Yearly Planner: The Top 5 Best Yearly Planners Ever

Planning for the year ahead isn’t just about setting resolutions - it’s about creating a system that actually helps you follow through. That’s where a great yearly planner comes in. Whether you're organizing personal goals, work projects, or life milestones, the right planner can keep you grounded, clear-headed, and motivated from January to December.

In this article, we've reviewed five of the best yearly planner apps available today. These tools are designed to help you map out your year, track progress, and stay on top of long-term goals - all in one place. Whether you prefer a minimalist approach or want full control over every detail, there’s an option here for you.

Let’s take a look at the top yearly planner apps that can help you make 2025 your most organized year yet.

Best Yearly Planner at a Glance

NotePlan - Best Overall Yearly Planner

NotePlan shines when it comes to blending high-level yearly planning with the detail needed for day-to-day focus. It offers a calendar view that lets you plan monthly and yearly goals, while also helping you break those goals into actionable tasks.

You can create yearly review templates, plan project timelines, and organize everything using Markdown - all inside a distraction-free interface. It’s perfect if you’re serious about aligning long-term objectives with your daily workflow.

Key Features:

• Yearly, monthly, and weekly overviews
• Task and project planning
• Goal tracking with backlinks and tags
• Calendar integration (Google, iCloud)
• Note and journal entries for every day
• Syncs across iPad, iPhone, and Mac

Pricing: Free trial, then $8.33/month ($99 billed annually)

What Users on Reddit Say About NotePlan

NotePlan on iPad Overview on YouTube

Structured - Best Yearly Planner for Visual Timeline Planning

Structured is a visually stunning app built around the concept of a timeline. You can organize your entire year by blocking time for key activities, events, and goals.

It’s not your typical monthly yearly planner - instead of focusing on static lists, it helps you map your day, week, or year hour-by-hour. Ideal for visual learners or anyone who benefits from seeing time laid out in blocks (also known as time blocking).

Key Features:

• Timeline-based calendar view
• Customizable daily, weekly, and yearly schedules
• Syncs with Apple and Google Calendar
• Easy drag-and-drop task organization
• Focused, distraction-free interface
  

Pricing: Free with different premium plans, starting at $2.99/month

Artful Agenda - Best Aesthetic Yearly Planner 

If you love the look and feel of paper planners but want the functionality of digital tools, Artful Agenda is a perfect balance of both.

It’s customizable, beautiful, and built with productivity in mind. You can plan your year by month, track habits, and even sync across calendars. Its aesthetic design makes it feel more personal than most digital planners - perfect for those who want their planner to reflect their style.

Key Features:

• Beautiful, themed planner designs
• Monthly and yearly goal-setting
• Task lists, habit tracking, and meal planning
• Syncs with Google, Apple, and Outlook
• Digital stickers and customization options

Pricing: $44.99 (billed annually)

Rize - Best Yearly Planner for Time-Tracking 

Rize combines planning with deep time analytics to help you not only plan your year but optimize it. The app tracks your work habits in the background, then helps you plan more effectively based on how you actually spend your time.

It's ideal for professionals and entrepreneurs who want a planner that doesn’t just organize - but actively improves - their productivity over time.

Key Features:

• Automatic time tracking
• Yearly goal planning tools
• Daily reviews and productivity reports
• AI-generated focus insights
• Distraction and break tracking

Pricing: Free, with different premium plans starting at $9.99 (billed annually)

PowerPlanner - Best Yearly Planner for Students

PowerPlanner is built for students but works well for anyone with a structured academic or professional year. It helps you map out semesters, deadlines, exams, and long-term goals with yearly planner templates, making it a solid option for yearly planning with structure.

With grade tracking and schedule management, it’s especially useful for high school or university students who want an organized academic year.

Key Features:

• Semester and class schedule tracking
• Yearly academic calendar planning
• Grade and assignment logging
• Syncs with Windows, iOS, Android
• Supports notifications and reminders

Pricing: Free, with optional premium at $4.99

Conclusion

Yearly planning doesn’t have to feel overwhelming - especially when you have the right tool. Whether you're organizing personal milestones, business goals, or your academic calendar, a digital yearly planner can help you stay aligned, consistent, and focused throughout the year.

Apps like NotePlan and Structured give you flexibility and structure, while Artful Agenda adds a creative touch. Whether you prefer simplicity or a more in-depth planning system, these five apps can help make 2025 your most productive year yet.

Ready to map out your next 12 months? Try one of these planners and take the first step toward a more organized future.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

How to Do a Yearly Planner?

To do a yearly planner, get a physical or digital planner, determine your goals for the year, break them down into sizable chunks, and then stay consistent. 

Are Yearly Planners Worth it?

Yes, yearly planners are worth it. They can help increase clarity and vision, while maximizing the chances of you realizing your goals. 

How Do I Start a Year Plan? 

You can start a year plan by getting a physical or digital planner, deciding what you want to achieve by the end of the year, and then breaking your goals down into monthly or weekly milestones.