Why consider Google Calendar alternatives?
Privacy, design, and features stuck in 2015
Google Calendar is fine. That's the problem: it's just fine. It does the basics (scheduling, reminders, sharing) without much personality or innovation. For millions of people, that's enough. But if you're reading this, you probably want more.
Privacy is the big one. Google Calendar scans your events to feed its advertising machine. Book a flight? Expect ads for hotels. Schedule a doctor's appointment? Health-related ads incoming. If this creeps you out (and honestly, it should), alternatives like Proton Calendar or Apple Calendar don't monetize your schedule.
The design hasn't aged well either. Google Calendar's interface feels like it peaked around 2015 and just... stopped evolving. Compare it to modern apps like Cron (now Notion Calendar) or Morgen, and Google Calendar looks dated. Not unusable, just uninspired.
Time blocking is where Google Calendar really shows its age. Sure, you can create events manually, but there's no native support for dragging tasks into your calendar or auto-scheduling based on priorities. Apps like Motion or Akiflow handle this automatically. With Google Calendar, you're doing it all by hand.
Another complaint I see constantly on Reddit: the mobile app is clunky. Creating events requires too many taps, switching between views feels slow, and the widget options are limited. Meanwhile, competitors have nailed mobile experiences with quick-add shortcuts and better gesture controls.
Integration bloat is another thing. Google Calendar works great with other Google services (Gmail, Meet, Tasks), but third-party integrations often feel like afterthoughts. Want to connect to a non-Google task manager? You're usually stuck with basic two-way sync that breaks randomly.
Look, Google Calendar isn't going anywhere. It's free, reliable, and everyone has a Google account already. But "good enough" isn't the same as "actually good." If you want privacy, better design, or productivity features beyond basic scheduling, these alternatives deliver.
What makes a good Google Calendar alternative?
When hunting for a Google Calendar replacement, think about what frustrates you most about Google's approach. Different people have different dealbreakers.
Privacy First or Privacy Last
Google Calendar is free because you're the product. Your schedule data feeds Google's advertising engine. If this bothers you, prioritize alternatives with end-to-end encryption or companies that don't sell ads. Proton Calendar encrypts everything. Apple Calendar keeps data on-device. These trade-offs matter if privacy is your top concern.
Design That Doesn't Feel Ancient
Google Calendar works but looks boring. Modern alternatives have better typography, cleaner interfaces, and thoughtful animations. This sounds superficial until you're staring at your calendar for hours every day. A well-designed app reduces cognitive load and makes planning feel less like work.
Time Blocking and Task Integration
Google Calendar treats tasks and events as separate things. You can add Google Tasks, but they live in a sidebar and don't block time on your calendar. Apps like Morgen or Any.do let you drag tasks directly into time slots, turning your to-do list into a realistic schedule. If you time-block your day, this feature is essential.
Cross-Platform Reliability
Google Calendar works everywhere: web, iOS, Android, even has decent widgets. Your alternative needs to match your devices. If you're all-in on Apple, Apple Calendar integrates beautifully with macOS and iOS. If you switch between platforms, Morgen or Zoho Calendar work across ecosystems.
Scheduling Links and Meeting Tools
Google Calendar's appointment slots work, but apps like Cron and Morgen have better implementations. Send someone your availability, they pick a time, it books automatically. No email tennis, no back-and-forth. If you schedule a lot of meetings with sales teams, this alone justifies switching.
Pricing Reality Check
Google Calendar is free with unlimited storage. Many alternatives charge monthly fees. Morgen is $9/month for premium features. Cron used to be paid but Notion made it free after acquiring it. Proton Calendar is free for basic use. Figure out if the extra features justify the cost before committing.
Top Google Calendar Alternatives
Let's break down the best options.
1. Morgen Calendar
Morgen is the power-user alternative that does everything Google Calendar does, plus a ton more. Connect multiple calendars (Google, Outlook, iCloud, CalDAV) and see them all in one unified view. No more switching between accounts.
Time blocking is where Morgen shines. Drag tasks from Todoist, Asana, or other integrations directly into your calendar. This turns abstract to-do lists into concrete time commitments. Google Calendar can't do this natively: you'd need third-party tools or manual workarounds.
