BusyCal: Calendar & Tasks Reviews

by Tomz0086

😡

Cons:

- No today widget.

- No Apple Watch app.

- No Siri Shortcuts.

- Can’t add a new calendar from within this app have to back to native iOS calendar app, even after this app’s integration with our iCloud account is suppose to be deeper and more substantial after needing an Apple ID App specific password to even add your iCloud account.

- Can’t tap and hold on the screen to add an event have to tap the plus sign.

- Can’t tap and hold on an event for duration sliders to appear so I can change the time, like native iOS Calendar, I have to go into menus.

- Unnecessary separate menus, multiple taps and tabs for changing the date and time. Just copy the Native iOS Calendar app. This is annoying.

- Drag and drop is slow and stutters.

- Have to subscribe to us holiday calendar manually using a link from their website on all three devices iPhone, iPad and Mac even though you add your iCloud account which has a us calendar subscription.

Pros:

- Reminders integration (I don’t use this is use OmniFocus)

- Time to leave notifications

- Vertical week view displaying three days without needing to turn the iPhone into landscape.

- Expandable day tabs in month view.

Conclusion...

This company has been around for a decade plus, I think it is inexcusable to be this far behind.
A today widget has been requested for years.
I want to be able to handle everything via this app.

I’m very Disappointed.

😪☹️😟

by The Toxmeister

I have been using this app for Mac for years and I am a satisfied customer. I recently purchased this app for iOS to see if it could replace Fantastical. So far it works well on my iPad but it is a bust on my iPhone running the latest iOS 11. On the iPhone it cannot add events. Half the time when I press + to add an event, nothing happens. When the new event screen does open, I enter the event info and when I press Done, nothing happens. BusyCal just stalls. Also, you can't open an event to look at. You can select an existing event (obviously creatd in another calendar app) until the cows come home and BusyCal just sits there and does nothing. I have restarted the phone to no avail. Something is seriously wrong here and needs to be fixed.

Update Jan 3, 2020. Had been working wel for a while but now this app on iOS and Mac is choking on my exchange calendar. It absolutely refuses to update. So again it is unusable for me. The built-in calendar app is limited but at least it works.

by Vampeal

I was so very excited for BusyCal as it seemed to be perfect for what I needed! Calendar with Drive Time - check. Integrated reminders/tasks - maybe not. It took me a bit to figure out that I could not sync my reminders because they were “upgraded” with the iOS 13 update. A bit surprised as this wasn’t an issue in other calendar apps I tested. No big deal, right? I will just recreate them. Buuttt....you can’t create a task with subtasks. This here is pivotal in my organization. Otherwise my 30 individual tasks become cluttered in appearance and mentally overwhelming and then nothing gets done. Overall very disappointed, especially with the $4.99 price tag and no free “try-it” option. Nonetheless, I intent to keep it and look forward to improvements. Bare minimum he ability to create subtasks.

by Geekmee

The brightness is killing me. Needs a ‘Dark Mode’ display to make it more visually relaxing (better contrast) for viewing.
See good comments about the desktop version, but I as trainer supporting corporate users I work mainly through iOS because it is with me all the time. The desktop is no longer the source for data. Data is now mobile (everybody now a days has a phone!!) BusyCalc really needs re-prioritize and move their focus to match this new mobile reality.
The interface needs to reflect less clunky Microsoft approach to menus and more Apple iOS swipe approach to. For example, why do I need to click on Edit to change the Sync time? Why not just press my finger on the item to access and select the different options??
The configuration of BusyCal is comprehensive, but the interface needs to be updated.

by Epskionline

I won’t take much time explaining why this app on the iPhone is best, but I won’t even touch the built-in calendar there anymore. However, on the iPad, I find it very frustrating to add new appointments, change appointments, and so on. Honestly, I don’t see why this doesn’t function the same as Apple’s Calendar app. I can’t double tap or long press to create a new appointment on a day. So, even though I want to create an appointment on, say, Saturday, I have to tap on the + in the upper right corner and start from square one, always defaulting to an all day event, which means there are many more steps to creating an event that in the Apple Calendar app. Changing appointments requires more steps. I want to be able to simply drag something around on the calendar, but instead I have to edit the appointment and go the Time tab. It’s so unnecessarily clunky, particularly in this day and age. Going back to the stock app. Buyer’s remorse.

by Jdb-0001

I like BusyCal but it could be so much more...

-FEATURE: Choosing and filtering calendars should be quick and easy to do. This could be fixed by making calendars a MAIN BUTTON on the Home Screen of BusyCal that pulls up the calendars. Also, the user should be able to RE-ORDER calendars with an easy drag and drop. They should also be able to GROUP the calendars like on the desktop version. I see this as a no-brainer but a game changer.

-FEATURE: Adding an event by voice should be a one-tap, MAIN BUTTON on the Home Screen of BusyCal .

