Fantastical Unifies Its Mac, iOS, and Apple Watch Calendar Experience With Weather, Tasks, Meeting Proposals, and More

[AlliFlowers]

I was curious about the hubbub, so I went to the app store on my iPhone and updated just the Fantastical app.

And? Mine has probably already updated. Just curious as to your experience. I hate moving to a sub service after putting out a fortune for three separate versions of the app!

 

[diego.caraballo]

Look like we have lot of flexibits employees doing damage control in the comments. If you don't need a Mac app, then Readdle has you covered with the same features: https://apps.apple.com/app/calendars-5/id697927927?ign-mpt=uo=4. If you need a Mac app as well, then http://goodtaskapp.com is the best out there. While it doesn't feature natural language input, you can set snippets that will auto-expand as you type (example, td to Today) and/or set the date/time.

 

[BF1M]

Notes and Calendar are two standard iOS apps that Apple is lagging really far behind on. I can make do with Calendar for now but Notes is near worthless compared to Notability.

 

[TechRemarker]

Great, another subscription for a mundane limited task app. I mean how many times was 2.0 REALLY updated with features to warrant paying $5 monthly or $40/year for a calendar? It's not like a calendar app can expand much over time to warrant a continuing cost. At least with email, I dont agree with the model, but get it that servers cost $$$ monthly and to have a business model you need to make constant money. But a calendar app? No thanks.

MAYBE if you want it on all device rather than paying the $60 total ($50 mac and $5 per iOS) it makes sense to pay the $40 for 1 year; that is assuming they update again in a year again and it would have cost another $60 in theory the $40 is cheaper.

I believe that's the point. 2.0 wasn't subscription so they want to 3.0 so they can have the resources to update more regularly with mew features to warrant the price.

 

[KarimLeVallois]

Look like we have lot of flexibits employees doing damage control in the comments. If you don't need a Mac app, then Readdle has you covered with the same features: https://apps.apple.com/app/calendars-5/id697927927?ign-mpt=uo=4. If you need a Mac app as well, then http://goodtaskapp.com is the best out there. While it doesn't feature natural language input, you can set snippets that will auto-expand as you type (example, td to Today) and/or set the date/time.

I actually prefer the full month view on Calandars 5, fits far more on.

 

[jetrois]

This is no longer a sustainable model. Every app does not need a subscription. I would pay for upgrades and or features I like but i will not be sliced to death with millions of IAP and subscriptions. Bring bay paying for software. I want to buy something and own it not rent it. stop with the silly eula's and all this nonsense.

 

[Sport3710]

I loved fantastical for one thing, the ability to navigate from a calendar entry to any mapping service. Fantastical auto opened google maps rather than the then vaunted Apple Maps. But lately Apple Maps has been good enough that the use of fantastical has been harder to justify. Add an unnecessary sub to the app makes my decision easy. I just feel 99% of subscription apps fail provide ongoing service or content to ever justify their costs. And "server costs" is not a good excuse. Many of these services were using dropbox or iCloud before they started using their own "in house" servers to up sell. It's all about attempting to grab a more and more of that coffee money.

 

[TechRemarker]

Notes and Calendar are two standard iOS apps that Apple is lagging really far behind on. I can make do with Calendar for now but Notes is near worthless compared to Notability.

Is frustrating that the native apps lack some basic features that would make it easier to use them, but I imagine it maybe intensional, since Apple could add better natural language parsing to Reminders/Calendar, but that would take away users from third party apps like Fantastical, and they get money from those sales. Same as for Notes, they could add some basic features like tagging (instead of just folders), but then they would lose income from third party apps, not to mention hurting their third party ecosystem.

Also where 3rd party apps can add new features all year long, apple has to hold off on them until once a year (in general), to bundle in a a big update which slows the pace of new features compared to 3rd parties.

 

[navaira]

Look like we have lot of flexibits employees doing damage control in the comments.

Had the same thought

If you don't need a Mac app, then Readdle has you covered with the same features: https://apps.apple.com/app/calendars-5/id697927927?ign-mpt=uo=4.

Thank you, that looks fantastic! I'm a fan of Sparkmail – I could see a few (ahem) things to improve, but it's the best app I've found for email. I'm going to remember this when F2 stops working for me. (Obviously by then Readdle will also be sub based… )

 

[WannaGoMac]

I just tried a new app, and please discover I don’t get an error that I used to get with fantastic. Bye-bye fantastical

 

[Bob-K]

Fantastical version 3.0 ... is now a universal binary supporting iPhone, iPad, and Apple Watch.

