# Simple Calendar vs Widget Now

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Widget Now at none against Simple Calendar's 3. Widget Now also leads on update cadence (every 4 days vs every 3 weeks) and iOS requirement (16.4 vs 18.0). On price, review sentiment, ads 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. Widget Now asks for nothing beyond the download.

Simple Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, Widget Now every 4 days. The most recent releases landed on October 10, 2026 and October 9, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Simple Calendar | Widget Now |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[4.4 (73 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/simple-calendar-widget-cal/id1506434688/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **73** | — |
| Positive reviews | **60.0% of reviews** | 55.6% of reviews |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | Yes |
| Update frequency | Every 3 weeks | **Every 4 days** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | **Ad-supported** |
| Size | 9 MB | 48 MB |
| Requires iOS | 18.0 | **16.4** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Heart Relay Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1327363297) | [Naoto Tazawa](https://appshunter.io/developer/1866843317) |

## 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 |


### Widget Now

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widget-now/id6757424091)

This app displays Japanese calendar information, including the Japanese era name, lunar calendar, and traditional holidays, directly on your iPhone's lock screen. It also provides daily historical facts, anniversaries, and detailed astrological data. Customize your widget to show the information you need most.

**Highlights:** Real-time Japanese era name display, Daily historical facts and anniversaries, Lunar calendar and astrological data, Second-level time updates, Customizable widget layouts, Age and birthdate calculator, Japanese era to Gregorian calendar converter

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Simple Calendar free?

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

### Is Widget Now free?

Widget Now is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Simple Calendar or Widget Now have ads?

Both Simple Calendar and Widget Now show ads.

### Which is updated more often, Simple Calendar or Widget Now?

Simple Calendar ships an update every 3 weeks, and Widget Now every 4 days. Most recently, Simple Calendar was updated on October 10, 2026 and Widget Now on October 9, 2026.

---

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