4.5
out of 5
4.5/5
| Best For | Overall |
| Price | $19 per month |
| Discount | None |
| Promotion | free 7-day trial |
5+ Best Smart Calendars in 2023: Why They Beat Traditional To-Do Lists
Still scribbling tasks on that old planner or generic to-do list? Let’s face it, the world’s moved on and it’s time you did too. The word on the street? Smart Calendars. But not all are created equal. I’ve dived into the tech trenches, tested, and retested—and now? I’m unveiling the crème de la crème. Here are 5+ smart calendars that don’t just compete—they crush traditional to-do lists.Â
Ready to level up your productivity game? Let’s dive in.
Motion
Best for AI-based daily calendar and schedule optimization
Asana
Best for team schedule management with robust integrations
ClickUp
Best for streamlining team tasks and optimal schedule management
Calendly
Best for seamless meeting booking and scheduling automation
What Are the Best Smart Calendars?
As we step into the middle of 2023, Motion, Asana, ClickUp, Calendly, and Google Calendar are the top smart calendar contenders–each with a unique set of features and benefits. These smart calendars go beyond the traditional date-tracking function and offer a range of powerful tools. They optimize your daily schedule, manage projects effortlessly, coordinate tasks for teams, schedule meetings and calendar events automatically, and track upcoming events effectively.
With these smart calendars, staying organized and on track becomes a breeze in our busy world. No matter the nature of your commitments, whether they are friendly rendezvous, family events, or important business meetings, these smart calendars will help you stay informed about your next schedule right on the dot.
1. Motion
Best For AI-Based Daily Calendar Management And Schedule Optimization
Motion
Our Take
Motion is ideal for busy individuals, especially ones who collaborate with teams in managing numerous tasks, projects, and meetings. It is a game changer that offers a streamlined solution to stay organized and on track, especially for those seeking a unified productivity platform. With its user-friendly interface and time-saving capabilities, Motion stands out as one of the must-try smart calendars for boosting productivity.
Motion is a productivity app that integrates time management, task organization, and scheduling into one seamless platform. With automation and AI capabilities, it optimizes your workflow, making it easier to plan your day, schedule meetings, and create personalized to-do lists based on your priorities and deadlines.
Motion Top Features
- Unified Platform:Â Access Motion as a desktop, web, and mobile app, along with a Chrome extension, providing a cohesive experience for all your tasks.
- Combined Calendar View: Seamlessly integrate Gmail and Outlook calendars into one view, allowing you to access both personal and work calendars simultaneously. It’s like a digital wall calendar display that helps oversee all of your schedules for more efficient management.
- Click-and-Drag Time Blocking:Â Motion allows you to easily allocate time blocks within the Scheduler tab and full monthly calendar view, enabling efficient planning and organization.
- Customization Options:Â Tailor the app to your needs with a variety of customization options for a personalized workflow.
- AI Capabilities: Motion’s AI assists in task prioritization, automatic scheduling, and integration with various tools, saving you valuable time and effort.
Pros
- Available on desktop, web, and mobile, along with a Chrome extension, ensuring accessibility across devices.
- Efficient click-and-drag time blocking within the Scheduler tab for better planning.
- AI capabilities for task prioritization, automatic scheduling, and integration with other tools.
- Highly customizable, providing a tailored experience for users.
- Convenient meeting booking feature automates scheduling, saving time and avoiding conflicts.
Cons
- The app’s pricing may be considered high for some users.
- Less useful for individuals with fewer weekly tasks, projects, and meetings.
- Automatic scheduling doesn’t work with manually scheduled tasks.
- The mobile app is dependent on the web app and requires a device that is WiFi connected, limiting standalone usability in offline scenarios.
2. Asana
Best For Team Project Management With Extensive Integration Options
Asana
Our Take
Asana’s shared team calendar feature is best suited for teams and companies that need to collaborate effectively on projects while staying on top of deadlines. Its user-friendly interface and seamless integration make it an ideal choice for those seeking an all-in-one project management and calendar solution.
4.3
out of 5
4.3/5
| Best For | Overall |
| Price | $10.99 – $24.99 /user/month |
| Discount | None |
| Promotion | Try Free limited features |
Asana offers a shared team monthly calendar feature as part of its comprehensive project management platform. This calendar allows teams to view deadlines, task assignments, and project progress in one convenient place with extensive customization options.
Asana Top Features
- Shared Team Calendar:Â Keep track of deadlines and task assignments in one online calendar display, ensuring you never miss important dates.
- Workflow Builder:Â Automate task intake and save time with automated Rules that trigger task assignments and status updates.
- Advanced Search Function:Â Easily find and organize tasks and deadlines within the calendar for better planning and coordination.
- Timeline Feature:Â Create project plans with a visual timeline display to ensure projects stay on schedule and well-managed.
- Project Views:Â Optimize project management using Timeline, Board, and List views to identify bottlenecks and allocate resources effectively.
