Fantastical vs Focus@Will: Comprehensive Comparison
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Overview
In today's fast-paced world, choosing the right productivity tool can make all the difference. This comprehensive comparison between Fantastical and Focus@Will will help you understand which tool best fits your workflow and productivity needs.
⚡ Quick Summary
Aspect | Fantastical | Focus@Will |
|---|---|---|
Best For | Fantastical is a versatile calendar app designed for Apple devices. It integrates advanced features like natural language parsing, reminders, and weather forecasts. Known for its user-friendly interface, it allows easy scheduling and management of events and tasks. | Productivity app that streams scientifically designed instrumental music to improve focus and reduce distractions while working or studying |
Pricing | $4.75/month, paid annually | From $9.99/mo or $52/year |
Platforms | iOS, iPad, Mac, Apple Watch | Web, iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Sonos |
What is Fantastical?
Fantastical is a calendar and tasks app that integrates scheduling with task management, connecting to existing calendars like Google, Microsoft 365, Exchange, iCloud, Todoist, and Apple Reminders for seamless event and task handling. Known for its natural language processing capabilities and aesthetic interface, it offers templates, multiple views, time blocking, and deep Apple ecosystem integration.
🌟 Key Features of Fantastical
✦Natural Language Input: Create events and reminders easily using everyday language.
✦Task Integration: Integrates with Apple Reminders, Todoist, Google Tasks with drag-and-drop scheduling.
✦Calendar Syncing: Supports iCloud, Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Exchange, and more for seamless integration.
✦Time Blocking: Drag tasks to specific times and days for better time management.
✦Templates: Quick event and task creation from existing items.
✦Multiple Views: Offers daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly views for different scheduling needs.
What is Focus@Will?
Focus@Will is a subscription productivity app and web service that uses specially designed, mostly lyric‑free music, combined with a focus timer and optional productivity tracking, to help users increase concentration and reduce distractions while working or studying.
🌟 Key Features of Focus@Will
✦Scientifically curated focus music library with multiple channels/genres tailored for concentration
✦Personalization quiz to match music to your brain type and working style
✦Focus timer for work sessions with configurable session length and sounds
✦Productivity tracker where you rate how focused/productive you felt during sessions
✦Offline listening mode to play tracks without an internet connection
✦Team/enterprise offering for organizations
📊 Feature Comparison
Feature | Fantastical | Focus@Will |
|---|---|---|
📅 Calendar Integration | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
✅ Task Management | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
⏰ Time Blocking | ✓ Yes | ◐ Limited |
🗣️ Natural Language Processing | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
🔔 Notifications | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
🌍 Time Zones Support | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
📆 Scheduler | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
📈 Analytics | ✗ No | ◐ Limited |
🔗 Integrations
Fantastical
Google Calendar, Microsoft 365, Exchange, iCloud, Todoist, Apple Reminders, Google Tasks, Zoom, Google Meet, Microsoft Teams, Slack, CalDAV, Apple Shortcuts, Zapier (8,000+ apps)
Focus@Will
Limited third-party automation via viaSocket for Wistia and Zendesk Sell
💰 Pricing Comparison
Fantastical
$4.75/month, paid annually
Free plan with basic features. Premium plans: Individual $4.75/month (billed annually), Family $6.99/month for up to 5 users (billed annually), Team/Business $4.75/user/month (billed annually). 14-day free trial available.
Focus@Will
From $9.99/mo or $52/year
$52-53/year annual subscription, $9.99/month option available. 7-day free trial with 30-day money-back guarantee
💡 Things to Consider
When Choosing Fantastical
→You're an Apple Ecosystem User: Choose Fantastical if you use only Apple devices and want a feature-rich upgrade over built-in Apple Calendar with advanced scheduling tools.
→You're a Power User with Multiple Calendars: Ideal if you manage many calendars, meetings, time zones, and need integrations with services like Zoom, Google, and Microsoft 365.
→You Value Natural Language Input: Perfect for those who appreciate adding events using natural language and want templates, calendar sets, and meeting proposals for enhanced productivity.
When Choosing Focus@Will
→Subscription cost vs free alternatives like Spotify playlists or YouTube focus music
→Works best for uninterrupted, single-task work blocks rather than frequent task switching
→Effectiveness varies by individual - try the 7-day free trial to test if instrumental focus music helps your productivity
⭐ User Reviews
Fantastical
"Fantastical is praised for its excellent interface, natural language input, and rich features including task integration and scheduling tools. However, it faces criticism for its subscription pricing model, Apple-only ecosystem limitation, and basic task management capabilities. While ideal for Apple power users managing multiple calendars and meetings, the recurring subscription cost and platform restrictions may be deal-breakers for budget-conscious or cross-platform users."
Focus@Will
"Users report significant productivity boosts and ability to enter deep focus states, with many describing entering a typing trance during work sessions. However, effectiveness is highly individual and the subscription cost is the main drawback compared to free alternatives. Best for deep, single-task work like writing, coding, or studying."
🎯 Conclusion
Both Fantastical and Focus@Will are excellent productivity tools with their own strengths.
Fantastical excels in Natural Language Input: Create events and reminders easily using everyday language., while Focus@Will shines with Scientifically curated focus music library with multiple channels/genres tailored for concentration. The best choice depends on your specific needs, workflow preferences, and budget.
We recommend trying both tools to see which one fits better with your productivity style.
