I Tested the Best Skylight Calendar Alternatives to Help You Stay on Track
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Like many busy families, we started with a traditional wall calendar mounted in our kitchen. After trying to coordinate everyone’s busy schedule with a paper calendar became overwhelming, I began testing the Skylight Calendar, a smart touchscreen display that promised to turn the calendar into a digital command center.
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Best for Family Organization
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Best for Smart Home
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Best Visual
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Our Rating:
4.2
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Our Rating:
4.0
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Our Rating:
3.8
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Pros:
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From USD 599
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$399.99
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$899.99
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- Created by Moms
- Syncs with All Calendars
- Easily create routines + Events
- Sleep + Privacy mode
- Real Time updates
- Companion App
- 21' Screen
- Syncs with Alexa
- Smart Kitchen TV
- Touchscreen
- Home Control Centre
- 32' Screen
- Wall Mount Extension
- Portrait + Landscape
- Customizable Dashboard
Finding the Perfect Digital Family Calendar: My Journey Beyond Skylight Calendar
After six months of using the Skylight Calendar to manage my family’s busy schedule, I decided to explore other options in the digital space. While Skylight offered a solid foundation for family organization, I wanted to see if other solutions could better meet our evolving needs.
Over the past three months, I’ve tested several alternatives, from dedicated digital wall calendars to free mobile apps, and I’m excited to share my hands-on experiences to help you choose the best solution for your family.
My Experience with Skylight Calendar: The Starting Point
Before diving into the alternatives, let me share why I initially chose the Skylight Calendar. As a family of five with three kids in different activities, our family schedule looked like a complicated work of art with multiple colors and sticky notes everywhere.
The Skylight Calendar is a smart digital standing calendar that promised to integrate with popular online calendar services such as Google Calendar and Apple Calendar. Testing the Skylight Calendar showed it could help access everything in one place, and it delivered on many fronts:
Pros:
- Easy calendar sync with Google and more
- Clean, visible display
- Simple touchscreen interface
- Useful sleep mode for nighttime
- Magic import feature for easy setup
Cons:
- Limited customization options in the Skylight app
- Basic to-do list functionality with the standard plan
- Minimal chore chart features without Skylight Plus
- Restricted meal planning capabilities
- Premium price point may earn hesitation from some users
The Skylight Calendar also functions as a digital picture frame when not in use, making it an ideal addition to any room. However, some customer reviews mention that the screen goes to sleep at the same time regardless of your schedule, which might not suit all families.
While these limitations weren’t deal-breakers, they made me wonder if other options could offer more comprehensive features for our family’s needs.
Ideal for families, couples, and individuals who want a calendar that's always visible and easy to use, this product offers seamless setup and online calendar synchronization. Whether you hang it on the wall or place it on a shelf, it’s designed for everyone to effortlessly stay on top of their schedules.
Hearth Display: The Family Command Center
After the Skylight Calendar, I spent three weeks testing the Hearth Display, which markets itself as more than just a calendar – it’s a complete family command center.
Three Weeks with Hearth Display
What immediately stood out about Hearth Display was its focus on comprehensive family management:
Calendar and Schedule Features:
- Beautiful, intuitive calendar interface
- Family member color coding
- Easy drag-and-drop scheduling
- Visual timeline view
- Smart schedule suggestions
Standout Family Features:
- Built-in chore chart system
- Family member profiles
- Routine builder
- Behavior and reward tracking
The touchscreen experience was notably superior to other options I tested, with smooth animations and responsive controls. The interface felt more like a high-end tablet than a traditional digital calendar.
Mobile Integration: Hearth’s mobile app was particularly impressive, offering full functionality rather than just basic syncing. I could manage chores, update the meal plan, and adjust schedules from anywhere.
Price Point: Higher initial investment at $699, but no mandatory subscription fees.
The Hearth Display is my top recommendation for busy families. Its powerful app and hearth helper make it a breeze for me and my family to stay on track and get all our jobs and the kids chores done on time.
The Echo 21 Show Experience
Next, I tested the Echo Show 21, which offered a different approach to family organization.
Three Weeks with Echo Show
The Echo Show brought smart home integration to our family schedule setup, which opened up new possibilities:
Calendar Features:
- Voice-controlled calendar management through Amazon Echo Show
- Multiple calendar views to display your schedule how you prefer
- Easy appointment creation for upcoming events
- Visual and audio reminders with smart home integration
- Ability to check the calendar from anywhere using the app on my phone
Additional Benefits:
- Built-in Alexa functionality
- 21′ Kitchen TV
- Video calling capabilities
- Kitchen timer and recipe display
- Music and video streaming
- Digital photo frame mode
The touchscreen responsiveness wasn’t quite as smooth as Skylight’s, but the voice control feature made up for it. Being able to say, “Alexa, add soccer practice to Thursday at 4 PM” while cooking dinner was a game-changer.