-USER EXPERIENCE / DESIGN: they need to hire a good user interface designer to make BusyCal more intuitive and look nicer. It’s pretty powerful but looks dated. (Move the list/day/week/month/to do bar to the top and put an ACTIONS BAR at the bottom -> calendars/ add event/ Filter/ settings). Look at some other nice looking and powerful apps to get inspiration (ie -> Eventbrite organizer app, Lowe’s app, etc)

Other features to consider
-meeting coordination (look at woven calendar... BusyCal is shutting down but it’s too bad bc this feature is incredible), inbox button, Do not disturb, and so much more

Please continue to develop... calendar apps could be so much more than what I’ve seen out there. If you want to reach out to me I would be happy to talk with you. Thank you!

by NYCJazz

I bought BusyCal, and the Mac app, earlier today. this app requires an app specific password to be set up on each device to access iOS calendars. Kind of annoying since none of my other calendar apps do that, but not a huge deal. But in order to access my work calendar on exchange, which I’m already logged into on my device, I need to log in again through this app. My company limits the number of devices that can be logged in on exchange at the same time so logging in with this app kicks me off my work email account. I’m disappointed because other than that this app seems to have a lot of really nice features, but if I can’t see my work appointments alongside my personal ones then I’ll have to keep looking for another calendar app.

by Sister Mom

I really like it’s format and integration of tasks and calendar. I like it’s flexibility to work with multiple different types of accounts. I wish it would work with the latest iOS reminders better. I was really disappointed when the first iOS upgrade of reminders broke part of how I was using this app. If it weren’t for that I would give it five stars for iOS and 4.5 stars for the desktop version. If it had the ability to show tasks on the date originally scheduled, but all overdue tasks in the task list bar on the right, and option two complete tasks on yesterday instead of today or the date originally scheduled, I could give the desktop five stars. I wish it had all of the features of goodtask, or synchronized with reminders in a way that would not undo the awesome this app regenerate feature when also synchronizing with goodtask. I wish my chronify Integration could synchronize to a task list instead of a calendar.

by It Was Said Then

I love BusyCal, but its main weakness lies in its dependence on an exterior app. While you can create to do’s in app and rearrange in there, I find it easier to use the reminders app and have it automatically inputted. The problem is that both this app and Reminders are clunky in reordering or prioritizing to do’s. I see that the developers are working on more 3rd party compatibility and I really hope that they will partner with Sorted. Sorted streamlines the organizational aspect of to do’s in a far superior way to either this app or Reminders, but this app arranges those to do’s in a visual way that is far superior, and most importantly, harder to ignore way. These two apps should join forces and become the power couple to power productivity.

by K.Lekia

I’ve been using BusyCal for almost two years and have found it to be mostly good. I chose it specifically so I could have more control over the colors of tasks. This is very helpful at a glance. I do prefer how they look for an all day task, I wish they were all like that and there was another way to differentiate which were all day. For some reason the to do tasks are not color coded on my phone, only computer. Overall I find it intuitive.

My biggest issue and what I would really really like is if the icon had the date like the iPhone calendar does. I find myself flipping to check that icon, and I’d rather just be able to have busy cal icon do it.

by Northern_Flicker

I’ve recently migrated away from another calendar app that is currently experiencing a large exodus of customers. As much as I really like this app (I also just purchased the Mac version, after trialing it for a couple of hours.), I reluctantly had to uninstall it from my iPhone because there are two missing features that are essential to me: the ability to search my entire calendar (not just the past 10 years) and custom alerts. I often need to set an alarm two to four weeks prior to an event, and this app only allows up to 2 days prior. Hoping these features will eventually get added. In the meantime, I’ve had to come up with a “Plan B” for my phone.

by Calion

this app on the Mac is great. I use it nearly every day. However, this app for iOS is woefully underpowered. While it's a useful way to see all of my to-dos at once, or to get an overview of my calendar, the lack of secondary sorting for to-dos (by priority, then creation date, for instance), and the inexcusable lack of this app for Mac's premier feature, filters—where you can show any combination of categories you like instantly—drastically reduce its usefulness.

The filters don't have to sync with the Mac; I may want different ones on the road anyway. But this is a crucial feature that has been bafflingly absent from BusyCal for years. If this comes as a paid upgrade or an IAP, fine. But without it, BusyCal is not really more useful than the stock Calendar app, and only somewhat more useful than Reminders.

by Sambassman

I’ve been using this app as my main calendaring app for years now. The default Apple calendar is frustrating to use and BusyCal is such an improvement.
Like most self employed people, my calendar is my most important tool at making a living and I use BusyCal more than just about any other. There are still features I discover that I didn’t realize was built in. Happy surprises that make it even better.
Once Apple allowed removing the calendar app, it was gone and this has been my default on every device I own. iPhones, iPads, and Macs.
Give it a week, I guarantee you will not look back.

by Aaron000999999

After using Fantastical 2 for years on my MacBook Pro, I switched to this app. What’s the reason, they moved to a subscription model. I feel betrayed by that company.

