Finding a to-do list app that actually sticks is harder than it sounds. I’ve tried probably 20+ of them over the years, and most end up abandoned within a week. The problem? Some are too simple (just use a sticky note at that point), and others try to be full project management suites when all you need is a place to dump tasks and check them off.
I spent the last month testing 9 to-do list apps across my phone, laptop, and tablet. Some of these I’ve used for years. Others were new to me. Here’s what I found, including honest takes on where each one falls short.
Quick Comparison
| App | Best For | Free Plan | Platforms | Offline? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todoist | Overall task management | 5 projects, 5 collaborators | All platforms | Yes |
| TickTick | Built-in calendar + timer | 9 lists, 99 tasks/list | All platforms | Yes |
| Microsoft To Do | Outlook/Windows users | Completely free | Web, Windows, iOS, Android | Yes |
| Google Tasks | Gmail/Calendar users | Completely free | Web, iOS, Android | Partial |
| Any.do | Clean daily planning | 1 list, basic features | All platforms | Yes |
| Apple Reminders | iPhone/Mac users | Completely free | Apple only | Yes |
| Notion | Customizable workflows | Generous free tier | All platforms | Limited |
| Things 3 | Premium Apple experience | No free plan ($49.99) | Apple only | Yes |
| Superlist | Team + personal hybrid | Free for personal use | All platforms | Yes |
1. Todoist – Best Overall To-Do List App
I keep coming back to Todoist. There’s something about its natural language input that just works – type “call dentist tomorrow at 3pm” and it parses everything correctly. Been using it on and off since 2019, and the app has gotten noticeably better each year.
The free plan gives you 5 active projects and lets you collaborate with up to 5 people. For personal use, that’s honestly enough. I hit the limit maybe twice, and both times I just archived an old project to make room.
What Makes It Good
Natural language processing is the killer feature here. You type dates, priorities, labels – all in plain English. “Buy groceries every Saturday #shopping p1” creates a recurring high-priority task in your shopping project. Once you learn the syntax (takes about a day), adding tasks takes seconds.
The Karma system gamifies your productivity. Sounds gimmicky, but tracking my daily/weekly completion streaks genuinely motivates me. There’s also AI-powered task suggestions now, which can auto-suggest due dates based on your patterns.
Cross-platform sync is flawless. I add tasks on my phone during commute, organize them on desktop, and check them off on my tablet. Never had a sync conflict in years of use.
Where It Falls Short
No built-in calendar view on free plan – you need Pro ($5/month billed annually) for that. The free tier also lacks reminders, which feels stingy. And the app doesn’t have a built-in timer or time tracking, so if you do Pomodoro you’ll need something else alongside it.
Pricing: Free / Pro $5/mo / Business $8/mo per user
2. TickTick – Best for Built-in Calendar and Timer
TickTick is what happens when someone looks at Todoist and says “what if we added a calendar, a Pomodoro timer, and habit tracking?” The result is surprisingly cohesive. I expected a bloated mess, but the app keeps things organized.
The calendar view alone sold me. Seeing tasks alongside calendar events in one view – without needing a third-party integration – saves me from the “wait, when am I supposed to do this?” problem. You can drag tasks onto time slots, which makes planning your day feel natural.
What Makes It Good
The built-in Pomodoro timer is actually useful. Start a focus session right from a task, and it logs how much time you spent. After two weeks, I had a surprisingly accurate picture of where my hours went. The habit tracker is basic but functional – tracks streaks and lets you set frequency goals.
TickTick’s free plan is more generous than Todoist’s. You get 9 lists with up to 99 tasks each, 2 calendar views, and basic collaboration. The premium ($35.99/year) unlocks everything, which is cheaper than most competitors.
Where It Falls Short
The UI can feel cluttered with all features enabled. I had to spend 15 minutes hiding tabs I didn’t need. Also, the web app feels slower than Todoist’s – noticeable lag when switching between views with 50+ tasks. Collaboration features are weaker than Todoist’s too.
Pricing: Free / Premium $35.99/year
3. Microsoft To Do – Best Free Option for Windows Users
Here’s the thing about Microsoft To Do – it’s completely free with no premium tier, and it replaced the beloved Wunderlist (RIP). If you’re already in the Microsoft ecosystem, this is a no-brainer.
The “My Day” feature is the star. Every morning, you get a clean slate and pick which tasks to focus on today. It sounds simple because it is, but this daily planning ritual actually helps me focus instead of staring at a massive backlog of 200 tasks feeling overwhelmed.
What Makes It Good
Integration with Outlook is seamless. Flagged emails automatically appear as tasks. If you get an email saying “please review this by Friday,” flag it and it shows up in your task list with a due date. For work stuff, this alone makes it worth using.
Shared lists work well for household tasks. My partner and I share a grocery list that syncs instantly. Adding items by voice through Cortana or the mobile app while cooking actually works reliably now.
Where It Falls Short
No Linux support, and the web app is the only option for non-Windows/Mac desktops. There’s no natural language processing – you have to manually set dates and reminders through the UI. And there are no labels or tags, just lists and steps. If you need advanced organization, you’ll outgrow this fast.
The Android app also has a persistent notification that bugs some users, and there’s no way to set task dependencies.
Pricing: Free (included with Microsoft account)
4. Google Tasks – Best for Gmail and Calendar Integration
Google Tasks is so minimal it almost doesn’t count. But if you live in Gmail and Google Calendar, that’s exactly the point. Tasks created in Gmail appear in Calendar. Tasks in Calendar appear in Gmail. There’s no context switching.
