Are you in search of the perfect digital planner that seamlessly syncs with Google Calendar? Look no further! After spending over 20 hours scouring the market, we have curated a list of the top 10 digital planners that meet your needs. Plus, most of them are free to start and available on multiple platforms and devices, making them user-friendly with no steep learning curve. So, let's dive in and explore these amazing options!
I. Factors to Consider Choosing the Best Digital Planners with Google Calendar Sync
When choosing a digital planner that integrates with Google Calendar, there are four important factors to consider:
1️⃣ Integration type
Check if the digital planner offers one-way or two-way integration with Google Calendar. Not all digital planners offer two-way integration.
a) One-way sync - This means events from Google Calendar are displayed in the planner, but changes made in the planner don’t reflect in Google Calendar. It suits users who primarily manage events in Google Calendar and only want to view them in their digital planner or prefer a read-only view of their Google Calendar events.
b) Two-way sync - This means changes you make in either Google Calendar or the digital planner will sync seamlessly between both platforms. It suits users who want to manage and update events in both Google Calendar and the digital planner, as well as teams or collaborators who require shared calendar management with immediate synchronization.
2️⃣ How many Google Calendar accounts can the digital planner connect with?
Determine if the digital planner allows for connecting multiple Google Calendar accounts or just one. Multiple Accounts are best for individuals or teams who need to centralize and manage multiple calendars in one place, while a Single Account suits users with only one Google Calendar to sync.
3️⃣ Color coding
If you use color-coded events in Google Calendar, check if the digital planner preserves these colors. This helps maintain consistency and easily identify different types of events at a glance within your digital planner.
4️⃣ Features & functionalities
Make sure the digital planner offers the features and functionalities you need. Whether it’s task management, reminders, or collaboration tools, ensure the planner aligns with your specific requirements.
Now that we've covered the factors to consider, let's dive into our top 10 picks!
1. Upbase
Upbase - The undisputed champion of digital planners that sync with Google Calendar.
When it comes to digital planners that seamlessly sync with Google Calendar, Upbase is the go-to choice. Whether you're a solo planner or part of a team, Upbase is designed to make your life easier, more organized, and more productive.
Why Upbase’s Google Calendar integration is a game-changer?
i) Deep and reliable two-way synchronization: Any changes made in one app are effortlessly mirrored in the other, ensuring you’re always up to date. Besides, Upbase allows for multiple-accounts connection.
ii) Privacy and Customization: Your calendar events remain private, and your team members can't sneak a peek unless you decide to share specific events. You also have full control over which tasks appear on your Google Calendar and which calendars sync with Upbase.
iii) Preservation of Color Coding: Upbase preserves the original color coding of your Google Calendar events, making it easier to manage schedules across apps and enhancing productivity.
Setting up the synchronization with Upbase is a breeze. Just follow a few easy steps, and you're ready to experience the power of a perfectly synchronized digital planner.
Explore Upbase’s Impressive Features:
Upbase isn't just about Google Calendar integration; it's also a powerhouse of productivity tools. Let's take a quick tour:
A. Schedule tool: This centralized place within Upbase gives you quick access to all planners and calendars. With four views - Daily Planner, Weekly Planner, Weekly Calendar, and Monthly Calendar - Upbase simplifies the scheduling and planning process. You can efficiently schedule tasks to the exact date and get a holistic view of upcoming scheduled events.
B. Timer, Notepad, and Daily Notes: Boost your productivity with tools like the focus timer, "Notepad," and the journal-like "Daily Notes." These tools integrate seamlessly with your to-do list and daily calendar view. The timer is inspired by the Pomodoro technique, and "Notepad" and "Daily Notes" support slash commands with various formatting options.
C. Project and task management: Upbase serves as your ultimate task manager. It allows you to create unlimited tasks and subtasks, prioritize tasks, attach files, add start and due dates/times, set recurring tasks, and more. You can also organize tasks into project lists, customize icons and colors, and categorize them into folders. Plus, you can visualize all tasks within a project list by list or Kanban board view.
