'Fantastical 2' Launches for Mac With Yosemite-Style Redesign, Full Calendar Window

[Sanlitun]

As many others have stated the pricing seems somewhat out of line for the value of the software. I feel it doesn't add any new fundamental capability over just using the existing or freeware calendars to justify a premium price.

I paid $69 CDN for Parallels and plan to buy OmniFocus. I don't feel that $50 CDN for Fantastical represents the same sort of value as these other apps.

I do own the Phone and Pad versions of Fantastical so this is somewhat disappointing. And now there is also the worry that a V2 will replace those and we will have only an expensive upgrade path.

 

[FieldingMellish]

Complex software such as Omnifocus and Scrivener I pay $40.00 for, not for this calendar app. That price is a hosing for what you get. Regardless how often you use it.

 

[tivoboy]

great

These guys DO make very nice products and they continue to get better..

but, the pricing is simply ridiculous and I really don't like that early adopters, don't usually get any advantage when upgrading. It's buy a new version or keep your old one (and of course we don't update it further)

 

[Razeus]

LOL, $40 on sale? I'll stick with Sunrise thank you.

 

[tgara]

Does anyone know how to change an existing calendar entry from one calendar to another? I have Fantastical (1 and 2) set up to access my one Exchange calendar and two iCloud calendars. If I want to have one of my Exchange calendar entries switched to an iCloud calendar, I can't do it, there is no selection for it. I can change calendars between my two iCloud calendars but not between iCloud calendars and Exchange calendars. Strange, because you CAN switch calendars in the iOS app.

Any ideas gang?

 

[AbsolutJD69]

I am finicky about all my Mac Apps and do love Fantastical along with Sunrise. But I will stick with my Sunrise! I love the icons and integration with Trello and other apps! I just tried the Fantastical 2 trial and it is fast and nice, but not worth $40 or $50!

 

[technosix]

I use this calendar on my Macs and iPhones, it's fast and very well designed.

 

[uid15]

Dear developers, you may think you're clever by stinging people with ridiculous prices, but they'll think twice before rushing back to buy more from you if you overcharge them. Yes, you'll make money, but NOT on repeat business.

Greed never works, EVER.

 

[technosix]

Dear developers, you may think you're clever by stinging people with ridiculous prices, but they'll think twice before rushing back to buy more from you if you overcharge them. Yes, you'll make money, but NOT on repeat business.

Greed never works, EVER.

Apple is the model, developers are simply using the same tactic without the leverage Apple has. That may be hard to accept, but it is what it is. These top tier developers are not stupid.

 

[Paradoxally]

Unfortunately for YOU it requires Yosemite. I happen to love Yosemite and like it much more than any previous OS X versions.....save for Tiger which was the best and most stable version of OS X ever right from the first 10.4.0 version.

If only Yosemite wouldn't lag after a few hours on a retina Mac, I'd actually use it. But I need to get work done, and Yosemite hinders that.

 

[HenryDJP]

If only Yosemite wouldn't lag after a few hours on a retina Mac, I'd actually use it. But I need to get work done, and Yosemite hinders that.

I have a 2011 iMac i7 running Yosemite. I've never seen it lag. I use Yosemite daily to run my business so I'm a very heavy user.

The only issues I have are the same issues I've had with previous versions of Mac OS X and that's Mail. While it works most of the time it still leaves Sent emails in the draft folder even thought the recipient has received them.

 

[Skoal]

I, for one, am shocked that Flexibits would dare charge a price for a niche software product that can sustain a small business.

This thread is a perfect case study on how the App Store's race-to-the-bottom pricing has created a group of consumers who feel entitled to quality work for an unrealistic price - developers' time and livelihoods be damned.

While I don't disagree, If that's truly the case then the Dev's have no one to blame but themselves. It's not the consumers fault for jumping on good pricing (or bad if you're a developer). Still, charging $40+ for a calendar app, "race to the bottom" or not is a bit over the top in my opinion.

 

[Paradoxally]

I have a 2011 iMac i7 running Yosemite. I've never seen it lag. I use Yosemite daily to run my business so I'm a very heavy user.

The only issues I have are the same issues I've had with previous versions of Mac OS X and that's Mail. While it works most of the time it still leaves Sent emails in the draft folder even thought the recipient has received them.

Yeah, the lag is a known issue on retina Macs. Apple needs to optimize their graphic drivers because this issue does not occur on Windows 8.1 at all with the same exact hardware, and even on Mavericks it's barely noticeable.

