Dato vs Savvy Time (2026): which should you pick?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Savvy Time grades higher than Dato: 3.0 against 2.4 out of 4.0.
Checked Oct 9, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 · graded Oct 10, 2026 and Nov 13, 2026 by ToolGPA
Savvy Time grades higher on the free plan and platforms. They get the same grade on value for money, features and ease of use.
Price, platforms and features side by side. The table says where each price was read and when.
Dato
Mac menu bar calendar with world clocks and meeting alerts
Savvy Time
World clock and time zone converter for planning meetings
Which one is for you
Pick Dato if
- Fits if you're on a Mac and want today's schedule without opening a calendar app
- Works for people who miss the start of video calls or keep an eye on several time zones
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you're not on a Mac, or your Mac can't run macOS 26, which the current version needs
- Not for you if you want to edit events or answer invitations in it, as that opens Apple's Calendar
- Too light for anyone wanting a full calendar: it has no sync, so Google or Outlook must be added to Apple's Calendar first
- Watch out: the free trial nags you to buy every 12 hours and doesn't update itself
- Watch out: there's no natural-language entry yet, and menus and settings are English only
Pick Savvy Time if
- Fits if you convert meeting times between a few cities
- Works for iPhone owners who want a widget
Look elsewhere if
- Skip it if you use Android, as no Android or Mac app is listed
- Tight if you stay free, as the website shows ads and the iPhone app saves only four places
- Watch out: the ad-free plan covers one browser only
- Watch out: the iOS in-app price was not shown on the App Store page read
How we grade them
| 2.4GPADatoFair | 3.0GPASavvy TimeVery good | |
|---|---|---|
| Value for money | A$18 once on the Mac App Store, with free upgrades and a line in the listing promising it will never go subscription. Three months of this category's middle subscription, paid one time and done. | AAd-free is $1.99 a month, $9.99 a year or $34.99 once, under the $2.99 that the cheapest quarter of calendar tools starts at. |
| Free plan and trial | CNo free version of the current app. The trial download has every feature and needs no card, but it nags you to buy every 12 hours and won't update itself. Older versions for older macOS are free. | BThe website is free with ads and the iPhone app is free for four saved places. |
| Features | CThe menu bar job: month calendar, upcoming events, fullscreen meeting alerts, one-key joining for Zoom, Meet, Teams and 50 more, world clocks, widgets. It's a smaller job than a calendar, and it leans on Apple's Calendar app, which does the syncing and any editing. No plain-language entry yet. | CConverter, working-hours view, daylight saving changes, widgets and sharing. It does that job fully and it is a smaller job. |
| Ease of use | BNo rating on record, but there's nothing to set up: install it and it shows whatever calendars your Mac already has. Those accounts do have to be in the built-in Calendar app first, and the menus are English only. | BNo rating counted, but nothing to set up: open it and convert. |
| Platforms and integrations | DOne operating system. Mac only, and the current version needs macOS 26 or later. It works with Apple Calendar, Reminders, Shortcuts, Fantastical and BusyCal, but there's nothing for iPhone, Windows or the web. | BWeb and iPhone with widgets. No Android or Mac app is listed. |
| Best for | your schedule one click away in the Mac menu bar | converting meeting times across time zones |
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: Dato and Savvy Time. How we grade
Where they differ
- Dato can be bought with a one-time purchase.
- Dato also covers menu bar app.
At a glance
| Dato | Savvy Time | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free trial | Free plan |
| Starts at | $18 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store | $1.99 per month (website ad-free plan) |
| Free plan | None | The website is free with ads. The iOS app is free to download and saves four places; Pro lifts that limit. |
| Free trial | Free trial download with every feature; it shows a buy reminder every 12 hours and does not update automatically | iOS annual subscriptions offer a 7-day free trial for eligible customers |
| Web | ||
| macOS | ||
| iOS | ||
| Made by | Sindre Sorhus | Savvy Time LLC |
| Price read from | sindresorhus.com | savvytime.com |
| Checked | Oct 9, 2026 | Nov 13, 2026 |
Worth knowing
Dato
- Mac only. The current version requires macOS 26 or later; older macOS releases get older versions of the app.
- The vendor calls it a read-only view of your events: it can create events, but editing one or answering an invitation opens Apple's Calendar app.
- It has no sync of its own. Google, Outlook and other accounts must first be added to the built-in Calendar app.
- Natural-language entry is not supported yet, and the menus and settings are in English only.
Savvy Time
- The website carries ads unless you buy an Ad-Free plan, which applies to one browser.
