# Google Calendar vs GroupCal

The clearest difference is review sentiment: GroupCal at 78% against Google Calendar's 35%. GroupCal also leads on rating (4.7 vs 4.5). Google Calendar's advantage is ratings volume (132K vs 799) and chart position (#16 vs unranked). On price, ads, in-app purchases and monetization model there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Google Calendar sells 22 in-app purchases, starting at $0.89 per month and GroupCal sells 9 in-app purchases, starting at $14.99 per month. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.

GroupCal holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 4.5. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Google Calendar has 132K ratings behind it against 799, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 35% of Google Calendar's written reviews are positive against 78% of GroupCal's.

Google Calendar ships an update weekly, GroupCal fortnightly. Both last shipped on September 24, 2026.

## The numbers

| Metric | Google Calendar | GroupCal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.5 (132K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-calendar-get-organized/id909319292/reviews) | **[4.7 (799 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupcal-shared-calendar/id1472335927/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | **132K** | 799 |
| Positive reviews | 35.1% of reviews | **78.4% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | **Weekly** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Best chart rank | **#16** | — |
| Size | 284 MB | 72 MB |
| Requires iOS | 17.0 | **16.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch | iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Google](https://appshunter.io/developer/281956209) | [24me](https://appshunter.io/developer/557745945) |

## What reviewers say

### Google Calendar

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/google-calendar-get-organized/id909319292)

**Currently charting:** #16 Top Free · Productivity, #123 Top Free (US App Store)

This official app helps you manage your schedule and stay organized. It automatically adds events from Gmail, syncs across devices, and allows for shared calendars. You can also create tasks, customize views, and integrate with Google Meet for collaboration.

**Highlights:** Automatic event import from Gmail, Cross-device synchronization, Shared calendars for collaboration, Task management alongside events, Customizable views and themes, Google Meet integration

**Features:** Apple Watch app

**In-app purchases (22)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| 30 GB | $0.89 | per month |
| 30 GB | $0.89 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $1.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $2.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (400 GB) | $4.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Plus (2 TB) | $9.99 | per month |
| Google AI Pro (5 TB) | $19.99 | per month |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| 100 GB | $19.99 | per year |
| Google One AI Premium (2 TB) | $19.99 | per month |
| 5 TB | $24.99 | per month |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 200 GB | $29.99 | per year |
| 20 TB | $99.99 | per month |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| 2 TB | $99.99 | per year |
| Google AI Ultra (30 TB) | $249.99 | per month |
| 5 TB | $249.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Keeps me organized
- 🎨 Customizable colors
- 📅 Integrates with email and other calendars
- 🔔 Helpful reminders
- 🤝 Ability to share calendars

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Crashes and freezes
- 🕰️ Slow loading times
- 📆 Date on app icon doesn't change
- 🔀 Difficulty editing and managing events
- 🌈 Limited color options

**Reported bugs**

- Events not syncing properly between app and web versions
- Incorrect time zone changes for events
- New events automatically added to wrong calendar

**Requested features**

- Allow recurring events on specific days (e.g. 2nd Wednesday of the month)
- Add ability to set reminders for event end times
- Integrate with more email/calendar providers beyond Gmail
- Provide more customization options for event colors and icons
- Display the current date on the app icon


### GroupCal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupcal-shared-calendar/id1472335927)

Easily create and share calendars for families, teams, or any community. Invite members via phone number or link and receive real-time updates on events. Integrates with existing calendars for a unified view.

**Highlights:** Create multiple shared calendars, Invite via phone number or link, Real-time event updates and notifications, Integrates with existing calendars, Public calendars for businesses and communities, Color-coded calendars and customization, Event attendance tracking

**Features:** Apple Watch app, Vision Pro support

**In-app purchases (9)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Pro | $14.99 | per month |
| Business | $74.99 | per month |
| GroupCal Pro | $119.99 | per year |
| GroupCal Pro | $119.99 | per year |
| Business + | $224.99 | per month |
| GroupCal Business | $599.99 | per year |
| Business | $599.99 | per year |
| Business + | $1000.00 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 👍 User-friendly interface
- 🚀 Efficient scheduling and coordination
- 💡 Helpful for families and small businesses
- 🙌 Great for shared calendars and event planning

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Occasional bugs and glitches
- 🔒 Concerns about privacy and data access
- 💸 Limited features in free version

**Reported bugs**

- Inability to delete shared calendars
- Calendar events not syncing properly
- Phone number verification issues

**Requested features**

- Color-coding for individual calendars
- Improved recurring event scheduling
- Integration with other calendar apps


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Google Calendar free?

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

### Is GroupCal free?

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

### Which has better reviews, Google Calendar or GroupCal?

GroupCal is rated higher. Google Calendar averages 4.5 out of 5 from 132K ratings, while GroupCal averages 4.7 from 799 ratings.

### Do Google Calendar or GroupCal have ads?

Neither Google Calendar nor GroupCal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Google Calendar or GroupCal?

Google Calendar ships an update weekly, and GroupCal fortnightly. Most recently, Google Calendar was updated on September 24, 2026 and GroupCal on September 24, 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.*