How Apple managed to mess up a core element of an OS beats me (fluidity). We're not talking about older Macs that become naturally slower -- this is their 2014 13" retina Mac.

 

[Cole Slaw]

Wow that's really steep for a calendar app!

 

[AJsAWiz]

I live in my calendar and love Fantastical, so I almost bought it from the Mac App Store - until I noticed all the negative reviews. I'll wait until they're out of the woods with this release. My calendar is far too important to me to risk it to unstable new software.

Not sure what the negative reviews are based on. I've had Fantastical (Mac) and just purchased/installed Fantastical 2 and have had no problems at all.

 

[johnnyturbouk]

Bought and enjoying. Premium product crafted with love worths a premium price. YMMV.

did it have the new app smell?

I never really liked fantastical vn 1, I got this bundled free with a stack-social package, did not see what all the hype was about. The iphone version was a lot better than ical back in the day, but i quite using mycal instead. Now, for my needs, i think both stock cals on mac/iphone/ipad are excellent.

 

[grad]

For a small developer getting some kind of loyalty for a niece application is even more crucial than making quick money. When the app and its new version is cheap enough it's usually all forgotten but when we are talking about 40-50EUR, probably 2-3 times what the previous version cost, old users have every right to feel betrayed being asked to pay the same money as everyone else. Again, the MAS rules is only an excuse, they do have an online store don't they? I don't recall buying the program from Mac App Store in the first place. You do realise that once they come up with 2-3 new ideas next year they will have to call it Fantastical 3 and charge again 50EUR at least, don't you?

If it was up to me I would ask 30 for the new version AND offer the opportunity to my old customers to upgrade to it for 20. I would probably keep more people happy and I would probably make the same money.

 

[Razeus]

Why they think they can get $50 for a calendar app is beyond me. That's ridiculous. They're a to many other great apps out there so maybe they think they are the only ones that can make a calendar app.

 

[Bob-K]

FWIW, the Flexibits web store now just says $39.99 - there's no mention of an introductory price. If I recall correctly, it previously mentioned the full price of $49.99.

 

[Bluhmng]

Hello,
I'm new to apple and just got my first Macbook and tumbled on this looking for a Calendar App. Made the switch from Windows/Android at the end of last year. Havent had to pay for any apps on Windows/android platforms that much. Maybe a few smaller apps but thats it.

Do these "paid apps" discussions come often? Was there a discussion like this on Fantastical 1 ? I mean the whole comment section is all about the app being overpriced.

In my opinion, this Retail-Model is really just frustrating for everyone. In comparison to a licensing model, the developer can just screw their customers just like they do with Fantastical 1. If it were like 2-4$ a month i'd be able to terminate the contract if I dont like the direction the app is going.

I assume it will get on sale in time. But at this point this developer has spread so much negativity by this action, that I dont ever think I could recommend this to any person I know. I mean, people talk about good stuff they're using right? However the price is just not in the region for anyone to feel good about recommending this app. If it were like 25€ I'd say: hey, this app is totally worth the money. But with 50€, I'd just feel ripped off the whole time.

 

[Ulenspiegel]

No way. I use Blotter. It does everything what a user may need. It is simple and practical. And it is 9.99 €.
And wait, Yosemite design....never.

 

[AJsAWiz]

I live in my calendar and love Fantastical, so I almost bought it from the Mac App Store - until I noticed all the negative reviews. I'll wait until they're out of the woods with this release. My calendar is far too important to me to risk it to unstable new software.

I bought Fantastical 2 and did not find it unstable at all. I have had zero issues with it. It runs smoothly without a hitch. I did not regret paying $39.99 for this excellent program.

Oops, sorry didn't mean to be redundant. I forgot that I already posted on this.

 

[ScottNWDW]

Hello,
I'm new to apple and just got my first Macbook and tumbled on this looking for a Calendar App. Made the switch from Windows/Android at the end of last year. Havent had to pay for any apps on Windows/android platforms that much. Maybe a few smaller apps but thats it.

Do these "paid apps" discussions come often? Was there a discussion like this on Fantastical 1 ? I mean the whole comment section is all about the app being overpriced.

In my opinion, this Retail-Model is really just frustrating for everyone. In comparison to a licensing model, the developer can just screw their customers just like they do with Fantastical 1. If it were like 2-4$ a month i'd be able to terminate the contract if I dont like the direction the app is going.

