How to use an Echo Show as a family calendar
"Alexa, what's on tomorrow?"
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Cozi alternatives for UK families, free and paid
Debs · 17 October 2026
The short answer
The main Cozi alternatives are Google Calendar and Apple's shared Family calendar (free, if you'll type everything in), FamilyWall (calendar, lists, messaging and location), Maple (meals, groceries and chores) and Debs (built for UK school families: it reads the school's emails and fills in the dates). Which is best depends on why you're leaving Cozi: the adverts, the price, or because the school stuff still isn't on it.
Cozi has been the family calendar for a lot of households for years: a shared calendar, the shopping list and a recipe box, in colour. People start looking for a Cozi alternative for three reasons. The adverts. The paid upgrade. Or because, however colourful the calendar is, the school dates still have to be typed in, and the person typing them is always the same person.
Why families look for a Cozi alternative
Cozi's free version is supported by adverts, and when we checked in autumn 2026 its free calendar view showed 30 days ahead, with more on Cozi Gold (US$39 a year, US pricing). It's good at what it does. The question is whether what it does is what your family needs. Our full comparison is Debs vs Cozi.
- Adverts in the free version.
- Some features on the paid Gold plan.
- Everything typed in by hand, including school dates.
- Not built around school: no term dates, kit or forms.
A family calendar is only as good as the person who fills it in. Usually, that's one tired parent.
Left: every Cozi alternative gives you a shared calendar. Right: the difference is how much of it you have to type.
The best Cozi alternatives
Free: Google Calendar's shared Family calendar and Apple's shared Family calendar cost nothing and work well if everyone adds their own plans. Family organisers: FamilyWall adds lists, messaging, photos and, on Premium, location sharing; Maple runs the household, with meal planning, groceries and chores, and a free plan.
For school families: Debs is built around UK schools. It knows your school's term dates and INSET days, reads the school's emails and letters, and turns them into dates, kit, forms and a night-before packing list for each child. You can also see Debs's calendar inside Google or Apple Calendar. Our round-up of the best family calendar apps in the UK goes into more detail.
Leaving Cozi for another calendar you have to type into is just changing the colour of the problem.
Moving from Cozi without losing anything
Before you switch, export or note your repeating events (birthdays, clubs, bin day), and check whether you still need Cozi's shopping list and recipes: some families keep Cozi for food and use something else for school, which works fine. If you want the calendar on a screen at home too, see how to use an Echo Show as a family calendar or our Skylight calendar alternatives.
Cozi and its alternatives
Prices as published by each app when we checked in autumn 2026. Some publish US prices; UK app store prices may differ.
| Price | Best for | |
|---|---|---|
| Cozi | Free with ads; Gold US$39 a year | Shopping lists, meals and a shared calendar |
| Google or Apple shared calendar | Free | Families who'll each add their own plans |
| FamilyWall | Free; Premium US$4.99 a month | Family chat, photos and location |
| Maple | Free; Maple+ US$5 a month | Meals, groceries and chores |
| Debs | £3.49 or £5.49 a month; first month free | School: dates, kit and forms, filled in for you |
Mistakes we've all made
- Switching apps and leaving the birthdays behind.
- Moving to a new calendar that only you open, again.
- Paying for a premium plan for one feature you use twice a year.
- Expecting a new app to fix the school side, when it still needs typing in.
The alternative that reads the school emails
Debs, your own school admin assistant, puts the whole family on one calendar: term dates and INSET days for your school, clubs, PE days, trips and the parents' own plans, with each child in their own colour. Debs reads the school's emails and letters so the school side arrives by itself, and each evening it lists what each child needs for tomorrow. Keep Cozi for the shopping if you love it. See the plans.
Questions parents ask
What is the best alternative to Cozi?
For a free shared calendar, Google Calendar or Apple's shared calendar. For a family organiser, FamilyWall or Maple. For school families, Debs reads the school's emails and fills in the school dates.
Is there a free alternative to Cozi?
Yes. Google Calendar's family calendar and Apple's shared Family calendar are free, and FamilyWall and Maple have free plans.
Is Cozi free?
Cozi has a free version with adverts. Cozi Gold, its paid plan, was US$39 a year when we checked in autumn 2026.
Can I use Cozi and Debs together?
Yes. Many families keep Cozi for shopping lists and meals and use Debs for school, which reads the school's emails and puts the dates on the family calendar.
Which family calendar adds school dates automatically?
Debs adds your school's term dates and INSET days, read from the school's website, and the dates from the school's emails. Most family calendars need them typed in.