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The best time blocking apps in 2026

Compare how each app places tasks, how much control you keep, and what you pay. Several combine automatic scheduling with manual controls.

Quick comparison (prices verified June 2026)
AppAuto-schedules?Free planFrom
ClaroCalYes14-day trial$6/mo
MotionYesNo$19/seat/mo annual
SunsamaAuto-schedules selected tasksNo$17/mo annual
AkiflowAI-assisted schedulingNo$19/mo annual
Reclaim.aiPartlyYes$10/user/mo
TickTickNoYes$4.17/mo annual
Trevor AISuggestsYesLow

What separates a good time blocking app from a calendar

Any calendar lets you drag a block onto a Tuesday. A time blocking app earns the name by helping you decide what goes where, and by fixing the plan when your day inevitably moves. The big divide is whether the app schedules for you or just gives you a nicer surface to schedule on.

We’ve split the list with that in mind. Prices were checked in June 2026; always confirm on each app’s site before you buy.

1. ClaroCal: best for automatic planning without the price tag

ClaroCal connects to Google Calendar, takes your task list, and drafts the day around your existing meetings. You open it to a today view and adjust, rather than building the plan from scratch.

Plans start at $6 a month with a 14-day free trial, and the Plus plan tightens sync to every 15 minutes. It doesn’t do project management, and it’s built around Google Calendar. For one person who wants a realistic plan without a setup ritual, that focus is the point.

If you’re one person who wants a realistic plan without a setup ritual, start here. It’s free to try; the numbers are on the pricing page.

2. Motion: best if you want planning and project management in one

Motion auto-schedules tasks and bundles in real project management and meeting booking. It’s powerful and it’s priced like team software, starting at $19 per seat per month billed annually. Expect to spend a session learning it.

Worth it if a whole team will live in it; overkill for one person. We dig into that trade in the Motion alternative writeup.

3. Sunsama: best for a calm, deliberate daily ritual

Sunsama combines a guided planning ritual with auto-scheduling for selected tasks and automatic rescheduling settings. Its Pro card lists $22/month or $17/month billed annually, with a 14-day trial.

Pick it if the ritual is the point and you’ll keep the habit. If you’d rather skip the daily sit-down, the Sunsama alternative comparison lays out why.

4. Akiflow: best for fast keyboard-driven capture

Akiflow combines task-source integrations, keyboard capture, and automatic time blocking with Aki. Its current Pro offer is $34/month or a promotional $19/month billed annually, with a 7-day trial.

It’s the right call for keyboard-driven power users who want one inbox for everything. Casual planners will find it heavy.

5. Reclaim.ai: best for defending focus time at work

Reclaim sits on your Google Calendar and defends time for habits and tasks. It’s strong in a Google Workspace team setting. There’s a free Lite tier, with paid plans from $10 per user per month.

Reach for it when the real problem is meetings eating your week, not a messy task list.

6. TickTick: best budget all-rounder

TickTick is a to-do app with a calendar view, habits, and a Pomodoro timer. It won’t auto-build your day, but it’s cheap and does a lot. Good calendar view, not a true planner.

Good value if you want tasks, habits, and a calendar view together for a few dollars, and you don’t mind doing the scheduling yourself.

7. Trevor AI: best lightweight time blocker

Trevor is drag-and-drop time blocking with AI suggestions, synced to your calendar. Lighter than the others here, with a free tier and a cheap Pro plan.

A gentle, cheap on-ramp if you just want to try time blocking without committing to a heavier tool.

Akiflow scheduling and prices were checked against its product page and pricing page on September 14, 2026.

Sunsama scheduling was checked against its auto-scheduling guide. Its Pro pricing card and FAQ currently show different prices; see our Sunsama pricing notes.

The verdict

There's no single best app, only the best one for how you work. If you want the plan built for you and you're not running a team, start with ClaroCal because it's free to try and there's nothing to learn. If you want project management welded on, look at Motion. If you want a guided planning ritual, Sunsama.

Frequently asked questions

What's the best free time blocking app?

TickTick has a usable free plan for tasks and basic calendar access; full calendar views require Premium, and Reclaim's free Lite tier is good if your main issue is protecting focus time at work. ClaroCal isn't free, but its 14-day free trial auto-drafts your day with Google Calendar sync, so you can test auto-scheduling at no cost.

Do I need an app that auto-schedules, or one I control by hand?

If your day shifts constantly and you waste time re-planning, an auto-scheduler like ClaroCal or Motion saves the most effort. If you value a slow, deliberate planning ritual, a guided workflow like Sunsama or an integrated workspace like Akiflow may fit; both also offer scheduling automation.

What's the cheapest way to start time blocking?

A trial. ClaroCal's 14-day free trial and a Google Calendar account cost nothing up front and will tell you within a week whether automatic planning suits you.

Plan your actual day, right here

No account, nothing to install. Paste a real list and watch this page schedule it, using the same code the product runs.

This runs entirely in your browser. Nothing you type here leaves it unless you press Keep this day.

The striped blocks are a sample day, not your calendar.
Get started today

Ready to clear your mind?

Connect Google Calendar (and iCloud, if you use it), add your tasks, and let Claro draft your day. Every plan starts with a 14-day free trial.

Every trial runs at Power 14-day free trial Cancel anytime

Last reviewed June 2026.