Fantastical vs Structured: 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 Structured

Structured is a web-based daily planner application designed to enhance productivity and task management. It offers features like customizable task management, time tracking, goal setting, and progress tracking. The app is accessible across multiple platforms and integrates with other productivity tools. It’s suitable for individuals and teams aiming to efficiently manage tasks and projects. Structured’s user-friendly interface and cross-platform compatibility make it a comprehensive solution for daily and weekly planning.

Key Features of Structured

• Customizable Task Management: Structured allows users to tailor their task management experience. Users can set priorities, deadlines, and categorize tasks, enhancing organization and focus.
• Time Tracking: This feature helps users monitor how much time they spend on each task. It’s useful for productivity analysis and time management.
• Goal Setting: Users can set short-term and long-term goals, making it easier to track progress and stay motivated.
• Progress Tracking: Structured provides visual tools for tracking task and project progress, offering insights into productivity and areas for improvement.
• Cross-Platform Accessibility: The app is accessible across various devices, ensuring seamless task management and planning regardless of the user’s location or device.
• Integration with Other Tools: Structured integrates with other productivity tools, streamlining workflows and enhancing overall efficiency

Fantastical vs Structured: Features

Features	Fantastical	Structured
Integrations	Syncs with multiple calendar services and task managers like Todoist and Google Tasks.	Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, Yahoo Calendar, and AOL Calendar
Calendar	Offers customizable views and “Calendar Sets” for managing different groups of calendars.	Yes
Platforms	iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch	macOS, iOS, Android
Task Management	Integrates with task managers to display tasks within the calendar.	Task editing and creation, labels, tags, progress, prioriy and recurring tasks
Natural Language Processing	Yes	No
Time Blocking	Available	Yes
Analytics	No	No
Meeting Scheduler	Yes	No
Time Zones	Yes	No
Reminders	Yes	Yes
Customer Support	Average
1:1 User Onboarding	No	No
Pricing	$4.75 per month, paid annually	A monthly subscription for $2.99, a yearly subscription for $9.99, and a lifetime subscription for $29.99, each providing full access to the app’s features.

Fantastical vs Structured: 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.

Structured Pricing

Structured offers three pricing plans:

(i) Monthly Subscription: $2.99

(ii) Yearly Subscription: $9.99

(iii) Lifetime Subscription: $29.99

All these subscriptions provide access to the same features and unlimited use of the app, the free version of Structured allows basic planning and organization, but upgrading to one of these plans unlocks additional features

Fantastical vs Structured: 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.

Structured Review

Structured is a user-friendly daily planner app praised for its ability to integrate tasks with calendar entries, offering a streamlined approach to time management. Its simple interface and visual timeline are particularly appreciated, making it easy to organize and view daily activities. However, some users might find its features limited compared to more comprehensive productivity tools. Additionally, the absence of certain functionalities like natural language processing and advanced task analytics may be a drawback for users seeking more sophisticated planning capabilities.

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 Structured if

1. You Want a Visual Daily Planner: Structured is a good choice for those who prefer a visual representation of their tasks and calendar events, offering a clear, timeline-based view of daily activities.
2. You Need Basic Task Management: If your requirements are centered around basic task organization without the need for advanced analytics or extensive features, Structured meets these needs effectively.
3. You Prefer a Simplistic Interface: For users seeking an app with a straightforward, user-friendly interface, Structured’s minimalist design can be appealing, though it might lack the complexity desired by power users.

Best Fantastical and Structured 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