You’ve been there: you drop a message in the family WhatsApp about a birthday, someone else adds an appointment to Google Calendar, and before long nobody knows who’s supposed to be where. Timetree aims to solve that by combining a shared calendar with chat and to‑do lists. That way you don’t just see when something happens—you can talk it through right there.
Who’s behind Timetree?
Timetree was founded by Yasuto Fukagawa, Cha Jin Park, and Shunichi Matsuda. The trio saw a gap in the market: most calendar apps were built for individual use, while plenty of people actually wanted to coordinate their schedule with others. In 2016 Hiroshi Kono joined as CTO, strengthening the technical foundation even further.
The app grew especially fast in Japan, where Timetree has become the most popular shared calendar. That success didn’t go unnoticed: in 2015 the app won the “App Store Best of 2015” award. Since then, Timetree has been expanding in the US and Europe. In early 2025, telecom company SK Telecom made a strategic investment to speed up AI integration, which shows the company is serious about pushing further growth.
Who is Timetree for?
Timetree is aimed at people who want to share a calendar with others and communicate about it directly. Families use it to keep track of appointments, school breaks, and sports practices. Couples use it to plan dates and household tasks. Friend groups organize outings and parties. Small teams can use it too, as long as you don’t need complex project‑management features.
The app is less suitable for large organizations. It lacks things like detailed permissions and roles, integrations with enterprise software, and advanced reporting. And for complex projects with dependencies and milestones, you’re better off with specialized tools. Timetree keeps things intentionally simple and social, which is exactly what many users like about it.
What can Timetree do?
The free version of Timetree already offers plenty of functionality. You can create unlimited shared calendars, chat inside events, share memos and to‑do lists, and sync your calendar with Google, Apple, or Outlook. For adding files and photos to events, removing ads, and using a vertical view, you’ll need a Premium subscription.
- Multiple shared calendars: Create separate calendars for your family, sports club, work group, or friend group, each with its own members and color‑coding.
- Chat per event: No need for separate WhatsApp groups anymore. Talk directly within an event about details like who’s driving or what everyone should bring.
- Shared memos and to‑dos: Write down important info in a calendar (for example, WiFi passwords for a trip) or make lists everyone can check off.
- Sync with external calendars: Import your Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook so you can see all your appointments in one place. Changes sync automatically.
- Widgets for your home screen: See your upcoming appointments without opening the app. Useful for a quick overview.
- Virtual members: Add pets, kids without a phone, or even objects (like the car) as members so you can track their schedules too.
- Color‑coding per person: See at a glance who needs to be where. Each member gets their own color in the calendar.
- Attach files and photos: Upload documents, tickets, or photos to an event. It saves the hassle of separate emails or chats.
What does Timetree cost?
Timetree has a free version you can use without limits. You can add as many calendars and members as you want, and all basic features are included. The trade‑off is that you’ll see ads in the app.
Premium costs you 4.49 dollars per month or 44.99 dollars per year (which comes out to 3.75 dollars per month). That removes the ads and gives you access to extra features like file attachments and a vertical view of your calendar. New users can try Premium free for 30 days.
The price is higher than many competitors, especially considering you mostly use it alongside your existing calendar app. For a family or group that collaborates a lot, it might be worth the cost, but for occasional use the free version is usually enough.
What should you pay attention to?
The free version shows a surprising number of ads. Users say they’re distracting and sometimes block the screen. If you use the app daily, that can get annoying.
Widgets on iOS don’t always behave reliably. Sometimes they stay blank or don’t refresh on their own. You then have to open the app to see your calendar, which defeats the purpose of having a widget.
Syncing between devices isn’t always instant. Changes you make on your phone sometimes take a few minutes to show up on your tablet or laptop. That’s inconvenient when you’re dealing with time‑sensitive events.
Recurring events have limited options. You can’t set something to happen every second Tuesday of the month or have an event repeat until a specific date. For complex repeats, you have to create separate events manually.
Timetree alternatives
Timetree isn’t the only app for shared calendars. Depending on what you need, there are alternatives that might fit your situation better.
- Google Calendar: Choose this if you’re already deep in the Google ecosystem and you care about tighter integration with Gmail, Meet, and Drive. It has fewer social features than Timetree.
- Cozi Family Organizer: Ideal if you want to manage recipes and shopping lists alongside your calendar. It’s specifically geared toward families with kids.
- Teamup: Useful for scheduling work shifts or shared facilities. It’s more business‑oriented, and you don’t need an account to view calendars. Less suited for personal use.
Frequently asked questions
Below we answer the most frequently asked questions about Timetree.
Is Timetree free to use?
Yes, the basic version is completely free and includes all core features. You will see ads, though. For extra features and an ad‑free experience, there’s a Premium plan for 4.49 dollars per month.
Can I connect my existing Google Calendar?
Yes, you can import and sync external calendars like Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, and Outlook. That way you can see all your events in one place without doing double work.
Can people without the app see my calendar?
Yes, you can share events through a link you send via something like WhatsApp. For full collaboration and editing appointments, the app or web version is recommended.
Conclusion
Timetree is a handy app if you regularly need to plan with others and want to communicate right away. The mix of calendar, chat, and to‑do lists works well for families, couples, and friend groups. The free version already offers plenty, but the ads get in the way. Premium is on the pricey side, especially if you only use the app occasionally. For heavy users who value having everything in one place, it’s a solid choice. For large teams or more complex projects, there are better alternatives.
