The calendar is not the most exciting feature in a smartphone, but for many users, it is one of the most important. The default Google calendar comes with every Android smartphone, and most people are limited to it. But what if Google Calendar is not able to provide the desired design or features? In this case, third-party applications come to the rescue.
Here are some key features we looked at when creating the list. The button for adding new tasks and reminders should always be available. Processing phrases and converting them into reminders. For example, a phrase like "coffee with Dima tomorrow at 10am" automatically adds the corresponding event to the calendar. Unfortunately, not all apps have this, but most do.
DigiCal
Application DigiCal can be called the most user-friendly of all those presented in this article. The default text is large and clear. Weather forecast displayed every day. The controls are easy to learn. There is a large selection of user settings, including color scheme, font, and more. There are seven dark and light themes to suit every taste.
The default mode is a combination of monthly calendar and agenda view. It allows you to quickly see what tasks are planned. Built-in notifications will not let you miss any tasks. Another useful option is the built-in location search. The user can simply enter the name of the place, and then the program will automatically select the address. Integration with Google Now allows you to effectively plan your route, track traffic, and receive notifications about when you need to hit the road.
The app is free, but it contains ads that appear after seven days of use. You can remove them by purchasing the paid version, which also unlocks additional features, including font customization, widgets, and an extended 14-day weather forecast.
Google Calendar
Google Calendar integrated into the Google ecosystem. The tool automatically downloads events, such as flights or concerts, from Gmail, but you can turn this feature off if you want. The calendar syncs with almost any device and also works with the personal assistant Google Assistant. Notifications can be sent to email or SMS.
All events are stored on a remote server. Therefore, you can access them from any device linked to the user account. There is an option for open access to individual calendars. This allows you to plan and manage events together with other people.
Google Calendar is definitely worth trying before looking for other options. What it lacks in settings, it makes up for in ease of use. The number of settings is not particularly impressive. However, for most users, they will be enough. Most of the apps described below use Google Calendar to sync data. The app is free and does not contain ads.
Microsoft Outlook
Microsoft Outlook combines a calendar and email. After launching the application, the first thing that appears is the mailbox. However, the calendar is just one click away. Outlook stands out for its synchronization capabilities: Microsoft Exchange is supported, which makes the application worth considering. There is also support for Google Calendar and even Yahoo, which can be combined.
The calendar in this application is very easy to use. It fits perfectly into the Android OS thanks to the Material Design interface. You can view events for a day, three days, a month. There are notifications that warn you about planned tasks. There is also a widget with tasks for the day, which can be placed on the main screen of your smartphone to always be aware of important tasks.
Microsoft Outlook is useful for tracking responses to invitations, organizing events, and interacting with other people. The user can see when a person has free time to invite them to a meeting. Outlook is a must-try if you need to sync calendars on an Exchange server with your smartphone. It is a quality alternative to Google Calendar with some unique features.
Any.do
Application Any.do combines your to-do list with your calendar to make it easier to manage. You can quickly see what exactly needs to be done on a given day. Any.do offers to plan your day every morning and shows you free time that you can use to complete other tasks.
Every morning the user receives a notification with a suggestion to plan the day. Tasks will be displayed on the screen one by one with the ability to select a time interval for their implementation. You only need to decide when and what to do, and then start implementing your plans.
The calendar is quite easy to use, without unnecessary elements. There is a simple window with an agenda and a weekly calendar. To view a to-do list for the month, you just need to click on the arrow. The days scroll quickly. Adding events is also fast, although there is no natural language recognition. Any.do uses sync with Google Calendar.
A very useful function is creating a shopping list. All products are sorted by categories to make it easier to mark them. You can create separate grocery lists for different stores. To find out what products you need to buy in a particular store, just click on its name.
CloudCal
Most mobile apps don't offer a great monthly view. In most cases, only the first letters of the calendar name are displayed instead of the full phrase. CloudCal offers an interesting solution to this problem. CloudCal is the only free app that combines all your Google and Microsoft calendars into a single monthly view.
The screen displays dates in multi-colored circles. Each color corresponds to a specific event, which is described in detail under the calendar. This allows you to immediately see which days are free. Very convenient if you need to set a reminder during a phone call. To see descriptions of events, just click on the date in the circle. To switch to viewing by days or weeks, just swipe left or right.
There is an option for text and speech recognition. Three widgets offer a quick view of daily and monthly events. There is also the ability to customize the color scheme. CloudCal can access local calendars and contacts. It is possible to connect services such as Trello, Evernote, and Eventbrite. However, to sync with them, you will need a paid version.
aCalendar
Application aCalendar has widgets for viewing events by day, week, month and agenda. You can view information in hybrid mode. Then the screen displays information about plans for the day, but on the background of the monthly calendar. You can change the appearance of this widget, including color, font size and much more.
You can further customize the volume buttons on your phone to scroll up or down. This is useful when you need to check information with one hand. Adding events is fast, although there is no natural language processing. This app uses local data on your smartphone, with no ability to sync with other devices.
TimeTree
Application TimeTree is created with one goal in mind — to simplify the exchange of information about meetings between users. It allows you to create calendars for specific purposes: personal, family, friends, work. After that, you can invite other people and share the schedule you have created with them to coordinate further actions. Each calendar even has a chat room and access for people who do not use TimeTree.
Not only the administrator, but also each member of the group can add and edit events. There is a function of exchanging photos and text messages, like in a chat or a social network. You can set up sending notifications to all members of the group or only to certain people. Synchronization is performed using TimeTree, not Google Calendar. But you can import data from the standard Android calendar. TimeTree supports holiday notifications from more than 13 countries.
The default view is a month view. To see more detailed information for each day, just click on the selected date. One unique feature is the Keep section, where you can post upcoming events without dates. The time is added later. This makes it much easier to plan events with other people when you need to agree on an exact date.
Business Calendar 2
Application name Business Calendar 2 is quite justified – it was created primarily for business people. There are five main viewing modes: month, week, day, agenda and year. In the weekly mode, there is a slider at the bottom of the screen. It allows you to adjust the number of days to be displayed on the screen at the same time. Similar settings are available in all modes. Thanks to this, you can quickly switch between dates without having to open the sidebars.
Adding events is fast. You can drag the time selection sidebar instead of clicking through multiple dialog boxes. There is natural language processing and voice input. Speech recognition works. For example, sentences like "Excursion tomorrow from 9 to 12" are quickly converted to the corresponding event.
There are many customization options available. You can change the color scheme, notification settings, display features, etc. Overall, this is a solid app that will appeal to those who like to tinker with settings. Business Calendar is free with ads. The paid version adds weather forecast and more advanced widgets.