Notion Calendar (formerly Cron Calendar) might be one of the better free calendar apps out there. However, many people don't consider alternatives on the market and options that might give them more power with their calendar management.
It is also clear to many people that Notion might change its plans in the future, forcing you to sign up to manage your docs, whereas for now, you need only your Google Calendar connection.
If you're looking for ADHD-friendly calendar apps, we'd recommend that read. Here are the most likely reasons people look for alternatives in 2026:
Becoming less Notion reliant. Some people might want a change from Notion, whether that's the design, feel, or just less dependence on one ecosystem.
More powerful features. Notion Calendar is good, but it isn't the top dog of calendar apps. If you need advanced scheduling, AI assistance, or deeper integrations, there are better options.
Why Consider Notion Calendar Alternatives?
Common Pain Points
Notion Calendar works well for basic calendar management, but it has limitations that drive people to look elsewhere.
The integration ecosystem is narrow. Notion Calendar connects beautifully with Google Calendar and Notion databases, but that's about it. If you use Outlook, Apple Calendar, or CalDAV services as your primary calendar, you're out of luck. Many alternatives support multiple calendar services simultaneously.
AI and automation features are minimal. Notion Calendar offers basic scheduling, but it doesn't use AI to suggest meeting times, automatically schedule tasks, or optimize your day. Competitors have leaned hard into AI-powered scheduling that can save hours per week.
Meeting scheduling tools are absent. You can't generate booking links for others to schedule time with you, which is table stakes for many professionals. Alternatives like Vimcal and Fantastical include these features, saving you from needing a separate Calendly subscription.
Task integration is limited to Notion. If you use Todoist, Things, or any other task manager, you can't pull those tasks into your calendar view. Some alternatives integrate with multiple task management systems, giving you a unified view of commitments and tasks.
Customization options are basic. You get light and dark themes, but you can't customize views, color schemes, or layout extensively. Power users who want their calendar exactly how they like it will find Notion Calendar restrictive.
The mobile experience is decent but not exceptional. While Notion Calendar has iOS and Android apps, they lack some advanced features and gestures that make competitors like Timepage feel more polished and intuitive.
Locking into the Notion ecosystem concerns some users. If Notion changes their pricing model or discontinues Calendar, you're dependent on their decisions. Using a standalone calendar app gives you more independence.
What Makes a Good Calendar Alternative?
Features to Look For
A good Notion Calendar alternative should match or exceed its core features while addressing its weaknesses.
Multi-calendar support is crucial. You should be able to connect Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, and other services in one interface. Managing multiple calendars separately is a pain that modern apps should eliminate.
Natural language input saves time. Being able to type "Coffee with Sarah next Tuesday at 10am" and have it create the event correctly is faster than clicking through date and time pickers.
Task management integration helps you see commitments and to-dos in one view. Whether that's through direct integration with task apps or built-in task features, having everything visible prevents overcommitment.
Meeting scheduling capabilities, like generating booking links or proposing times, eliminate the back-and-forth email tennis of finding mutually available slots.
Smart features and AI can analyze your schedule, suggest optimal meeting times based on your patterns, automatically add video conference links, and help protect focus time.
Mobile apps should be as capable as desktop versions. Many people check and manage their calendar primarily from their phones, so the mobile experience can't be an afterthought.
Performance matters. Your calendar should load instantly and respond to interactions without lag. Cloud-heavy solutions can feel sluggish compared to apps with local caching.
Customization options let you tailor the interface to your preferences. Different people benefit from different views, color schemes, and layout options.
Pricing should be reasonable. Free tiers are great, but if the paid version is required for basic features, evaluate whether it's worth the cost compared to alternatives.
1. Fantastical Calendar
Best All-Around Alternative
Fantastical has been one of the best calendar apps for years, and it rivals Notion Calendar in design while adding substantial functionality.
Fantastical offers a similar clean interface to Notion Calendar, with a bit more color and personality thrown into the design. But where it really shines is in the feature set that Notion Calendar lacks.
