elegant ones , unique ones and even multipurpose ones . But you don’t have to go for one of these extremes, especially if all you want is a simple calendar that gets the job done without costing much. That’s why in this entry we take a look at two different iPhone calendar alternatives that are completely free and that provide slightly different takes on managing events for basic calendar users. First, let’s take a look at Uptime.
Uptime Calendar
If there is one thing that Uptime Calendar for iPhone has going for it, it’s that it is very simple, which can also be a bit of a issue for some users as well. On its main view, Uptime Calendar shows you the current week at the top along with all its events taking on the rest of the screen, and sliding down the screen from any of the weekdays displays the month view. The app’s settings can be accessed by sliding the screen upwards from anywhere other than the weekdays. As expected from a free, basic app, there are no other options you can tweak other than the calendars you want Uptime to display. Not that more options are necessary for basic users though, since event creation (which you can access by swiping the app’s main screen down) does offer all the basic options you might look for. In summary, while Uptime Calendar is definitely at the bottom end when it comes to functionality, it is very solid in its performance and provides a cleaner, less cluttered and more functional alternative to Apple’s own calendar app.
Sunrise Calendar
There are a couple of things that place Sunrise Calendar on an entirely different level when compared to our previous alternative. However, at the same time these important aspects have the potential to make or break this calendar app for some users. To start, Sunrise Calendar takes a decidedly social approach to calendar events, urging you to integrate your Facebook, Google, Twitter, LinkedIn and iCloud accounts. On one hand, this can be tremendously helpful, since the app seamlessly integrates stuff such as appointments and birthdays into its calendar interface. On the other hand though, this means giving Sunrise Calendar access to your credentials, which privacy-conscious users might not like to do. Another potential drawback of Sunrise Calendar is that it won’t work unless you register or link your accounts to it, meaning you can’t use it as a standalone solution. Once you are set and done though, Sunrise Calendar provides a much more thorough experience that will surely please more than just basic calendar users. Its two-week view is pretty convenient to start with and it also integrates weather and reminders seamlessly, providing you with a very handy overview of what your day will look like. Options-wise, Sunrise Calendar also takes things a bit further by providing a few extra options, like Background Refresh, Notifications, Alerts and such. As you can see, both these apps provide something different for anyone looking for a calendar app. But the good thing is, whether you need something very simple and easy to use or something more thorough and integrated, you’ll easily be covered by any of these free options.