D. Communication and collaboration: Upbase offers unlimited users and various collaboration features. You can add notes, assignees, and watchers to tasks, tag collaborators, collaborate on files and documents, create and reply to discussions, and share links. Project lists separate items from one project to another, enhancing team efficiency in collaboration and project data management.
Upbase truly stands out as the best digital planner that syncs with Google Calendar, offering a seamless and organized planning experience. Say goodbye to cluttered schedules and hello to efficiency with Upbase as your go-to digital planner.
2. TickTick
Imagine a free digital planner that takes the hassle out of organizing your personal life - TickTick is the solution you've been waiting for. It offers a cohesive feature package of task lists, focus timers, and calendars to help you with task management, time tracking, and scheduling.
TickTick offers five calendar views - day, 3-day, weekly, and monthly - that you can customize to fit your unique needs. You can choose to show/hide completed tasks, hide certain time slots, or decide how tasks are color-coded.
TickTick also offers two-way synchronization with both Google and Apple Calendar, bridging the gap between task management and calendar scheduling. Accessible on multiple devices, including iOS and Android devices, as well as web browsers, TickTick ensures your schedule is always at your fingertips.
Core Features:
- 5 Calendar views
- Time-tracking features: Pomo timers & time-blocking
- Task reminders, tags, and labels
- Natural language processing
- Two-way sync with Google and Apple calendar
- 60+ habit tracker templates, covering multiple categories
Limitations:
- Not suitable for managing big tasks or complex projects
- Limited collaboration features
TickTick is free to start, with an annual subscription available for $35.99 (less than $3/month) for added features and functionalities.
3. Todoist
Another great option for organizing your weekly and daily tasks is Todoist. With its "Today" and "Next 7 Days" pages, Todoist simplifies task management and time tracking. The interface is simple and designed for the way your brain works, with key features easily accessible.
Todoist uses natural language processing (NLP), allowing you to type tasks, add due dates, set task recurrence naturally, just as you would in a conversation. You can also prioritize tasks, set reminders, leave comments, or delegate tasks to others.
While Todoist offers integrations with many dedicated calendar apps, such as Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars, it doesn't have a native calendar feature. To schedule tasks, you'll need to connect Todoist with an external calendar app.
Core Features:
- Inbox, Today, and Next 7 Days pages
- Labels & filters
- Natural language processing
- Karma points & productivity hub
Limitations:
- Limited time-tracking features
- No native calendars
- Not suitable for managing big tasks or complex projects
Todoist offers a free version, with premium features available for $3/month or $36/year.
4. Planner Pro
If you're looking for a mobile-friendly personal planner, Planner Pro is the perfect choice. Available for iOS, iPadOS, macOS, and Android devices, Planner Pro is free to download and syncs with all your calendars, including Google, Mac, and iOS calendars.
With Planner Pro, you can easily organize tasks, events, and notes. Break down big tasks into subtasks, add deadlines, set reminders, and choose from a variety of priorities. Create unlimited notes, sketch directly on them, and attach audio files. Schedule tasks in day, week, and month views, and add time slots to each.
Core Features:
- Digital calendar with day, week, and month views
- Deadlines & time slots for time tracking
- Task priorities, reminders, and deadlines
- Notes
Limitations:
- No web version
- Syncing with Google Calendar on the iPad is frustrating
- Not suitable for managing projects
Planner Pro is free to use, with premium features available for $4.99/month or $39.99/year.
5. GoodNotes
GoodNotes is primarily a note-taking app designed for iPhone, iPad, and Mac devices. However, with its variety of input methods - typing, handwriting with Apple Pencil, and importing digital planner templates - you can easily turn it into your digital planner.
Choose from a wide range of GoodNotes planner templates and sticker packs to customize your planner. Handwriting on a digital planner is convenient and allows for easy editing and organizing. You can rename tasks, drag and drop them to reschedule, or add digital stickers to your GoodNotes planner.
It's important to note that these digital planners don't sync with Apple and Google Calendar by default. You'll need to set up Google Calendar links to your GoodNotes planner using a shortcut file. This setup allows for connecting either Google or Apple Calendar app to the daily pages.
