Fantastical vs Apple Reminders: Which Tool Is Better?

What is Fantastical

Fantastical is a renowned calendar application that has earned a strong reputation among Apple device users for its innovative features and user-friendly design. Known for its natural language processing capabilities and aesthetic interface, Fantastical offers a blend of traditional and advanced functionalities, making it a popular choice for those deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem.

This app not only excels in calendar management but also integrates several smart features to enhance the overall experience of planning and scheduling. Here’s a detailed look at the features that define Fantastical and its place in the realm of productivity tools.

Key Features of Fantastical

• Multilingual Support: Accessible in multiple languages for a wide range of users.
• Flexible Viewing Options: Offers daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for different scheduling needs.
• Attractive Interface: Known for its visually engaging design.
• Natural Language Input: Create events and reminders easily using everyday language.
• Calendar Syncing: Supports iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and more for seamless integration.
• Reminders and Task Management: Integrates Apple’s Reminders for efficient event and task handling in one app.

What is Apple Reminders

Apple Reminders is a to-do and task management app built into iOS devices, known for its simplicity and ease of use. It allows users to create task lists, set reminders, and share lists with other iOS users. Key features include location-based reminders and widgets for home screen organization. While it’s a straightforward and clean app, it’s primarily suited for personal use and may lack advanced features required for more complex task management.

Key Features of Apple Reminders

• Simple Interface: Apple Reminders offers a clean and intuitive interface, making it easy for users to create and manage tasks.
• Location-based Reminders: Users can set reminders that are triggered by their location, such as reminding to buy something when near a specific store.
• Integration with Siri: The app integrates seamlessly with Siri, allowing users to create reminders through voice commands.
• Shared Lists: It allows sharing of lists with other Apple users, facilitating collaborative task management.
• Customizable Lists: Users can customize lists with different colors and icons for easy identification and organization.
• Attachments and Links: The app supports adding attachments like photos and links to reminders, enhancing the detail and utility of tasks.

Fantastical vs Apple Reminders: Features

Features	Fantastical	Apple Reminders
Integrations	Syncs with multiple calendar services and task managers like Todoist and Google Tasks.	IFTTT, Shortcuts App, Any.do, BusyCal, Fantastical, and Agenda
Calendar	Offers customizable views and “Calendar Sets” for managing different groups of calendars.	No
Platforms	iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch	Apple Reminders is available for macOS and iOS. It does not have native apps for Android, Web, or Windows.
Task Management	Integrates with task managers to display tasks within the calendar.	Labels, priority settings, due dates, location-based reminders
Natural Language Processing	Yes	No
Time Blocking	Available	No
Analytics	No	No
Meeting Scheduler	Yes	No
Time Zones	Yes	Yes, Apple Reminders supports different Time Zones.
Reminders	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	Average	Average
1:1 User Onboarding	No	No
Pricing	$4.75 per month, paid annually	Free

Fantastical vs Apple Reminders: Pricing

Fantastical Pricing

Fantastical offers both a free plan with basic features and a premium plan with additional capabilities. The pricing for the premium plan varies depending on the number of users:

(i) Individual Premium Plan: $4.75 per month when billed annually. This plan includes features like home screen widgets, notifications, multiple time zone scheduling, customizable templates, and Apple Watch support.

(ii) Family Premium Plan: $7.50 per month for 5 users when billed annually. This plan offers the same features as the Individual plan but accommodates multiple users, making it suitable for family or small team usage.

Apple Reminders Pricing

Apple Reminders is a free application provided as part of Apple’s suite of apps on iOS and macOS devices. It does not have separate pricing plans. Users can access and use Apple Reminders without any additional cost.

Fantastical vs Apple Reminders: Reviews

Fantastical Review

Fantastical is appreciated for its user-friendly experience and robust features, including effective task and time-blocking capabilities, and natural language input for event addition. However, its premium version is required for full functionality, and it may not be as rapidly evolving as some AI-integrated calendar apps. Moreover, its focus on the Apple ecosystem limits its cross-platform utility. Despite these drawbacks, Fantastical remains a solid choice for Apple users seeking a reliable and well-designed calendar app.

Apple Reminders Review

Apple Reminders is praised for its simplicity, seamless integration with iOS and macOS, and features like location-based reminders. However, it falls short in more complex task management functionalities and lacks the customization and advanced features found in other dedicated task management apps. It is ideal for Apple ecosystem users looking for basic task management, but may not suffice for users with more intricate project management needs.

Which One Should You Pick

Consider Fantastical if

1. You Want an Intuitive Calendar Interface: Choose Fantastical if you’re seeking an easy-to-use calendar app that works seamlessly across various Apple devices.
2. You Need Light Task Management: If you require basic task management integrated with your calendar, Fantastical’s ability to combine tasks with time-blocking features might suit your needs.
3. You Prefer Natural Language Inputs: Fantastical is ideal for those who appreciate the convenience of adding events using natural language, making scheduling faster and more intuitive.

Consider Apple Reminders if

1. You Value Simplicity: Ideal for those who want a straightforward, easy-to-use task manager without complex features.
2. Deep Integration with Apple Ecosystem: Perfect for users who are heavily invested in Apple products and enjoy seamless integration with iOS and macOS.
3. Basic Task Management Needs: If your task management requirements are basic, without the need for advanced features like detailed project tracking or extensive customizations, Apple Reminders could be sufficient.

Best Fantastical and Apple Reminders Alternatives

• Akiflow: Akiflow is a time management app offering time blocking, task scheduling, and integrations with various tools. It focuses on productivity and organization through a unified task and appointment interface.
  Akiflow Price: $19 per month, paid annually
• Sunsama: Sunsama is a daily planner that helps professionals stay focused & productive by combining tasks, calendars, & emails. It offers features like guided planning, timeboxing, & automatic syncing.
  Sunsama Price: $16 per month, annually.
• Things 3: Things by Cultured Code is a sleek task manager for Apple devices. It offers intuitive organization for personal tasks and projects, featuring to-do lists, schedules, and reminders, all within an elegant interface. This app is designed for seamless integration with Apple’s ecosystem. Things 3 Price: One Time Payment at $50