Software · head to head
Cron Calendar vs Fantastical
The short version
- Each has a real cost: Cron Calendar no longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner; Fantastical premium subscription required for advanced features at $56.99/year
- They diverge on capability: Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Fantastical covers Natural language input.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Cron Calendar and Fantastical actually diverge.
| Attribute | Cron Calendar | Fantastical |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing model | free | Unknown |
| Platforms | Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows |
| Founded | 2016 | 2011 |
Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Unknown).
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 Cron Calendar
- Keyboard shortcuts
- Multi-timezone
- Scheduling links
- Team availability
- Menu bar access
- Notion
- Zoom
- Google Meet
Only in Fantastical
- Natural language input
- Calendar sets
- Weather integration
- Scheduling
- Tasks
- Outlook
- iCloud
- Exchange
Both cover
- Google Calendar
- Macos support
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Cron Calendar
- Keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedulenot Fantastical
- Managing several Google calendars in one viewnot Fantastical
- Scheduling links for meeting availabilitynot Fantastical
- Joining video calls from the menu barnot Fantastical
Fantastical
- Schedulingnot Cron Calendar
- Appointment bookingnot Cron Calendar
- Time trackingnot Cron Calendar
- Resource managementnot Cron Calendar
- Team coordinationnot Cron Calendar
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Cron Calendar
- No longer sold as Cron. Notion acquired it and renamed it Notion Calendar, and cron.com now carries that banner
- Tied to the Notion account system rather than standing alone
Fantastical
- Premium subscription required for advanced features at $56.99/year
- Primarily designed for Apple ecosystem; Windows version is resource-intensive
- No native Android app, limiting cross-platform usage
- No web interface for calendar access
- Shows events but lacks event management capabilities compared to specialized task tools
Pricing, plan by plan
Cron Calendar
Free- FreeFree
- Calendar sync
- Scheduling links
- Keyboard shortcuts
Fantastical
Free- FreeFree
- Basic calendar views (day, week, month, quarter, year)
- Natural language event entry
- 3-day weather forecast
- Individual Premium$56.99/year
- All free features
- Task management with Todoist and Google Tasks
- Unlimited calendar sets
- Family Premium$89.99/year
- All Individual Premium features
- Up to 5 family members
- Shared calendars
Which should you pick?
Choose Cron Calendar if
- You need keyboard shortcuts.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web.
- You also want multi-timezone.
Choose Fantastical if
- You need natural language input.
- You want to start without paying.
- You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows.
- You also want calendar sets.
Questions people ask
- Is Cron Calendar or Fantastical better?
- Neither clearly leads. Cron Calendar starts at Free and Fantastical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Cron Calendar or Fantastical?
- Cron Calendar starts at Free and Fantastical at Free.
- Does Cron Calendar or Fantastical run on more platforms?
- Cron Calendar runs on Macos, Windows, Ios, Android, Web. Fantastical runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows.
- Can I use Cron Calendar for free?
- Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
- What is Cron Calendar best used for?
- Cron Calendar is most often used for keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedule, managing several google calendars in one view, scheduling links for meeting availability, joining video calls from the menu bar. Of those, keyboard-driven calendar for people living in their schedule and managing several google calendars in one view are not what Fantastical is typically brought in for.
- What can Cron Calendar do that Fantastical cannot?
- Cron Calendar covers Keyboard shortcuts, Multi-timezone, Scheduling links, Team availability. Fantastical covers Natural language input, Calendar sets, Weather integration, Scheduling. Both handle Google Calendar, Macos support, Ios support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Fantastical: Does Fantastical have a free plan?
Yes, Fantastical offers a free tier with basic calendar views (day, week, month, quarter, year), natural language event entry, and 3-day weather forecast. Premium features including task management integrations and family sharing require a paid subscription at $56.99/year or $6.99/month.
SourceFantastical: Can I create events using natural language?
Yes, Fantastical's signature feature is natural language processing, allowing you to create events by typing or speaking in plain English. You can type things like 'dinner tomorrow at 7 pm with Sarah' and it automatically parses the date, time, and attendees.
SourceFantastical: What calendar services does Fantastical support?
Fantastical integrates with Google Calendar, iCloud, Microsoft 365, Exchange, Office 365, and Fastmail. It supports multiple account types and syncs changes across all connected services.
SourceFantastical: What task management apps can I integrate with Fantastical?
Fantastical supports Todoist, Google Tasks, and Microsoft 365 tasks. Tasks sync bidirectionally, and changes made in Fantastical reflect back in your task service.
SourceFantastical: Does Fantastical work on Windows?
Fantastical for Windows was released in October 2024, though it is resource-heavy compared to the macOS and iOS versions. The app is feature-complete but less polished than the Apple platform versions.
Source