Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar
Note that Apple Calendar is only available on Mac, iPhone, and iPads. In other words, within the Apple ecosystem as is the case with all Apple apps accept Music perhaps.
1. Calendar View/Layout
While both Google and Apple have a pretty similar layout, it does differ on a few fronts. Talking about similarities, both the calendar apps have multiple layouts, you can switch between days, weeks, months, or just upcoming events. Google and Apple can fetch birthdays from your Contacts app and put an event on the Calendar. You can add multiple calendars to both Google and Apple, and each calendar is color-coded to help you distinguish between different them. However, only Google has the option to select calendars from a list of existing ones around the world. You get religious calendars like one for Christian Holiday, Jewish Holiday, and there are even sports calendars. Apple only has a Home and a Work Calendar enabled and you need to create a new calendar manually in the Apple Calendar app. Even though it’s close, Google wins on the sheer number of pre-existing calendars it offers. Score
Google Calendar: 1Apple Calendar: 0
2. Adding Events and Appointments
Both Google and Apple do an incredible job of offering intuitive ways of adding upcoming events to their calendar apps. You simply press and hold a day and create an event. On Google Calendar, you can create a recurring event that would automatically be added to every date you select. With native Google Meet integration, you can schedule video conferences and add guests with a single tap. On the other hand, Apple lets you add Travel Time to your events which I personally find super useful but you miss out on features such as Google Meet integration. It also lets you add Invitees similar to Google Calendar. Google Calendar will also fetch flights and other event details from Gmail to remind you of delays and whatnot. Overall, it’s a tie between Google and Apple Calendar as both have a separate set of features that don’t overlap. Score
Google Calendar: 2Apple Calendar: 1
3. Automatic Event Suggestions
Google takes the cake here, hands down. It runs a tight ship deeply integrating its services so whenever you receive a confirmation email of an upcoming event, Google automatically creates an event in the Calendar so you never miss out on it. You can read more about Events from Gmail here. While Apple does offer a similar feature, it only suggests you add it manually. For example, if I receive a text with a date and time in the text body, Apple would highlight the date and you can create an event by tapping on it. Score
Google Calendar: 3Apple Calendar: 1
4. Integration With Other Calendars
Again, Google Calendar sets the bar a little too high by adding support for importing calendars from other sources. You can request access to the calendars of your colleagues using their Gmail ID and even import third-party calendars with URL. If that wasn’t enough, you can also import your Apple Calendar into Google Calendar with a single tap, making Apple Calendars obsolete. Apple does have the option to subscribe to custom calendars but you need to find them yourself and then manually add it to the app. Score
Google Calendar: 4Apple Calendar: 1
5. Exclusive Features
Apple is the headliner of Exclusivity when it comes to apps and services but the Calendar app is surprisingly bland in front of the giant that is Google Calendar. Don’t get me wrong, Apple Calendar is still a functional and useful app but Google adds tasks and reminders to the Calender along with standard features. Additionally, Google Calendar has support for addons that just supercharges the experience. If that weren’t enough, Google Calendar also has a Goal function that puts your health on the Calendar as well. The best part is that you can sync your Apple Health data and seamlessly finish tasks without switching between different apps on the iPhone. Even though Apple has separate apps (Reminders, and Apple Health) for all those exclusive features I mentioned above, it’s nice that Google offers it in one app without compromising usability. Score
Google Calendar: 5Apple Calendar: 1
6. Availability
Google Calendar is officially available as an app for iPhone, iPad, Chrome, and Android devices. You can still use Google Calendar on other devices such as Windows, Mac, and Linux computer using a web browser easily. Google has taken a mobile and web-first approach with all its apps. Apple, on the other hand, bundles Calendar to iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and Mac only. However, you can still access it on any device such as Windows, Chromebook, and Linux using the iCloud website. It’s not a significant difference as Apple Calendar has more dedicated apps for Apple devices and Google Calendar has a dedicated app for Chromebook and Android. On every other device, both devices can manage fairly well with a web Calendar. Score
Google Calendar: 6Apple Calendar: 2
Google Calendar vs Apple Calendar: Who Wins
After comparing every feature, it’s clear that Google Calendar is a superior app when compared with Apple Calendar. Google Calendar has better integration within the Google ecosystem and it lets you integrate the Apple Calendar as well. Not to mention, Google manages to incorporate everything without making the interface messy. Apple Calendar is only good if you just use the Calendar to create events manually and occasionally. Pro users should stay away. What do you think? Let me know on Twitter. Also Read: Google Keep vs Apple Notes: Best App to Take Notes on iPhone
