Why people leave Howbout
- Several useful tools sit behind Howbout Pro, including unlimited polls, custom categories, and the wider widget set. Free-tier users hit those walls within a couple of weeks of real use.
- Two-way sync with Google Calendar and iCloud occasionally drops events or duplicates them after time-zone changes. The Howbout community discussions catalog the recurring patterns.
- The social feed of friends’ plans is the appeal, but it works only when your friends are also on Howbout. In groups where half the people use Google Calendar, the feed thins out fast.
- The Android widget set lags the iOS version on home-screen depth and complications.
- Privacy-conscious users want stricter control over which events friends can see. The current granularity is per-calendar, not per-event.
If any of that pushes you to compare, here are 7 Howbout alternatives worth testing.
Which app should you choose?
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Cozi if a household runs out of your phone. Calendar plus shopping lists, meal planning, and recipes in one place.
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TimeTree if a tight group needs a shared calendar without the social feed layer. The cleanest split-calendar app.
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FamilyWall if you want chat, location, and calendar in one family-focused app. Kids and grandparents included.
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Google Calendar if everyone in the group already uses Gmail. Shared calendars are free, robust, and feature-deep.
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Microsoft Outlook if work and personal calendars need to live together. Strong reminder and email integration.
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Doodle if the problem is finding a time, not tracking the plan. The standard for “when can everyone meet” polls.
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Any.do if shared lists matter as much as shared events. Tasks, lists, and a real calendar in the same view.
Stay on Howbout if your friend group has fully migrated and you actually use the social feed and chat. No alternative quite replicates the friends-feed shape.
Comparison table
| App | Best for | Sync | Free tier | Standout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cozi | Household management | Google, iCloud | Generous, ad-supported | Shared shopping and recipes |
| TimeTree | Group calendar only | One-way to system cal | Free, ad-supported | Per-calendar comment threads |
| FamilyWall | Family hub | Google, Apple | Limited free | Location and chat included |
| Google Calendar | Universal calendar | Native | Fully free | Best ecosystem reach |
| Outlook | Work + personal | Native, Exchange | Free | Email + calendar in one |
| Doodle | Group time polls | Google, Microsoft | Free, ad-supported | One-tap availability polls |
| Any.do | Calendar + tasks | Google, Apple | Limited free | Shared lists and reminders |
1. Cozi -- the household command center
Cozi is the long-standing family organizer for a reason. The shared calendar handles everyone’s appointments, and the same app holds the shopping list, the meal plan, and the recipe box. Anyone in the household can edit anything in real time, and the assignment color-coding makes the calendar readable at a glance.
The Howbout vs Cozi comparison: Howbout is friend-group-shaped, Cozi is household-shaped. If you live with the people on the calendar, Cozi covers more of the daily load than Howbout does.
Advantages:
- Shared calendar, shopping, meals, and to-dos in one app
- Free tier is usable indefinitely
- Color-coded family members
- 4.5 user rating
Disadvantages:
- Free tier shows ads
- Cozi Gold is needed for change-tracking and birthday reminders
Pricing: Free with ads. Cozi Gold subscription removes ads and adds month view, change history, and family birthdays.
Bottom line: Pick Cozi if you want a real household app rather than a calendar with a friend feed bolted on.
2. TimeTree -- group calendars without the social layer
TimeTree’s job is the shared calendar and only the shared calendar. You can run multiple calendars (couple, parents, weekend friends, work team) and each one gets its own comment thread on every event. The app supports stickers, image attachments, and a reliable two-way sync with the system calendar.
The Howbout vs TimeTree comparison: TimeTree is calmer and tighter. No friend feed, no polls, no chat layer outside of event comments. For users who just want a clean shared calendar, that focus is the appeal.
Advantages:
- Multiple shared calendars per account
- Per-event comment threads
- Two-way sync with native calendar
- 4.5 user rating
Disadvantages:
- No availability polls
- Ads in the free tier
- Limited customization on widgets
Pricing: Free with ads. TimeTree Premium removes ads and unlocks larger image attachments.
Bottom line: Pick TimeTree if you want the clearest shared calendar and don’t need the social-feed extras.
3. FamilyWall -- chat, location, and calendar
FamilyWall mixes a shared calendar with family chat, location sharing, shopping lists, and a recipe box. It is closer in spirit to a private family social network than a calendar tool. The location-sharing layer (opt-in) is useful for coordinating school runs and pickups, and the chat threads on each event reduce the need to text separately.
The Howbout vs FamilyWall comparison: FamilyWall is wider, with more tools per person; Howbout is tighter, with cleaner UX. Pick FamilyWall if the calendar is just one piece of what the family coordinates.
