Ultimate Planner app brings paper-diary layouts to digital calendars, TechRadar says

TechRadar said the app uses paper diary-inspired layouts, Filofax-style tabs and stylus compatibility. Users begin by choosing a planner type, which sets the features, tabs and tools available. The 'Ultimate Planner' option exposes all features without restriction, though TechRadar warned that showing every feature can make the app complex and overwhelming. Additional planner types for teaching, gratitude or business require a Pro account, the review said.

Pro access costs $39.99 or £39.99 per year, or $69.99 or £69.99 for a one-off lifetime purchase. TechRadar said there is no free trial, although a free account provides access to core features. The app is built around customization: users can arrange layouts with bespoke sections and choose from numerous templates. TechRadar said the range of feature combinations means the app is far from one-size-fits-all.

The app also offers unlimited pages, notebooks and planning layouts, according to TechRadar, with a new year rolling over seamlessly when the previous one ends. Pro users can create an unlimited number of planners, which TechRadar said could support separate work and personal setups.

Ultimate Planner can sync with one or more digital calendars, allowing events and tasks to sit alongside planning notes and tables. Within each synced calendar account, users can choose which specific calendars to display, a feature TechRadar said is useful for work accounts containing multiple people's calendars. TechRadar said data syncs across iPad, iPhone, Android and web, and its reviewer valued being able to use the planner on a phone and continue at a desk.