The Best Planners

Artfan Monthly Calendar Planner

Plan professionally

This affordable planner is full of features designed for the modern working professional.

Best Overall

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The modern-day workplace is as busy as it ever was, but there’s more to keep track of in recent years. It’s not just dates and project specs anymore — there’s contact information, important websites, passwords, and so on. For these modern responsibilities, you need a modern planner that’s up to the task. This monthly planner from Artfan is made for practicality and dependability. It has tons of space to write, plenty of added features, and it’s available at a price frugal buyers will be happy to see. It comes with tabs, a pocket for files, and pages to list contacts and computer passwords. Don’t just keep track of your important dates; keep tabs on the network you need to succeed.

Pros:

• Large size
• Great price
• Comes with tabs and a pocket
• Available in eight colors

Cons:

• Some dates can be mismatched

Blue Sky Academic Year Planner

Wide open spaces

Give yourself plenty of space to write with this practical academic planner.

Best For Students

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Planning doesn’t have to be complicated. Remember, the whole purpose is to make your life easier. If you’re looking for a minimalist planner that can help keep you on track without breaking the bank, this one from Blue Sky is hard to beat. This simple layout planner is perfect for students, with monthly planner pages for a broad view of the month and a notes section for important projects. The weekly pages give plenty of space to write down homework assignments, presentations, or personal plans. There are tabs to help you keep track of dates as well. For quality planning on a student-friendly budget, this planner takes the cake.

Pros:

• Great price
• Coated tabs
• Plenty of writing space

Cons:

• Not as many features as other planners

Clever Fox Budget Planner

Dollars and sense

Keep track of your budget and set up goals for growth with this handy financial planner.

Best For Budgeting

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Bills, emergencies, investments, and subscriptions can wreak havoc on our bank accounts. If you want to make sure you’re doing the best you can to put away some savings, it’s good to keep a close watch on your finances. For those of us without dedicated financial advisors, the next best thing is a financial planner. This handy planner is beautifully bound and full of useful tools to keep track of your finances. It features expense tracking pages, a monthly budget review, debt tracking, holiday budgeting, and much more. It even includes some helpful tips for financial growth. If you’re looking to leap into financial freedom, this tool can help you along the way.

Pros:

• Comes in 20 colors
• Includes a sheet of organization stickers
• Classy aesthetic

Cons:

• The small size can make it hard to read

Get Stuff Done Productivity Planner

Flexible planning

This undated planner lets you set long-term goals without dates tying you down.

Best Undated

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If you want to bring about real productivity in your life, it all starts with using your time efficiently. That’s why keeping a detailed schedule and sticking to it is such an important thing. This planner from Get Stuff Done will help you do just that, covering everything from daily planning to a ten-year plan. It also uses premium paper so that ink won’t bleed through the page. It’s not dated, so it gives you the flexibility to adjust your planning and keep a long-term schedule going. It also features productivity hacks to keep you a step ahead. If you’re looking to kickstart your efficiency in life, this is the planner for you.

Pros:

• Premium paper
• Daily, weekly, monthly, and yearly planning
• Includes helpful productivity hacks

Cons:

• A bit pricey

Maalbok Pocket Planner

Size matters

This compact planner is perfect for bullet points and brainstorming on the go.

Best Compact Option

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For busy workers who need planning power on the go, this pocket-sized pick is perfect for keeping your weekly and monthly highlights in the palm of your hand. With the monthly planner pages, you can list bullet points on your most important engagements. Then, you can flip to the weekly pages for more detailed notes for each day of the week. Keep close track of each day with the ample writing space given for each block. For something that can fit in your back pocket, it’s packed full of space for your busy schedule. Take your to-do list with you wherever you go.

Pros:

• Small size
• Good price
• Includes monthly and weekly planning

Cons:

• The calendar starts in July

Frequently Asked Questions

Do all planners have the same template?

No, not necessarily. Many planners are designed with a specific purpose in mind. For example, budgeting planners will have a template that focuses on expenses to help you plan out your monthly budget. Dated planners usually look like a calendar and allow you to list several plans per day. Undated planners have the loosest guidelines but still allow you to list daily, weekly, and monthly goals. All planners are different, and there are no hard and fast rules. When looking for a planner, it helps to know your goals and what you most need to keep track of.

What’s the difference between a notebook and a planner?

Though notebooks and planners can have similar looks and functions, there are some crucial differences between them. Most notebooks are fairly unstructured and may only have blank pages. Some have lined pages, and some do not, but they’re primarily made for free writing. Planners have a definite purpose and are more focused on a daily schedule than jotting down ideas. Many planners follow a strict calendar or format, so they’re not intended for creative expression — though we always find time for some doodling in the margins.