iPad Replacement Calendar app?

[macstatic]

I've never liked the look of the IOS 13 calendar's "month" view and miss how I could get an overview of what's happening as in the calendar that came with my old iPad running iOS 9.
Is it possible to replace it with another calendar app (with a similar "month" view as in IOS 9), and will it sync with my Mac's calendar (via iTunes) in the same same way as the standard IOS calendar?

 

[Apple_Robert]

Take a look at Calendar366. It might be to your liking.

 

[djs71a]

Calendars 5 is also a contender.

 

[Beards]

Planner Pro and use one of the iCloud calendars to sync across platform.

 

[macstatic]

Thanks for all suggestions. I realize that nothing is free -you either have to pay for the app or "pay" in form of intrusive ads with the free versions, so i'll take a closer look at the screenshots etc. before deciding.

Do all of them support syncing to the Mac Calendar (USB connection with iTunes on the Mac)?

 

[pacorob]

I really like WeekCal which I aka WeekCalendar which I started using back when Apple made some changes to the calendar UI a couple of years ago and have been using it since together with my wife both connected to our Google calendar. I use the list view but they also offer two different types of month view. I bought it once back then (but appears 'free' now for iPhone and once for iPad (separately) years ago and haven't spend any further money on it. I do know they offer an optional 'Pro' subscription with some extra features (which I do not need). I do see no ads (since I also hate these) I do want to note that the Apple doesn't allow notifications from third party calendars I think but Apples own calendar notifications still sync with my Google calendar which works perfectly for notification while still checking the calendar via WeekCal and adding appointments there. See also the FAQ here.

 

[1144557]

I really like WeekCal which I aka WeekCalendar which I started using back when Apple made some changes to the calendar UI a couple of years ago and have been using it since together with my wife both connected to our Google calendar. I use the list view but they also offer two different types of month view. I bought it once back then (but appears 'free' now for iPhone and once for iPad (separately) years ago and haven't spend any further money on it. I do know they offer an optional 'Pro' subscription with some extra features (which I do not need). I do see no ads (since I also hate these) I do want to note that the Apple doesn't allow notifications from third party calendars I think but Apples own calendar notifications still sync with my Google calendar which works perfectly for notification while still checking the calendar via WeekCal and adding appointments there. See also the FAQ here.

Apple 100% allows notifications from 3rd party apps. ALL calendar apps give you notifications- Calendars 5, Fantastical, Google Calendar, Outlook, etc etc. For many many years now. They all give you event notifications.

I dont know what the rules were back when it came out, but it seems WeekCal never made the effort to add notifications to its app. I abandoned it years ago over this.

Getting and clicking a notification from the stock app only brings you to the stock app. Its useless IMO.

 

[pacorob]

Apple 100% allows notifications from 3rd party apps. ALL calendar apps give you notifications- Calendars 5, Fantastical, Google Calendar, Outlook, etc etc. For many many years now. They all give you event notifications.

I dont know what the rules were back when it came out, but it seems WeekCal never made the effort to add notifications to its app. I abandoned it years ago over this.

Getting and clicking a notification from the stock app only brings you to the stock app. Its useless IMO.

It haven't invested time in this but I always found it odd thanks for sharing this.
I'm still really happy with the UI of WeekCal and stability of it and for me the notifications through the main Apple calendar app works fine. I'm not planning to look for alternatives that do offer their own push notifications and to subscribe for that. I have already a bunch of subscriptions on weather and music apps so not planning to add another calendar app to that list nor do I want to use a calendar app with ads.

 

[AZhappyjack]

+1 for Calendar366. When Fantastical went subscription, I dumped it for Calendar366... very happy with it on Mac, iPhone and iPad.

 

[lexvo]

+1 on WeekCal. Nice app with well defined views.

 

[kerr]

As a user of WeekCal since 2011, the app is now rather useless without a paid annual subscription. Very annoying.

So I'm having a look at Calendar 366 as well as Calendars5 by Readdle

 

[GIZBUG]

Might check out calendar 366 also. Wonder if they have updated app for iOS 14 (widgets)?

 

[kerr]

Might check out calendar 366 also. Wonder if they have updated app for iOS 14 (widgets)?

Doesn't look like Calendar 366 has widgets yet, last update was 2 weeks ago. I'm sure they are coming. I'm also looking at Readdle's Calendar app.

 

[jesse10RR]

WeekCal is a great alternative. I like applications, which can offer a lot of made templates for your needs. Talking about that, I've been searching for nice iPad planners and templates for my work needs, and could discover this digital teacher planner page, where author offers pretty nice alternative to standard templates.

 

[AZhappyjack]

Doesn't look like Calendar 366 has widgets yet, last update was 2 weeks ago. I'm sure they are coming. I'm also looking at Readdle's Calendar app.

Calendar 366 has multiple configurable widgets in all three sizes. They have almost since the launch of iOS 14.

 

[rforno]

I use BusyCal on my iPhone and desktop/laptop. Love it for that very reason!

 

[macstatic]

I'm the OP and by chance found out that it's actually possible to get the "old" calendar layout back!

Obviously an undocumented feature, the "graphical" or "dot" layout is determined by the text size.
I prefer to have slightly larger text on my iPad, and this is what the built-in calendar app looks like:

But if I change the text size to the default (100%) or lower, this is what the calendar app looks like:

This is on an iPad Mini (5th. gen) running iOS 14.8.
Could someone with a more recent iOS version try this out and see if it works the same way?

 

[xerxers]

I have used Pocket Infomant fort years and it is just perfect. So many features and really easy to set up

 

[kerr]

It’s just called Informant.

 

[NoBoMac]

This is on an iPad Mini (5th. gen) running iOS 14.8.
Could someone with a more recent iOS version try this out and see if it works the same way?

15.5 with iPad Classic works with 135% or lower.

 

[macstatic]

15.5 with iPad Classic works with 135% or lower.

Excellent! Thanks for checking 👍
Do you know if there's a similarly hidden method to get the iPhone calendar to display all the events as well (the last screenshot in post #17)?

 

[NoBoMac]

Don't think that view was ever possible on an iPhone due to screen sizes. MAYBE on a Max, but I do not have one of them.

 

[macstatic]

Yes, that makes sense, but I've never gotten used to it, finding it cumbersome to first select the day, then see the schedule for that day instead of just seeing it all at once.
Even though the screen size is small; will "Informant" or other calendar-replacement iOS apps mentioned here allow me to get a "everything at once" view (I don't mind if it means I have to pinch to zoom)?

 

[NoBoMac]

No calendar app I've used has had a month view like Mac/iPad on iPhone.

The one I currently use, Calendar 366, has a month view in landscape but only shows first two events or reminders for a day.

Closest I've seen on iPhone apps are hybrid month & list view: month at top of the screen with dots, list of events/reminders below the month that can scroll through.

 

[macstatic]

Hmmmm.....
Perhaps the "dot" view is a matter of preference and getting used to, but my biggest problem is that I've entered holidays as "all" day from the starting to the ending date, so by simply looking at those dates they all look full, but in fact they're days off.
This is no problem in graphic view though as I can see everything at once and right away determine if I can schedule a new event or not.
I found Calendar 366 along with some screenshots, and if you scroll sideways to the blue/black one it appears to display things like I want. If a date has more than two events, will it show something like "+3 more" and then you can click on it to see all of them while it changes to a day-view?
At least that would be better than seeing a dot for every date that has something (even a holiday as I mentioned).