What Skylight Calendar is and who uses it

Skylight Calendar is a digital calendar service designed for families and shared households. It displays events, reminders, and household tasks on a connected device — typically a tablet or smart display mounted in a kitchen or common area. Instead of everyone checking their phones for the family schedule, one shared screen shows doctor appointments, school events, work schedules, and chores for everyone in the household to see at a glance.

The service syncs with your existing calendars — Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar — so you don't have to enter events twice. Family members can add events from their own devices, and those events appear on the shared Skylight display within seconds. Parents often use it to track children's activities and medical appointments. Roommates use it to coordinate shared spaces and responsibilities.

Skylight also includes a messaging feature, photo sharing, and task lists. You can send reminders to specific family members, display family photos as a screensaver, and assign chores with due dates. The device itself is sold separately from the subscription — you buy the hardware (a tablet or Skylight-branded device) and then pay a monthly or annual fee for the service features.

Key Takeaways

  • Skylight Calendar requires both a device (tablet or Skylight hardware) and a paid subscription to access the full feature set.
  • The subscription syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar, so events you enter elsewhere appear on the shared display automatically.
  • Pricing varies depending on whether you choose a monthly plan or commit to an annual plan, with annual plans typically offering a lower per-month cost.
  • Family members can add events and messages from their own phones or computers, and those updates show on the shared device in real time.
  • A free trial period is usually offered before you commit to paying, so you can test whether the service works for your household.

Subscription pricing and plan options

Skylight offers both monthly and annual subscription plans. The monthly plan costs more per month than the annual plan when divided by 12, so committing to a year saves money if you plan to use the service long-term. Exact pricing changes over time and may vary by region, so you should check the Skylight website directly for current rates rather than relying on a price quoted elsewhere.

The subscription covers unlimited family members and devices — you don't pay extra per person. One subscription works for your entire household, whether that's two people or ten. If you have multiple Skylight devices in different rooms, you typically need separate subscriptions for each device, though some plans may bundle multiple devices at a discount.

Skylight often runs promotional offers for new customers, such as a discounted first month or an extended free trial. These promotions change seasonally, so if you're considering the service, it's worth checking whether a current offer applies before you pay full price.

How to set up and sync your calendars

After you purchase a Skylight device and subscribe, setup begins with connecting the device to your home Wi-Fi network. The device walks you through this step by step on its screen. Once connected, you'll create or sign into a Skylight account using an email address.

Next, you connect your existing calendars. Skylight supports Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, and Apple Calendar. You'll authorize Skylight to read those calendars — this means Skylight can see your events but cannot delete or modify them without your permission. After authorization, events from those calendars appear on your Skylight display within a few minutes.

To add other family members, you invite them by email. They receive an invitation to join your Skylight household, and once they accept, they can add events and send messages from their own devices. They don't need to buy their own subscription — one subscription covers the entire household.

What features come with a paid subscription

A Skylight Calendar subscription includes calendar display, event syncing, and reminders. You can set notifications to alert specific family members about upcoming events, and those alerts can go to their phones or appear on the shared display.

The messaging feature lets you send text messages to other household members directly through Skylight. You can also create task lists and assign chores with due dates. The service tracks who completed a task and when, which is useful for households with children or shared responsibilities.

Photo sharing is included — you can upload family photos and set them to display as a screensaver on the device when the calendar isn't in use. Some plans include integrations with other services like weather displays or news feeds, though these features may vary by subscription tier.

Without a paid subscription, the device may display a basic calendar view but will not sync with your personal calendars, send reminders, or unlock messaging and task features. The free version is limited, so most users find the paid subscription necessary to get the full benefit of the device.

Canceling your subscription and what happens to your data

You can cancel your Skylight subscription at any time through your account settings on the Skylight website or app. If you're on a monthly plan, cancellation takes effect at the end of your current billing cycle — you won't be charged again, but you keep access through the end of that month. If you're on an annual plan, cancellation typically takes effect at the end of your subscription year, though some plans allow mid-year cancellation with a prorated refund.

After cancellation, the Skylight device itself still works, but subscription features stop. You'll no longer see synced calendar events, receive reminders, or use messaging and task features. The device may display a basic calendar or prompt you to renew your subscription.

Your data — events, messages, photos — remains stored in your Skylight account for a period after cancellation, usually 30 to 90 days. If you resubscribe within that window, your data is restored. After that period, data is deleted. Check Skylight's data retention policy for exact timelines, as these can change.

Common reasons to choose or avoid Skylight Calendar

Families choose Skylight when they want a single, always-visible place to see everyone's schedule without checking multiple phones or apps. It works well for households with children, where parents need to track school events and activities. Roommates use it to coordinate shared chores and common-area bookings. The automatic syncing with existing calendars means you're not duplicating work — events you already entered in Google Calendar or Outlook appear on Skylight without extra steps.

Some households find Skylight unnecessary if they already use a shared calendar app like Google Calendar's family sharing feature, which is free and accessible from any device. Others find the upfront cost of the device plus the monthly subscription too high for their needs. If your household is very small or everyone already checks their phones regularly, a shared digital display may not add much value.

The device requires wall space or counter space and a Wi-Fi connection. If your home doesn't have reliable Wi-Fi in the area where you'd mount the display, or if you prefer not to have another screen in your living space, Skylight may not be the right fit.

Free trial and money-back guarantees

Skylight typically offers a free trial period — often 30 days — so you can test the service before committing to a paid plan. During the trial, you get full access to all subscription features. You'll need to provide a payment method to start the trial, and you'll be charged when the trial ends unless you cancel beforehand.

Some Skylight plans include a money-back may provide within a certain window — usually 30 days from purchase. If you're not satisfied, you can request a refund. This applies to the subscription cost, not the device itself, which typically has its own return policy separate from the subscription may provide.

To avoid unexpected charges, set a reminder before your trial ends if you decide the service isn't right for you. Canceling during the trial period means you won't be charged when the trial expires.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I need a Skylight device to use the subscription, or can I use it on my own tablet?

You need a device to display the calendar, but it doesn't have to be a Skylight-branded device. You can use an iPad, Android tablet, or other compatible device. However, Skylight-branded devices are optimized for the service and may offer better performance and features. Check Skylight's website for the list of compatible devices if you want to use hardware you already own.

Can I use Skylight if my family members use different calendar apps?

Yes. Skylight syncs with Google Calendar, Outlook, and Apple Calendar. If some family members use Google Calendar and others use Outlook, Skylight can pull events from both and display them together on the shared device. Each person continues using their preferred calendar app on their own device.

What happens if my internet goes down?

The Skylight device will display the last calendar data it downloaded, so you'll still see events that were already synced. However, new events added by family members won't appear until your internet connection is restored. Real-time messaging and reminders also require an active connection.

Can I use one subscription for multiple Skylight devices in different rooms?

Typically, each device requires its own subscription. However, Skylight occasionally offers multi-device plans or discounts for households with more than one device, so check current pricing options. One subscription covers unlimited family members but usually only one physical device.

Is my calendar data private, and who can see it?

Only family members you invite to your Skylight household can see your calendar and messages. Skylight does not share your data with third parties without your consent. Review Skylight's privacy policy for details on how your data is stored and protected.