Natural language input is stupidly good. Type "Lunch with Alex next Friday at noon at Chipotle" and Fantastical parses the time, attendee, location, everything. It handles complex recurring events effortlessly.
Weather forecasting appears directly in your calendar view, which is more useful than you'd think. Planning outdoor events or just knowing whether to bring a jacket becomes automatic.
Time zone support is excellent for people who work across zones. Fantastical automatically adjusts times and shows multiple time zones simultaneously, preventing those embarrassing "I thought you meant 2pm my time" mishaps.
Proposal feature lets you suggest multiple time options to attendees, who can vote on their preference. This eliminates scheduling email chains without requiring a separate tool.
Integrations include connections with apps like Todoist, Zoom, Google Meet, and more. You can see tasks alongside events and automatically add video conference links.
The catch is pricing. Fantastical has a good free experience for basic use, but the powerful features require Flexibits Premium at $4.75 per month (annual billing). That's reasonable for what you get, but it's not free like Notion Calendar.
The iOS and macOS apps are particularly polished. If you're in the Apple ecosystem, Fantastical feels native and fast. There's a Windows version now too, though it's not quite as refined.
Best for: Apple users who want powerful features like natural language input, weather, time zones, and scheduling proposals without sacrificing design quality.
Fantastical is a calendar app that handles events, tasks & meeting scheduling in one.
2. Morgen
Best for Planner-Style Use
Morgen Calendar is a strong Notion Calendar alternative that goes beyond basic calendar management into planner territory.
Inside Morgen, you can coordinate your tasks more effectively using integrations that bring in to-dos from Todoist, ClickUp, Obsidian, Asana, and more. This task-calendar integration is something Notion Calendar only does with Notion databases.
The unified view showing calendar events and tasks from multiple sources in one timeline is genuinely useful. You can time-block tasks onto your calendar, drag them around, and get a realistic view of what you can actually accomplish.
Scheduling links are built-in, similar to Calendly. You can create booking pages for different meeting types, set availability rules, and share links with clients or colleagues. No separate subscription needed.
Multi-calendar support is comprehensive. Morgen connects to Google, Outlook, iCloud, Exchange, and CalDAV, often multiple accounts from each provider. For people juggling work and personal calendars across different services, this is a lifesaver.
They look fairly similar to Notion Calendar in overall layout, but Morgen has much more of an AI-based focus. The AI features suggest optimal times for tasks based on your energy patterns and automatically categorize events.
The Notion integration in Morgen is actually quite good. You can pull Notion databases into your calendar view. But honestly, the Notion Calendar integration works better for pure Notion-to-calendar workflows.
Performance is solid with good offline caching. The apps feel responsive even with multiple calendars and hundreds of tasks loaded.
Pricing offers a generous free tier that includes basic features. The Pro plan at $9 per month adds scheduling links, advanced integrations, and team features.
Best for: People who want to combine task and calendar management in one interface, especially if using multiple calendar services and task management apps.
3. Vimcal
Best for Meeting-Heavy Schedules
Vimcal is an AI-focused calendar app that positions itself as the calendar for busy professionals who live in meetings.
The way you can manage your calendar using keyboard shortcuts and AI tools is impressive. Vimcal is built for speed, and once you learn the shortcuts, you can schedule meetings in seconds without touching your mouse.
Meeting scheduling is where Vimcal excels. You can create personal booking links, send availability slots to meeting participants, and let AI suggest optimal times based on everyone's calendars. The feature set here rivals dedicated scheduling tools.
Time zone management is the best we've seen. Vimcal shows multiple time zones simultaneously and makes it dead simple to schedule across zones. For global teams, this alone might justify the switch.
Social profiles integration pulls LinkedIn and other social info about meeting attendees, giving you context before calls. Quick prep for who you're meeting with.
Group scheduling for teams works well. You can see team members' availability, book 1:1s efficiently, and coordinate group meetings without the usual calendar chaos.
The catch is that Vimcal is much more expensive than Notion Calendar. It starts at $12 per month (annual billing) or $15 monthly. That's a significant jump from free, and you need to really value the time savings to justify it.
