Apple Calendar vs Google Calendar

Apple Calendar

• People with an iPhone, iPad or Mac who want a calendar at no cost
• Seeing iCloud, Google and Exchange calendars side by side
• Families and friends sharing an iCloud calendar

Google Calendar

• Anyone who already has a Google Account and wants a free calendar
• Organizations standardizing on Google Workspace for mail, files and meetings
• Taking bookings through a single free appointment page

Apple Calendar

• Apple's setup guide covers iPhone, iPad, Mac and iCloud.com, with Windows handled by syncing to Outlook through iCloud for Windows. No Android app is listed.
• Calendar on iCloud.com needs a tablet or computer; Apple's guide says it cannot be used from a phone browser.
• Editable sharing is limited to iCloud calendars and people with iCloud accounts. Everyone else can only view a public, read-only calendar.
• Time-to-leave alerts are not sent for destinations more than three hours away, and travel time does not update when an event's location changes.

Google Calendar

• The paid version is only sold as part of Google Workspace, which also includes Gmail, Drive and Meet.
• Personal accounts and Business Starter get one booking page; extra schedules, payments and reminders need Business Standard or higher, or an eligible Google One plan.
• Time Insights and working hours and location are limited to work or school accounts, and Time Insights can only be viewed on a computer.
• No desktop app is listed; Google offers it on the web and as Android and iOS apps.

Apple Calendar

Several accounts in one calendar

Add iCloud, Google, Microsoft Exchange and other CalDAV accounts and see their events together in List, Day, Week or Month view, with a color for each calendar.

Natural-language event entry

On Mac, typing a phrase such as "Football Game on Saturday from 11 am - 1 pm" creates the event with its date and time filled in. Siri can add or change events by voice.

Travel time and time-to-leave alerts

Adding a location attaches a map and weather, and Calendar sends an alert when it is time to leave, based on traffic or transit conditions. Travel time can be added to the event's duration.

Shared and public calendars

Share an iCloud calendar with other iCloud users as view-only or editable, or turn on Public Calendar so anyone with the link can view and subscribe to it.

Reminders next to events

Scheduled reminders from the Reminders app appear on the calendar, where they can be created, edited and marked complete.

Invitations and video call links

Send and answer invitations through iCloud, Exchange and other accounts. Events can carry a video call link, a FaceTime call on Mac, attachments and notes.

Google Calendar

Appointment booking pages

Publish a page where others pick a time on your calendar. Eligible paid plans allow several schedules, Stripe payments, email verification and up to 20 co-hosts.

Shared and layered calendars

Create calendars shared with a team or a whole organization, and view several calendars together, color-coded by category.

Scheduling from Gmail with Gemini

On Workspace plans, Gemini in Gmail can suggest meeting times and add events detected in an email with one click.

Google Meet and attachments

Events can carry a Google Meet video link and attached files, so the call and its documents open from the invitation.

Time Insights and working location

Work and school accounts can see how much time goes to meetings and who they meet most, and can share working hours and location.

Tasks on the calendar

Items from Google Tasks appear on the calendar next to events.

Apple Calendar

• Free$0

  Every feature of the app on iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch and Mac, plus Calendar on iCloud.com with an Apple Account.

Google Calendar

• Personal Google Account$0

  Calendar for personal use with a single appointment booking page and no premium booking features.

• Business Starter$7

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($8.40 flexible)

  Google Workspace with 30 GB pooled storage per user. Calendar is still limited to one booking page.

• Business Standard$14

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($16.80 flexible)

  2 TB pooled storage per user, plus premium appointment schedules: multiple booking pages, payments and reminders.

• Business Plus$22

  per user / month, 1-year commitment ($26.40 flexible)

  5 TB pooled storage per user, with the same premium appointment schedule features as Business Standard.

• EnterpriseCustom

  For organizations beyond the 300-user limit of the Business editions; priced through Google sales.

Apple Calendar

No public discounts listed.

Google Calendar

• Annual discount

  Lower rate with a 1-year commitment

  Business Starter costs $7 per user per month on the Annual/Fixed-Term Plan versus $8.40 on the Flexible Plan. Standard drops from $16.80 to $14 and Plus from $26.40 to $22.

• Nonprofit

  Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0

  Verified nonprofits get Google Workspace for Nonprofits at $0 per user, or Business Standard at $3.50 and Business Plus at $6.16 per user per month on a 1-year commitment.

• Education

  Education Fundamentals at no charge

  Google Workspace for Education Fundamentals is available at no charge to qualifying institutions.