# Cron Published January 1, 2026 · Updated August 10, 2026 Next-generation calendar app for professionals with powerful scheduling and team features. Category: Productivity · Paid · [Official website](https://cron.com) ## Install with Homebrew `brew install --cask cron` ## Quick take Pick Notion Calendar when free speed and Notion ties matter most. The former Cron client is still one of the strongest free professional calendars on Mac in August 2026: keyboard-led, scheduling links included, and actively updated. Choose Fantastical or BusyCal if you want paid Apple polish and never open Notion. The app is not gone, just renamed. Best for: Notion users, People who want free scheduling links, Keyboard-first professionals ## What is Cron (Notion Calendar)? Cron started as a design-led calendar for professionals. Notion bought Cron in 2022 and renamed it Notion Calendar in January 2024. In August 2026 that product is still alive and current. It is a free calendar with tight Notion ties, multi-calendar overlays, scheduling links, and a keyboard-first palette. People still search "Cron calendar" out of habit, but the download and store pages ship as Notion Calendar. The Google Play package still carries a cron identifier in places, which is why older bookmarks and blog screenshots still look familiar even after the rename. Notion Calendar connects Google Calendar, Outlook, and iCloud calendars. It ships Mac, Windows, and web clients with iOS and Android apps. It stays free with no paid calendar SKU. That free stance pulls you toward the wider Notion workspace where AI Agents and advanced tools sit on paid Notion plans. You do not need a paid Notion plan to use core calendar features such as multi-calendar sync, booking links, or the command palette. On Mac use Homebrew with `brew install --cask notion-calendar` or grab the build from Notion. The app tracks current macOS and Apple Silicon and present-day Tahoe 26.x builds. Rivals include Apple Calendar and Google Calendar plus Fantastical, BusyCal, Morgen, and AI schedulers. Notion Calendar still leads for people who want speed, a command palette, and scheduling links that spare a separate Calendly bill, plus linkage to Notion pages for agendas and time blocking. For Macs in August 2026, prefer the official download or cask, work through Privacy and Security prompts, and retest global shortcuts after a Tahoe 26.x update. On Apple Silicon use the current universal or arm64 build. Keep a backup habit even when free tools feel safe; ownership of schedule data outlasts any single UI. Before you commit to an alternative, run a one-week pilot with real meetings rather than a twenty-minute tour. If your team already lives in Notion docs, the calendar's page and database links are the reason to stay. If you want deep Apple-native polish and never open Notion, Fantastical or BusyCal will feel more at home. ## Features - **Command palette (⌘K).** Open the palette to create events, jump dates, and trigger actions without hunting menus. Natural phrases like "lunch with Sam tomorrow 1pm" still work as a fast path. Power users treat the palette as the main surface and barely touch the toolbar once muscle memory lands. - **Notion workspace integration.** Attach events to Notion pages and bring databases into time blocking. Agendas stay linked to the meeting that owns them, which is the main reason Notion-heavy teams stick with this client over Apple Calendar alone. Templates for 1:1s and interviews keep notes in the right database. - **Scheduling links.** Share a booking link that respects availability windows, buffers, and conflicts across calendars. For many individuals this covers basic booking needs without a separate paid scheduler such as Calendly. Complex round-robin enterprise routing may still need a dedicated tool. - **Multi-calendar overlay.** Layer Google, Outlook, and iCloud calendars with colors and toggles so work and personal do not double-book. Reflect holds across calendars when privacy settings allow, so external bookers see true availability instead of an empty work calendar that ignores personal blocks. - **Time zone tools.** Show a second zone and use travel views to find overlap without mental math when the team is spread out. Enable secondary zones a week before a trip and book a test event so invite display looks right for attendees. - **Focus and time blocking.** Guard deep work with focus views and drag tasks from Notion onto the calendar to shape the day. Pair this with honest working hours so scheduling links do not offer slots you never intended to take. - **Cross-platform clients.** Mac, Windows, and web stay in sync with iOS and Android. Mobile reviews in 2026 still note occasional sync and login quirks, so keep the app updated and file bugs with macOS build, hardware, install channel, and repro steps when something sticks. - **Menu bar meeting join.