Scheduling is an essential part of any busy lifestyle, from keeping track of meetings and appointments to managing your time efficiently, having the best app for scheduling is often a key factor for success. With the abundance of apps available for your phone, desktop and tablet, it can be difficult to find the best app for your needs. In this article, we’ll take an in-depth look at what the best apps are for scheduling and organizing your life.
1. Features of the Best Apps to Create a Schedule
When it comes to the best apps to create a schedule, it is important to consider the features that are offered. Most of the best apps come with a variety of features that make them suitable for a variety of users, but it is important to consider which features are important to you. Common features include reminders, calendar, task list, and location integration.
Some apps even offer more advanced features such as the ability to connect with other people who can help manage your schedule and reminders sent via SMS or email. If you’re looking for an app that offers a wide range of features, then some of the most popular and comprehensive scheduling apps are Google Calendar, Sunrise Calendar and Asana.
Google Calendar and Sunrise Calendar are great for people who need to manage multiple calendars and tasks, with features such as shared calendar access, appointment booking, task management, and integration with other services like Google Drive, Dropbox and Office 36 Asana is more of a project and team management tool, but it also offers scheduling and task management, making it great for those who need to keep track of multiple tasks in one place.
2. Ease of Use and Usability
Usability is another important factor to consider when choosing the best app for scheduling. After all, if an app is hard to learn or difficult to use, you’ll probably end up using it less.
The best apps are those that are user-friendly, with intuitive interfaces, and require minimal learning curve. Google Calendar, Sunrise Calendar and Asana are all great in this regard, but there are other apps such as Todoist and Remember the Milk that are just as user-friendly. It’s also important to consider the type of device that you plan to use for scheduling.
If you primarily use a laptop or desktop computer, then a desktop app might be the better option. If you use more mobile devices, then a mobile app will be the better choice. The best apps are those that can be used on multiple devices, allowing you to access your schedule on the go.
3. Synchronization Across Devices and Services
In order to make sure that your schedule is always up to date, it’s important to consider an app’s ability to synchronize with other devices and services. If you use multiple devices, then you’ll need an app that can keep your schedule synchronized across all of them.
Additionally, if you tend to use different services for various tasks, then you’ll need an app that can integrate with them, such as Google Calendar’s integration with Gmail, Google Docs and Google Calendar. The best scheduling apps understand that their users have different needs, and can accommodate them by offering a range of synchronization options. Asana and Todoist are great in this regard, allowing users to sync across multiple devices and services, while Sunrise Calendar also allows users to sync with popular services such as Gmail, Dropbox and Evernote.
4. Cost and Pricing.
Cost is another important factor to consider when choosing the best app for scheduling. Some apps charge a monthly fee or yearly subscription, while others offer a one-time cost or offer a “freemium” version which has limited features. Google Calendar and Sunrise Calendar are both free, while Asana and Todoist offer a “freemium” version that is limited in features.
5. Security and Privacy.
Security and Privacy are incredibly important factors when it comes to choosing any app, but especially when it comes to scheduling apps. Scheduling apps often involve sharing sensitive information such as meetings, appointments and tasks with other people, so it is essential to have a secure and private system in place. Google Calendar, Sunrise Calendar and Asana all have strong security measures in place, with encryption and two-factor authentication, ensuring the security of your data.
6. The Ability to Delegate and Assign Tasks.
If you need to delegate tasks to other people, then you’ll need an app that has a system for task-sharing and task-delegation. Asana and Todoist are great in this regard, allowing you to easily assign tasks to other people as well as set deadlines, add comments and attach files. Sunrise Calendar also has this feature, though it is a little less comprehensive than the other two.
7. Automation and Integrations.
The best scheduling apps understand the importance of automation and the ability to integrate with other services. Automation can help streamline your workflow and save time, for example by automatically setting reminders for upcoming tasks and integrating with your calendar. Most of the best apps offer automation in some form, such as Sunrise Calendar and Asana, with the ability to set reminders and due dates, as well as integrate with popular services such as Gmail and Dropbox.
8. The Ability to Customize.
The best apps for scheduling recognize that not everyone has the same needs, so they offer the ability to customize the features to suit each user. Most of the apps allow users to customize which notifications they receive, the type of calendar view they use, and the color and font options. Asana and Todoist are great in this regard, offering endless options for customization.
9. Collaboration and Communication.
For those who need to collaborate and communicate with other people on the schedule, then an app with great collaboration and communication features is essential. Asana and Todoist are great for this, with a range of tools including conversations, comments, notifications, shared calendar and file attachments.
Sunrise Calendar also has tools to share your schedule and collaborate with others.
10. Application Platform.
When choosing the best app for scheduling, it is important to consider which platform you plan to use it on. Most of the best apps are available for both iOS and Android, but some specialize in one platform more than the other. Google Calendar and Sunrise Calendar are both available for both iOS and Android, while Asana is more focused on web and mobile platforms.
11. Design and Look.
The look and design of the app is also important when choosing the best app for scheduling. Most of the best apps have a modern and intuitive design that is easy to navigate and use.
Sunrise Calendar, Asana, and Google Calendar all have great designs that are modern and easy to use.
12. Support and Help.
Finally, it is important to consider the app’s support and help features. If you ever run into any problems or have any questions, then it’s important that the app you choose has a comprehensive support system in place. Once again, Asana, Sunrise Calendar and Google Calendar offer some of the best support systems, with help sections, tutorials, FAQs and even live chat support.
Conclusion
Finding the best app for scheduling can be a challenge, as there are so many to choose from. Before making any decision, it is important to consider the features, cost, usability, platform, design, and support that the app offers. With the right app, you can make sure your schedule is organized and up to date, allowing you to be as productive and efficient as possible.