The scheduling links feature is stupidly good. Share your availability, people pick a slot, it books automatically with video conferencing links included. I've been using this for about 4 months and it's saved hours of scheduling back-and-forth.
Design is clean and modern without being distracting. Dark mode actually works well (Google Calendar's dark mode feels like an afterthought). Keyboard shortcuts for everything if you're into that.
Downsides? The free tier is limited: 3 calendar accounts and basic features. Premium is $9/month for unlimited accounts, time blocking, and advanced scheduling. That's not cheap compared to Google's free offering. Also, the mobile apps aren't as polished as the desktop experience yet.
If you want a productivity-focused calendar that integrates tasks and multiple accounts seamlessly, Morgen is the move. Just be ready to pay for the good stuff.
Cron Calendar (Notion Calendar)
Cron (now called Notion Calendar after Notion acquired it in late 2024) is the beautiful alternative built for people who live in back-to-back meetings.
The interface is gorgeous. Seriously, if you care about design, Cron makes Google Calendar look embarrassingly dated. Typography is clean, animations are smooth, and the whole experience feels intentional. It's what Google Calendar would be if Google hired actual designers instead of engineers.
Keyboard shortcuts are everywhere. Create events, switch views, find time slots: all without touching your mouse. If you're the type who hates leaving the keyboard, you'll love this. Google Calendar has shortcuts too, but they feel clunky in comparison.
Scheduling links are built-in and work great. Send your availability to someone, they book a time, done. The implementation is smoother than Google Calendar's appointment slots, which always felt bolted-on.
Now the catch: Cron used to be Mac/iOS only, and while they've added Windows and web support, the experience is still best on Apple devices. Also, after Notion acquired them, there's been talk of tighter Notion integration, which could be great or could turn into feature bloat. Too early to tell.
Biggest win? It's completely free now. Notion made all premium features free after the acquisition, which is rare. You're basically getting a premium calendar app for nothing. Privacy-conscious people might worry about Notion's data policies, but for most users, this is a solid upgrade from Google Calendar.
If you want something modern and beautiful without paying, Cron (Notion Calendar) is hard to beat. Just know it's optimized for Apple users even if it technically works everywhere.
Notion Calendar is a calendar app owned by Notion for managing events & meetings.
Proton Calendar
If privacy is your main concern, Proton Calendar is the obvious choice. Made by the same folks behind Proton Mail (the encrypted email service), it's built around zero-knowledge encryption. Proton can't read your calendar events even if they wanted to.
Any.do
Any.do takes a different approach: calendar plus tasks in one app. Instead of separating events and to-dos like Google Calendar does, Any.do treats them as part of the same workflow.
The daily planning feature is actually useful. Each morning, Any.do prompts you to review your calendar and tasks, helping you plan the day realistically. Google Calendar just shows you a grid: it's up to you to make sense of it. Any.do guides the process.
Time blocking works by dragging tasks into calendar slots. This is something Google Calendar can't do natively (you'd need Google Tasks open separately, and even then it's clunky). Any.do makes it visual and intuitive.
The mobile apps are solid: iOS and Android both polished. Widgets are better than Google Calendar's, with more customization options. Quick-add shortcuts make capturing tasks faster than Google's "add event" flow.
Downsides? The free version is limited. You get one shared calendar and basic features. Premium is around $5-6/month for recurring tasks, location reminders, and unlimited shared calendars. Not expensive, but Google Calendar's unlimited free tier is hard to compete with.
Also, if you don't care about task management, Any.do is overkill. It's designed for people who want calendar and to-dos combined. If you just need a better calendar without the task baggage, Morgen or Cron are better picks.
Any.do shines for individuals who time-block their days and want tasks + calendar in one place. It's less useful for teams or people who just need basic scheduling.
Zoho Calendar
Zoho Calendar is the under-the-radar alternative that works surprisingly well, especially if you're already in the Zoho ecosystem (Mail, CRM, Projects).
The feature set is solid: multiple calendars, sharing, scheduling, reminders. It's not innovative, but it covers all the basics Google Calendar does without the privacy concerns. Zoho's business model is selling software, not ads, so they're not scanning your events to target you.
Integration with other Zoho apps is seamless. If you use Zoho Mail or Zoho CRM, having Calendar in the same ecosystem makes sense. Everything syncs automatically without needing third-party connectors. For teams already on Zoho, this is a natural fit.