Mobile App Integration: The Alexa app served as a mobile companion, allowing us to manage our schedule and to-do lists from anywhere. This proved more convenient than Skylight’s limited mobile options.
The Echo Show 21 is the latest and largest smart display which features a 21" Full-HD screen, perfect for organizing your family's schedule, streaming entertainment, and making video calls that feel natural with a 13MP auto-framing camera. Smart home controls put everything you need at your fingertips. Turn it into a digital photo frame when not in use, and rest easy with built-in privacy features.
DAKboard: The Customization Champion
After using the Echo Show, I tried DAKboard, and the difference in customization options was immediately apparent. The DAKboard screen, which can be mounted to the wall or placed on a stand, offers many features that help busy families see who needs to be where and when.
My Two-Week Test Drive
Setting up DAKboard was more technical than Skylight, but the flexibility it offered was worth the initial learning curve. I particularly appreciated:
Calendar Integration:
- Seamless Google Calendar sync
- Support for multiple calendar colors
- Custom calendar views and layouts
- Integration with various third-party calendars
Unique Features:
- Highly customizable display layouts
- Advanced weather widgets
- News feed integration
- Photo slideshow capabilities
- Robust meal planning section
What truly impressed me was DAKboard’s ability to create different screens for different times of day. During breakfast, it would show our daily schedule and weather, while after school, it switched to display homework assignments and chore charts.
Price Point: Starting at $5/month for premium features, it’s more affordable than Skylight.
Cozyla: The Minimalist Approach
Next in my testing journey was Cozyla, which offers a refreshingly streamlined approach to family organization.
Two Weeks with Cozyla
Cozyla impressed me with its ergonomically designed rotating wall mount extension that pivots effortlessly between portrait and landscape orientations, catering to everyone’s viewing preferences and its focus on essential features:
Core Functionality:
- Clear calendar display
- Simple chore management
- Basic meal planning
- Weather updates
- Family messaging
Notable Features:
- Energy-efficient display
- Customizable widgets
- Photo sharing capabilities
- Quick-add tasks
- Family announcements
While less feature-rich than Hearth Display, Cozyla’s simplicity made it incredibly easy for every family member to use, including our youngest.
Price Consideration: High-end at $399 with optional premium features.
My Experience with the Cozyla Smart Family Calendar
Using the Cozyla Digital Family Calendar has truly transformed how my family stays organized and connected. This smart touchscreen platform brings all our calendar apps together, making scheduling and sharing information a breeze for everyone in the household.
What I love most about the Cozyla calendar is its thoughtful design that includes a rotating wall mount extension. This feature allows us to switch effortlessly between portrait and landscape views, catering to each family member’s preferences. The touchscreen navigation is smooth and intuitive, giving us control over our digital tasks with ease.
The high-quality display of the touchscreen, with its Full HD resolution and responsive IPS LCD screen, coupled with the powerful RK3588 octa-core CPU, ensures that every task runs swiftly and smoothly.
Additionally, the wireless connectivity options like Wi-Fi and Bluetooth have made syncing the calendar across all our devices simple and hassle-free. This feature keeps us all in the loop about our schedules and responsibilities, enhancing our overall organization.
Color coding activities for each family member has been a game-changer in tracking everyone’s commitments effectively. Each person having a unique color makes it easy to see who needs to be where and when, simplifying our planning process.
The peace of mind offered by Cozyla’s easy return policy and the absence of subscription fees have added to my satisfaction with this product. Knowing that I can easily return it if needed within 30 days of delivery is reassuring.
Google Calendar: The Digital Backbone
Through testing various devices, I realized that Google Calendar served as the foundation for most digital calendar solutions.
Why Google Calendar Matters
No matter which display option you choose, having a well-organized Google Calendar makes everything else work better. Here’s what I learned:
Essential Features:
- Color-coding for different family members
- Shared calendars for various activities
- Recurring event management
- Location integration
- Cross-platform availability
Best Practices I Discovered:
- Create separate schedules for each family member
- Use a dedicated calendar for meal planning
- Set up a shared family calendar for common events
- Utilize description fields for important details
- Take advantage of notification settings
The Ultimate Family Organization Setup
After testing multiple solutions, I found that combining different tools created the most effective system for our family.
