Is Skylight Calendar Worth It? | Review & Alternatives For Families

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As a busy parent, you know the struggle of keeping track of everyone’s schedules. Between school events, soccer practices, work meetings, and family gatherings, it can feel like you need a personal assistant just to manage it all. Enter the Skylight Calendar, a digital family calendar designed to simplify your life. But is it the best option for modern families? Let’s dive into a review of the Skylight Calendar and explore some alternatives, including our top pick, OurCal.

What is the Skylight Calendar?

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The Skylight Calendar is a sleek digital display that you can hang on your wall or place on a stand. It syncs with your existing calendars (like Google Calendar) and displays all your events in one place. This 15-inch touchscreen offers a clear and vibrant view of your family’s schedule, helping everyone stay on the same page.

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Features of the Skylight Calendar

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• Syncs with Existing Calendars: Connects with Google, Apple, and Outlook calendars.
• User-Friendly Interface: Touchscreen display with an easy-to-navigate layout.
• Customizable: Personalize with photos and themes to match your home decor.
• Real-Time Updates: Changes made on your synced calendars reflect immediately.
• Reminders and Alerts: Get notifications for upcoming events.

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"... since I’ve propped the Skylight Calendar on my breakfast counter in full view of the family as they eat each morning, we’ve had significantly more success keeping our schedules straight."
Jennifer Pattison Tuohy, The Verge

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Pros and Cons of the Skylight Calendar

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Pros

1. Visually Appealing: The digital display is sleek and modern, fitting nicely into any home.
2. Easy Setup: Quick and simple to connect with existing calendars.
3. Family-Friendly: Large display is easy for all family members to read.

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Cons

1. Limited Features: While it displays your calendar, it doesn’t offer many additional planning tools.
2. Pricey: The tablet is a large investment compared to other options, sitting at $299

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Alternatives to Skylight Calendar

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While the Skylight Calendar is a solid choice, there are other digital family scheduling tools that offer more functionality and flexibility at a fraction of the cost - or ideally, no cost at all. Here are a few alternatives:

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1. OurCal

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OurCal is a free family calendar app designed to cater to the needs of busy parents. It combines powerful features with an intuitive interface and certified privacy protection to ensure that keeping track of your family's schedule is as safe and seamless.

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Features of OurCal:
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• Shared Family Calendar: Easily share calendars as a family making scheduling easy.
• Event Management: Assign events to different family members.
• Auotomatic Reminders: Get reminders for events and important dates.
• Customizable Views: View schedules by day or month, and filter your view.
• Privacy: Your family's data is protected by end-to-end encryption.

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Why OurCal is the Best:
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• Comprehensive Features: More than just a calendar, it includes messaging, reminders, and widgets.
• Affordable: Offers a free version with premium features available at a reasonable price.
• User-Friendly: Easy to download and invite faimly members, with a clean and modern design.
• Always Updated: Built by a team who are constantly releasing new features and improvements.
• Peace of mind: Know your family's schedule is protected from unorthorised access.

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"OurCal has significantly changed our family communication decreasing misunderstandings and missed opportunities. I have struggled to find a way to note our personal/individual and family/group schedules so others would remember. It would get lost in emails and texts. This not only provides a calendar but alerts upcoming events. It is amazing the difference it has made."
Heather, OurCal user

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2. Cozi Family Organizer

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Cozi is another popular option for family calendar apps. It offers a range of features to help manage your family’s busy life.

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Features of Cozi:
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• Shared Calendar: Easily sync and share events with family members.
• Shopping Lists: Keep track of grocery needs.
• To-Do Lists: Manage chores and tasks.
• Journal: Document family memories.

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Pros and Cons of Cozi:
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• Pros: Free version available, comprehensive features, widely used.
• Cons: Ads in the free version, interface can be overwhelming.

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3. Google Calendar

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Google Calendar is a versatile and widely-used calendar app that can be customized for family use.

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Features of Google Calendar:
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• Shared Calendars: Create and share calendars with family members.
• Integration: Syncs with numerous apps and services.
• Accessibility: Available on all devices, easy to use.

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Pros and Cons of Google Calendar:
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• Pros: Free, highly customizable, robust features.
• Cons: Not specifically designed for families, can be complex.

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Our Verdict

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While the Skylight Calendar is a visually appealing and easy-to-use option for keeping your family’s schedule on track, it's a huge investment for most families.

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For families looking for a more accessible solution without sacrificng on features or privacy, OurCal stands out as the best calendar for families.

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It combines powerful features, user-friendly design, and family-friendly free pricing, making it the ultimate family calendar app for modern parents.

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