Maple, the free family organizer app, is shutting down on December 31, 2026. Its founders were acquired by Wander, a vacation-rental company, and Maple itself is not continuing under new ownership. Your account and data stay accessible until that date; after it, Maple says everything is deleted with no way to get it back. If your family uses Maple, the first thing to do isn't picking a replacement — it's exporting what only lives inside Maple, because the calendar is probably backed up elsewhere already and the lists and notes are not.
What should I export from Maple before it closes?
Maple's own notice is the source for the deadline and the data-deletion warning, but it doesn't spell out a step-by-step export tool. Based on what is confirmed, here's what to do with the time you have:
Calendar events. If you connected Maple to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook, those events already exist outside Maple. Open each calendar now and confirm the sync is current before Maple shuts off.
Lists and to-dos. Grocery staples, packing lists, household to-dos — these live only in Maple and don't sync anywhere else. Copy them out by hand.
Meal plans and recipes. Same problem. Check Maple's announcement for the current export option, and copy anything you'd miss in the meantime.
Chores and routines. There's no confirmed transfer tool for these. Plan to rebuild them directly in whatever you move to.
Shared notes. Anything written only in Maple's notes should be copied out before the account closes.
Connected services. TeamSnap and other integrations disconnect when Maple shuts down. You'll reconnect them separately in your new tools.
Billing. Annual plans stopped renewing after the announcement, and Maple's co-founder has said paid subscriptions were refunded and free access was extended through the rest of the year. Check your own account for your specific status rather than assuming.
What are the best Maple alternatives?
The best Maple alternatives in 2026 are Zazu, Cozi, Skylight Calendar, Sense and Google Calendar. Zazu is best for keeping both parents informed inside WhatsApp and iMessage, with no app to install. Cozi is best for a free app with meal planning and shopping lists. Skylight Calendar is best for one shared screen on the kitchen wall. Sense is best for a low monthly price with AI that turns forwarded emails into calendar entries. Google Calendar is best for a free shared calendar and nothing more. No single app does everything Maple did, so here is an honest look at where each one lands, including where another one is the better pick.
Tool | Best for | Where it lives | Both parents? | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Zazu | Both parents staying in sync on school and calendar logistics, without opening another app | WhatsApp and iMessage — no app to install | Yes, built for both parents from the start | Free 7 days, then $19/month. US only. |
Cozi | Families who want a full free app with meal planning and shopping lists built in | iOS, Android, and web app | Yes, shared account, both parents log in | Free with ads; Cozi Gold $39/year; Cozi Max $79/year adds email-based AI |
Skylight Calendar | Families who want one shared screen on the kitchen wall, not another phone app | A physical touchscreen display (10", 15", or 27"), plus a companion app | Yes, both parents can add to it from their phones | Device roughly $150–$300 depending on size, plus an optional Plus plan around $79/year |
Sense | Families who want AI to turn forwarded emails, screenshots and texts into calendar entries, at a lower monthly price | iPhone, Android, and web, with a tablet display mode | Yes, shared calendar and lists | Free to try; Premium $6.99/month or $59.99/year |
Google Calendar | Families who just want a free shared calendar and already live inside Google | App, web, any device signed into a Google account | Yes, with shared calendars and invites — but no reading of email, lists or tasks for you | Free |
If a wall display is what your family actually wants, Skylight Calendar is the better pick over any phone-based app. If you want something free with no trial that turns into a bill, Cozi's free tier or Google Calendar are the honest choices. And if your family isn't in the US, Zazu isn't an option yet — Cozi, Skylight, and Google Calendar all work outside the US today.
Is Zazu a good Maple alternative?
Zazu is built for the specific gap Maple leaves: one parent reading everything and briefing the other. It runs in WhatsApp and iMessage, so there's no new app to install or get a second parent to open. With permission, it reads the family's school emails and calendars and tells both parents what's coming — not just one of you.
When something needs a decision, Zazu asks who's taking it, by name, instead of leaving it to whoever noticed first. It asks before it acts; it doesn't rebook, reply, or add anything without you saying yes. It connects to Google and Microsoft 365 for email and calendars, which covers most schools and most families.
Zazu is US only right now. It's free for 7 days, then $19/month, and you can cancel any time by sending STOP. It's used by hundreds of families, and growing every day.
What Zazu doesn't do: it isn't a wall display, and it isn't a meal planner or shopping-list app. If those are what your family used Maple for most, pair it with Cozi or Skylight Calendar rather than expecting Zazu to replace every part of Maple on its own.
How do I move my family off Maple?
1. Copy out what doesn't sync. Lists, meal plans, chores, and notes — copy these by hand while Maple is still open. Give it 30 minutes.
2. Confirm your calendar is backed up. Open Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, or Outlook and check Maple's events are already there. If they're not, export the calendar directly rather than assuming.
3. Reconnect what Maple bridged for you. TeamSnap and any other integration needs to be connected again in whatever you move to — Maple's connections don't carry over.
4. Pick your new setup. Choose a shared calendar or app for the household layer, and if you want the daily "what's coming, who's taking it" conversation handled without either of you doing the reading, add Zazu on WhatsApp or iMessage.
None of this has to happen in one sitting, but it does have to happen before December 31. If you want to see how much of this kind of work currently falls on one of you, the Mental Load Calculator takes about three minutes and is worth comparing answers on with your partner. If you're weighing Zazu against just using a shared calendar, here's the honest comparison. And for what Maple itself has said about the shutdown, read Maple's own announcement.
Moving off Maple is also a good moment to reset who owns what at home. Play Who does it?, a free 60-second game for couples: each of you says who handles ten everyday jobs, then you see both answers side by side. No names, no sign-up.