Keeping track of a busy schedule full of social events, appointments, and work deadlines can seem almost impossible. However, if you have a handy calendar app in your pocket, you (likely) won't accidentally overbook yourself or miss your niece's recital.

Some of the best calendar apps for Android are simply companion apps that integrate with and improve the most popular apps. Others offer better, more specialized features than the big-name players offer. There are even a few calendar apps that integrate and work well with the best to-do apps that you may already be using. Whatever you need, these are our favorites.

Keeping track of your schedule is easier than ever

While there are way too many calendar apps available on the Play Store, our favorite calendar app is likely already on your phone. Google Calendar is free to use, ties into your Google account, and has a few extra features that can't be matched by the competition.

If you already use Google Calendar as your "back-end" for your calendar needs, you might want a better-looking widget. That's where Calendar Widget by Home Agenda comes in. The widget is completely customizable, and will only show you the events that you want to see when you want to see them.

Those who need a little bit more power or customization from their calendar app will want to check out DigiCal Calendar Agenda. This calendar app has been around for years and continues to receive regular updates with improvements. It syncs with the most popular calendar services, or you can keep your calendar locally from DigiCal.

1. Google Calendar

Sometimes the stock program is more than enough. Google's own calendar app has been refined over the years and is now both elegant and functional. It's not just for Google stored calendars, either; it's designed to support "all calendars on your phone, including Exchange."

Google's calendar app is more than capable to handle all your scheduling needs while keeping things simple and clean. With the power of Google behind it, this app is smart enough to suggest titles, contacts, and places as you type in your event information. It will also automatically scan your Gmail and add reservations for flights, restaurants, and more if you grant it permission. You can create events or set reminders right out of the notification bar, which is extremely convenient.

If it didn't already come pre-loaded on your phone, you can get it for free. Google Calendar also works with Google Assistant, so you can ask your Assistant to add an item to your calendar and be done with it. Overall, if you've enjoyed using other Google products and apps, you'll be more than happy with everything that Google has included here.

Google Calendar

Google's own app is great for almost everyone
Being able to have events automatically pulled from your email is next-level stuff. Google Calendar does that and so much more, and has a pretty solid design that gets the job done.

2. Calendar Widget by Home Agenda

Sometimes you want to access information without having to open an app, which is why widgets are so useful. With Calendar Widget by Home Agenda, you're getting one of the most customizable calendar widgets available on the Play Store.

The app comes from Francisco Franco, which may ring a bell for those who are, or used to be, involved in the rooting community. Just about every facet of Calendar Widget can be customized and fine-tuned to your liking. Once you've created a theme that matches your phone's home screen, you can save it for future imports.

There's no need to worry about it not syncing properly with your calendar service of choice. Calendar Widget by Home Agenda syncs with any of the accounts that you are signed into on your phone of choice.

Calendar Widget by Home Agenda

Check your calendar with a clean design
Instead of having to open an app to view what's on your agenda, use Calendar Widget by Home Agenda. This beautifully-designed widget is completely customizable and will show off any events from across your various accounts.

3. DigiCal Calendar Agenda

When you open DigiCal, it almost looks like a calendar app that Google designed. The look gives the app that Google feel, and it's a relief to not have a jarring or drastically different design. That makes DigiCal that much easier to use.

DigiCal gives you all the tools you need to keep track of what's on the agenda for the next week, month, year, or beyond. DigiCal even provides notifications for events, or lets you know when you need to leave to make your appointment on time. There are seven different views to pick from, along with six different widgets to throw on your home screen.

Are you a fan of a couple of sports teams, but don't want to manually add the schedules? DigiCal makes it easy to import those schedules from the app, and they'll sync across your devices so you can figure out what time the game is tomorrow. There are various other calendars that can be imported and added to your schedule.

DigiCal Calendar Agenda

Gives off that Google vibe
DigiCal can help you to keep on top of your hectic schedule with notifications, track when your team is playing, and let you know when it's time to leave. The app features Material Design and gives off a vibe that it should have come from Google directly.

Other great options

With so many calendar apps available, there are plenty that didn't make our top three but still warrant consideration.

Calendar Notify

Some folks prefer widgets on the Home Screen, while others would rather have information shown in their notification shade. With Calendar Notify, people who want the latter will get a brief overview of your upcoming events, and appointments are displayed every time you swipe down to show the notifications.

