Comparison

Homie vs Calendars by Readdle

An Honest Comparison

Calendars by Readdle is a beautifully designed calendar app with over 30 million users. It's loved for its natural language input, time-blocking features, and clean interface. For individual productivity on Apple devices, it's excellent.

But Calendars is a personal productivity tool, not a family organizer. There's no meal planning, no shared shopping lists, no structured routines — and it only works on Apple devices. Homie was built specifically for families who need to coordinate together, on any device.

See how Homie compares to other family organizers

At a Glance

CalendarIt depends — Readdle has power features; Homie is simpler and faster to share
Family sharingHomie wins — one account, shared by default
TasksHomie wins — shared lists, Readdle is personal only
RoutinesOnly Homie — Readdle has no routine support
MealsOnly Homie — recipes, meal planning, shopping lists
Cross-platformHomie wins — Readdle is Apple-only
Power featuresReaddle wins — time-blocking, natural language

Personal productivity vs. family coordination.

Calendars by Readdle is a personal productivity powerhouse. Time-blocking, natural language input, beautiful design — it helps individuals manage their own schedules brilliantly. Tasks sync with Apple Reminders, but they're your tasks, not shared family tasks.

Homie is a family whiteboard. One account, everyone contributes. The calendar is shared by default. Tasks are collaborative. Routines help kids (and adults) stay on track. Meal planning connects to shopping lists. It's built for coordination, not individual productivity.

Calendar

Feature
Homie
Readdle
Shared family calendarReaddle uses underlying calendar services
Via iCloud/Google
Month view
Week view
3-day view
Day/agenda view
List view
Multiple reminders per event
Up to 5
Birthdays
Search events
Color-codingAdvanced color-coding requires subscription
PRO only
Subscribe to external calendars
Built-in holiday calendars
Enable/disable individual holidays
Shareable public calendar links
Via iCloud/Google
Exceptions to recurring schedules
Task lists on eventsAdd checklists to any event
Reactions and commentsCoordinate with family on events
Natural language input"Meet John at Starbucks Sunday 4pm"
PRO only
Time-blockingDrag tasks onto timeline
PRO only
Siri integration
Unified family viewReaddle shows individual calendar with shared overlaid
Works on Android
Works on Windows
Works in web browser
Works offline

Tasks & Lists

Feature
Homie
Readdle
Shared to-do listsReaddle tasks are personal only
Shopping lists
Multiple lists
Subtasks
Reactions and commentsDiscuss tasks with family
Task reminders
Due dates on tasks
Recurring tasks
Time-blocking for tasksDrag tasks to calendar timeline
PRO only
Task shortcuts/templatesQuick-add frequent tasks
Shareable public list links
Anonymous collaborationNo account needed to add items
Syncs with Apple Reminders
Syncs with Google Tasks

Calendars by Readdle has strong task features for individuals — time-blocking, shortcuts, sync with Apple Reminders and Google Tasks. But there's no way to share task lists with family members. Homie's lists are shared by default and can be shared publicly with anyone.

Routines & Chores

Feature
Homie
Readdle
Repeating tasks/chores
Organized into checklists
Per-member routines
Subtasks within routines
Roll-over incomplete to next day
Skip/reschedule single occurrence
Morning/evening routine templates

Calendars by Readdle has no concept of routines. You can create recurring tasks, but there's no way to group a "Morning routine" into brush teeth, pack backpack, grab lunch as a resetting checklist. Homie's routines are structured for the repetitive rhythms of family life.

Meals & Recipes

Feature
Homie
Readdle
Recipe storage
Import recipes from URLs
Browse recipe library
Meal planning on calendar
Add ingredients to shopping list
Filter by meal type
Filter by dietary needs
Share recipes via link

Calendars by Readdle has no meal planning, recipe storage, or shopping list features. It's a calendar and task manager — not a family organizer. For meal planning, you'd need a separate app that doesn't integrate with your calendar.

Design & Experience

Feature
Homie
Readdle
One account for the whole familyReaddle is personal, each person has own account
Ad-free
Easier to use, minimal design
E-ink tablet optimized
ADHD-friendly design
Unified agenda viewEvents, meals, routines, tasks in one view
Works offline
Multiple languages
11 languages
10+ languages
Apple Watch app
Works on any device
Apple only

Only in Homie

Features Calendars by Readdle doesn't have:

Works on any device

iPhone, Android, Windows, any web browser. Mixed-device families welcome. Calendars by Readdle is Apple-only.

Shared task lists

Collaborate on shopping lists and to-dos with the whole family. Readdle's tasks are personal — no sharing.

One shared account

No per-person accounts needed. Open the app and everyone sees the same family calendar. Like a whiteboard on the fridge.

Routines with checklists

Structured morning routines, chore lists, medication reminders. Not just repeating tasks — organized checklists that reset daily.

Meal planning & recipes

Plan meals on the calendar, store recipes, generate shopping lists. All integrated, not scattered across apps.

Public sharing

Share calendars, events, lists, and recipes with anyone via link. No account required to view or collaborate.

Only in Calendars by Readdle

Being fair — here's what Calendars by Readdle offers that Homie doesn't:

Natural language input

Type "Meet John at Starbucks Sunday 4pm" and it creates the event with the right time, location, and contact. Incredibly fast for power users.

Time-blocking

Drag tasks directly onto your calendar timeline to block time. Great for productivity-focused scheduling.

Apple Watch app

View and manage your calendar from your wrist. Homie doesn't have an Apple Watch app.

Siri integration

Voice control for hands-free scheduling. "Hey Siri, add a meeting tomorrow at 2pm."

Apple Reminders & Google Tasks sync

Tasks sync with Apple Reminders and Google Tasks. Homie has its own task system.

Task shortcuts

Save frequent tasks as shortcuts for quick one-tap adding. Great for repetitive personal tasks.

Pricing Comparison

Homie
Readdle PRO
Readdle Lifetime
Price
$1.50/user/mo
$19.99/year
$59.99 once
Family of 4
~$72/year
$19.99/year
$59.99 once
Works on Android
Shared task lists
Meal planning
Routines
Natural language input

Calendars by Readdle is cheaper per household if your family is all-Apple, but it's a personal calendar — not a family organizer. If you need shared tasks, meal planning, routines, or cross-platform support, Homie is built for that. The lifetime option ($59.99) includes Apple Family Sharing for the app purchase.

Ready to organize your family?

Try Homie free and see how simple family organization can be.