Comparison

Homie vs Google Calendar & Tasks

An Honest Comparison

Google Calendar is everywhere. It's free, works on every device, and you probably already use it. Combined with Google Tasks, it handles events and to-dos. But for families, there are gaps — no shared view, no meal planning, no routines, and each family member needs their own Google account.

Homie was built specifically for families. One shared account, no setup friction, and features designed for how families actually coordinate — calendars, tasks, routines, recipes, and meal planning in one place.

See how Homie compares to other family organizers

At a Glance

CalendarDepends — Homie is faster and easier to share; Google has more integrations
Family sharingHomie wins — one account, no per-person setup
TasksClose — Google has subtasks, Homie has sharing
RoutinesOnly Homie — Google has no routine support
MealsOnly Homie — recipes, meal planning, shopping lists
InterfaceHomie wins — simpler, family-focused
PriceGoogle wins — completely free

Designed for families, not individuals.

Google Calendar was built for individuals who might share with others. Each person needs their own Google account. Each person manages their own view. There's no unified "family calendar" — just individual calendars you can share.

Homie is a family whiteboard. One account for everyone. Open the app and you see what the whole family sees. No setup per person, no managing permissions, no wondering if grandma figured out how to access the shared calendar.

Calendar

Feature
Homie
Google
Shared family calendarGoogle requires each person to have their own account
Month view
Week view
3-day viewGoogle has customizable multi-day views
Day/agenda view
Year view
Schedule viewShows events as a list across days
Multiple reminders per event
Birthdays
Search events
Filter by multiple users
Subscribe to external calendars
Built-in holiday calendars
Enable/disable individual holidays
Export calendar as ICS file
Shareable public calendar links
Share single events via link
Exceptions to recurring schedules
Task lists on eventsAdd checklists to any event
Reactions and commentsCoordinate with family on events
Unified family viewGoogle shows your calendar with shared events overlaid
Notifications when family adds eventsGoogle sends no alerts for family calendar changes
Two-way sync with external calendars
Gmail integrationAuto-creates events from emails
Google Meet integration

Tasks & Lists

Feature
Homie
Google
Shared to-do listsGoogle Tasks has no sharing
Shopping lists
Multiple lists
Subtasks
Reactions and commentsDiscuss tasks with family
Task reminders
Due dates on tasks
Recurring tasks
Shareable public list links
Anonymous collaborationNo account needed to add items
Tasks visible in calendar
Drag tasks to calendar

Google Tasks is a personal to-do list — there's no way to share tasks with family members or collaborate on lists. Homie's lists are shared by default, and you can even share them publicly with babysitters or grandparents without requiring an account.

Routines & Chores

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

Google has no concept of routines. You can create recurring tasks, but there's no way to group "Morning routine" into brush teeth, pack backpack, grab lunch. Homie's routines are structured checklists designed for the repetitive rhythms of family life.

Meals & Recipes

Feature
Homie
Google
Recipe storage
Import recipes from URLs
Browse recipe library
Meal planning on calendarGoogle has no meal planning feature
Add ingredients to shopping list
Filter by meal type
Filter by dietary needs
Share recipes via link

Google offers no meal planning, recipe storage, or shopping list features. You'd need separate apps like Google Keep, a recipe app, and a shopping app — none of which integrate with each other. Homie keeps it all connected.

Design & Experience

Feature
Homie
Google
One account for the whole familyGoogle requires individual accounts
Ad-free
Easier to use, minimal designGoogle is powerful but complex
E-ink tablet optimized
ADHD-friendly design
Unified agenda viewEvents, meals, routines, tasks in one view
Works offline
Multiple languages
11 languages
100+ languages

Only in Homie

Features Google Calendar & Tasks don't have:

One shared account

No per-person Google 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.

Meal planning & recipes

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

Shared shopping lists

Collaborate on shopping lists in real-time. Share with anyone via link — no account required.

Unified agenda

Events, meals, routines, and tasks in one view. See your whole day at a glance.

Family change notifications

Get notified when family members add or change events. Google sends no alerts for shared calendar changes.

Only in Google

Being fair — here's what Google Calendar & Tasks offer that Homie doesn't:

Completely free

Google Calendar and Tasks are free forever, with no paid tier. Homie has a 30-day free trial, then costs $1.50/user/month.

Gmail integration

Automatically creates events from emails — flight confirmations, restaurant reservations, package deliveries.

Google Meet integration

Add video conferencing to any event with one click. Homie doesn't have video call integration.

Two-way calendar sync

Changes sync both ways with other calendars. Homie can import or view external calendars, but not push changes back.

Year view

See the entire year at a glance. Homie offers day, 3-day, week, and month views.

100+ languages

Google supports virtually every language. Homie supports 11 European languages.

Pricing Comparison

Homie
Google
Price
$1.50/user/mo
Free
Family of 4
~$72/year
Free
Family of 6
~$108/year
Free
Meal planning
Routines
Shared shopping lists
One shared account

Google is free, and that's hard to beat. But Google is a calendar — not a family organizer. If your family needs meal planning, routines, shared shopping lists, or a single shared account that everyone can access, Homie fills those gaps.

Ready to organize your family?

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