Fantastical
Smokeball
| Feature | Fantastical | Smokeball |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | Free / from $6.75/mo | From $39/mo |
| Free Plan | ✓ Yes | ✗ No |
| Rating | 4.5 / 5 | 4.5 / 5 |
| Best For | apple-users, professionals, freelancers, busy-professionals | small-law-firms, mid-size-firms, litigation-practices, billable-hour-firms |
| Founded | 2011 | 2007 |
| Natural Language | ✓ | ✗ |
| Calendar Sets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Weather | ✓ | ✗ |
| Time Zones | ✓ | ✗ |
| Proposals | ✓ | ✗ |
| Widgets | ✓ | ✗ |
| Automatic Time Tracking | ✗ | ✓ |
| Document Automation | ✗ | ✓ |
| Matter Management | ✗ | ✓ |
| Billing | ✗ | ✓ |
| Reporting | ✗ | ✓ |
| Microsoft Integration | ✗ | ✓ |
✓ Fantastical Pros
- Natural language input
- Beautiful design
- Weather integration
- Multiple calendars
✗ Fantastical Cons
- Apple only
- Expensive
- Free version limited
✓ Smokeball Pros
- Automatic time recording
- Deep Microsoft Office integration
- Strong document automation
- Excellent for billing accuracy
✗ Smokeball Cons
- Windows-only desktop app
- Higher price point
- Learning curve for automation
The Verdict
Fantastical is built for apple users and professionals, with a focus on natural-language and calendar-sets. Smokeball targets small law firms and mid size firms and leads with automatic-time-tracking and document-automation.
On pricing, Fantastical is the clear winner for budget-conscious users — starting at $6.75/mo compared to $39/mo for Smokeball. That $32.25/mo difference adds up quickly for growing teams.
Fantastical has a free plan, which gives it a meaningful edge for individuals and small teams exploring their options. Smokeball requires a paid subscription from day one.
This is a genuinely close comparison. If you can, sign up for both free trials (where available) and run a one-week test with your actual team tasks before deciding.