TimeTree vs Cozi (2026): Which Family Calendar Wins?

TimeTree vs Cozi, in one line: TimeTree is a clean, free-first shared calendar with per-event chat; Cozi is a fuller manual family hub — calendar, lists, meal planner, and recipe box. Both are worth the money (there isn't much to spend). This is an honest side-by-side — and because we make a third, AI-driven option, we've said plainly where each of these wins first.

People pit these two against each other constantly, but they're solving slightly different problems. TimeTree asks, "Where can we share the schedule cleanly?" Cozi asks, "Where can the whole household live — calendar, groceries, meals, chores?" Below: what each is, a real feature-by-feature table with 2026 prices, who should pick which, and — disclosed up front — where an AI family butler like Kinmory fits for the parent who's tired of typing it all in.

Quick answer: TimeTree or Cozi?

For most families with kids, Cozi is the better single choice because it bundles the calendar with grocery/to-do lists, meal planning, and a recipe box on a permanent free tier. TimeTree is the better pick for couples or small families who want a cleaner, more modern shared calendar — its standout is unlimited shared calendars and a comment thread inside each event ("who's doing the 4pm pickup?"). Both have real free tiers with ads; paid, TimeTree Premium is $4.49/mo and Cozi Gold is $39/yr (checked July 2026). Neither has AI at its core — Cozi only adds automation on its priciest $79/yr Max tier.

What each one is

TimeTree vs Cozi vs Kinmory: side-by-side

TimeTree — for the couple who wants clean and free

TimeTree is the app to beat if a shared calendar is all you actually need. Its free tier is genuinely capable — unlimited shared calendars, event chat, reminders, and Google Calendar sync, with ads and a few limits (file size, search history). Premium removes ads and adds file attachments, a vertical hour-by-hour day view, and event pinning for $4.49/mo or $44.99/yr, with the first month free (per TimeTree's own pricing page, checked July 2026).

Who should skip TimeTree: families who want grocery lists, meal planning, and chore tracking living in the same place as the calendar — that's Cozi's turf, not TimeTree's.

Cozi — for the family that wants everything in one place

Cozi is the most complete manual organizer of the three. The permanent free tier (with ads) includes the shared calendar, shared grocery and to-do lists, and recipes; Gold at $39/yr removes ads and adds month view on mobile, calendar search, up to three reminders per event, birthday tracking, and priority support. New in 2026, Cozi Max at $79/yr layers on AI — AI Event Import (turns emails into events), an AI Recipe Creator, and an AI Meal Planner (per Cozi's own compare-plans page, checked July 2026).

Who should skip Cozi: couples who want a minimal, modern calendar (TimeTree fits better), or parents who want automation to be the default rather than a $79/yr add-on.

Where Kinmory fits (disclosed: it's our app)

Both TimeTree and Cozi ask you to be the engine — you notice the school email, you type the event, you build the meal plan. Kinmory is an AI family butler built around removing that step: connect or forward your inbox and it reads school and activity emails straight onto the calendar, it plans meals from a photo, URL, or prompt and builds the grocery list, it assigns chores with kids' points, and it gives a spoken morning briefing of what matters today. It runs on your phone and on any tablet you already own, so the "wall calendar" needs no dedicated hardware. Pricing is Plus at $6.99/mo or Group at $16.99/mo for up to eight (a free tier covers one member with no AI).

Disclosure: Kinmory is our own app, so weigh this section accordingly. If your honest problem is "we just need to see a shared schedule," TimeTree's free tier or Cozi is the better, cheaper answer, and we'd rather you land there than pay for automation you won't use. Kinmory earns its price only if the mental load — the remembering, the retyping, the planning — is the part wearing you out. See our broader comparison of the best family calendar apps, our honest guide to Cozi alternatives, and the deeper Cozi vs Kinmory breakdown.

How to choose (by scenario)

• You want free and clean, just a shared calendar → TimeTree. The free tier does everything a couple or small family needs.
• You want one manual app for calendar + lists + meals, cheaply → Cozi (free, or Gold at $39/yr for ad-free).
• You want email-to-calendar and meal-planning AI but don't want to leave Cozi → Cozi Max at $79/yr.
• The mental load is the real problem — you want the calendar to fill itself, the meals planned, and a morning briefing, on a tablet you already own → an AI-first option like Kinmory.

Frequently asked questions

TimeTree vs Cozi — which is better for families?

For families with kids, Cozi is usually the better single app because it bundles the shared calendar with grocery/to-do lists, meal planning, and recipes. TimeTree is better for couples or small families who want a cleaner, calendar-only app with a comment thread on each event. Both have real, ad-supported free tiers.

Is TimeTree or Cozi free?

Both have genuine free tiers with ads. TimeTree's free plan is fully functional — unlimited shared calendars, event chat, reminders, and Google Calendar sync. Cozi's free plan includes the shared calendar, shared lists, and recipes. Paid, TimeTree Premium is $4.49/mo (or $44.99/yr) and Cozi Gold is $39/yr (checked July 2026).

Does TimeTree or Cozi have AI?

TimeTree has no AI. Cozi added AI only on its top Max tier ($79/yr) — AI Event Import from email, an AI Recipe Creator, and an AI Meal Planner. If you want AI to be the default rather than a paid add-on, a dedicated AI app such as Kinmory is built around it.

Can TimeTree or Cozi read school emails onto the calendar?

TimeTree cannot. Cozi can on its Max tier ($79/yr) via AI Event Import, which turns forwarded emails into events. Kinmory does this by connecting or forwarding your inbox, so school and activity emails land on the calendar automatically.

What's the cheapest family calendar app — TimeTree or Cozi?

Both have free tiers, so the cheapest option is free either way. For an ad-free paid plan, Cozi Gold is $39/yr and TimeTree Premium is $44.99/yr — close, with Cozi slightly cheaper and TimeTree offering more calendar polish for the couple of extra dollars.

Written by the Kinmory Team. Prices checked July 2026 from each vendor's own pricing page; they change, so confirm current rates before subscribing. Kinmory is our own app — we've kept this comparison even-handed and said plainly where TimeTree and Cozi win first.