Improve your time management with this beautiful calendar app for iPhone

A screenshot of the Solid Calendar app from the Apple App Store.
Struggling with time management? Try Solid Calendar for the new year. (Image credit: Apple App Store)
Solid Calendar

A screenshot of the Solid Calendar app logo from the Apple App Store

(Image credit: Apple App Store)

iOS / iPad iOS Free

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I’ve used Google Calendar on my MacBook, iPhone, and iPad for years — sorry, Apple Mail, it’s not you, it’s me. Using Google's alternative as my default always made sense, considering I rely on Gmail for emails and Google Drive for my work. And I’ve never had any complaints. It works well, syncs with my emails, and has all the features I could want from a calendar. Or at least that’s what I thought. 

If you’re looking for a Google Calendar alternative or want a fresh new calendar app as we head into 2024, look at Solid Calendar for the Mac, iPhone, and iPad.  

Described as an all-in-one solution for managing your time, Solid Calendar has a calendar function to which you can add events and schedule specific tasks for the day. Some of which you can set to complete each day – this would work well if you work on a strict schedule and don’t want to add things over and over manually. 

This means you can use Solid Calendar in any way you like. As a simple calendar for the key things going on each day, or you can get more granular and add every tiny task. You could then use it to time block or implement whichever time management system you prefer – I’ve tried loads over the years and tend to return to the Pomodoro Technique.

Solid Calendar is a reliable choice if you want to overhaul the way you work, and although it isn’t free, it’s only $3.99/£3.99, and once you’ve got it, you’ve got it. There are no surprises or extras here.

Natural language and a seamless experience

Although it’s not the most important part of what makes a good calendar app, Solid Calendar also looks gorgeous – well, if you’re into the simple, minimal aesthetic. I think my calendar is hectic enough as it is. The cleaner and easier the design, the more likely I am to open, use, and return to it.

It also has a nice feature that displays what’s happening today. Sure, you can click into a week view or a month view, but few apps give you the top priorities of the day displayed so succinctly.

As you likely can tell, I’m a fan of all the fundamental building blocks of Solid Calendar. It looks good, works well, and everything seems very fuss-free. However, the app’s developer is keen to push the "natural language" features. What this means is the calendar will adapt to the way you add events rather than needing you to write in a very prescriptive way to add anything.

The examples given on the app’s page on the App Store are things like, "Pick up the kids tomorrow at 18:00" and "Lunch this Saturday between 12:00 and 14:00". I don’t think this sounds particularly groundbreaking, but it’s all part and parcel of making the experience of using Solid Calendar seamless.

On that note, Solid Calendar can easily sync with other calendars and your other iOS devices. All of your events and appointments can still be kept in the calendar you use now if you like, but events and tasks can be pulled into Solid Calendar, enabling you to use better time management features.

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Becca Caddy
Contributor

Becca Caddy is a contributor to iMore, as well as a freelance journalist and author. She’s been writing about consumer tech and popular science for more than a decade, covering all kinds of topics, including why robots have eyes and whether we’ll experience the overview effect one day. She’s particularly interested in VR/AR, wearables, digital health, space tech and chatting to experts and academics about the future. She’s contributed to TechRadar, T3, Wired, New Scientist, The Guardian, Inverse and many more. Her first book, Screen Time, came out in January 2021 with Bonnier Books. She loves science-fiction, brutalist architecture, and spending too much time floating through space in virtual reality. Last time she checked, she still holds a Guinness World Record alongside iMore Editor in Chief Gerald Lynch for playing the largest game of Tetris ever made, too.

  • DB1
    Hi Becca, this app is not free. It’s coming up needing payment.
    Reply
  • Just_Me_D
    DB1 said:
    Hi Becca, this app is not free. It’s coming up needing payment.

    Per the article, “Solid Calendar is a reliable choice if you want to overhaul the way you work, and although it isn’t free, it’s only $3.99….”
    Reply
  • Annie_M
    DB1 said:
    Hi Becca, this app is not free. It’s coming up needing payment.
    Hello! Thanks for chiming in, but I just read the article and it says “Solid Calendar is a reliable choice if you want to overhaul the way you work, and although it isn’t free, it’s only $3.99/£3.99, and once you’ve got it, you’ve got it. There are no surprises or extras here.”

    So while it’s not free, I think that $3.99 or £3.99 isn’t too bad given the price of apps today.
    Reply
  • DB1
    Thank you both, I appreciate your input. I missed that line entry when I read through the article. My comment was based on the top line of the article with the direct link to the app, indicating it was free, and I was surprised to see it requiring payment after I pressed and loaded up the App Store.
    Reply
  • Just_Me_D
    DB1 said:
    Thank you both, I appreciate your input. I missed that line entry when I read through the article. My comment was based on the top line of the article with the direct link to the app, indicating it was free, and I was surprised to see it requiring payment after I pressed and loaded up the App Store.

    Aw I see. You are correct, sir. That is indeed misleading.

    Reply