- Seamless Integration:Â Asana integrates with over 200 apps, consolidating tasks and deadlines for improved productivity.
Pros
- Shared team calendar for efficient deadline tracking and task assignments.
- Advanced search function for easy organization of tasks and deadlines.
- Visual timeline feature for better project planning and management.
- Seamless integration with other apps for enhanced productivity.
- Real-time reporting with customizable dashboards provides valuable data insights.
Cons
- One person per task limitation could be a drawback for teams that need more flexible task assignment options.
- Extensive feature sets may have a learning curve for new users unfamiliar with project management tools.
- Advanced features in Premium and Business plans may require an upgrade for specific needs.
- The app is required to be WiFi connected for full functionality.
3. ClickUp
Best For Teams Who Need Streamlined Task And Schedule Management
ClickUp
Our Take
ClickUp offers an agenda style calendar that is best suited for individuals and teams seeking an all-in-one productivity tool with powerful calendar features. Its visual and dynamic approach to scheduling, along with its integration capabilities, make it ideal for managing complex projects and staying organized in a collaborative environment.
4
out of 5
4/5
| Best For | Overall |
| Price | $7 – $19 /member/month |
| Discount | None |
| Promotion | Free Forever |
ClickUp is a free and powerful productivity tool with an intuitive calendar feature designed for teams of any size to manage projects, stay organized, and collaborate effectively. Its flexible Calendar view and customizable display automatically update as projects progress, allowing users to plan timelines and keep everyone on the same page.
ClickUp Top Features
- Eliminate Clutter: Focus on your tasks, subtasks, and comments by customizing the Calendar view to show only relevant information.
- Visualize Work: ClickUp offers over 15 customizable display options to visualize tasks, providing an engaging and dynamic scheduling experience.
- 2-Way Sync: Seamlessly integrate entries from other tools like Google, Outlook, and Apple Calendar into ClickUp, keeping all your schedules easily visible in one place.
- Efficient Meeting Management: Launch meetings directly from the Calendar view, streamlining the process and enhancing productivity.
- Customizable Visuals: Tailor the appearance of task assignees, priorities, subtasks, and time on your Calendar for easy interpretation.
- Ready-to-Use Templates: Leverage event planning templates for efficient scheduling and organization.
Pros
- Clutter-free Calendar view, showing only tasks, subtasks, and comments assigned to you.
- Supports calendar syncing with other tools like Google, Outlook, and iCloud Calendar for centralized scheduling.
- Efficient meeting management and launch directly from the Calendar view.
- Easily plan events and projects with pre-designed templates.
- Customizable views and filters for a tailored scheduling experience.
Cons
- Automation features have room for improvement to achieve higher levels of dynamics.
- Some users find the tool more complex than necessary, potentially affecting usability.
- Lacks advanced formula capabilities with nested functionalities, allowing for more complex calculations and data manipulation.
- No offline accessibility. Internet connection is needed to use the calendar.
4. Calendly
Best For Automated Meeting Scheduling
Calendly
Our Take
Calendly is best suited for professionals, entrepreneurs, and businesses seeking a straightforward and efficient automated scheduling tool. Its user-friendly interface and seamless integrations make it an excellent choice for streamlining appointment booking and managing meeting room schedules or conference schedules more effectively.
4
out of 5
4/5
| Best For | Overall |
| Price | $7 – $19 /member/month |
| Discount | None |
| Promotion | Free Forever |
Calendly is an automated calendar app designed to streamline scheduling and connect people effortlessly. With millions of users benefiting from its user-friendly interface, it offers a delightful scheduling experience, saving time and enhancing flexibility for individuals and teams alike.
Calendly Top Features
- Automated Scheduling: Calendly automates the scheduling process, taking the work out of connecting with others and eliminating the back-and-forth emails for setting up meetings.
- Seamless Integrations: Compatible with popular calendars like Google, Office 365, and Outlook, as well as apps such as Salesforce, Stripe, PayPal, Google Analytics, GoToMeeting, and Zapier, for a seamless user experience.
- Multi-User Functionality: Suitable for both individual users and large teams, accommodating diverse scheduling needs.
- Customizable URL: With the ability to customize the URL, users can set up multiple categories for different scheduling purposes, making it convenient for various types of appointments and meetings.
- Flexible Pricing: Calendly offers a free Basic plan and affordable Premium and Pro plans, catering to the needs of both individual users and businesses.
Calendly Pricing
Calendly offers four pricing plans for individuals and teams: The Basic plan is always free and includes essential features, while the Essentials plan is $8, the Professional plan is $12, and the Teams plan is $16, priced per person per month. Each plan provides additional capabilities and customization options to cater to specific scheduling needs.
Pros
- Straightforward automated scheduling, reducing back-and-forth emails for setting up meetings.
- Millions of registered users, indicating its popularity and reliability in the market.
- Compatible with Google, Office 365, and Outlook Calendars, providing seamless integration for a smooth user experience with other online calendar services.
