Calendar & Time Management · head to head
Float vs Fantastical
Float
Calendar & Time Management
Resource management for agencies and teams
- From
- $6/month
- Rated
- -
Fantastical
Calendar & Time Management
The calendar app you'll love to use
- From
- Free
- Rated
- -
The short version
- Only Fantastical has a free tier, so it costs nothing to try first.
- Each has a real cost: Float web-only platform without native desktop applications; Fantastical premium subscription required for advanced features at $56.99/year
- They diverge on capability: Float covers Resource scheduling, Fantastical covers Natural language input.
Where they differ
Only the attributes on which Float and Fantastical actually diverge.
| Attribute | Float | Fantastical |
|---|---|---|
| Starting price | $6/month | Free |
| Pricing model | subscription | Unknown |
| Free tier | No | Yes |
| Platforms | Web, Ios, Android | macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows |
Identical on both: user rating (Not yet rated), category (Calendar & Time Management), founded (2011).
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 Float
- Resource scheduling
- Capacity planning
- Time tracking
- Project planning
- Reports
- Asana
- Jira
- Teamwork
Only in Fantastical
- Natural language input
- Calendar sets
- Weather integration
- Scheduling
- Tasks
- Google Calendar
- Outlook
- iCloud
Both cover
- Ios support
What people use each for
The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.
Float
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
Fantastical
- Scheduling
- Appointment booking
- Time tracking
- Resource management
- Team coordination
Both are used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management, team coordination, on those jobs the choice comes down to price and fit rather than capability.
Where each one falls short
Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.
Float
- Web-only platform without native desktop applications
- No offline mode for resource planning
- Limited reporting customization on lower-tier plans
- No built-in payroll or invoicing features
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
Float
$6/month- Starter$6/month
- Resource scheduling
- Time off
- Basic reports
- Pro$10/month
- Time tracking
- Budget tracking
- Advanced reports
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 Float if
- You need resource scheduling.
- You work on Web, Ios, Android.
- You also want capacity planning.
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 Float or Fantastical better?
- Neither clearly leads. Float starts at $6/month and Fantastical at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
- Which is cheaper, Float or Fantastical?
- Fantastical has a free tier; the other does not. Paid plans start at $6/month for Float and Free for Fantastical.
- Does Float or Fantastical run on more platforms?
- Float runs on Web, Ios, Android. Fantastical runs on macOS, iOS, iPadOS, Apple Watch, Apple Vision Pro, Windows.
- Can I use Fantastical for free?
- Yes. Fantastical has a free tier, so you can try it without paying. Float starts at $6/month.
- What is Float best used for?
- Float is most often used for scheduling, appointment booking, time tracking, resource management.
- What can Float do that Fantastical cannot?
- Float covers Resource scheduling, Capacity planning, Time tracking, Project planning. Fantastical covers Natural language input, Calendar sets, Weather integration, Scheduling. Both handle Ios support.
Answered from the vendors’ own pages
Float: What does Float pricing start at?
Float's Starter plan begins at $7 per user per month for basic resource scheduling and capacity management. The Pro plan costs $12 per user per month with advanced features like estimates and actuals tracking.
SourceFantastical: 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.
SourceFloat: Is Float independent or backed by investors?
Float is independent and self-funded. The company is a B Corp certified since 2024 and is profitable. It has never raised venture funding and operates with a fully remote team.
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.
SourceFloat: What platforms does Float support?
Float is a web-based platform accessible through modern browsers. It provides visual resource management, scheduling, capacity planning, time tracking, and forecasting tools.
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