# Simple Calendar vs Digital Planner for iPad

The clearest difference is monetization model: Simple Calendar at free with in-app purchases against Digital Planner for iPad's subscription. Simple Calendar also leads on review sentiment (60% vs 44%). Digital Planner for iPad's advantage is ads (none vs shown) and ratings volume (2.1K vs 74). On price, rating, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Simple Calendar sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $1.99 per month and Digital Planner for iPad sells 3 in-app purchases, starting at $6.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.4 for Simple Calendar against 4.3 for Digital Planner for iPad. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Digital Planner for iPad has 2.1K ratings behind it against 74, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews are what separate them: 60% of Simple Calendar's written reviews are positive against 44% of Digital Planner for iPad's.

Simple Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, Digital Planner for iPad every 6 days. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 27, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Calendar | Digital Planner for iPad |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (74 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-calendar-widget-cal/id1506434688/reviews)** | [4.3 (2.1K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-planner-for-ipad/id6444685151/reviews) |
| Number of ratings | 74 | **2.1K** |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 44.0% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 6 days** |
| Monetization | **Free with in-app purchases** | Subscription |
| Size | 9 MB | 223 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Mac** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Heart Relay Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1327363297) | [Alina Shpak](https://appshunter.io/developer/1656104667) |

## What reviewers say

### Simple Calendar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-calendar-widget-cal/id1506434688)

Quickly view your monthly schedule and upcoming events with this easy-to-use calendar app. It offers widget support for at-a-glance access to your day and plans, with all data stored securely on your device. Enjoy a comfortable viewing experience with dark mode support.

**Highlights:** Monthly schedule overview, Quick event registration, Widget support for daily plans, Secure on-device data storage, Dark mode compatibility

**Features:** macOS Compatibility

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Plan (Monthly) | $1.99 | per month |
| Premium Plan (Yearly) | $11.99 | per year |
| Hide ads | $11.99 | one-time |


### Digital Planner for iPad

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digital-planner-for-ipad/id6444685151)

Streamline your life and boost productivity with this versatile digital planner. Manage tasks, events, and goals with reminders, calendar sync, and PDF annotation. Optimized for Apple Pencil for a smooth writing experience.

**Highlights:** Task management, Event scheduling, Reminder notifications, Calendar synchronization, PDF annotation, Apple Pencil optimized

**Features:** Family Sharing, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (3)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Digital Planner (Monthly) | $6.99 | per month |
| Digital Planner (Three month) | $12.99 | per 3 months |
| Digital Planner (Annual) | $29.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Seamless integration with calendar
- 📝 Intuitive and easy to use
- ✨ Visually appealing design
- 🖋️ Great for handwritten notes
- 📚 Helpful book tracking feature

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and glitches
- 💰 Subscription-based model
- 🔒 Difficulty canceling subscription
- 🔍 Limited customization options
- 🗓️ Sync issues between devices

**Reported bugs**

- Lasso tool issues with cut and paste
- Disappearing text when writing over stickers
- Inconsistent calendar sync
- Eraser leaving jumbled pieces
- Inability to rearrange pages

**Requested features**

- Ability to delete individual pages
- Improved eraser functionality
- Sync with Outlook calendar
- Monthly and yearly view improvements
- Widgets for quick access


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Calendar free?

Simple Calendar is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Is Digital Planner for iPad free?

Digital Planner for iPad is free to download, with in-app purchases available.

### Which has better reviews, Simple Calendar or Digital Planner for iPad?

Simple Calendar is rated higher. Simple Calendar averages 4.4 out of 5 from 74 ratings, while Digital Planner for iPad averages 4.3 from 2.1K ratings.

### Do Simple Calendar or Digital Planner for iPad have ads?

Simple Calendar shows ads; Digital Planner for iPad does not.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Calendar or Digital Planner for iPad?

Simple Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, and Digital Planner for iPad every 6 days. Most recently, Simple Calendar was updated on October 24, 2026 and Digital Planner for iPad on October 27, 2026.

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*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*