Cozi vs Proton Calendar
Choosing between Cozi and Proton Calendar means prioritizing purpose. Cozi is the shared hub for busy family logistics and coordination. Proton Calendar ensures ironclad privacy and data security first. Which calendar fits your top priority?
Functional Organizer, Questionable Practices
We note that Cozi offers powerful shared calendar and list management tools essential for busy families. However, we must strongly caution potential users regarding recent, highly aggressive changes to the free subscription model which severely restrict core functionality without clear warning. Overall, the company's recent actions concerning customer data access and forced upgrades undermine the positive utility of the app.
Pros
- Centralized family scheduling and coordination.
- Effective sharing of lists (grocery, to-do, recipes).
- Intuitive color-coding for activity clarity.
- Generally praised for ease of use prior to recent feature limits.
Cons
- Free version is now severely limited to a 30-day window.
- Sudden pricing changes implemented with little customer notice.
- Users feel pressured to pay to access existing future appointments.
- Reports of glitchy performance on platforms like the Windows app.
Top-tier privacy meets patchy service.
Proton Calendar offers world-class, end-to-end event encryption protected by strict Swiss privacy laws. We respect the focus on security and the free availability of basic tools for all users. Overall, we rate this product highly for privacy, but urge caution due to widespread user reports of poor customer service and slow responsiveness within the larger Proton ecosystem.
Pros
- Event details are secured using zero-knowledge, end-to-end encryption.
- Protected by strict Swiss privacy regulations and neutrality.
- Free version is available, ensuring privacy tools are accessible to everyone.
- Seamlessly integrates with the secured Proton Mail service.
Cons
- Widespread complaints regarding slow and unresponsive customer support.
- Issues reported with subscription management and refund processing delays.
- Users report specific performance issues, including sluggishness and slow processing.
- Lack of support for native Linux desktop clients is cited as a significant drawback.
AboutCozi
Cozi is designed specifically as a trusted digital tool for busy families. It solves the headache of coordinating multiple schedules and maintaining household organization. Shared households and parents use it to centralize calendars, appointments, and general logistics. The app pulls together everything you manage—from school events to dentist visits—into a single hub. ✅ You can access your unified family plan conveniently on any mobile device or computer. It has even been named a must-have app by the TODAY show.
AboutProton Calendar
Proton Calendar is designed to keep your personal scheduling private and secure. It offers the full functionality you expect from a modern digital calendar combined with robust protections. Proton is incorporated and based in Switzerland.
This means strict Swiss privacy laws protect all user data, backed by Swiss neutrality. 💡 Proton offers an easy-to-use alternative to Big Tech services, ensuring your data is protected, not exploited.
Highlights
Feature Comparison
Features Overview
We highlight the main differences and pick a winner for each feature.
Security & Privacy Focus
Proton Calendar uses automatic encryption for all data. Cozi focuses on convenience and shared family access.
Cozi is concerned with coordinating family logistics and is popular among parents. Proton Calendar uses automatic end-to-end encryption for every event detail. This shields sensitive titles, locations, and descriptions completely. The key trade-off is open family sharing versus ultra-high security. Proton Calendar is further secured by strict Swiss privacy laws. If your schedule contains sensitive professional or medical details, Proton Calendar provides necessary protection. Proton Calendar is the clear choice for security-first users.
Target Audience/Use Case
Cozi is designed for family coordination tasks. Proton Calendar serves privacy-conscious individuals and teams.
Cozi easily manages complex activity schedules for every family member. It centralizes school events and practice times reliably. Proton Calendar suits users needing up to 25 separate personal calendars for organization. It integrates the calendar with a secure email system. Cozi handles tasks beyond scheduling, like sharing recipes and creating grocery lists. Proton Calendar is focused strictly on robust calendar function. Pick Cozi if comprehensive household management is your priority; choose Proton Calendar for security-focused organization.
Household List Sharing
Cozi excels at shared household logistics and lists. Proton Calendar only provides calendar functionality.
Cozi offers comprehensive household sharing for grocery lists, to-dos, and family recipes. Cozi Gold users benefit from an Advanced Shopping Mode that sorts checked items automatically. Proton Calendar does not offer integrated to-do or grocery lists alongside the calendar feature. If you need a single app for both scheduling and running errands, Cozi is superior. Cozi makes managing those daily family tasks much simpler.
Pricing Model & Value
Cozi hides premium pricing information. Proton Calendar is transparent and bundles other security tools.
The price for Cozi Gold is not publicly stated, which prevents easy comparison shopping. Cozi’s free version recently became highly restrictive, limiting available future data. Proton Calendar pricing is transparent, starting free and clearly detailing paid tiers up to $14.99 per month. Proton Unlimited includes a VPN, password manager, and 500 GB storage alongside the calendar service. Proton Calendar offers much clearer, more predictable value and powerful bundled security features.
