Apple Calendar vs TimeTree
We give Apple Calendar a 3.4 GPA and TimeTree a 3.8, out of 4.0. Apple Calendar grades higher on value for money. TimeTree grades higher on features and platforms. They get the same grade on the free plan and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
TimeTree
Shared calendar app for families, couples and groups
Free plan · from $4.49/mo
How we grade them
| 3.4GPAApple CalendarVery good | 3.8GPATimeTreeExcellent | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | AThere's nothing to buy. Every feature is free, including several accounts in one view and typed-in events on a Mac. Calendars by Readdle keeps both of those for its $19.99 a year plan. | BPremium is $4.49 a month or $44.99 a year, about typical for a calendar app. It takes the ads away and adds file attachments, an hour-by-hour view of up to 3 days and event priority. The first month is free on both. |
| Free plan and trial | AThe whole app is free. The US App Store shows no in-app purchases, so there's no paid tier holding anything back. You do need an Apple device, or an Apple Account for the iCloud.com version. | AShared calendars, chat and photos inside events, memos and to-do lists are all free, and you can keep as many calendars as you need. Most families could stay here for good. You do put up with ads. |
| Features | BSeveral accounts in one view, leave-now alerts based on traffic, shared calendars, reminders next to events and typed-in events on a Mac. But we found no booking links or meeting polls in Apple's guide, which Fantastical has. | AA calendar per group, a conversation inside every event, shared memos and to-do lists, and filters to see family, school and hobbies together or apart. It's built for shared planning and covers it fully. File attachments are Premium. |
| Ease of use | A4.9 from about 1.5 million App Store ratings. It's already on your iPhone, iPad and Mac, so there's nothing to install and not much to learn. A few long-time users do find the newer layout cluttered. | A4.9 from about 92,000 App Store ratings. Make a calendar, invite people, and everyone sees the same schedule. You can copy in events from the calendars already on your phone to get going. |
| Platforms and integrations | CiPhone, iPad, Mac and Apple Watch, plus iCloud.com on a computer or tablet. That's the whole list. No Android app is listed, the website won't work in a phone browser, and Windows means syncing to Outlook through iCloud for Windows. | AiPhone, Android and the web, plus Apple Watch, and it syncs with the other calendars on your device, such as Google Calendar. On a computer you use the web version, as there's no desktop app. |
| Best for | a free calendar across your Apple devices | one shared calendar for a family or couple |
The GPA is the average of the five grades: an A is 4 points, an F is none. The full reasons are on each tool's page: Apple Calendar and TimeTree. How we grade
Where they differ
- Apple Calendar is free. TimeTree starts at $4.49 per month, or $44.99 per year.
- Only Apple Calendar lists a macOS app.
- Only TimeTree lists an Android app.
- Apple Calendar also covers natural-language input.
- TimeTree also covers notes.
In commonFree planWebiOSTasksCalendar
At a glance
| Apple Calendar | TimeTree | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free | Free plan |
| Starts at | Free | $4.49 per month, or $44.99 per year |
| Free plan | The whole app is free: the US App Store lists Calendar as Free with no in-app purchases shown. Syncing iCloud calendars needs an Apple Account. | Free version with ads: shared calendars, chat and photos in events, memos and to-do lists. No file attachments, vertical view, event priority or dedicated support. |
| Free trial | None listed | First month of Premium free on both the monthly and the annual subscription |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Android | ||
| Made by | Apple Inc. | TimeTree, Inc. |
| Price read from | apps.apple.com | timetreeapp.com |
| Checked | Oct 5, 2026 | Oct 5, 2026 |
Who each one suits
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
TimeTree
- Families and couples keeping one shared schedule
- Groups that want to discuss a plan inside the event itself
- Artists, stores and local governments publishing event dates to followers
Worth knowing
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.
TimeTree
- The free version shows ads; removing them requires Premium.
- Attaching PDFs and other files, the vertical hour-by-hour view and event priority are Premium-only.
- TimeTree notes that Premium pricing varies by region and currency and points buyers to the App Store or Google Play for the exact price.
- The App Store listing covers iPhone, Apple Watch and Apple Vision; computers use the web version rather than a desktop app.
Key features
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.
TimeTree
- Group-based shared calendars
- Create a calendar, invite the members and everyone sees the same schedule. You can keep as many calendars as you need, for example one each for family, school and hobbies.
- Chat inside events
- Each event has its own conversation where members settle details such as time and place, and can post photos.
- Memos and to-do lists
- Share notes and lists with the members of a calendar, or keep a memo for a plan that has no fixed date yet.
- Filters across calendars
- View your own plans, family schedules and other calendars together in one view, or use filters to switch between them.
- Device calendar sync
- Copy events from, or sync with, the other calendars on your device, such as Google Calendar, to get started with existing data.
- Public Calendar
- Organizations can publish event information to followers' calendars, with scheduled posting and repeating events. TimeTree describes the public feature as free.
Plans
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.
TimeTree
Free$0
Ad-supported shared calendars with event chat, photos in event comments, memos and to-do lists.
TimeTree Premium$4.49
per month, or $44.99 per year
No ads, PDF and other file attachments on events, a vertical view of up to 3 days, event priority and dedicated support.
Ways to pay less
Apple Calendar
No public discounts listed.
TimeTree
- Annual discount
2 months off with the annual plan
TimeTree lists Premium at 4.49 USD a month or 44.99 USD a year, and describes the annual subscription as 2 months off.