Additionally, I’ve used WeekCal on my iPhone for 7 years. It had also gone to a subscription model. I did some searching for months and this app has won me over.

this app does everything you need it to including reminders built into both platforms. If this app keeps the same business model, I’ll use it indefinitely. If they decide to go to a subscription model, I’ll uninstall on both my Mac and iPhone and go to the stock Apple calendar apps. I’m happy so far and would recommend to anyone.

by Stumpapi

I’ve found this to be an excellent choice for managing my calendars and todo’s. It offers many ways to manage these and is customizable. It has been an excellent replacement for my recently deleted app that changed to a subscription model. So glad I made the move on all my devices.

I can’t also say enough positive comments about the excellent support. Outstanding and prompt and able to resolve issues quickly.

I have only have two requests I hope will be added soon to make it perfect. First, it needs a companion Apple Watch app. For me this is essential as I often use my watch in place of my phone. On the watch app I hope a month view is included as well.

The second is I would like to see a view on the phone that is similar to the view of the menu bar applet used on the Mac. This offers a small monthly calendar with a list of events or todo’s under it. This is a quick and efficient way to scroll through your day or ahead. A long press on a date would allow you to enter a new event.

by Jonizzzle

I’ve tried the likes of Fantastical and other calendar apps but none can provide the same features as this app. I like having to see clear and concise information at a glance and this app is the only one that can do that. Just with the month view I can see glyphs of the weather, all calendar events, and the ability to adjust the amount of information just by pinching and zooming. While the layout doesn’t appear as fancy as other apps, this one seems to be designed with function over form.

I highly recommend using this!

by Iustone

I like the interface of this app a lot. I think as a calendaring product, it’s definitely one of the nicest. My issue comes with the fact that I can’t add my personal O365 calendars. They show up fine under the iOS calendar app, but they don’t import into this app, nor can they be manually added. This is really perplexing since it supposedly supports O365 and Exchange... I really wish this would get fixed so that my family calendars would show up. With that change it would be nearly perfect in my mind.

Update: support contacted me and explained to use “Exchange” for the personal option (not self-explanatory imo), and this worked perfectly. Back to 5-stars even though I think maybe they could add another option for Personal/Family O365...

by Npydyuan

Things I love:
- easy to duplicate and manipulate events
- the way to-dos (Reminders) integrate with the calendar itself (didn’t Apple Calendar formerly work like that?). This is incredibly useful to me because I need to see a spatially organized view of my day or week (not a uniform list) but I also like to have my to-dos in the same app, visually distinct but right there. Hard to explain but no other calendar app seems to be able to do this.
- how customizable the various views and defaults are
- the Mac app, though expensive, is quite nice too

Things that could be improved:
- on iPhone especially, and especially in portrait position, the vertical list of times along the left side takes up too much space
- odd that I have to use app-specific passwords to sync my calendars with BusyCal, whereas other 3rd-party calendar apps are fine just asking me for permission to access them. But it’s ok because I haven’t found any other 3rd-party calendar app that I’d care to use.

A bug I noticed:
-sometimes when you long press to drag an event, you get an error saying it can’t be dragged; some nonsense like “scroll to the start of the event and long press again.” Huh? Tapping somewhere else and then trying again seems to make it work.

by JAFK_

First of all I really liked BusyCal right off the bat from the description and pictures but all the bad reviews made me skeptical. Second, I am not coming from using the Mac version, I started fresh on the iOS first. I am picky on which apps I use and while I liked fantastical and calendars by readdle for functionality, I didn’t like the overlay or look of either.
Having used this app I think it has more functionality than the other leading calendar apps, and I haven’t had any issues in terms of stability. This Calendar is powerful and works very well, is highly customizable, and I love the look as well.
My favorite part is the to-do integration and how it allows you to filter and sort your to-do’s: a lot of options here!
I hope BusyCal gets more positive feedback as I believe it deserves it. Keep up the good work devs!

by DonPablo21

After using this app on the Mac for many years, I was glad to see it come to iOS. This is my favorite calendar & todo app on both Mac & iOS.

Good: well thought-out layout, with easy access to each view & customization of Day-Week-Month views. Better todo-calendar integration than competitors. Week view scrolls by day (not full weeks) & Month view scrolls by week (not full months) - very helpful near end of the week/month.

Needs improvement: While viewing an event, must click Edit before editing some fields, rather than just clicking on the field. Day/Week views should allow creating events by touching & holding at a specific time. Can't drag events to new days in Month view (only in Week view). ToDo view should allow easy selection of which calendar(s) to view, not just how to sort todos on the screen.

Fixed: font size setting for Week view (3.04). Replaced date slider with calendar picker (3.1). Create events with touch & hold in month view (3.33).