The 5 Best Shared Calendar Apps

Quickly and easily see what family and friends are up to

by
Sarah Silbert
Writer
Sarah Lawrence is a consumer technology writer whose work has appeared in Fortune and MIT Technology Review. She's also a previous senior editor at Engadget.
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Sarah Silbert
Updated on June 08, 2021
reviewed by
Christine Baker
Lifewire Tech Review Board Member
Christine Baker is a marketing consultant with experience working for a variety of clients. Her expertise includes social media, web development, and graphic design.
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Article reviewed on Feb 15, 2020
Christine Baker

Whether you want to keep your whole family up-to-speed, coordinate with friends, or keep track of colleagues' plans, a shared calendar app can come in handy. Wouldn't it be nice to eliminate the need to call or text to figure out your schedules? Here are your best options for iOS and Android.

01
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Best for Busy Families: Cozi Family Organizer

Features of the Cozi app
Cozi
What We Like

  • Well-organized setup.

  • Built-in shopping and to-do lists.

  • Available across major mobile platforms.

What We Don't Like

  • Have to pay for some features and to remove ads.

This free app is popular with parents who use it to log and view every family member's schedule in one place. You can view schedules by the week or month, and each family member's plans have a different color code, so you can quickly see who's doing what.

With Cozi, you can set up automated emails with schedule details on a weekly or daily basis, as well as set up reminders so that no one misses important events. The app also includes shopping and to-do list features, which let every family member contribute so that nothing gets overlooked.

In addition to using the Cozi app on your Android, iPhone, or Windows phone, you can log in from your computer.

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02
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Best for Keeping Up With Relatives' Activities: Family Wall

Features of the Family Wall
Family&Co
What We Like

  • Unique social media-style approach to family schedule management.

  • Option to create various groups.

What We Don't Like

  • You have to pay for location, safe zone notifications, and select other features.

The Family Wall app offers much of the same great functionality as Cozi, including the ability to view and update a shared calendar and create and update task lists. Beyond that, however, it offers a private family social media-type experience, with a built-in instant messaging tool.

With the premium version of the app, members of a shared Family Wall account can also send check-ins at specific locations to everyone in the group, which could provide parents some peace of mind. Another cool feature: You can create various Family Wall groups, such as one for your family, one for close friends, and one for extended family.

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03
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Best for Gmail Users: Google Calendar

Features of the Google Calendar app
Google
What We Like

  • Automatically imports events from Gmail.

  • Intuitive design.

What We Don't Like

  • Some complaints from Android users about notifications being delayed.

The free Google calendar app is streamlined and simple. It lets you create events and appointments, and if you enter a location, it provides a map to help you get there. It also imports events from your Gmail account to the calendar automatically. As for sharing-specific features, you can create and share a calendar, after which all participants will be able to view and update it across your devices.

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04
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Best for Mac and iOS Users: iCloud Calendar

Screenshot of the Mac and iOS Calendars apps
What We Like

  • Useful if you already work with iCloud.

  • Send calendars to non-iCloud users.

What We Don't Like

  • Only compatible with Apple hardware (iPhone, iPad, Mac, etc.).

This free option only makes sense if you're heavily invested in Apple's ecosystem, meaning you use the calendar and other Apple apps on your phone and laptop. If you do, you can create and share calendars with others. The recipients don't need to be iCloud users to view your calendars.

You can make changes to your calendar from your iCloud account, and they'll be reflected across all devices that have the app installed. The iCloud calendar isn't the most robust, feature-packed option, but it could make sense if your family uses Apple services and needs to merge schedules.

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05
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Best for General Shared Calendars, Business-Related Calendars: Outlook Calendar

Features of the Outlook Calendar app
Microsoft
What We Like

  • Helpful tools for finding workable meeting times, and coordinating schedules.

  • Built into Outlook mail app.

What We Don't Like

  • Must be a Microsoft 365 subscriber to get access.

In addition to integrating with Outlook email and your contacts list, this calendar includes the option to view group schedules. You just need to create a group calendar and invite all desired participants. You can also share your availability with others to help find a meeting time that works for everyone.

Outlook Calendar is free with a Microsoft 365 subscription, which starts at $69.99 per year). Once again, this is an option that won't make sense for everyone. However, if you use Outlook for work or personal email, it could be the right option for you.

Outlook's calendar is part of the larger Outlook app, so you'll need to toggle between your mail and your calendar within the app to view the different features. There's also a desktop version of Outlook Calendar available for PC and Mac.

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