Keeping track of everything in your life is harder than it should be. Work, friends, family, the gym, the dinners, the nights out… it can all get overwhelming if you don’t have the tools to manage it.

That’s why shared calendar apps have quietly become essential in everyday life, but don’t be mistaken! Not all shared calendars are built for the same thing.

Here’s our 2026 breakdown of the best shared calendar apps of the year, split out by what you’re trying to organise and who you’re sharing that time with.The best shared calendar apps in 2026.

• Best for friends: Howbout
• Best for structure and admin: OurCal
• Best for family life: FamCal
• Best for couples: TimeTree
• Best for structured groups: Meetup

In this guide, we’ll break down each calendar and help you pick the right one without downloading five apps you won’t stick with.

1. Howbout

Best shared calendar app for friends: Howbout

Howbout's the shared calendar built specifically for friends. All your real plans, shared in one place.

It’s designed for people who want to actually see their friends more, without endless admin, group chats or “are you free?” messages that go nowhere.

And that’s why it’s our best shared calendar for friends to use in 2026!

“If you want a shared calendar that actually works for all your friend groups this year, then Howbout is your best friend.”

🔑 Key features:

• Share calendars with friends: Choose what to show and who sees it. Stay in the loop with close friends, uni mates, flatmates - whoever matters to you. You have full control over what they can and can’t see.
• Sync your calendars: Easily connect Apple, Google, or Outlook calendars - keep your work, uni, and social life in one view.
• Built-in group chats: Every plan or group gets its own chat, so you’ll never lose details in another side convo.
• Custom plans: Every plan and invite can be customised with pictures or GIFs, and keeps all the event details together in one place.
• Friends-only feed: A social feed of the plans you actually care about. See all the important updates from friends, like concerts, dinners, nights out, or even who's doing absolutely nothing.
• Free version available for all, with extra features on our Howbout+ subscription!

Whether it’s planning your next catch-up, stalking your friends’ weekend plans, or just making sure you’re free for that spontaneous meet up, Howbout makes planing easier and your calendar fun again

📲 Available on iOS and Android

2. OurCal

Best shared calendar app for scheduling & admin ✏️

OurCal is a shared calendar app built for straightforward scheduling and life admin, like coordinating availability, keeping track of commitments with groups, and avoiding clashes.

You can sync your existing calendars (such as Google or Apple) and see when others are free or busy, which makes it useful for organising practical things without much back-and-forth.

It’s clean, functional, and focused on clarity rather than conversation, meaning that the customisation and ‘fun’ side of the calendar isn’t there. If you’re looking for a more straight-to-the-point calendar for group admin, then OurCal is the best option.

TLDR:

OurCal is a good option for basic scheduling and admin. If you want a customisable shared calendar that helps you actually make and enjoy plans with friends, Howbout is built for that!

3. FamCal

Best shared calendar app for families 👪

FamCal is a practical option for families managing busy household schedules: school runs, appointments, activities and reminders.

You can share events, lists, notes and important dates across family members, keeping everyone aligned.

However, many useful features on FamCal are locked behind a subscription, and the free version includes ads, which can be annoying if you’re just trying to get a plan in the diary ASAP.

TLDR:

Functional for family logistics, but expect paywalls and ads.

4. TimeTree

Best shared calendar app for couples 💑

TimeTree is a shared calendar app that works the best for couples who want to sync schedules, plan time together, or keep track of shared commitments.

You can create different calendars for different areas of life and sync with existing calendars like Google or Apple.

Like FamCal, the free version includes ads, and many features sit behind their paid plan.

TLDR:

Solid for couples looking to schedule time, less flexible for wider friend groups.

5. Meetup

Best for structured groups & public events 🎾

Meetup is best known for helping people find and run organised groups, sports teams, hobby meetups, classes and communities.

It includes a shared group calendar and messaging, but events are typically controlled by hosts, and most features sit behind a paywall.

If you’re running something structured, Meetup makes sense. If you want a more flexible, shared group calendar where everyone can add plans, Howbout is a simpler alternative.

TLDR:

Good for formal groups, but less so for everyday social planning.

What to look for in a shared calendar app

Before choosing a shared calendar, it’s worth asking what you’re actually trying to organise.

Many traditional calendars (Google Calendar, Outlook, iCloud) are built for basic scheduling and not a good reflection of what your social life in 2026 looks like!

If you’re choosing a shared calendar for friends or groups, look for:

• Calendar syncing with tools you already use
• Visibility into availability (without oversharing)
• Easy sharing and inviting — even if someone isn’t on the app yet
• Chats that live with each event
• Polls for deciding dates, times or plans
• Minimal ads
• Core features that aren’t locked behind a paywall

Final verdict

If you’re looking to reduce organisation admin, OurCal does the job.

If you’re organising family logistics, FamCal might work.

If you’re organising your social life, Howbout is the best shared calendar app in 2026 — no contest.

If your goal is to see your friends more, make plans faster, and keep everything in one place, Howbout is the best shared calendar for actually keeping up with the people you care about.

👉 Download Howbout to try it with your friends.