I'm not a developer, but this suggests that development is now easier, which should reduce costs to the user.

Somehow they managed to survive for years with "paid upgrades"; their reasons for switching to subscription-ware ring hollow (as is always the case, IMO).

I used to recommend Fantastical to friends and clients. No more. If I mention it at all, it'll be to warn them to avoid it. I can't think of anyone I know who wouldn't roll their eyes at the thought of paying a subscription for a calendar.

($40 to upgrade to version 2 was already a stretch.)

 

[WannaGoMac]

Look like we have lot of flexibits employees doing damage control in the comments. If you don't need a Mac app, then Readdle has you covered with the same features: https://apps.apple.com/app/calendars-5/id697927927?ign-mpt=uo=4. If you need a Mac app as well, then http://goodtaskapp.com is the best out there. While it doesn't feature natural language input, you can set snippets that will auto-expand as you type (example, td to Today) and/or set the date/time.

it is good and free!” Thanks

 

[allan.nyholm]

I upgraded before reading the entirety of the post here at MacRumors.. I read the headline in the sidebar and went to see that Fantastical 3 is released - "Great!" I thought.

Upgraded ...bim bam boom -- Ah crap! All the danger signals didn't get through my eyes into my brain. And now I'm here complaining/explaining.

I like that Flexibits uses very positive wording to justify the subscription "new features.. bla bla." etc and so on. Let's see.. calender.. create event. notify of event. syncronize between the iOS app that one also bought -- wow. that's an extensive list for a calendar app. What's more features to add?! Can it take out the trash and change my diapers and also do all my shopping for me?!


That's a cheap personal assistant - but a calendar app.. the money is very rolling in - for all subscription apps. Flexibits also has Cardhop and Chatology - which will probably soon be subscriptions too. I never thought I'd say this, but it appears that setapp is a good thing if only for BusyCal. Too bad that I already own most of the apps I want within Setapp.

bah, maybe I do need a new fresh diaper - signed 'old man yelling at clouds'

 

[MJBCA]

I totally agree. $1.99 is ok for me. Even that is $72 for three years which I guess is a normal time period until apps are upgraded to a new version number. Even $72 would be crazy for a calendar app that don’t require any servers or anything. But I think I’d still subscribe to it. But greedy apps asking for $5 is ridiculous.

Exactly! I still think it would be considerably expensive, but I wouldn’t mind for a good product but paying $180 in 3 years?! That’s 20% of the total price of an iPhone! And just for a CALENDAR app. Seriously.

 

[randomplaydo]

OK, this is getting ridiculous. I'm not against subscription models but come on....a freaking calendar app??? It's a calendar! A calendar that hooks into google or 360 so they aren't even doing any server side syncing. I know devs gotta eat, but just because subscription model is easy to implement doesn't mean it fits your particular business. This is a convenience app, not a need app. It's a clean interface to do things every other calendar app does (minus natural language on ical). Why not be like Tapbots and come out with a new upgraded feature rich version every 18-20 months and charge a new purchase price for it?

 

[Weaselboy]

Calendar 366 II for Mac

Calendar 366 II - The most complete menu bar calendar for macOS & Calendar 366 for iPhone, Apple Watch & iPad - The calendar app for all your plans!

nspektor.com

If you are looking for something like the original Fantastical that is just a menu bar dropdown with natural language support, I found Calendar366 ($14.99 US) that fits the bill. I'm testing out the trial version now and it reminds me very much of the old Fantastical menu bar utility.

 

[nutmac]

Great, another subscription for a mundane limited task app. I mean how many times was 2.0 REALLY updated with features to warrant paying $5 monthly or $40/year for a calendar?

I love Fantastical and I love the update, but I agree with your pricing concerns.

Outgoing Fantastical 2 was priced at $50 for Mac, $5 for iPhone, and $10 for iPad -- or $65 combined. But it was pretty common to see these apps discounted to $40, $3, and $6, respectively -- or $49 combined.

