Managing a family's busy schedule can be challenging.
Thankfully, shared calendar apps simplify coordination by keeping everyone on the same page with appointments, events, and tasks.
In this article, we'll explore the top five calendars to share with family to enhance your family's organization.
What is a Family Calendar App?
A family calendar app is a digital tool designed to centralize, organize, and share schedules among all family or group members.
⚡It makes coordinating everyone’s one-time appointments and recurring events much easier and clearer!
Who is it for?
Those who want to avoid scheduling conflicts.
Those who want to share responsibilities, avoiding putting all the mental load on one person.
Key Features
The best family calendar apps offer a range of essential features. The first is, of course, a shared real-time calendar.
Other useful options include:
- Automatic reminders and notifications
- Task assignment
- Shared grocery lists
- Meal planning
- Document and note sharing
How to Choose the Best Family Calendar App?
Here are five key criteria to consider:
- Compatibility: Ensure the app works with your usual devices and operating systems (iOS, Android, Web, etc.).
- Ease of Use: Check the interface, especially for family members with lower tech skills.
- Collaborative Features: Look for features that allow family members to invite others, assign roles, and communicate effectively within the app.
- Notes and Attachments: Choose an app that supports these, as they're extremely useful day-to-day.
- Cross-Platform Synchronization: The app should integrate seamlessly with other calendar apps and platforms.
Here are five apps exclusively designed for families, plus an extra option that may surprise you!
SyncThemCalendars: the best shared calendar tool for families
Let's start with the best tool on this category : SyncThemCalendars.com
A common scenario: each family member already uses their own Google or Outlook calendar and doesn’t want to add another calendar app. This is precisely where SyncThemCalendars excels.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Real-time syncing of multiple individual calendars
- Compatibility with Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar
- Privacy controls to share availability without revealing details
- Seamless integration into existing workflows
🛜 How it Works: SyncThemCalendars eliminates the hassle of switching between apps or manually updating multiple calendars. For example:
- You want to schedule a gym session but first need to check if your partner is free to watch the kids. With synced calendars, you can see their availability at a glance.
- Any event added to your Outlook or Google calendar syncs automatically with theirs, ensuring the whole family stays informed.
➕ Pros:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Real-time sync among family members
- The only app with automatic bidirectional sync with Google and Outlook Calendar.
- Privacy control : you can selectively share events
💲 Pricing: You can try SyncThemCalendars free for 14 days without entering payment information. Why not give it a try? Monthly pricing start at $4.99 , while Yearly pricing start at $47.88
1 Cozi
Cozi is the most popular family organization app in the United States.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Shared family calendar
- Shared to-do and shopping lists
- Family journal
- Notifications and reminders
- Color coding for each family member
🛜 Synchronization with Google and Outlook Calendar: Cozi offers automatic, bidirectional sync with Google Calendar and Outlook Calendar, so updates are reflected both ways without manual input.
🛠️ Compatibility: Available on smartphones (iOS and Android) and accessible via a web interface.
➕ Pros:
- Simple and intuitive interface
- Real-time sync among family members
- A complete free version for basic use
- The only app with automatic bidirectional sync with Google and Outlook Calendar.
➖ Cons:
- The free version has ads
- SMS reminders are only available with the premium version.
💲 Pricing: Around $29.99/year for Cozi Gold.
2 OurCal
OurCal is a shared calendar app designed for families, couples, and groups. It lets you plan and sync events securely with end-to-end encryption.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Shared calendar for organizing family and personal events
- Automatic notifications for event updates
- Real-time synchronization
- End-to-end encryption for data protection
- Ability to create multiple groups (family, friends, team)
🛜 Synchronization with Google and Outlook Calendar: Events from other calendars like Google and Outlook can be imported.
🛠️ Compatibility: Available on smartphones (iOS and Android) and via a web interface on various devices.