- The iOS app saves four places on the free tier; unlimited places, larger widgets and no ads need Pro.
- iOS in-app purchase amounts are not shown on the App Store page read; the dollar prices here are for the website.
- The pages read list no Android or Mac app.
Key features
Dato
- Menu bar calendar and event list
- A month calendar with optional week numbers and event indicators sits above a list of upcoming events and reminders. How many days and events it shows is adjustable.
- Fullscreen meeting notifications
- A notification fills the screen when an event starts. It can be limited to video calls, events with an alert or accepted events, and paused with a Focus Filter.
- Join video calls
- Join the next call from a notification, the event details or a global keyboard shortcut. Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams and more than 50 other services are recognized, and others can be added.
- World clocks and time travel
- Clocks for several time zones appear in the Dato menu or the menu bar, with custom names and offline search of 15,000 cities. A slider shows what time it will be elsewhere.
- Upcoming event in the menu bar
- The next event can be shown as its own menu bar item, next to a date and time display whose format, icon and color can be customized.
- Shortcuts, widgets and quick entry
- A global keyboard shortcut opens the new event window, which can also create reminders. Shortcuts actions switch calendars and notifications on or off, and widgets show the date, calendar and world clocks.
Savvy Time
- Time zone converter
- Add cities or time zones, then change a date or time to see the matching time everywhere.
- Working-hours view
- The iOS app shows the hours that work for the most places and moves every clock to the one you tap.
- Daylight saving changes
- Calculations account for clock changes, and the iOS app shows upcoming changes for saved places.
- Home and Lock Screen widgets
- One Place and Compare Places widgets on iOS; the medium and large Compare Places widgets need Pro.
- Share and add to calendar
- A time comparison can be shared or added to a calendar.
Plans
Dato
Dato$18
one-time purchase on the Mac App Store
The full app. The App Store listing promises free upgrades and says Dato will never be subscription-based.
Savvy Time
Free$0
Website with ads; iOS app with four saved places and small widgets.
Ad-Free monthly$1.99
per month, billed monthly
Removes ads on savvytime.com in one browser; no account, restore with the purchase email.
Ad-Free yearly$9.99
per year
Same ad removal, billed yearly; the page says this saves 58% against monthly.
Ad-Free lifetime$34.99
one-time
Pay once, no renewals.
Ways to pay less
Dato
- Other savings
Menu bar bundle of three apps for $18.00
The Mac App Store sells Sindre's Menu Bar Bundle, which contains Dato, Lungo and Battery Indicator, for $18.00, the same price as Dato alone.
- Education
50% off for schools buying 20 or more copies
For his App Store apps, Sindre Sorhus says educational institutions get a 50% discount when they buy 20 or more copies of one app through Apple School Manager.
- Other savings
Also available through Setapp
Dato is distributed through the Setapp app subscription as well as the App Store, and the vendor's page says Setapp can be tried free for 7 days.
- Other savings
Older versions are free on older macOS
Earlier releases for macOS 10.14 through macOS 15 are listed as free for everyone on the vendor's page. They will not run on newer macOS versions.
Savvy Time
- Annual discount
Yearly ad-free plan
The ad-free page shows $9.99 a year against $1.99 a month and calls it a 58% saving.
- Lifetime license
Lifetime ad-free
A single $34.99 payment with no renewals on the website.
Common questions
Which is cheaper, Dato or Savvy Time?
As of Nov 13, 2026, Dato starts at $18 one-time purchase on the Mac App Store, and Savvy Time starts at $1.99 per month (website ad-free plan).
Which has a free plan, Dato or Savvy Time?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Savvy Time has a free plan. Dato does not, though it has a free trial.
Which platforms do Dato and Savvy Time run on?
As of Nov 13, 2026, only Dato lists a macOS app and only Savvy Time lists a web app and an iOS app. A platform missing from a listing is one its maker's pages did not mention.
More comparisons
How this page was made
- The verdict at the top follows a fixed rule. When both tools are in the same category and either is in our top three for it, the verdict follows that ranking: the higher-placed tool is our pick. The top three weigh who each tool suits as well as its grades, so a pick can go against the GPA. Otherwise the page does not pick one and says which grades higher: the higher GPA first; on a tie, the one with a free plan, then the one that starts cheaper in dollars a month, counted the same way for both; if they are still level, what the choice depends on.
- The grades are our own, from each tool’s review or report card. The GPA is their average.
- Prices, plans and platforms come from each tool’s listing. The table above says where each price was read and when.
- The differences and the answers to the questions are worked out from those listings.