Vimcal is often regarded as the Superhuman of calendar apps. Premium pricing, keyboard-first interface, focused on power users who value speed above all.
The learning curve is steeper than Notion Calendar. You'll need to invest time learning keyboard shortcuts and AI features to get the full benefit.
Many people love it, including popular YouTubers like Ali Abdaal who've featured it extensively. The productivity gains for meeting-heavy schedules are real.
Best for: Professionals with packed calendars who need advanced meeting scheduling, work across time zones, and value speed and efficiency enough to pay premium pricing.
4. Moleskine Timepage
Best for Mobile Aesthetics
Timepage is one of the most visually striking calendar apps available, especially on mobile.
The iOS app resembles a premium, gesture-based experience that feels more like a design showcase than a utility app. Even compared to Notion Calendar's iOS app, the Timepage experience is a league ahead in terms of playful interactivity and polish.
Gestures and animations make managing your calendar surprisingly delightful. Swiping between views, creating events, and navigating dates all feel smooth and intuitive in ways that make other calendar apps feel clunky.
Weather, travel time, and maps integration provide contextual information for your events. Timepage automatically calculates how long it will take to get to your next appointment and reminds you when to leave.
The widget collection is extensive and beautifully designed. Timepage offers some of the best iOS home screen widgets for calendar apps, showing your schedule at a glance with style.
Customization options for themes and appearance let you personalize the look more than most calendar apps. If aesthetics matter to you, Timepage delivers.
The downside is that Timepage requires a premium subscription. There's no free tier. You'll need the Timepage subscription or Moleskine's Timepage & Actions bundle at around $30 annually.
Timepage is primarily mobile-focused. There's a Mac app, but the experience is clearly optimized for iPhone and iPad. If you do most calendar management on desktop, this isn't ideal.
Advanced features like scheduling links or AI suggestions aren't present. Timepage focuses on making basic calendar management beautiful rather than adding power features.
Best for: iOS users who value beautiful design and delightful interactions, especially those who primarily manage their calendar on mobile devices.
5. HEY Calendar
Best for Email + Calendar Integration
HEY Calendar comes bundled into the HEY email experience, and with the launch of Notion Mail, many people might be considering moving away from the Notion realm entirely. What a perfect time to explore this.
HEY Calendar helps users handle their emails and calendars simultaneously in one integrated interface. For people who spend their day bouncing between email and calendar, this integration eliminates constant context switching.
The opinionated design philosophy extends from HEY's email approach. HEY Calendar has strong opinions about how calendars should work, which is refreshing if you agree with their philosophy and frustrating if you don't.
No two-way sync with Google Calendar or other services is a deliberate choice by HEY. They want you to use HEY Calendar as your primary calendar, not just a view on top of other calendars. This is a dealbreaker for many people who need to coordinate with others using standard calendar platforms.
The email integration is stupidly good if you use HEY for email. Calendar invites, scheduling emails, and coordinating meetings all happen seamlessly within the HEY ecosystem.
Privacy and ad-free experience align with HEY's overall philosophy. No tracking, no ads, no data mining. For privacy-conscious users, this matters.
The cost is significant: HEY email costs $99 per year, and HEY Calendar comes bundled with that. You can't get Calendar standalone. So you're really evaluating whether to switch your entire email and calendar setup to HEY.
For people already using HEY email who are frustrated with managing calendar separately, adding HEY Calendar is a no-brainer. For everyone else, it's a much bigger decision.
Best for: HEY email users who want email and calendar tightly integrated, or people considering a complete switch away from Gmail/Google Calendar who value privacy and opinionated design.
HEY Calendar is a calendar app that re-thinks your approach to managing schedules.
6. Motion
Best for AI-Powered Scheduling
Motion is less a calendar app and more an AI-powered planning system that happens to include calendar functionality.
Motion uses AI to automatically schedule your tasks on your calendar based on deadlines, priorities, and available time. You tell it what needs to get done and when it's due, and Motion figures out when you should work on it.
The automatic rescheduling is where Motion gets interesting. When meetings get moved or tasks take longer than expected, Motion automatically reorganizes your entire schedule. This dynamic planning is something static calendar apps can't match.
