Everblog HomeCal Review: A Subscription-Free Skylight Alternative for $300
The 21.5-inch HomeCal includes chore tracking and meal planning without a subscription. At $300 on Amazon, it costs $100 less than its listed price.
Everblog’s HomeCal makes a strong case for treating a shared digital calendar as a household hub: it combines calendars, chore tracking, rewards, to-do lists and meal planning on a 21.5-inch screen, with no subscription required for those features. It’s on sale at Amazon for $300, down from $400. Everblog lists it at $349, reduced from $699.
That bundle matters because the appeal of a wall calendar is less about enlarging one person’s schedule than getting several people’s plans into view at once. The HomeCal can display calendars from services such as Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook. That lets a household put work and personal events, school schedules and other shared plans on one screen, so checking the day doesn’t require finding a phone or signing into another account.
A shared calendar with household tools
The HomeCal’s software goes beyond displaying appointments. Family members can use separate profiles, track chores and to-dos, and set rewards for completed tasks. Meal planning is built in, too. Those features make the device more useful as a coordination point than a screen that simply mirrors a calendar app.
Setup happens through Everblog’s accompanying app, where users connect calendars and arrange family profiles. After that, the screen can bring those schedules and household tasks together. For families already using several calendars, the practical value will depend on whether the shared display makes it easier to spot conflicts and remember responsibilities. It won’t replace the calendar apps people use to add events; it offers a common view of the information they already keep there.
The HomeCal’s closest comparison in the review is the Skylight Calendar. Skylight remains a favorite for its overall experience, but two features the reviewer particularly likes—meal planning and a photo screensaver—require a paid plan. Everblog includes meal planning without an ongoing fee, which may make its price easier to assess over time. The source doesn’t provide a direct comparison of total ownership costs, so buyers should check current pricing and subscription terms for the products they’re considering.
One tradeoff is photo management. Everblog’s app uploads images one at a time, a slower process than Skylight’s, according to the reviewer. The HomeCal also lacks a voice assistant. That’s a limitation for households hoping to add voice control, though the reviewer says few digital calendars offer that feature.
Screen size and placement
At 21.5 inches, the display is large enough to show a family schedule while still being manageable to place around the home. It includes hardware for wall mounting, and its flat base lets it stand on a tabletop. The reviewer found the built-in standing setup could wobble, however, and recommends Everblog’s separate $39 Calendar Stand for a steadier tabletop arrangement.
Everblog also sells wood frames for $99, which can help the device fit more naturally into a room. Neither accessory is included in the listed calendar prices, and neither is on sale in the source. That means the $300 Amazon offer leaves room in the budget, but the final cost will rise if a buyer wants a stand or frame.
The review’s broader case for digital calendars rests on convenience: they put multiple schedules on a dedicated screen and can add household functions such as chore lists and meal planning. The author, who says they tested five devices that year, found these calendars more useful than smart displays they had used for years. That’s a personal assessment, but it points to a clear product distinction: a calendar screen is designed to keep shared plans visible, rather than asking someone to open an app whenever the family needs to coordinate.
What to weigh before buying
The HomeCal looks most compelling for households that want a subscription-free combination of shared schedules, chores and meal planning. Its main constraints are the slower, one-image-at-a-time photo uploader, the absence of voice control and the potential need for an extra stand. Buyers should also consider where a 21.5-inch screen will live and whether wall mounting or a more stable tabletop setup works better for their space.
For people comparing it with Skylight, the useful question is which features they’ll actually use and whether a recurring fee is acceptable for the alternative. HomeCal includes the core household tools described here without one, while Skylight has the edge in the reviewer’s experience of its photo screensaver and meal-planning features, both of which sit behind a subscription. At the current listed prices, the HomeCal’s $300 Amazon sale is the lower entry point; its lasting value will depend on how well the shared display fits into the household’s daily routines.
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Photograph: Nena Farrell
Read more: Skylight Calendar review, whether digital wall calendars are worth it, a family product with voice features, digital photo frames and smart displays.
HomeCal prices: Amazon and Everblog. Accessories: Calendar Stand and wood frames.