Customer Sentiment/Trust
Cozi users report recent hostile changes upsetting long-term trust. Proton Calendar users cite frustratingly slow support.
Cozi reviews show severe user frustration over forced upgrades and loss of historical data access. The changes were implemented with poor communication to long-time users. Proton Calendar users praise the product's security but widely complain about unresponsive customer technical support. Cozi's issues relate to business ethics and destroying customer loyalty overnight. While both have pain points, Cozi's recent actions critically damaged user trust regarding basic data access.
Calendar Organization/Flexibility
Proton Calendar allows extensive separation with 25+ calendars. Cozi uses one unified, shared family view.
Cozi’s primary tool is the Unified Color-Coded Family Calendar for shared use. All family events are managed within this single view. Paid Proton Calendar plans allow creating up to 25 separate personal calendars for extreme organization. Cozi Gold offers functional features like Calendar Search and multiple reminders per appointment. For managing diverse separate commitments (work, hobbies, family), Proton Calendar provides superior flexibility for partitioning your life.
Integration and Ecosystem
Proton Calendar is part of a secure ecosystem. Cozi operates as a functional standalone family tool.
Proton Calendar integrates seamlessly with Proton Mail for event invites right from the inbox. Cozi's documentation does not detail external third-party calendar integrations or syncing capabilities. Proton Unlimited bundles a secure VPN and encrypted cloud storage into the core service. If you need an interconnected set of secure digital tools, the Proton ecosystem is the clear choice.
Mobile Experience
Viewing the full month on Cozi mobile requires a paid subscription. This is standard in Proton Calendar.
Cozi Free limits mobile users severely by restricting their ability to see the Month View. Upgrading to Cozi Gold unlocks the full Month View on mobile with swipe and zoom functionality. Proton Calendar provides standard, full functionality on mobile devices across all plans, including the free tier. Users primarily managing their schedule on phone should note Cozi gates this basic feature. Proton Calendar provides better out-of-the-box mobile functionality.
Our Verdict
If you are torn, the choice between Cozi and Proton Calendar is simple. It hinges completely on whether you prioritize family collaboration or digital privacy. Both tools are highly specialized with distinct, different core purposes. Cozi is the undisputed champion of family organization and shared logistics. It effortlessly handles complex schedules using color-coding for instant clarity. Cozi seamlessly blends scheduling with shared necessities like your grocery and recipe lists. It works best as a centralized, intuitive shared family hub. Proton Calendar's superpower is its ironclad security and privacy protections. Every calendar entry is secured using automatic end-to-end encryption. It is perfect for securing sensitive professional, medical, or personal appointment data. Proton Calendar bundles the calendar with tools like a VPN within the secure Proton ecosystem. The ultimate deciding factor is how much you value trust and comprehensive security. While Cozi delivers ease, its recent poor communication regarding pricing eroded user transparency. Proton Calendar offers superior, predictable pricing and robust features like 25 separate calendars. Choose Cozi if your main concern is simple, fluid family coordination management. Go with Proton Calendar if you need world-class encryption protected by Swiss privacy laws. Your calendar data deserves to be secure, and Proton Calendar confidently delivers on this promise.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which tool is better for managing my household grocery list?
Cozi is explicitly designed for shared household organization and lists. It includes grocery lists, to-dos, and recipes alongside the calendar. Proton Calendar does not offer any built-in list management features.
Does Cozi offer the same level of security and encryption as Proton Calendar?
No. Proton Calendar offers industry-leading automatic end-to-end encryption for all event data. Cozi does not offer this high level of security standard for your scheduled events.
Can I use the free version of Cozi and Proton Calendar indefinitely?
Yes, but the free plans differ dramatically in utility. Cozi's Free version now restricts access to appointments older than 30 days. Proton Calendar offers a functional Free plan with one calendar and no artificial data restrictions.
Which app is best if I need multiple separate calendars for work and home?
Proton Calendar is much better suited for this need. Paid Proton Calendar plans let users efficiently manage up to 25 separate personal calendars. Cozi focuses primarily on creating one unified family calendar.
Is Proton Calendar worth the extra cost over Cozi Free?
If privacy is critical, Proton Calendar is worth it, even the free base plan. Proton paid plans include a VPN, password manager, and storage, adding significant value for only a few dollars more than Cozi Gold (estimate).
Why did Cozi receive such low recent customer ratings?
Recent changes to Cozi’s free plan severely restrict accessing historical data past 30 days. Many users felt forced to pay for Cozi Gold to view years of previously booked appointments.
Ready to Choose?
Both tools have their strengths. Choose based on your specific needs.