Quick Summary
Fantastical Strengths
- Multilingual Support: Accessible in multiple languages for a wide range of users.
- Flexible Viewing Options: Offers daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for different scheduling needs.
- Attractive Interface: Known for its visually engaging design.
- Natural Language Input: Create events and reminders easily using everyday language.
Ellie Planner Strengths
- Calendar Integration: Ellie Planner syncs with major calendar services like Google Calendar and Outlook, allowing users to see their appointments and tasks in one unified view. This feature ensures that all commitments are aligned and easily accessible.
- Task Management: Users can create, assign, and track tasks within the planner. This helps in maintaining clarity on deliverables and deadlines, enhancing productivity and accountability.
- Time Blocking: The planner supports time-blocking techniques, encouraging users to allocate specific blocks of time for tasks, which helps in managing daily workloads more efficiently and reducing the likelihood of overcommitment.
- Customizable Views: Ellie Planner offers customizable views, enabling users to tailor the interface according to their personal productivity styles. This can include adjusting the layout of tasks, events, and notes to best suit one's workflow.
Fantastical Screenshot
Ellie Planner Screenshot
Feature Comparison
| Feature | Fantastical | Ellie Planner |
|---|---|---|
| Platforms | iPhone, iPad, Mac, and Apple Watch | macOS, iOS, Android, Web, Windows |
| Integrations | Syncs with multiple calendar services and task managers like Todoist and Google Tasks. | Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Zapier, Slack, Todoist, Microsoft Outlook |
| Calendar | Offers customizable views and "Calendar Sets" for managing different groups of calendars. | Yes |
| Task Management | Integrates with task managers to display tasks within the calendar. | Offers labels, tags, and recurring tasks |
| Natural Language Processing | Yes | No |
| Analytics | No | No |
| Time Blocking | Available | Yes |
| Time Zones | Yes | No |
| Scheduler | Yes | No |
| Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Pricing | $4.75 per month, paid annually | Ellie offers a Free Plan and a Pro Plan for $9.99/month or $299.99 one-time. Pro features include timeboxing, calendar integration, and more. |
| Customer Support | Average | Good |
Video Overview
Fantastical Video
Ellie Planner Video
Fantastical Overview
Fantastical is a renowned calendar application that has earned a strong reputation among Apple device users for its innovative features and user-friendly design. Known for its natural language processing capabilities and aesthetic interface, Fantastical offers a blend of traditional and advanced functionalities, making it a popular choice for those deeply invested in the Apple ecosystem. This app not only excels in calendar management but also integrates several smart features to enhance the overall experience of planning and scheduling. Here’s a detailed look at the features that define Fantastical and its place in the realm of productivity tools.
Pricing Details
Fantastical offers both a free plan with basic features and a premium plan with additional capabilities. The pricing for the premium plan varies depending on the number of users: (i) Individual Premium Plan: $4.75 per month when billed annually. This plan includes features like home screen widgets, notifications, multiple time zone scheduling, customizable templates, and Apple Watch support. (ii) Family Premium Plan: $7.50 per month for 5 users when billed annually. This plan offers the same features as the Individual plan but accommodates multiple users, making it suitable for family or small team usage.
Ellie Planner Overview
Ellie Planner is a daily planning application designed to help users organize their week through features like calendar integration, task management, and time-blocking techniques. It includes a brain dump area for capturing thoughts and tasks, and it supports integrations with major calendars and productivity apps such as Google Calendar, Outlook, and Todoist. Aimed at simplifying planning processes, Ellie Planner offers both a free plan and a premium subscription.
Pricing Details
Ellie Planner offers two main pricing options: (i) Free Plan: Includes unlimited task creation, accessible via iOS and Web apps, and a feature called "Braindump". (ii) Ellie Pro Plan: Available for $9.99 per month or a one-time purchase of $299.99. It includes all the features of the free plan plus timeboxing, integration with Google and Apple Calendars, unlimited labels & subtasks, recurring tasks, due dates, and more.
Fantastical Key Features
Multilingual Support: Accessible in multiple languages for a wide range of users.
Flexible Viewing Options: Offers daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for different scheduling needs.
Attractive Interface: Known for its visually engaging design.
Natural Language Input: Create events and reminders easily using everyday language.
Calendar Syncing: Supports iCloud, Google Calendar, Exchange, and more for seamless integration.
Reminders and Task Management: Integrates Apple’s Reminders for efficient event and task handling in one app.
Ellie Planner Key Features
Calendar Integration: Ellie Planner syncs with major calendar services like Google Calendar and Outlook, allowing users to see their appointments and tasks in one unified view. This feature ensures that all commitments are aligned and easily accessible.
Task Management: Users can create, assign, and track tasks within the planner. This helps in maintaining clarity on deliverables and deadlines, enhancing productivity and accountability.
Time Blocking: The planner supports time-blocking techniques, encouraging users to allocate specific blocks of time for tasks, which helps in managing daily workloads more efficiently and reducing the likelihood of overcommitment.
Customizable Views: Ellie Planner offers customizable views, enabling users to tailor the interface according to their personal productivity styles. This can include adjusting the layout of tasks, events, and notes to best suit one's workflow.
Brain Dump Feature: A dedicated space for "brain dumping" allows users to jot down ideas and tasks as they come, which can later be organized into actionable items. This feature helps in capturing all thoughts without disrupting workflow.
Mobile Accessibility: The planner is accessible via a mobile app, providing the flexibility to manage schedules and tasks on the go. This ensures that users can stay updated with their plans irrespective of their location.
Conclusion: Which Tool Should You Choose?
Both Fantastical and Ellie Planner offer unique features and benefits for productivity and workflow management. The best choice depends on your specific needs, team size, and workflow preferences.
Choose Fantastical if:
- Multilingual Support: Accessible in multiple languages for a wide range of users.
- Flexible Viewing Options: Offers daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for different scheduling needs.
- Attractive Interface: Known for its visually engaging design.
Choose Ellie Planner if:
- Calendar Integration: Ellie Planner syncs with major calendar services like Google Calendar and Outlook, allowing users to see their appointments and tasks in one unified view. This feature ensures that all commitments are aligned and easily accessible.
- Task Management: Users can create, assign, and track tasks within the planner. This helps in maintaining clarity on deliverables and deadlines, enhancing productivity and accountability.
- Time Blocking: The planner supports time-blocking techniques, encouraging users to allocate specific blocks of time for tasks, which helps in managing daily workloads more efficiently and reducing the likelihood of overcommitment.