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Calendar & Time Management · head to head

Fantastical vs TickTick

Fantastical logo

Fantastical

Calendar & Time Management

The calendar app you'll love to use

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
TickTick logo

TickTick

All industries

Stay organized, stay creative

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Fantastical premium subscription required for advanced features at $56.99/year; TickTick recurring task options are limited compared to dedicated project management tools
  • They diverge on capability: Fantastical covers Calendar sets, TickTick covers Task management.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Fantastical and TickTick actually diverge.

Attributes where Fantastical and TickTick differ
AttributeFantasticalTickTick
PlatformsmacOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, WindowsWeb, Mac, iOS, iPad, Android, Apple Watch, Windows
CategoryCalendar & Time ManagementAll industries
Founded20112013

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (Unknown), free tier (Yes), 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 Fantastical

  • Calendar sets
  • Weather integration
  • Scheduling
  • Tasks
  • iCloud
  • Exchange
  • Todoist
  • Macos support

Only in TickTick

  • Task management
  • Calendar integration
  • Pomodoro timer
  • Habit tracking
  • Collaboration
  • Voice input
  • Location reminders
  • Siri

Both cover

  • Natural language input
  • Google Calendar
  • Outlook

What people use each for

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

Fantastical

  • Schedulingnot TickTick
  • Appointment bookingnot TickTick
  • Time trackingnot TickTick
  • Resource managementnot TickTick
  • Team coordinationnot TickTick

TickTick

  • Personal task managementnot Fantastical
  • Team collaborationnot Fantastical
  • Project planningnot Fantastical
  • Habit trackingnot Fantastical
  • Time managementnot Fantastical

Where each one falls short

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

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

TickTick

  • Recurring task options are limited compared to dedicated project management tools
  • Reporting and analytics are minimal, providing little productivity trend visibility
  • Calendar sync can be slow and unreliable, sometimes causing sync issues across devices
  • API capabilities are basic, limiting direct integrations beyond Zapier and IFTTT
  • Habit tracking becomes less useful once routines are well-established

Pricing, plan by plan

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

TickTick

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Up to 9 lists
    • Up to 99 tasks per list
    • Basic reminders
  • Premium$35.99/year
    • Up to 299 lists
    • Up to 999 tasks per list
    • Advanced collaboration for up to 30 members

Which should you pick?

Choose Fantastical if

  • You need calendar sets.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows.
  • You also want weather integration.
Fantastical review

Choose TickTick if

  • You need task management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Mac, iOS, iPad, Android, Apple Watch, Windows.
  • You also want calendar integration.
TickTick review

Questions people ask

Is Fantastical or TickTick better?
Neither clearly leads. Fantastical starts at Free and TickTick at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Fantastical or TickTick?
Fantastical starts at Free and TickTick at Free.
Does Fantastical or TickTick run on more platforms?
Fantastical runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows. TickTick runs on Web, Mac, iOS, iPad, Android, Apple Watch, Windows.
Can I use Fantastical for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Fantastical best used for?
Fantastical is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management. Of those, scheduling and appointment booking are not what TickTick is typically brought in for.
What can Fantastical do that TickTick cannot?
Fantastical covers Calendar sets, Weather integration, Scheduling, Tasks. TickTick covers Task management, Calendar integration, Pomodoro timer, Habit tracking. Both handle Natural language input, Google Calendar, Outlook.

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.

Source
TickTick: What is TickTick?

TickTick is a cross-platform task management and productivity app that combines to-do lists, calendar views, habit tracking, reminders, and a Pomodoro timer. It helps users organize personal and work tasks across 10+ platforms including Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android, and web.

Source
Fantastical: 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.

Source
TickTick: What are TickTick's pricing options?

TickTick offers a permanent free plan and a premium plan at $35.99/year (listed price $49.99, currently discounted). The free plan includes up to 9 lists and basic features, while premium unlocks up to 299 lists, advanced collaboration for up to 30 members, and calendar subscriptions.

Source
Fantastical: 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.

Source
TickTick: Does TickTick have team features?

TickTick does not offer a dedicated team or family plan. Each user needs their own premium subscription. Premium users can share lists with up to 30 members for collaboration.

Source
Fantastical: 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.

Source
TickTick: What integrations does TickTick support?

TickTick supports integrations with 2,000+ apps through third-party platforms like Zapier, Make, n8n, and Integrately. It also supports calendar subscriptions with Google Calendar and Outlook, and has a basic OAuth API for developers.

Source
Fantastical: 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
TickTick: Is TickTick available offline?

TickTick requires an internet connection for syncing across devices. Offline functionality depends on the platform, with some mobile apps offering limited offline access but requiring connectivity for full features.

Source
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