Google Calendar and Apple Calendar are some of the most known digital calendars, and worldwide essential tools for people on their personal and business matters. And if you're trying to understand what sets them apart, you've landed on the right page. In this article, we'll compare these calendar heavyweights, looking at how they stack up in terms of features, availability, ease of use, cost, security, and how well they play with other apps.
We'll also introduce you to Zeeg, a handy scheduling tool that works with both calendars, Google and iCloud. No matter if you’re a solopreneur or a large company, we’ll show you how Zeeg will make your life easier for no (or very little) cost.
Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar: availability
Google Calendar: Your Go-To for Cross-Platform Use
Google Calendar is like that friend who gets along with everyone. Whether you're team Android, Apple, or prefer to check your schedule on your computer, Google Calendar has got your back. This flexibility makes it one of the best calendar apps for folks who use different devices or switch between operating systems often.
Most importantly, Google Calendar gets on perfectly with other Google tools. If you're already using Gmail, Google Drive, or Google Meet, you'll find that Google Calendar fits right in, making your digital life that much smoother. But if you go outside the Google environment, there’s usually no problem integrating Google Calendar with other tools.
Apple Calendar: The Apple user's best friend
Apple Calendar, on the other hand, doesn’t always tag along. The calendar app, which used to go by the name iCal, is deeply rooted in the Apple world. So if you have an iPhone, iPad, or Mac user, you'll find Apple Calendar ready and waiting on your device. However, if you step outside the Apple ecosystem, you might find it a bit harder to use.
While Apple Calendar might not be as widely available as Google Calendar, it shines when it comes to working with other Apple services. It plays nice with iCloud, Siri, and other Apple apps, giving Apple users a seamless experience.
Google Calendar vs iCloud Calendar: which has better UX?
Google Calendar is the practical choice
Google Calendar's look is all about getting things done. It offers different ways to view your schedule (by day, week, or month) and lets you set up multiple calendars for different parts of your life. The design is clean and straightforward, focusing on making it easy to use rather than being fancy.
Creating events in Google Calendar is very easy, with smart features like automatically making events from your emails. The ability to set goals and see different time zones adds to its usefulness.
Apple Calendar is the sleek one
Apple Calendar focuses on having sports a clean, minimalist look that Apple products are known for. It's easy to navigate and manage your schedule. The app includes handy features like estimating travel times and showing weather forecasts for your events, which also makes planning your day even easier.
While Apple Calendar might not let you tweak as many settings as Google Calendar, its simplicity is a big plus for users who prefer a straightforward, good-looking calendar app.
Pricing options of Google Calendar and Apple Calendar
Good news - both Google Calendar and Apple Calendar offer solid free versions that meet most people's needs. You can use Google Calendar for free with a Google account, while Apple Calendar comes already installed on Apple devices at no extra cost.
Google Calendar: more price plans, but more features
However, if you need more features, Google offers Google Workspace (formerly known as G Suite) subscriptions. These include beefed-up calendar features along with other productivity tools. Prices start at a monthly cost of $6 per user and can go up to $18 (for larger companies price will be customized). On the first tier, you’ll have 30 GB of pooled storage per user, video meetings with up to 100 participants, and a secure custom business email. It also offers basic security and management controls along with standard support. The Business plans up the storage to 2-5 TB per user and increase video meetings to more participants, with added features like recording and noise cancellation. They’ll also introduce appointment booking pages, email layouts, mail merge capabilities, etc etc. You can get really robust options.
Apple: just pay for storage, but have less features
Apple doesn't have a separate paid version of its calendar app. But should you need more iCloud storage, which can help with calendar syncing, you can get it for a small fee starting at $0.99 per month for 50GB. That means that Apple Calendar will much more limited, but also less complex. If you're someone with an iphone and mac just wanting to organize your calendar, this is the perfect solution. But if you want something with a bit more options and easy integrations…Calendar might fall short.
Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar: features
Overall, Google Calendar seems just better when we look at features. Again, this is mostly related to the connections to other tools. If you’re an Apple fan, then you’ll get a pretty nice experience with iCloud. But if you want more, then maybe Google is your thing.
Some of Google Calendar features:
- Makes it easy to schedule video meetings through Google Meet or Zoom, which are great for business purposes
- Links up with Gmail for quick event creation from your emails
- Lets you create appointment scheduling links (for Google Workspace subscribers)
- Suggests meeting times and rooms based on your preferences and availability
- Allows you to set reminders via email, mobile push notifications, or pop-ups
- Share calendars with specific people or make them public
- Integrates directly with a vast number of tools
- Lets you add files directly to calendar events
- It’s available for both iOS and Android devices
- You can view and edit your calendar without an internet connection
Apple Calendar, while overall more basic, has its own perks:
- Works seamlessly with other Apple services, but quite often you’ll find that connecting with other tools isn’t simple
- Makes scheduling FaceTime calls easy, but won’t connect directly to tools like Meet or Zoom
- Includes family sharing features
- Quickly creates events using everyday phrases
- Notifies when it's time to leave for an event based on current location and traffic
- Gives the weather predictions for the location of your events
- Good for family calendar sharing, up to five other family members
- Integrates well with Siri
- Automatically adds estimated travel time to your events
To see their features in more detail, have a look at Google Calendar features and Apple Calendar’s page.
Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar: security
Both Google and Apple take keeping your information safe seriously, but they go about it in slightly different ways.
Google Calendar uses top-notch encryption to protect your data, whether it's being sent or stored. Google also offers two-step verification and advanced protection against phishing. But just keep in mind that Google might use some of your data to improve its services.
Apple Calendar, being part of the Apple family, benefits from Apple's strong stance on privacy. But, just like Google, it doesn’t use end-to-end encryption of your calendars. This despite Apple's approach to keep data collection and processing on its servers to a minimum, preferring to process things on your device instead.
For more nitty-gritty on security measures, you can check out Google's Security Whitepaper and Apple's Privacy Policy.
Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar: integrations
Clearly, Google Calendar is the star of the show when it comes to working with other apps. Thanks to the Google Workspace Marketplace, it can team up with a wide range of apps and services. Whether you need your calendar to talk to your project management tools, note-taking apps, or other productivity software, Google Calendar probably has you covered.
For example, if you use a scheduling tool like Zeeg or Calendly for your personal or professional affairs, you can integrate it easily with Google Calendar. If you have a broader working tool, like Zapier, you can also connect it. If it’s Slack, also easy. Notion? Same thing. And the more tools we’d put in here, likely the more times you’d read that answer.
With Apple Calendar, though, things are not as straightforward. It works like a charm with other Apple apps, true; it gets along great with Reminders for managing tasks and Maps for location-based events - also true. However, if you rely heavily on non-Apple apps, you might find the options for connecting them a bit limited.
It works with Zeeg, which is nice if you want a smooth scheduling tool. But, as an example, since August 2024 Calendly doesn't offer new connections to iCloud. Also, while many tools still somehow connect with Apple Calendar, many times you’ll find that such integrations take more complex roads, as opposed to having a seamless quick integration.
You might also want to read:
Business vs personal use: Google Calendar or Apple?
For Business Users
When it comes to business use, Google Calendar often has the edge. Here's why:
- Better team collaboration features
- Seamless integration with other business tools (like Slack or Trello)
- Easy scheduling of meetings with external clients (thanks to features like appointment slots)
- More robust sharing and permission settings
However, if your business is already deeply integrated into the Apple ecosystem, Apple Calendar might still be a viable option, especially for smaller teams or solo entrepreneurs.
For Personal Use
For personal use, the choice often comes down to personal preference and which ecosystem you're more invested in:
- If you're an Apple user and value simplicity and clean design, Apple Calendar could be your best bet.
- If you want more features and use a mix of devices, Google Calendar is most likely the way to go.
Both calendars handle basic personal scheduling needs well, so for many individuals, either option would work fine.
Is Google Calendar or Apple Calendar better? The verdict
When it comes to choosing between Google Calendar and Apple Calendar, there's no one-size-fits-all answer. Both offer great features for managing your schedule, but they cater to different needs and preferences.
Google Calendar shines with its versatility, working seamlessly across various platforms and offering extensive third-party integrations. This makes it a popular choice for businesses, especially those needing advanced collaboration tools or integration with other productivity apps.
Apple Calendar, on the other hand, is great in simplicity and deep integration within the Apple ecosystem, making it a favorite among dedicated Apple users who value a clean, intuitive interface. For personal use, your choice might depend on which ecosystem you're more invested in, while businesses might lean towards Google Calendar for its far vaster sharing capabilities. To make it a bit simpler:
Go for Google Calendar if you or your business:
- Use a mix of devices and operating systems
- Need lots of third-party app integrations
- Rely heavily on other Google services
- Are looking for more advanced features
Or just stick with Apple Calendar if:
- You're primarily an Apple device user
- You appreciate a clean, minimalist design
- You prefer tight integration with other Apple services
- You value simplicity over extensive features
Meet Zeeg and improve your scheduling experience
As promised, here’s our bit about Zeeg and how this tool, recently created in Germany, can help you scheduling your professional and personal meetings.
No matter if you're team Google Calendar or Apple Calendar, Zeeg can take your scheduling game to the next level. Zeeg is a powerful scheduling tool that plays nice with both calendar, making it a versatile choice for individuals and businesses alike.
With Zeeg, you can:
- Let others easily set up appointments and meetings on your schedule
- Put your booking process on autopilot
- Cut down on no-shows with automatic reminders
- Generate more leads with a customizable booking page
- Manage your personal booking preferences or your team’s calendars
- Qualify your leads through routing forms and round robin scheduling, making sure they always end up with the right people
- Integrate with many other tools, including Google Calendar, iCloud Calendar, Office 365, Outlook Calendar, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Zoom, Skype, Salesforce, Zapier, Paypal, and more
And the best of all is that you can use this for you or for your business, with just a small monthly fee, or for no cost at all (there’s a free version), with end-to-end encryption and fully GDPR compliant.