With Fantastical 2 getting updates for over 3 years, I think fair price for Fantastical suite is:

• $1.99/month
• $19.99/year
• $49.99 one time IAP for unlocking Fantastical 2 features

 

[WildCowboy]

Seeing some comments from Fantastical 2 Mac users saying they lost features like week and month view upon upgrading, which Flexibits tells me shouldn't be happening. It's possible it's a bug, but users should also make sure they upgrade using the same distribution channel as their original download...if you got Fantastical 2 directly from Flexibits, upgrade through them. If you got it through Mac App Store, upgrade there.

 

[adrianlondon]

sorry to break it to you, but week cal is also also sub based.

Yeah, I just checked. I've been using Weekcal for a few years, and I think I paid £4 for it, before it went subscription. Luckily, I still get updates and the main thing I don't get is linking reminders to my calendar app. I don't want to do that, so I'm fine with not subscribing. I do like the Agenda view.

Readdle do a free Calendar app "Calendars" (also requires a payment to get reminders integrated) and their weekview is interesting, but I keep going back to Weekcal. Readdle Calendars has a really good list view though.

And to top it all off, I use an app called WidgetCal, to get a nice monthly calendar showing on my notification centre. This is also free (if that's all you want to do with it).

 

[chris4565]

Are the subscription options a bit bugged for anyone else?

 

[crouch]

And? Mine has probably already updated. Just curious as to your experience. I hate moving to a sub service after putting out a fortune for three separate versions of the app!

I wrote about my experiences in a comment above. In a nutshell, so far, so good. I haven't upgraded to the subscription model and all my functionality is still there. No nag screens either, other than the introductory screens you always see when installing a new app for the first time.

 

[boxermansr]

First, I don't like having to sign up for their "free flexbits" account to use stuff (like being able to use it on my watch), gives them a way to spam the hell out of you via email.

Second, I could not get it to work on my watch, it kept bringing up a red circle that just spun endlessly. Thanks to some suggestions on Twitter, the solution was to sign up for the two week trial, remove it from the watch, and then re-install on the watch. This fixed it for me, and the few folks who made the suggestion to do so. I made sure to CANCEL the subscription (says it'll stay active for the two weeks) so I won't get billed. I'm not paying any subscription for a damn calendar app.

 

[ersan191]

Confirmed via Flexibits support that you can't use iOS calendars on the watch anymore - you have to add them to the Flexibits account...

"Hello, you do have to add your calendars directly to Fantastical to make the Apple Watch work. It's the same sync system that we've used for years on the Mac.

We will not sell your data, and most importantly, all of your events, reminders, and contacts are synced from your calendar and contacts services (such as iCloud, Google, or Exchange) and are stored on your device. Your personal data is never sent to Flexibits or anyone else. "

Annoying, yet another place I have to keep up with my list of subscribed calendars. Probably just gonna go back to stock.

 

[1144557]

I stand corrected. As an odd coincidence, AgileBits also moved to a subscription model for 1Password. Madness and greed all around.

I will give 1Password a break. They are hosting ALL of your sensitive data and have to keep up on security and fend off attacks. There is a huge manpower cost to that.

That is a HUGE HUGE difference from a calendar app hosting nothing

Yes but in most cases Fantastical is using your reminders and calendar events already stored in iCloud.

I know, we are saying the same thing. I was referring to paid subscription email apps that I get they have servers and that has a cost at least.

I believe that's the point. 2.0 wasn't subscription so they want to 3.0 so they can have the resources to update more regularly with mew features to warrant the price.

So you will blindly pay money to someone monthly with a certain track record of only doing bug fixes based on a "we pwomise?" I guess a sucker is born every day too.

Sorry but the dev HAS collected money, for years, and produced nothing more than bug fixes. Few to no new features were added since 2.0 came out.

 

[johannnn]

Yeah, I just checked. I've been using Weekcal for a few years, and I think I paid £4 for it, before it went subscription. Luckily, I still get updates and the main thing I don't get is linking reminders to my calendar app. I don't want to do that, so I'm fine with not subscribing. I do like the Agenda view.

Readdle do a free Calendar app "Calendars" (also requires a payment to get reminders integrated) and their weekview is interesting, but I keep going back to Weekcal. Readdle Calendars has a really good list view though.

And to top it all off, I use an app called WidgetCal, to get a nice monthly calendar showing on my notification centre. This is also free (if that's all you want to do with it).

WidgetCal is cool. I also use an app called EvenTail which is great for a week view.