What makes this even better is that the notification will also appear on your lock screen. Being able to look at your agenda without even unlocking your phone will help to save some time throughout your day. As expected, this is a simple companion app — it ties into and syncs with your calendar service of choice.

Calendar Notify

Living in the shade has never been better
Calendar Notify is a companion app to whatever calendar service you are already using on your phone. The app lives in your notification shade and lock screen, and has all the right options to make it look perfect.

Any.do Calendar

Any.do is already one of the best to-do apps for Android, so when we found a Calendar app from the same company, it was exciting. Any.do Calendar takes all of your favorite features from its to-do counterpart but adds more of a focus on your, well, calendar.

All of your tasks will sync seamlessly and will appear on your calendar instead of in another list to look at in another app. It will sync with your Google account, Facebook account, or any other calendar service you use. However, the best part is that Any.do Calendar doesn't stop there. You'll also find integrations for other productivity services such as Evernote, Slack, and even Google Assistant.

Any.do Calendar

One of the most powerful productivity apps
With Any.do Calendar, you can get rid of your other to-do apps and let it take care of everything. Do you need to share events and shopping lists with a loved one? Use Any.do and make sure everyone is on the same page easier than ever.

Business Calendar 2

Despite the name of this next app, Business Calendar 2 is not just for the office space. Instead, it's one of the best ways to highlight and separate different calendars without manually editing them. The menu bar at the bottom allows you to decide which calendars to show at any given time.

There are six different calendar views to pick from, and Business Calendar 2 syncs with the likes of Google Calendar, Exchange, and more. You can set custom notifications to remind you when events are coming up, or if you just need a reminder on a basic task. From managing your own schedule to getting everyone together for a meeting, Business Calendar 2 sports a beautiful design and all the tools you need.

Business Calendar 2

Not just for the workplace
Business Calendar 2 is one of those apps that has been around for some time, and has all the right features to keep on top of your schedule. Either sync with your current calendar service, or keep everything local, this app has you covered.

Simple Calendar

When you head into the Play Store to find Simple Calendar, the icon itself may look a bit familiar. That's because it comes from the great Simple Mobile Tools team, which has a slew of "simple" apps to download on your Android device. Its calendar app is no different from the rest on this list; it gives you enough customization options to make your calendars yours.

The app is open source, so you won't have to worry about annoying ads or pop-ups. Plus, there is support for all of the popular calendar services, and you can create custom themes across the board for the app and included widgets. You can even quickly share an event from your calendar to social media if you feel so inclined, or just share them with your friends and family.

Simple Calendar

Simple, flexible, and powerful
Simple Calendar is a fantastic option to replace your current calendar app with its customization options and the ability to use it offline. There are no annoying ads or pop-ups to deal with, and you'll be able to keep on top of your schedule easily.

aCalendar

Having the ability to easily add, adjust, and color-code your life is vital for busy people, and that's where aCalendar comes in. This app is nearly overflowing with features, including 48 colors per calendar, Google Calendar management, moon phases, and more.

aCalendar makes keeping track of everything easy. You can add or edit events by tapping or long pressing on the screen, and the color options mean even the busiest itinerary can be organized. aCalendar also includes support for 30 different languages (primarily added by users), which means if you speak a certain dialect you might be able to get support for it through this app.

aCalendar

Perfect for Google users
While other calendar apps can integrate with other services, aCalendar opts to stick to the Google-verse. From the seven different widgets to the customizable views, aCalendar has it all and looks great in the process.

Microsoft Outlook

Not the first app you might think of when looking for a calendar, but the truth is that Microsoft Outlook on Android is great. It combines your email, including Gmail and calendars, inside one app so you can manage both in one hit.

Microsoft Outlook is a good option if you want to access your email and calendar all in one place, with support for great features. Event icons are just one of the features that the Sunrise team has brought into the fold. Try typing "coffee" or "lunch" the next time you create an event and just see what happens in your agenda view.

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft continues to impress
With Microsoft's newfound focus on improving its mobile apps, Outlook has turned into one of the best. Not only can you manage all of your emails from this app, but you can also keep track of your schedule from the same place.