Best calendar apps for Android: 7 to keep you organized

The stock Android calendar isn't the prettiest or most practical of things. While it'll 'do the job', there are plenty of calendar apps out there that go much further, presenting your life's events in a way that looks great, and which helps you keep better control of everything you have planned. Here areAndroidPIT’s picks for the best calendar apps for Android.

aCalendar

This one has been around for a long time, and has evolved beautifully over the years. It has plenty of customization and organization options, allows you to set recurrent events, and uses the tech behind Android's native calendar to sync across different apps and email addresses. It has a fine selection of widgets too - letting you view calendar events by day, week or month directly on your Android homescreen. The app is free (and ad-free), though you can get the paid version for 2.99 USD for extra features like 'Busy' notifications and extra information such as public holidays. There are, however, plenty of calendars (like Google Calendar) which offer these features for free, so we recommend sticking with the free version.

Google Calendar

Unlike many of Google's productivity apps, Calendar doesn't come pre-installed on many Android devices, so you'd be forgiven for confusing your device's default calendar app for it. Once you start using Google Calendar though, the differences become apparent as it's the most beautifully designed app out there. It's not only easy to use (Google recently brought back the classic 'whole month' overview), but has neat little touches. For example, if you're going for drinks, then a little doodle of a drink will appear in that entry, or if you have an email for a flight in the Inbox app, then you can set it to automatically appear in Calendar.

Cal

The aptly named Cal pairs with sister app Any.Do to manage tasks. Like most calendar apps, it syncs with Google Calendar and Exchange.

The widget feature allows you to glance at your calendar quickly, without opening the app. Interestingly, it offers integration with Waze, Uber and Google Maps to help you navigate to your many appointments. Cal runs on Android 4.0 and up.

Jorte

Jorte Calendar and Organizer is trending right now, perhaps as more Android users catch on to its usefulness. Compared to its competitors, Jorte is easy to navigate and has an intuitive set-up. The app also offers themes to customize the look of your calendar.

The Jorte team seems on top of customer service and often replies to complaints on Google Play. Jorte's countdown feature is a nice bonus; allowing you to efficiently count the days to a big event. Jorte runs on Android 2.1 and up.

Calendar

Sunrise makes countless “must have” apps lists and it’s not hard to see why. Sunrise has been updated for Material Design and looks pretty snazzy. Like the other apps mentioned, Sunrise syncs with Google Calendar and Exchange. The fact that Sunrise was acquired in early 2015 by Microsoft speaks for the app's success, and the purchase means that there are likely big changes coming to the app in the near future.

DigiCal Calendar and Widgets

DigiCal Calendar and Widgets is perhaps the simplest calendar app on this list. Like Sunrise, it often makes top lists for Android calendars. It has six different lock-screen widgets, letting you see important events without even unlocking your phone. It's also received integration with Google Now, and has plenty of customization options, such as the one picture below which is a night mode that's both easy on your eyes and your battery. Like its competitors, DigiCal syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook and Exchange.

Coletto

Now, for something totally different. If you frequently exclaim “kawaii!” or dress like a Harajuku girl, Coletto may be for you.This Japanese app works as a dayplanner and diary. It’s obviously aimed at the girliest of girls (though boys are welcome to try it), and is very simply to use, with dragging motions letting you move events between different days on your calendar. The style is an acquired taste, but well over a million people on the Play Store can't be wrong... can they?What Android calendar apps do you use? What features do you look for in a calendar app?