➕ Pros:
- Simple, intuitive interface
- High security with end-to-end encryption
- No ads
- Free for basic features
➖ Cons:
- No color coding
- Lacks detailed task tracking, grocery lists
💲 Pricing: Free "Basic plan" with no ads. The "Plus plan" costs £2.49 per month, billed annually.
3 FamilyWall
FamilyWall, a French app, offers photo sharing, meal planning, and real-time location tracking for family members.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Color-coded member labels
- Shared shopping and task lists
- Meal planning
- Expense tracking and budget management
- Photo and video sharing
- Family member location tracking and safe zone alerts
- Private and secure messaging
🛜 Synchronization with Google and Outlook Calendar: FamilyWall allows one-way sync to Google Calendar. Google Calendar can also be added to FamilyWall (premium feature).
🛠️ Compatibility: Available on smartphones (iOS and Android), tablets, and via a browser on computers.
➕ Pros:
- Wide range of features
- Simple, intuitive interface
- Real-time location tracking with secure zone alerts to monitor children’s movements
- No ads in the free version
➖ Cons:
- Some features, like meal planning and budget management, are only available with a premium subscription.
- Notifications can be overwhelming, with limited customization options.
💲 Pricing: Around $4.99/month or $44.99/year for the premium version.
4 Family Calendar (FamCal)
FamCal is a family organization app that includes calendars, tasks, shopping lists, and notes.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Color coding for each member
- Shared shopping and task lists
- Notes and memos
- Birthday and recurring event tracking
- Shared contact management
🛜 Synchronization with Google and Outlook Calendar: Not mentioned.
🛠️ Compatibility: Available on iOS and Android.
➕ Pros:
- Simple, user-friendly interface
- No need for each member to create their own account
- Instant synchronization of events, tasks, and lists across devices
➖ Cons:
- No daily or weekly event view
- No real-time communication features like chat
- Occasional sync issues and bugs
💲 Pricing: Free with in-app purchases ranging from $3.49 to $79.99 for additional features.
5 Time Tree
TimeTree, a Japanese app, is a shared calendar suited for multiple contexts (family, friends, work). It stands out for allowing multiple calendars for specific groups.
⚙️ Main Features:
- Multiple calendars for different groups (family, work, etc.)
- Color coding for each member or activity
- Automatic notifications and reminders
- Chat function for each event
- Ability to add photos
- Shared task lists and notes
🛜 Synchronization: Manual event import from Google and Outlook Calendar.
🛠️ Compatibility: Available on smartphones (iOS, Android), tablets, a web version, and Apple Watch.
➕ Pros:
- Good customization options (color-coded events)
- Free version offers many features
➖ Cons:
- Sync with Google and Outlook isn’t automatic
- Free version has ads
💲 Pricing: $4.49/month or $44.99/year for the premium version.
Key Feature Comparison for the 6 Apps
These apps share many similarities: each allows unlimited users and offers free or paid versions. Let's see what truly sets them apart.
Expert Insight: Should You Use Google or Microsoft Calendar Instead?
You may wonder if a dedicated app is necessary. What can your usual calendar offer?
Features of Google and Outlook Family Calendars
They work quite similarly.
A user can create a family group, allowing the sharing of a calendar among "family" members linked to a single account. The creator can invite up to five people.
👉In summary: it’s suitable if your needs are minimal. However, you won’t get the features specific to a family calendar app. Google and Outlook Family Calendars remain general-purpose tools.
➕ Pros:
- Integration with the Google/Microsoft ecosystem
- Automatic bidirectional sync across all devices linked to a Google/Microsoft account
- Completely free
- Access on multiple platforms: web, Android, iOS
➖ Cons:
- Limited number of members (creator + 5 members)
- Limited personalization per member (e.g., no color coding for each member in Google; it’s possible in Outlook but not intuitive)
- Less suitable for young children
- No SMS reminders
- No task assignment
- No tracking of family activities
- Recurring events can be added but aren’t very intuitive
