# Raft vs GroupCal

Raft and GroupCal both sit at 4.6 stars, but that hides the real split: 79% of GroupCal's written reviews are positive against 50% of Raft's. GroupCal also leads on update cadence (every 2 weeks vs monthly). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Raft sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $2.49 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.

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 4.6 for Raft against 4.7 for GroupCal. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 823 and 875 respectively. Written reviews are what separate them: 50% of Raft's written reviews are positive against 79% of GroupCal's.

Raft ships an update monthly, GroupCal every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 24, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Raft | GroupCal |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | [4.6 (823 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raft-shared-calendar/id949819247/reviews) | **[4.7 (875 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/groupcal-shared-calendar/id1472335927/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | 823 | **875** |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | **79.3% of reviews** |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free with in-app purchases |
| Size | 63 MB | 74 MB |
| Requires iOS | **15.0** | 16.0 |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | **iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch** |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | [Join Raft AB](https://appshunter.io/developer/949819246) | [24me](https://appshunter.io/developer/557745945) |

## What reviewers say

### Raft

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/raft-shared-calendar/id949819247)

This app helps couples, families, and close friends stay organized and connected by sharing calendars and events. It allows users to plan together, add personal touches to appointments, and countdown to special occasions. Facilitate communication and coordination for a more synchronized life.

**Highlights:** Connect with partner, family, and friends, View shared plans and appointments, Like and comment on events, Personalize events with media, Share or keep plans private, Countdown to special occasions, In-event chat functionality

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Family Sharing

**In-app purchases (2)**

| Purchase | Price | Billing |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Monthly Subscription | $2.49 | per month |
| Yearly Subscription | $18.99 | per year |

**What reviewers like**

- 🚀 Easy to use
- 👍 Cute and visual design
- 💡 Sharing plans with partner/friends
- 🚀 Helpful for organizing schedules

**What reviewers complain about**

- 🐛 Frequent crashes and freezes
- 🐛 Sync issues between users
- 🐛 Unreliable notifications
- 🐛 Compatibility issues with new devices

**Reported bugs**

- Unable to create account
- Events not showing up for partner
- Dates not syncing correctly
- Invitations not working as expected

**Requested features**

- Add location details for events
- Recurring event option
- Monthly calendar view
- Favorite/reuse event icons
- Android app support


### 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, iPhone Duo 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 Raft free?

Raft 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, Raft or GroupCal?

GroupCal is rated higher. Raft averages 4.6 out of 5 from 823 ratings, while GroupCal averages 4.7 from 875 ratings.

### Do Raft or GroupCal have ads?

Neither Raft nor GroupCal shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Raft or GroupCal?

Raft ships an update monthly, and GroupCal every 2 weeks. Most recently, Raft was updated on October 24, 2026 and GroupCal on October 26, 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.*