Advantages:
- Calendar, chat, lists, and location in one app
- Photo and video sharing inside the family
- Strong reminder system for kids
- 4.4 user rating
Disadvantages:
- Free tier limits storage and members
- Cross-platform sync occasionally delays
Pricing: Free for small families. Premium adds members, storage, and SOS features.
Bottom line: Pick FamilyWall if the calendar is one of several things the family coordinates in the app.
4. Google Calendar -- the universal default
If everyone in the group already has a Google account, the simplest shared calendar is one you create together and share by link. Google Calendar’s appointment slots, recurring rules, Tasks integration, and notification handling are deep, and the Android widget set is the most capable on the platform.
The Howbout vs Google Calendar comparison: Howbout has a social layer, Google has reach and depth. For coordination across people who use different ecosystems, Google still wins.
Advantages:
- Free for the full feature set
- Best ecosystem reach (web, iOS, Android, desktop apps)
- Strong sharing controls and reminders
- 4.5 user rating
Disadvantages:
- No friend-style social feed
- Group polls require a separate tool
Pricing: Free with a Google account.
Bottom line: Pick Google Calendar if simplicity, depth, and zero cost beat a social-feed layer.
5. Microsoft Outlook -- work and personal in one
Outlook on Android merges work email, work calendar, and personal calendar into one inbox and one schedule view. RSVPs, meeting suggestions, and reminders work cross-platform, and the appointment-slot feature handles “send me a time” requests without a separate scheduling tool.
The Howbout vs Outlook comparison: Outlook is the right answer when work calendars must coexist with personal life. Howbout’s social-feed angle is irrelevant once a job is on the calendar.
Advantages:
- Native Exchange and Microsoft 365 support
- Work and personal events unified
- Focused inbox keeps notifications sane
- 4.3 user rating
Disadvantages:
- The shared-calendar UX is biased toward work
- Personal-tier features overlap with Microsoft 365 subscription
Pricing: Free with optional Microsoft 365 personal subscription for premium features.
Bottom line: Pick Outlook if work and personal calendars need to share a screen and a search.
6. Doodle -- group polls to find a time
Doodle does one thing well: figure out which time works for a group. The poll link goes out, everyone clicks the slots that work, and you see the answer fast. The Android app handles availability sync with Google and Microsoft calendars, so participants don’t have to second-guess conflicts.
The Howbout vs Doodle comparison: Doodle is upstream of the calendar. You use Doodle to pick the time, then the event lands in whatever calendar your group already uses.
Advantages:
- Cleanest group-time-finder on the market
- Calendar sync prevents double-booking
- Polls work without recipients needing an account
- 4.3 user rating
Disadvantages:
- Not a calendar in the day-to-day sense
- Premium tier needed for branding and longer polls
Pricing: Free with limited polls. Doodle Premium adds custom branding, longer polls, and ad removal.
Bottom line: Pick Doodle if the bottleneck is finding the slot, not tracking the event.
7. Any.do -- calendar plus tasks plus shared lists
Any.do brings tasks, calendar, and shared lists into a single workspace. Shared family or team lists update in real time, the calendar view ties events to the same items that live in your task list, and the natural-language entry handles “dinner Saturday at 7” without a second tap.
The Howbout vs Any.do comparison: Howbout is calendar-first with social, Any.do is task-first with calendar. Pick Any.do if shared shopping lists or chores matter as much as event times.
Advantages:
- Tasks, calendar, and lists in one view
- Real-time shared lists
- Smart natural-language parsing
- 4.5 user rating
Disadvantages:
- Premium gates location reminders and recurring tasks
- Notification reliability varies on aggressive Android ROMs
Pricing: Free with limits. Any.do Premium unlocks recurring tasks, location reminders, and themes.
Bottom line: Pick Any.do if a shared list of tasks belongs next to the shared list of events.
FAQ
What is the best shared calendar app in 2026?
For a household, Cozi. For a small group of friends, Howbout or TimeTree. For mixed ecosystems where everyone uses a different calendar, Google Calendar. The right answer depends on what else lives on the calendar.
Is there a free Howbout alternative?
Google Calendar is free, deep, and cross-platform. TimeTree, Cozi, and Any.do are also free at the base tier with ads or feature caps.
Can I sync Howbout with Google Calendar?
Howbout supports two-way sync with Google Calendar, iCloud, and Outlook. Sync issues during DST changes are documented in the help center.
What is the best couples calendar app?
TimeTree is the most popular dedicated couples calendar globally. Cozi and Google Calendar also work well for couples that prefer simpler tooling.
How is Howbout different from Cozi?
Howbout is built around friend groups and includes a social feed of friends’ plans. Cozi is built around households and includes shopping, meals, and recipes. The overlap is the shared-calendar core.
Do I need a shared calendar if everyone uses Google Calendar?
Not really, unless you want a social layer (Howbout) or a household hub (Cozi). Shared Google Calendars handle the core “who is doing what when” job for most groups.
