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HR & Recruiting · head to head

15Five vs Apple Calendar

15Five logo

15Five

HR & Recruiting

Performance management that drives results

From
$4/month
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Apple Calendar logo

Apple Calendar

Calendar & Time Management

The calendar app built into every Apple device

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Only Apple Calendar has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
  • Each has a real cost: 15Five split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier; Apple Calendar offline sync via USB has reported issues with duplicated events when syncing between macOS and iOS
  • They diverge on capability: 15Five covers Weekly check-ins, Apple Calendar covers Event management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which 15Five and Apple Calendar actually diverge.

Attributes where 15Five and Apple Calendar differ
Attribute15FiveApple Calendar
Starting price$4/monthFree
Pricing modelsubscriptionUnknown
Free tierNoYes
PlatformsWeb, Ios, Android, ApiiOS, macOS
CategoryHR & RecruitingCalendar & Time Management
Founded20111976

Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in 15Five

  • Weekly check-ins
  • 1-on-1 meetings
  • OKRs & goal tracking
  • Performance reviews
  • High fives recognition
  • Engagement surveys
  • Pulse surveys
  • Manager effectiveness

Only in Apple Calendar

  • Event management
  • Multiple calendar support
  • Travel time estimates
  • Natural language input
  • Siri integration
  • iCloud
  • Microsoft Exchange
  • Yahoo Calendar

Both cover

  • Google Calendar

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

15Five

  • Running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarkingnot Apple Calendar
  • Performance reviews and continuous feedback cyclesnot Apple Calendar
  • Setting and tracking OKRsnot Apple Calendar
  • 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviewsnot Apple Calendar
  • Compensation review cycles as a paid add-onnot Apple Calendar

Apple Calendar

  • Schedulingnot 15Five
  • Appointment bookingnot 15Five
  • Time trackingnot 15Five
  • Resource managementnot 15Five
  • Team coordinationnot 15Five

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

15Five

  • Split across three tiers, so performance reviews, OKRs and 360 feedback need Perform at $11 per user per month rather than the $4 Engage tier
  • Manager training microlearnings are only in Total Platform at $16 per user per month
  • Compensation is a paid add-on at $9 per user per month, rising to $11 with benchmarking
  • The Kona meeting assistant is a further $2 per employee per month and Kona Coach $19 per manager per month
  • Advertised prices are the annual rates

Apple Calendar

  • Offline sync via USB has reported issues with duplicated events when syncing between macOS and iOS
  • No granular calendar exclusion option; iCloud syncs all calendars together with no selective sync
  • Limited offline functionality for non-iCloud calendars

Pricing, plan by plan

15Five

$4/month
  • Engage$4/month
    • Engagement surveys
    • Pulse surveys
    • Action planning
  • Perform$10/month
    • Weekly check-ins
    • 1-on-1s
    • Performance reviews
  • Total Platform$16/month
    • Everything in Engage & Perform
    • Career paths
    • Competencies

Apple Calendar

Free

No published plan breakdown. See the Apple Calendar review.

Which should you pick?

Choose 15Five if

  • You need weekly check-ins.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android, Api.
  • You also want 1-on-1 meetings.
15Five review

Choose Apple Calendar if

  • You need event management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on iOS, macOS.
  • You also want multiple calendar support.
Apple Calendar review

Questions people ask

Is 15Five or Apple Calendar better?
Neither clearly leads. 15Five starts at $4/month and Apple Calendar at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, 15Five or Apple Calendar?
Apple Calendar has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $4/month for 15Five and Free for Apple Calendar.
Does 15Five or Apple Calendar run on more platforms?
15Five runs on Web, Ios, Android, Api. Apple Calendar runs on iOS, macOS.
Can I use Apple Calendar for free?
Yes. Apple Calendar has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. 15Five starts at $4/month.
What is 15Five best used for?
15Five is most often used for running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking, performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles, setting and tracking okrs, 360 degree feedback and talent matrix reviews. Of those, running engagement surveys with heat maps and benchmarking and performance reviews and continuous feedback cycles are not what Apple Calendar is typically brought in for.
What can 15Five do that Apple Calendar cannot?
15Five covers Weekly check-ins, 1-on-1 meetings, OKRs & goal tracking, Performance reviews. Apple Calendar covers Event management, Multiple calendar support, Travel time estimates, Natural language input. Both handle Google Calendar.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Apple Calendar: Does Apple Calendar cost anything?

No. Apple Calendar is completely free and comes pre-installed on all Apple devices with no subscriptions or paid tiers.

Source
Apple Calendar: Does Apple Calendar work offline?

Apple Calendar can display cached events offline but cannot create or edit events without an internet connection. Sync requires iCloud or another calendar service.

Source
Apple Calendar: What calendar services can I sync with Apple Calendar?

Apple Calendar can sync with Google Calendar, Outlook, Microsoft Exchange, iCloud, and Notion calendars, consolidating all events in one place.

Source
Apple Calendar: Does Apple Calendar include artificial intelligence features?

Yes. iOS 26 introduced Apple Intelligence features in Calendar including intelligent event suggestions by analyzing email and messages, and conflict detection with alternative time suggestions.

Source
Apple Calendar: How does Apple Calendar integrate with other Apple services?

Apple Calendar integrates with Apple Maps for travel time alerts, Reminders for task management, Siri for voice control, and Contacts for attendee information.

Source
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Related pages

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