** Join the next call from the menu bar without digging through the full calendar in the middle of focus. After a restart, confirm the icon still appears and add login items if it went missing. ## How to Install Notion Calendar on Mac Notion Calendar installs as a standalone Mac app. A Notion account helps for integration, and Google, Outlook, or iCloud supplies the actual event data. Pick one install channel (Homebrew cask or direct download) and stick with it across machines so versions do not drift. 1. **Install.** Run `brew install --cask notion-calendar` or download from notion.com/product/calendar. 2. **Sign in and connect calendars.** Authenticate, then connect Google, Outlook, and/or iCloud calendars you need mirrored. Start with the calendars that actually affect availability, not every shared team calendar you can see. 3. **Configure hours and hotkeys.** Set working hours, default event duration, time zones, and the global open shortcut. Enable the menu bar icon for one-click join on back-to-back days. ## Pros - Completely free full-featured calendar client with no paid calendar SKU - Excellent keyboard-driven UX and command palette for fast event creation - Scheduling links without a separate Calendly subscription for many use cases - First-class Notion page and database linkage for agendas and time blocking - Cross-platform clients including solid Mac and mobile apps ## Cons - Brand confusion: people still search "Cron" after the January 2024 rename - Deepest value assumes you also live in Notion for notes and templates - Power users of Fantastical/BusyCal may miss niche Mac-only power features - Free product means roadmap priorities follow Notion's platform strategy ## Closer look at Notion Calendar (formerly Cron) Notion Calendar still matters because it marries a fast calendar with Notion's workspace. Evaluate it on three practical tests. First, does the command palette speed your day more than Apple Calendar's menus? Second, do free scheduling links cover the bookings you used to push to Calendly? Third, do linked Notion pages actually show up in how you run meetings, or is the integration a nice idea you never use? If you answer yes on two of three, the free client is hard to beat. If you never open Notion and care most about Apple ecosystem polish, a paid specialist will feel better. Check recent update notes and mobile store freshness before you decide; the product remains listed and updated across desktop and mobile stores in 2026. ## FAQ ### Is Cron still a separate app? No. Cron was rebranded to Notion Calendar in January 2024 after Notion's 2022 acquisition. Use Notion Calendar downloads and accounts. Older cron.com bookmarks typically redirect into the Notion Calendar product surface. ### Is Notion Calendar free? Yes. Core calendar features including scheduling links are free. There is no paid Notion Calendar SKU. Paid Notion plans unlock broader workspace AI and advanced Notion features, not a separate calendar license. ### Which calendars can I connect? Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple iCloud-synced calendars are supported per Notion's product documentation. Connect the calendars that affect availability first, then add more only if you need them visible. ### Does it work on macOS Tahoe and Apple Silicon? Yes. Modern Mac builds support current macOS and Apple Silicon. Install updates through the app or Homebrew (`brew install --cask notion-calendar`). Retest global shortcuts after a major OS upgrade. ### Can it replace Calendly? For many individuals, yes. Scheduling links cover common booking needs with availability windows and buffers. Complex round-robin enterprise routing may still need dedicated schedulers. ### Do I need a Notion subscription? Not for basic calendar use. A Notion account improves integration; paid Notion tiers matter when you want full workspace AI and advanced Notion features. Core multi-calendar sync and booking links do not require a paid plan. ### Where do I download it? notion.com/product/calendar or `brew install --cask notion-calendar` on Mac. Prefer one channel per team so versions stay aligned. ## Sources - [Introducing Notion Calendar](https://www.notion.com/blog/introducing-notion-calendar) - [Notion Calendar product page](https://www.notion.com/product/calendar) - [The Verge on Notion Calendar launch](https://www.theverge.com/2024/1/17/24041330/notion-calendar-app) - [Notion Calendar on Google Play](https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.cron.calendar&hl=en_US) - [Notion Calendar review 2026](https://efficient.app/apps/notion-calendar) - [Notion pricing (workspace plans)](https://www.notion.com/pricing) ## Related - [Raycast](https://bundl.run/apps/raycast) - [Notion](https://bundl.run/apps/notion) - [Obsidian](https://bundl.run/apps/obsidian) - [Loom](https://bundl.run/apps/loom) - [Linear](https://bundl.run/apps/linear-linear) - [Grammarly](https://bundl.run/apps/grammarly-desktop) - [Cron vs Fantastical](https://bundl.run/compare/cron-vs-fantastical) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://bundl.run/#organization", "name": "Bundl.run", "url": "https://bundl.run", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://bundl.run/og-image.png", "width": 1200, "height": 630 }, "description": "The Ninite for Mac. 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