- Offers a range of pricing plans, including a free Basic plan, making it accessible to a wide audience.
Cons
- Some limitations in syncing personal and employer Calendly accounts for collaborative events.
- Multi-User scheduling and other online calendar services could be more intuitive for ease of use.
- Limited integrations with extensions, potentially limiting certain user preferences.
5. Google Calendar
Best For Keeping Track Of Events And Activities
Google Calendar
Our Take
Google’s Calendar is well-suited for busy families, individuals, and businesses seeking a comprehensive and user-friendly scheduling solution. Its cross-platform accessibility and smart features make it a perfect fit for those looking to streamline and organize various aspects of life in a single, synchronized calendar.
4
out of 5
4/5
| Best For | Overall |
| Price | $7 – $19 /member/month |
| Discount | None |
| Promotion | Free Forever |
Google offers a versatile calendar scheduling tool that is accessible on mobile, tablet, and online platforms. It offers various views for day, week, and month, along with prioritization, guest invites, and web access features, making it ideal for managing entire family, personal, and work-related events efficiently. Additionally, the calendar can sync with smart devices, including photo frames and a digital wall calendar, with the help of a Raspberry Pi, which provides a dynamic and visual representation of events.
Google Calendar Top Features
- Smart Event Creation:Â Create events effortlessly with smart suggestions for event titles, people, and locations, making scheduling quick and efficient. This also allows you to add event attachments from your favorite photo sharing service to make your events more personalized and memorable.
- Seamless Email Integration:Â Events from your emails are automatically added to your calendar, ensuring you never miss important appointments.
- Scheduling View:Â The Schedule View brings calendars to life with a dynamic representation of events, enabling quick visual comprehension of daily, weekly, and monthly schedules.
- Secure Data Backup:Â Safely backup your calendar data to the cloud, providing peace of mind in case of device loss.
- Digital Sync:Â Easily synchronize your calendar with a digital photo frame, smart picture frame, and smart TV, ensuring that your events and schedules are prominently displayed in a visually appealing format at home or in the office.
- Raspberry Pi Integration:Â Raspberry Pi enables a digital wall calendar display, providing a centralized and visual overview of family, personal, and work events in a shared living or workspace.
- Weather Data Integration:Â The calendar allows you to integrate weather-related information, such as temperature, weather conditions, and forecasts, as additional details through third-party weather services.
Google Calendar Pricing
Google offers a free calendar tool offering its essential features without any cost to users.
Pros
- Smart event creation with helpful suggestions for event details, including event time and event location.
- Automatic addition of events from emails, streamlining appointment scheduling.
- Assists feature enables quick event creation through smart suggestions and voice commands.
- Schedule View provides an organized and visually appealing overview of daily tasks, making it a perfect digital family planner.
- You can seamlessly sync the calendar with a digital picture frame, smart picture frame, and smart TV for more accessibility.
- A digital wall calendar with a digital art display is possible with Raspberry Pi integration for centralized event visualization, ideal for homes, offices, and collaborative spaces.
- Free, offering essential functionalities that are perfect for individual or family calendar use.
Cons
- Visual confusion when multiple events are scheduled in a single time slot.
- Limited integration with non-Google services like Google Meet and Google Photos.
- Lacks advanced functionality and customization options for meeting categories and tags.
- Basic functionality and customization options may not meet advanced users’ needs.
What Are Smart Calendars?
Smart calendars are more than just time management apps–they are versatile assistants that help keep schedules within your business, personal life, and family organized. Leveraging the power of artificial intelligence and automation, these modern digital tools optimize your daily schedules, streamline task coordination, and track essential events seamlessly.
With automated scheduling and task coordination features, smart calendars ensure you never miss an important meeting or event. Additionally, they bring a personal touch by acting as virtual photo frames, displaying cherished memories, and adding a delightful element to your daily planning.
Whether you’re a business professional handling numerous projects, a parent juggling family responsibilities, or an individual trying to balance personal and work commitments, these smart calendars are your go-to companions for staying organized and achieving a well-balanced life.
Wrapping Up
I’ve juggled traditional to-do lists, sticky notes scattered everywhere, and let me tell you—it’s a dated game. Enter Smart Calendars. After diving deep into these game-changers, it’s crystal clear: they’re not just trendy tech. They’re your next-level strategy for owning your time.
Why settle for old-school scribbles when you can harness cutting-edge efficiency? It’s about evolving from simply jotting down tasks to strategically mapping out your wins. You want to level up your productivity game? It starts with the right tools.
Toss the paper. Embrace the future. Time to streamline, optimize, and dominate your days.
Faith Alqahtani
Hi, I'm Faith. I specialize in helping businesses build strong digital
footprints and compelling brand narratives.
Featured Posts
Digital Marketing & Brand Strategist
Hi, I'm Faith
I specialize in helping businesses build strong digital
footprints and compelling brand narratives
footprints and compelling brand narratives