Calendars are an important part of any productivity system. I would be lost without mine, and I’m sure that you would also be lost without yours.
Google Calendar is a popular choice. It has all the basics you need to create and manage events, but it doesn’t change all that often, and it’s primarily a web app, so it doesn’t integrate will with macOS or iOS.
That’s what makes apps like Cron so interesting.
What is Cron?
Cron is a third-party calendar app that is available for macOS, iOS, Windows, and the web. It’s an intuitive and well-thought-out app that has features you just don’t see from Google Calendar and other calendar apps.
It was voted Mobile App of the Year by Product Hunt two years in a row, and the CEO of Notion loved it so much that he decided to purchase the company and make it part of the Notion family.
So, what’s all the fuss about? Let’s find out.
Cron Features
Cron looks a lot like the Apple Calendar app, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. It is clean and easy to read, just like a calendar should be. It lets you connect multiple Google accounts so you can view all your calendars in one place.
One of the hallmark features of Cron is the ability to add multiple time zones. So, if you work as part of a remote team or have offices in different parts of the country, you will always know what time it is in the locations that matter to you. Cron lets you add up to 4 time zones.
Adding an event is as simple as clicking and dragging a selection on your calendar, but the real joy here is the sidebar details pane. This allows you to see your full calendar without the event detail pane hiding what is behind it. You can change event colors and email participants too.
Mac users can see upcoming events in the menu bar. This is a handy way to keep track of your day, especially when your calendar app is not open. You can take quick actions like “Join Zoom Meeting” or RSVP from the menu bar calendar.
Cron supports Google Meet and Zoom natively. You can add links for either of these services to any events that you create. Custom integrations let you expand these options to Microsoft Teams, Webex, BlueJeans, and more.
The sharing feature in Cron allows you to create shareable appointment slots on your calendar. Each slot is available in a custom link that you can share with others. People can reserve time with you by clicking on one of the available slots you created, similar to tools like Calendly.
Pricing and Availability
Cron was in a closed beta for several months, with a waitlist for anyone who wanted to try it. However, on May 1, 2023, they opened up access to anyone who wanted to try Cron for themselves.
Cron is currently free to use. That may change in the future, but everything that I talked about above is available at no cost. There are no paid plans, even if you want one. All you need to do is sign up with a free account.
Final Thoughts
Cron’s not perfect. The biggest limitation is that it only supports Google Calendar. However, if you are already deep in the Google ecosystem, it’s a compelling and well-designed app. Cron is easy to learn and has enough power features to make it an important part of any productivity system. And, it will only get better in time.
Try Cron today at cron.com.
