# WidgetCal vs Beekeeper Journal

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Beekeeper Journal at none against WidgetCal's 10. Beekeeper Journal also leads on ads (none vs shown). WidgetCal's advantage is device support (3 vs 1) and iOS requirement (15.6 vs 26.0). On price and update cadence there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. WidgetCal sells 10 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. Beekeeper Journal asks for nothing beyond the download.

WidgetCal ships an update every 2 weeks, Beekeeper Journal fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and October 31, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | WidgetCal | Beekeeper Journal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | **[3.6 (1.5K ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgetcal-calendar-widget/id919048459/reviews)** | — |
| Number of ratings | **1.5K** | — |
| Positive reviews | 47.4% of reviews | — |
| In-app purchases | Yes | **No** |
| Ads | Yes | **No** |
| Update frequency | **Every 2 weeks** | Fortnightly |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | — |
| Size | 52 MB | 4 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.6** | 26.0 |
| Devices | **iPhone, iPad, iPod** | iPhone |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [YunaSoft Inc.](https://appshunter.io/developer/453184622) | [Danila Pryadko](https://appshunter.io/developer/1629195902) |

## What reviewers say

### WidgetCal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/widgetcal-calendar-widget/id919048459)

View your weekly or monthly schedule directly on your Lock Screen without unlocking your device. This app displays events and reminders with customizable layouts, offering quick access to your personal occasions. It also integrates with other powerful calendar applications.

**Highlights:** Lock screen widget support, Weekly and monthly schedule views, Event and reminder display, Integration with AwesomeCalendar, Customizable font and size, ToDo carry over, Lunar calendar support

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

**In-app purchases (10)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Premium Subscription | $9.99 | per year |
| Religious holidays | $0.99 | one-time |
| Week Numbers | $0.99 | one-time |
| Moon Phases calendar | $0.99 | one-time |
| Holidays United States | $0.99 | one-time |
| Calendars - Pro Football USA 2014-2015 edition | $0.99 | one-time |
| Calendars - Pro Baseball USA 2015 edition | $0.99 | one-time |
| Calendars - US Pro Basketball 2014-2015 edition | $0.99 | one-time |
| Weather calendars | $1.99 | one-time |
| Remove Advertisement | $9.99 | one-time |

**What reviewers like**

- 📅 Great calendar app
- 🔍 Detailed monthly view
- 🎨 Customizable colors and fonts
- 🔒 Syncs with Google Calendar
- 🔧 Helpful stickers and emojis

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🤖 Ads disrupt user experience
- 🔍 Limited color and theme options
- 🐛 Glitches after iOS updates
- 🗓️ Inability to scroll through months in widget
- 🗓️ Disappearing/deleted calendar events

**Reported bugs**

- Calendar events disappearing after updates
- Widget not showing correct month or events
- Inability to add or edit events in the app
- Syncing issues with Google Calendar
- Crashes and freezes after iOS updates

**Requested features**

- Allow more calendar customization options
- Improve widget functionality and appearance
- Provide an ad-free paid version
- Enhance syncing with other calendar apps
- Add a daily/weekly view in the widget


### Beekeeper Journal

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/beekeeper-journal/id6807076089)

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is WidgetCal free?

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

### Is Beekeeper Journal free?

Beekeeper Journal is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do WidgetCal or Beekeeper Journal have ads?

WidgetCal shows ads; Beekeeper Journal does not.

### Which is updated more often, WidgetCal or Beekeeper Journal?

WidgetCal ships an update every 2 weeks, and Beekeeper Journal fortnightly. Most recently, WidgetCal was updated on November 1, 2026 and Beekeeper Journal on October 31, 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.*