Project management features built into Motion let you break down larger projects into tasks, set dependencies, and have Motion schedule all the work across your team's calendars.
Meeting booking and scheduling links work similarly to Calendly but with better integration into Motion's AI scheduling. When someone books time with you, Motion adjusts your task schedule automatically.
The team coordination features help teams schedule collaborative work, see each other's availability, and coordinate projects across multiple people's calendars.
The learning curve is substantial. Motion requires setup time and trust in the AI to manage your schedule. Some people love ceding control to the algorithm; others find it unsettling.
Pricing is premium: $34 per month for individuals or $19 per month if you commit annually. That's expensive compared to Notion Calendar's free offering, though Motion argues the time savings justify the cost.
Performance can be hit or miss. When Motion's AI works well, it's magical. When it schedules things oddly or fails to account for context, it's frustrating.
Best for: Busy professionals or teams who want AI to handle scheduling decisions, have complex task management needs, and are willing to pay premium pricing for time savings.
7. Google Calendar
The Reliable Standard
Google Calendar is the obvious alternative that many people forget to consider. It's what Notion Calendar connects to, so why not just use the source?
The web and mobile apps have improved dramatically over the years. Google Calendar is no longer the clunky interface it once was. The design is clean, functional, and increasingly powerful.
Integration with Google Workspace is seamless. If you use Gmail, Google Meet, Google Drive, and other Google services, Calendar ties everything together naturally.
Sharing and collaboration features are mature and widely supported. Everyone knows how to use Google Calendar, which reduces friction when coordinating with others.
Multiple calendar support works well for managing work, personal, and shared calendars in one interface. Color-coding and selective visibility give you control over what you see.
Appointment slots and booking features have been added, providing basic scheduling functionality without third-party tools.
The limitations are power features. Google Calendar doesn't have advanced natural language input, AI scheduling, or deep task integration. It's a solid, reliable calendar that does the basics well.
Mobile apps are competent but not exceptional. They work fine, but they lack the polish and unique features of specialized calendar apps.
Pricing is free for personal use, included with Google Workspace for business users. Hard to beat free.
Best for: People who want a reliable, widely-supported calendar without complexity, especially those already using Google services.
8. Amie
Best for Modern Design + Tasks
Amie combines calendar, tasks, and email in a beautifully designed package that feels like Notion Calendar's cooler sibling.
The design is genuinely impressive. Amie looks and feels premium, with thoughtful animations, beautiful typography, and a color scheme that makes calendar management almost enjoyable.
Task management is built-in and well-integrated. You can create to-dos, schedule them on your calendar, and manage everything in one interface without switching between apps.
Email integration (in beta) aims to bring calendar, tasks, and email together like HEY Calendar but with a more modern, flexible approach.
Natural language input works well for creating events and tasks. The parsing is smart enough to handle complex inputs accurately.
Collaboration features let you share availability, schedule group events, and coordinate with others. The shared calendars view is cleaner than most alternatives.
Scheduling links for booking meetings are included, eliminating the need for separate Calendly-style tools.
The catch is that Amie is invitation-only during beta, though invites are relatively easy to get. The full feature set isn't available yet, and some promised features are still in development.
Performance is excellent. Amie feels fast and responsive, with smooth animations that don't sacrifice speed.
Pricing isn't finalized yet, but Amie has indicated they'll have a generous free tier with premium features available through subscription.
The community around Amie is enthusiastic, and the team is responsive to feedback. Being early in development means the product is evolving quickly.
Best for: People who want a modern, beautifully designed calendar with integrated tasks and email, and don't mind using a product still in active development.
How to Switch from Notion Calendar
Making the Transition Smooth
Switching calendar apps is actually easier than switching most productivity tools, but there are still considerations.
Your calendar data lives primarily in your calendar service (Google Calendar, Outlook, etc.), not in Notion Calendar itself. This means switching is mostly about changing which app you use to view and manage that data.
Export any Notion database information you've connected to your calendar. If you've been using Notion Calendar to pull in tasks or events from Notion databases, you'll need to replicate that connection in your new calendar app or find an alternative workflow.