I assume it will get on sale in time. But at this point this developer has spread so much negativity by this action, that I dont ever think I could recommend this to any person I know. I mean, people talk about good stuff they're using right? However the price is just not in the region for anyone to feel good about recommending this app. If it were like 25€ I'd say: hey, this app is totally worth the money. But with 50€, I'd just feel ripped off the whole time.

Fantastical was originally just a little menu bar application. Meaning it resided in your menu bar and popped down when you clicked it's icon. It was basically a little accessory or gadget app. Fantastical 2 is essentially a whole new program, not just a simple upgrade. It retains the menu bar "accessory", and it also is a full application unto itself. It is currently sale priced at $39.99 and will go up to $49.99 when it goes off sale.

The problem with software these days is that consumers seem to think it should only cost $0.99 or be free. In addition, they believe that once they buy an app the developer should support and upgrade that app for free forever. A developer spends a lot of time and resources creating an app as this and people they should not get paid for their efforts. Consumers want to enjoy the benefits of an app and not have to pay for it.

If Fantastical was JUST an upgrade to the menu bar application it was originally, then I don't believe the developer would have charged a $39.99 price for it. The fact that it is now a whole new calendar app along with the menu bar app as a feature. It went from being a little "accessory" app that you can use in conjunction with another calendar app such as the Apple's Calendar (iCal) to being a full fledged Calendar replacement. In another perspective it is kind of like taking a little notepad accessory app where you would jot down little post it note type things and turning it into a full blown word processor like Microsoft Word. You could also say it's like going from a little Vespa scooter to a Harley Davidson Motorcycle.

People are assuming that it is just an "upgrade" when in reality it is now a whole new product. I bought Fantastical 2 when it came out. At first I was skeptical, but I love calendar apps and was using BusyCal 2, which by the way when it was released was also priced similarly. I went to Flexibits website and downloaded the free 14 day trial. On their website they also had a series of 12 video tutorials on how to use the new features. After watching those videos and playing with Fantastical 2 for a couple of hours I was hooked, deleted the trial form my Mac and went to the Mac App Store and purchased it. It has now replaced BusyCal2 which I was using as my main Calendar.

Another great thing about Fantastical 2 is that there are companion apps for the iPhone and iPad. Yes they are an additional cost, but they are well worth it.

----------

Why they think they can get $50 for a calendar app is beyond me. That's ridiculous. They're a to many other great apps out there so maybe they think they are the only ones that can make a calendar app.

Obviously you don't follow Mac software very much, but there is a very similar app that has been on the market for years called BusyCal2 that also costs $49.99. There is also a new calendar app coming out that when it is released will probably be the same price. That app is currently in what is called an "Early Release" phase. The Full version will be out later this year and that app is called Desktop Informant.

 

[Jessica Lares]

Hello,
I'm new to apple and just got my first Macbook and tumbled on this looking for a Calendar App. Made the switch from Windows/Android at the end of last year. Havent had to pay for any apps on Windows/android platforms that much. Maybe a few smaller apps but thats it.

Do these "paid apps" discussions come often? Was there a discussion like this on Fantastical 1 ? I mean the whole comment section is all about the app being overpriced.

In my opinion, this Retail-Model is really just frustrating for everyone. In comparison to a licensing model, the developer can just screw their customers just like they do with Fantastical 1. If it were like 2-4$ a month i'd be able to terminate the contract if I dont like the direction the app is going.

I assume it will get on sale in time. But at this point this developer has spread so much negativity by this action, that I dont ever think I could recommend this to any person I know. I mean, people talk about good stuff they're using right? However the price is just not in the region for anyone to feel good about recommending this app. If it were like 25€ I'd say: hey, this app is totally worth the money. But with 50€, I'd just feel ripped off the whole time.

If all someone has to say about something is that it costs too much, then their opinion is not worth a second of your time. Fantastical 1 came out in the spring of 2011, so it was four year period where you got almost 30 updates, and more than just updates for new versions of OS X. Most other developers will make you shell out money every year or at least every other year, and we're talking about apps that are even more expensive.

I disagree that software pricing is frustrating. The majority of apps have demos that you can try from the developer's website. If you can't make up your mind whether a calendar app is useful after 14 days, then you probably didn't even have a use for it to begin with.

They probably don't care about the negativity. The power users would have bought the update if it were $100.

 

[terriyaki]

I love using Fantastical 2 on my 6+ and rMini.. But there's no way in hell I'm buying it for $40 to use on my Mac.