Design is functional but dated. It looks better than old Google Calendar but doesn't compete with modern apps like Cron or Morgen. If you prioritize aesthetics, you'll be disappointed. If you just need it to work, it's fine.
Pricing is weird: Zoho Calendar is free as a standalone app, but premium features require a Zoho Mail or Workplace subscription (around $3-4/month per user). If you're already paying for Zoho services, great. If not, you're probably better off with Google Calendar's free tier or paying for a more polished alternative.
Mobile apps exist for iOS and Android, but they're not amazing. They work, but feel slower and less refined than Google Calendar's mobile experience. Your mileage may vary.
Zoho Calendar makes sense if you're already invested in Zoho's ecosystem or if you want a Google Calendar replacement without Google's privacy issues. For most people, there are better options on this list.
Apple Calendar
If you're all-in on Apple devices, Apple Calendar is the obvious Google Calendar alternative. It's free, deeply integrated with macOS and iOS, and keeps your data private.
Privacy is a big selling point. Apple's business model doesn't rely on ads, so they're not scanning your calendar to sell you stuff. Events sync via iCloud with encryption, and Apple has a better track record on privacy than Google.
The design is clean and functional. Not as flashy as Cron, but more polished than Google Calendar's dated interface. It integrates beautifully with other Apple apps: Siri can add events, widgets work well, and the Today view on Mac is actually useful.
Natural language input works decently. Say "Remind me to call mom tomorrow at 2pm" and Siri handles it. Not as robust as Google's parsing, but good enough for most use cases.
Downsides are obvious: it's Apple-only. No Windows app, no Android app, web access is limited. If you switch platforms or collaborate with non-Apple users, you'll hit walls. Also, third-party integrations are weaker than Google Calendar's extensive ecosystem.
Sharing calendars with non-Apple users is clunky. You can do it via CalDAV or iCloud links, but it's not as seamless as Google Calendar's sharing. For teams with mixed devices, this is a dealbreaker.
Apple Calendar is perfect if you're locked into the Apple ecosystem and want something that just works without privacy concerns. If you need cross-platform support or extensive integrations, stick with Google Calendar or try Morgen.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Google Calendar alternative is best for privacy?
Proton Calendar, hands down. End-to-end encryption means even Proton can't read your events. Apple Calendar is solid too if you're on Apple devices: it keeps data on-device and doesn't monetize your schedule. Both are way better than Google's ad-driven model.
What's the best free alternative to Google Calendar?
Cron (Notion Calendar) used to be paid but is now completely free after Notion acquired it. You get a beautiful, modern calendar with scheduling links and keyboard shortcuts without paying. Apple Calendar is free too if you're on Apple devices. Zoho Calendar has a free tier but it's pretty basic.
Can I sync Google Calendar with these alternatives?
Most of them, yeah. Morgen, Cron, and Any.do all support importing Google Calendar alongside other accounts. You can keep using Google Calendar for shared events while using an alternative as your primary interface. Proton Calendar doesn't sync directly (privacy reasons), but you can import/export ICS files.
Which alternative has the best design?
Cron (Notion Calendar) takes this one. The interface is gorgeous: clean typography, smooth animations, thoughtful details. Morgen looks modern too but prioritizes function over form. Google Calendar and Zoho Calendar feel dated by comparison. Apple Calendar is clean but not exciting.
Do any alternatives work better on mobile than Google Calendar?
Any.do has better mobile apps with superior widgets and quick-add features. Cron's mobile experience is solid if you're on iPhone. Morgen's mobile apps are decent but not as polished as the desktop version. Google Calendar's mobile app is fine but feels clunky for quick event creation.
What if I need scheduling links like Calendly?
Morgen and Cron both have built-in scheduling links. Share your availability, people pick a time, it books automatically. Way better than Google Calendar's appointment slots, which always felt awkward. If scheduling links are essential, these two are your best bets.
Can I use these alternatives for team calendars?
Depends on the team. Morgen and Zoho Calendar handle team scheduling well, especially if your team is already on Zoho. Cron works for smaller teams. Apple Calendar is clunky for mixed-device teams. Proton Calendar's sharing is limited by design (privacy trade-off). Google Calendar is still better for large, cross-platform teams despite its downsides.