My Recommended Configuration
Primary Display: DAKboard
- Mounted in the kitchen
- Customized layout showing:
- Family calendar
- Weather
- Chore chart
- Meal plan
- To-do lists
Mobile Access: Google app
- Everyone has it on their phones
- Quick event additions
- Real-time updates
- Location-based reminders
Voice Control: Echo Show
- Mounted in the living room
- Voice-controlled calendar management
- Morning routine display
- Evening schedule review
Setting Up the Perfect System
Here’s how I integrated everything:
- Calendar Sync:
- Set Google Calendar as the primary calendar
- Connected DAKboard to Google Calendar
- Linked Echo Show to Google Calendar
- Enabled two-way sync across all devices
- Chore Management:
- Created a digital chore chart in DAKboard
- Set up recurring tasks
- Added verification system
- Implemented reward tracking
- Meal Planning:
- Dedicated calendar for meals
- Recipe links in event descriptions
- Shopping list integration
- Leftover tracking
- To-Do List Organization:
- Family-wide tasks on main display
- Personal tasks in mobile app
- Voice-added tasks via Echo Show
- Priority system for important items
Cost Comparison and Value Analysis
After trying multiple solutions, here’s how the costs break down annually:
- Skylight Calendar: $299 + $39/year subscription
- Hearth Display: $699 + from $86/year subscription
- DAKboard: $300 (display) + $60/year subscription
- Echo Show 21: $399.99 (no subscription)
- Google Calendar: Free
Return on Investment
While DAKboard’s initial cost was higher, its superior customization and features provided better value for our family’s needs. The ability to display chore charts, meal plans, and multiple calendars in a customizable layout justified the investment.
Tips for Choosing Your Digital Calendar Solution
Based on my experience, consider these factors when selecting your family’s digital calendar:
- Family Size and Complexity:
- Larger families benefit from more detailed displays
- More activities require better organization features
- Multiple users need easy access and controls
- Technical Comfort Level:
- Skylight: Most user-friendly
- DAKboard: More technical, highly customizable
- Echo Show: Balanced with voice control
- Google Calendar: Familiar interface
- Budget Considerations:
- Factor in both hardware and subscription costs
- Consider long-term value over initial savings
- Look for family sharing options
- Essential Features:
- Calendar sync capabilities
- Mobile app access
- Chore chart integration
- Meal planning tools
- To-do list management
- Smart home integration
- Customization options
- Sleep mode functionality
Budget-Friendly Alternatives: Mobile Apps to Start With
Before investing in a dedicated digital display, you might want to test the waters with some family-oriented calendar apps. During my research, I explored some excellent options that could serve as stepping stones:
Mango Display: The Virtual Family Hub
While primarily known for their display hardware, Mango Display offers a robust shared family calendar solution available in the App Store. The digital screen interface can help you determine if a smart family schedule system would work for your household. Mango Display integrates with other apps to keep all calendar events in one place.
Key Features:
- Clean, intuitive interface
- Google Calendar sync
- Basic chore tracking
- Family member profiles
- Shopping list sharing
- Free basic version available
The app serves as an excellent introduction to digital family organization without the hardware investment. If you later decide to purchase their display, you’ll already be familiar with their ecosystem.
Cozi: The Proven Family Organizer
Cozi has been a staple in family organization for years, and for good reason:
Standout Features:
- Shared calendar system
- To-do list management
- Shopping list creation
- Meal planning tools
- Recipe box
- Free version available with ads
What makes Cozi particularly appealing is its focus on mobile-first family organization. It’s an excellent way to test if your family can adapt to a digital system before investing in wall-mounted hardware.
Starting Small: These app-based solutions typically cost between $0-10 per month for premium features, making them a low-risk way to experiment with digital family organization. Many families find that these apps meet their needs perfectly, while others use them as a stepping stone to more comprehensive solutions like the wall-mounted displays reviewed above.
Final Thoughts and Recommendations
After extensive testing of both hardware displays and mobile apps, I found that different families will benefit from different solutions:
For Tech-Savvy Families: DAKboard offers the most comprehensive solution with unlimited customization potential. The learning curve is worth the enhanced functionality.
For Voice-Control Enthusiasts: The Echo Show provides an excellent balance of features with the added benefit of voice control and smart home integration.
For Simplicity Seekers: Skylight Calendar remains a solid choice for those who want a straightforward, easy-to-use solution without complex setup requirements.
For Budget-Conscious Families: Starting with apps like Mango Display or Cozi can provide most essential features at a minimal cost. Once you’re sure a digital system works for your family, you can consider upgrading to a dedicated display solution.
For Design-Conscious Families: Hearth Display offers the most polished and aesthetically pleasing solution, with a user interface that feels modern and sophisticated.
For Minimalist Families: Cozyla provides a perfect balance of essential features without overwhelming complexity.
My Personal Choice
After trying all these options, I settled on DAKboard as our primary family calendar display, supplemented by the Google Calendar app on our phones. The combination of customizable displays, comprehensive features, and reliable sync capabilities best suited our family’s needs.
Remember, the perfect digital calendar solution isn’t just about the hardware or software – it’s about finding a system that your family will actually use consistently. Take time to test different options, and don’t be afraid to combine solutions to create your ideal setup.
Summing it all up
The digital family calendar market continues to evolve, with new features and products regularly emerging. Whether you choose Skylight, DAKboard, Echo Show, or another solution, the key is finding a system that helps your family stay organized and connected.
Share your experiences in the comments below! What digital calendar solution works best for your family? Have you tried any of these alternatives? I’d love to hear about your journey in finding the perfect family organization system.
