services.

BusyCal is designed specifically for Mac. However, it’s also compatible with iOS, providing a seamless experience across all your Apple devices.

No, BusyCal is a paid application. It offers a free thirty-day trial for its users to try out before making a purchase.

BusyCal provides unique features like customizable views, integrated to-do lists, contact ad birthday reminders, maps and weather, and moon phases, providing diverse functionality for its users.

BusyCal synchronizes with iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and other CalDAV servers, allowing you to access your appointments and events across multiple devices.

Despite both being calendar apps for Mac, Fantastical 2 includes unique features like event and to-do management, natural language input, and weather forecasts, enhancing its functionality compared to Apple’s native calendar app.

Yes, you can easily share your Fantastical 2 calendar with others. It supports iCloud, Google Calendar, and more, facilitating effortless sharing and collaboration.

Fantastical 2 involves an initial cost of $49.99 for its Mac version. Despite the premium investment, it is lauded for its extended range of features.

While both are advanced calendar apps for Mac, BusyCal includes unique features like weather and moon phase integration, a built-in to-do list, and customizable views. Though Fantastical 2 is known for its natural language parsing, both apps serve their different purposes.

Yes, you can move events from Apple Calendar to BusyCal. BusyCal syncs with the built-in Apple Calendar, allowing easy transfer of your existing appointments and events.

Yes, Fantastical 2 is compatible with Google Calendar and can sync your events and appointments, providing a seamless organizational experience.

Yes, there is an iOS version of BusyCal available. This allows you to sync your appointments, reminders, and tasks across both your Mac and iOS devices.

Natural language parsing in Fantastical 2 is a unique feature that allows you to create and edit events using everyday language. For example, you can type lunch with John at 12 pm tomorrow, and Fantastical 2 will create an event accordingly.

Adding an event on BusyCal involves right-clicking on the date you want to add an event to. A window will pop up allowing you to input the event details including date, time, location, and any associated reminders.

Yes, Fantastical 2 provides event notifications. It will send reminders to your device, ensuring you never forget an appointment or task.

BusyCal offers a number of customizable options for its calendar view. You can switch between day, week, month, year, or list views, or adjust colors and fonts to your liking.

Yes, there are free alternatives available to BusyCal. These include the built-in Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, and Any.do, which are all free to download and use.