Softwr

Parenting · head to head

FamCal vs What to Expect

F

FamCal

Parenting

Shared family calendar for coordinating activities

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
What to Expect logo

What to Expect

Parenting

Pregnancy and parenting guidance from conception to toddler

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: FamCal the whole family shares one account, logging in with individual email addresses but a single shared password; What to Expect what to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture
  • They diverge on capability: FamCal covers Shared calendar, What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which FamCal and What to Expect actually diverge.

Attributes where FamCal and What to Expect differ
AttributeFamCalWhat to Expect
Founded20152000

Identical on both: starting price (Free), pricing model (freemium), free tier (Yes), platforms (Web, Ios, Android), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting).

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 FamCal

  • Shared calendar
  • Color-coded events
  • Event notifications
  • Multiple family members
  • Calendar syncing
  • Event reminders
  • Location tagging
  • Notes and details

Only in What to Expect

  • Pregnancy tracking
  • Weekly updates
  • Symptom tracker
  • Parenting tips
  • Community forums
  • Expert articles
  • Baby names database
  • Milestone tracking

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Web support
  • Ios support
  • Android support
  • English language support

What people use each for

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

FamCal

  • Running a shared colour-coded family calendar across membersnot What to Expect
  • Sharing grocery lists, chores and task assignments in a householdnot What to Expect
  • Tracking and exporting shared trip expenses as PDF or CSVnot What to Expect

What to Expect

  • Pregnancy trackingnot FamCal
  • Parenting guidancenot FamCal
  • Community supportnot FamCal
  • Health informationnot FamCal

Where each one falls short

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

FamCal

  • The whole family shares one account, logging in with individual email addresses but a single shared password
  • Subscriptions are sold only as weekly or annual terms
  • Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is turned off at least 24 hours before the end of the current period
  • The account is charged for renewal within 24 hours before the end of the current period
  • The iOS app requires iOS 15.0 or later

What to Expect

  • What to Expect is a free, ad-supported consumer content site with no reader subscription tier, per the 31 Dec 2022 archive capture

Pricing, plan by plan

FamCal

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Shared calendar
    • Basic notifications
    • Up to 6 members
  • Premium$2.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited members
    • Advanced notifications

What to Expect

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Weekly pregnancy updates
    • Parenting tips
    • Symptom tracker

Which should you pick?

Choose FamCal if

  • You need shared calendar.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want color-coded events.
FamCal review

Choose What to Expect if

  • You need pregnancy tracking.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Web, Ios, Android.
  • You also want weekly updates.
What to Expect review

Questions people ask

Is FamCal or What to Expect better?
Neither clearly leads. FamCal starts at Free and What to Expect at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, FamCal or What to Expect?
FamCal starts at Free and What to Expect at Free.
Does FamCal or What to Expect run on more platforms?
Both run on Web, Ios, Android, so platform support will not decide this one for you.
Can I use FamCal for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is FamCal best used for?
FamCal is most often used for running a shared colour-coded family calendar across members, sharing grocery lists, chores and task assignments in a household, tracking and exporting shared trip expenses as pdf or csv. Of those, running a shared colour-coded family calendar across members and sharing grocery lists, chores and task assignments in a household are not what What to Expect is typically brought in for.
What can FamCal do that What to Expect cannot?
FamCal covers Shared calendar, Color-coded events, Event notifications, Multiple family members. What to Expect covers Pregnancy tracking, Weekly updates, Symptom tracker, Parenting tips. Both handle Cloud deployment, Web support, Ios support, Android support.
Share

Related pages

More on FamCal

More on What to Expect

Keep looking

Other head to heads