Test the new calendar app for at least a week before fully committing. Use it alongside Notion Calendar initially to make sure it handles your workflows correctly.
Check integration compatibility if you rely on specific tools. Not all calendar apps connect to all services. Verify your new choice supports your calendar providers, task managers, and other integrated tools.
Set up scheduling links if you use them. If you've shared Notion Calendar availability links with people, you'll need to create new links in your alternative and update any places you've shared them.
Notifications and reminders may need reconfiguration. Different calendar apps handle notifications differently, so verify your important reminders are set up correctly in the new app.
Keyboard shortcuts will be different. If you relied heavily on keyboard navigation in Notion Calendar, you'll need to learn the shortcuts in your new app. Most calendar apps have good keyboard support, just with different keys.
Mobile apps should be set up and tested separately. Download the mobile version and make sure it syncs properly and has the features you need for on-the-go calendar management.
Notion Calendar Alternatives FAQ
Common Questions
**What's the best free alternative to Notion Calendar?**
Google Calendar is the obvious choice, and honestly, it's what Notion Calendar connects to anyway. Fantastical has a functional free tier, though premium features require subscription. Morgen's free plan is generous and includes task integration. Amie will likely have a good free tier when it exits beta.
**Which alternative is fastest and most efficient?**
Vimcal wins on speed, hands down. It's built for keyboard-first operation and designed for people who live in their calendar. Fantastical is also quite fast, especially on Apple devices. Morgen performs well even with multiple calendars loaded.
**Can I still integrate with Notion if I switch calendar apps?**
Some alternatives integrate with Notion better than others. Morgen has direct Notion integration for pulling database items into calendar view. Most other apps can connect to your Google Calendar, which can sync with Notion via Notion Calendar's two-way sync. It's more convoluted, but workable.
**Which alternative has the best mobile app?**
Timepage is designed mobile-first and has the most polished iOS experience. Fantastical's mobile apps are excellent, especially on Apple devices. Amie's mobile app is beautiful and functional. Vimcal's mobile app is good but less central to their experience than desktop.
**Do any alternatives include task management?**
Morgen and Amie both integrate tasks directly into the calendar interface. Motion goes furthest, automatically scheduling tasks on your calendar. Fantastical integrates with external task managers like Todoist. Google Calendar has basic task functionality built-in.
**Which calendar app is best for teams?**
Vimcal and Motion both focus heavily on team coordination and scheduling. Google Calendar is the standard for enterprise teams. Fantastical works well for smaller teams in the Apple ecosystem. HEY Calendar can work for teams using HEY email.
**Is it worth paying for a calendar app when Notion Calendar is free?**
Depends on your needs. If you're frustrated by Notion Calendar's limitations and would save significant time with features like AI scheduling (Motion), advanced meeting coordination (Vimcal), or task integration (Morgen), the subscription can pay for itself. For basic calendar management, free options work fine.
Which Notion Calendar Alternative to Choose?
Final Recommendations
Choosing a Notion Calendar alternative depends on what you need beyond basic calendar viewing.
For all-around excellence without breaking the bank, Fantastical hits the sweet spot. Great design, powerful features, reasonable pricing. Works especially well in the Apple ecosystem.
If you want task and calendar management unified, Morgen delivers with excellent integration across multiple task managers and calendar services. The free tier is generous enough for most individual users.
Meeting-heavy professionals should look at Vimcal if speed and efficiency are worth premium pricing, or Motion if you want AI to handle scheduling decisions.
For pure aesthetics and mobile experience, Timepage is unmatched, though it's limited to Apple platforms and basic features.
If you're considering a complete ecosystem change, HEY Calendar with HEY email offers a privacy-focused, integrated experience, but it's all-or-nothing.
Honestly? For many people, just using Google Calendar directly makes sense. It's free, reliable, and does everything most people need. The specialized alternatives add value for specific workflows, but the standard Google Calendar is hard to beat for general use.
There are so many solid options now in 2026, and the best choice really depends on your specific workflow, platform preferences, and whether advanced features justify subscription costs.