Core Features:
- Handwriting recognition
- Pen and Highlighter Tools
- Notebooks, folders, and tags
- Audio-recording
Limitations:
- Time-consuming to use
- Require a complex process to connect with Google Calendar
- No web app or Android app
GoodNotes pricing varies depending on the digital planner templates and sticker packs you choose.
6. Trello
While Trello is not a dedicated online planner app, you can transform it into one with its premade planner templates, integration options, and Power-Up inventory. Select a planner template, create new tasks or pull tasks from other tools, and start organizing them.
Sprinkle some Power-Up magic on tasks to enhance control. For example, use the Time Tracking and Reporting power-up to add multiple work logs to specific tasks.
Sync scheduled tasks to other calendars - such as Google, Apple, Outlook, and more - with just a few clicks, making it more visual to track schedules.
Core Features:
- Kanban boards & task cards
- Various planner templates
- Search functionality
- Power-Ups
- Automation, aka Butler
Limitations:
- No native planner pages or calendars
- No timers
Trello offers a free version, with premium features starting at $9.99/month.
7. Notion
Notion is a free digital planner with seamless integration with Google Calendar, known for its unparalleled versatility. Instead of confining you to one-size-fits-all templates, Notion lets you craft a digital planner from scratch that mirrors your unique needs.
Beyond organizing to-do lists and calendars, Notion allows you to build custom databases, collaborate effortlessly, and streamline project management. The creative control that Notion offers makes it the top pick for those who want a digital planner that's truly their own.
Core Features:
- Rich planner template gallery
- Pages with various capabilities and high customizabilities
- Slash commands with numerous formatting options
- Web Clipper
- Automation
Limitations:
- Overwhelming to learn
- Difficult to navigate due to nested features
- Lack of some collaboration features
Notion is free to use, with premium features available starting at $4/month.
8. Sunsama
Unlike other digital planners, Sunsama doesn't offer a free version. However, you can try its 14-day trial before making a decision. Sunsama is an aesthetic personal planner app that allows you to gather tasks and events from everywhere into a centralized place.
Sunsama's main workspace is an aesthetic Kanban-style weekly planner, where you can create a to-do list for each date. Enhance transparency by adding channels, deadlines, and attachments to tasks.
What sets Sunsama apart is its dedicated features for maximizing focus - the Today View and the Focus Mode. The Today View shows your daily to-dos and a daily calendar, while the Focus Mode minimizes distractions by showing only the task you're currently working on. Sunsama also offers planned and actual time features for time tracking.
Core Features:
- Channels and contexts
- Planned and actual timers
- Focus Mode
- Today View
- Daily Planning Rituals
Limitations:
- No free version
- Expensive pricing compared to other counterparts
- Not for complex project management
Sunsama pricing starts at $9/month.
9. Artful Agenda
Artful Agenda is among the best free digital planners for those seeking an artistic touch to their organization. It seamlessly syncs with Google Calendar, offering an array of themes, fonts, and color options to craft a personalized planner.
Artful Agenda fosters goal-driven planning and provides a supportive community for motivation. With shared calendars, you can seamlessly coordinate with your team or family. The web-based accessibility ensures your schedule is always at your fingertips.
If you appreciate the beauty in planning and the convenience of Google Calendar integration, Artful Agenda is your go-to choice, bringing style and substance to your organizational needs.
Core Features:
- Customizable layouts, themes, colors, and fonts
- Task management: priorities, subtasks, due dates and times, reminders
- Goal tracking
- Note-taking
Limitations:
- Complex setup and integration process
- Limited free version
Artful Agenda subscription costs $35/year.
Upbase - The Best Digital Planner That Syncs With Google Calendar
After exploring these top 10 digital planners that sync with Google Calendar, one clear winner emerges: Upbase. It's not just a planner; it's your productivity partner. With flawless Google Calendar integration, two-way synchronization, and the unique ability to preserve event color-coding, Upbase streamlines your planning process.
But it doesn't stop there - Upbase excels in project management, task tracking, and collaboration. Why settle for less when you can have the best? Make the switch to Upbase today. Sign up for an Upbase account now and experience a seamless, organized, and productive life.
Say goodbye to cluttered schedules and hello to efficiency with Upbase as your go-to digital planner.