I used this as my only task manager for about four months. For someone with straightforward needs – a work task list, a personal task list, maybe a shopping list – it genuinely works fine. The problem comes when you want… anything else.
What Makes It Good
Zero learning curve. If you can use Gmail, you can use Google Tasks. The side panel in Gmail lets you turn emails into tasks with one click. Date-based tasks appear right on your Google Calendar. This tight integration means you never forget what you added.
Subtasks work well for breaking down larger items. And the mobile app, while basic, loads instantly and lets you add tasks in seconds.
Where It Falls Short
No collaboration. No labels. No priorities (beyond starring). No recurring tasks with complex patterns. No attachments. Limited offline support. No API for third-party integrations (well, there is one but it’s limited).
Look, Google Tasks is fine for people who want the absolute minimum. But if you’re reading a comparison article about to-do apps, you probably want more than this offers.
Pricing: Free (Google account required)
5. Any.do – Best for Clean Daily Planning
Any.do’s interface is probably the prettiest on this list. The “Plan My Day” feature walks you through your tasks each morning and helps you schedule them. It feels more intentional than just dumping tasks into a list.
The app has been around since 2011, and the team has refined the UX to a point where everything feels smooth. Adding a task, setting a date, and moving on takes about 3 seconds. There’s no friction.
What Makes It Good
The daily planning screen is genuinely helpful. It pulls overdue tasks, upcoming deadlines, and calendar events into one view and asks “what do you want to do today?” This morning review ritual took my daily completion rate from maybe 40% to closer to 70%.
WhatsApp integration (premium) lets you add tasks by messaging a bot, which is surprisingly convenient when your hands are full and you think of something.
Where It Falls Short
The free plan is restrictive – one list and limited features. Premium is $5.99/month, which puts it in Todoist territory without the same depth of features. And the app sometimes pushes premium features aggressively with popups. Also, the desktop app is essentially just the web version wrapped in Electron, and it shows in performance.
Pricing: Free / Premium $5.99/mo / Family $9.99/mo
6. Apple Reminders – Best for iPhone and Mac Users
Apple completely rebuilt Reminders a few years back, and honestly? It went from useless to genuinely competitive. If you own Apple devices exclusively, this might be all you need. Smart lists, tags, location-based reminders, shared lists – it’s all there now.
The Siri integration is the real selling point. “Hey Siri, remind me to water the plants every Wednesday at 9am” just works. No app to open, no text to type. For quick captures, nothing beats voice input through a device you’re already wearing (Apple Watch) or carrying.
What Makes It Good
Location-based reminders are underrated. “Remind me to buy milk when I’m near Whole Foods” actually triggers reliably. Tagging lets you create smart lists that pull tasks from multiple lists – tag something #work and #urgent, and it appears in both smart lists automatically.
Collaboration through shared lists via iCloud works smoothly. And the grocery list feature now auto-categorizes items by aisle, which is a nice touch.
Where It Falls Short
Apple-only. No Windows app, no Android app, no proper web app (icloud.com/reminders exists but it’s painful). If you use even one non-Apple device, this isn’t an option. There’s also no natural language processing as good as Todoist’s – Siri handles basic stuff but complex recurrence patterns need manual setup.
Pricing: Free (Apple devices required)
7. Notion – Best for Custom Workflows
Calling Notion a to-do list app is like calling a Swiss Army knife a can opener. Technically accurate, wildly underselling it. But tons of people use Notion primarily for task management, and the flexibility is unmatched. If you want your task list to look and work exactly how you imagine, Notion can do it.
I built a task system in Notion with database views showing tasks by project, by due date, by priority, and as a Kanban board. Took about 2 hours to set up. Could I have done the same in Todoist in 5 minutes? Mostly, yeah. But my Notion setup does exactly what I want with no compromises.
If you’re already using Notion for notes or docs (check out our Notion vs Obsidian comparison), adding task management makes sense. If you’d be adopting Notion just for tasks, it’s overkill.
Where It Falls Short
Slow mobile app. No native reminders until recently (and they’re still basic). Offline support is unreliable. And the learning curve is real – my partner tried using my Notion task system and gave up in 10 minutes. Power comes at the cost of simplicity.
Pricing: Free / Plus $10/mo / Business $18/mo
8. Things 3 – Best Premium Experience (Apple Only)
Things 3 costs $49.99 for Mac and $9.99 for iPhone (separate purchases), has no subscription, and hasn’t had a major version update in years. And people still swear by it. I’m one of them.
The app is opinionated. It uses a specific GTD-inspired workflow: Inbox > Today > Upcoming > Anytime > Someday. You can’t customize this structure. And that’s… actually fine. The constraints force you to organize tasks properly instead of creating 47 nested folders you’ll never look at.
What Makes It Good
The design is beautiful. I know that sounds shallow, but when you open an app 20+ times a day, aesthetics matter. Everything animates smoothly. Keyboard shortcuts on Mac make it blazing fast. The “Today” view with evening section (for personal stuff after work) is a smart touch nobody else has.
Headings within projects let you group tasks visually without creating sub-projects. And the quick entry shortcut (Ctrl+Space on Mac) lets you capture a task from any app without losing your context.
Where It Falls Short
No collaboration at all. Apple-only. No web version. The one-time pricing means updates are slow. And no AI features while competitors are adding them aggressively. If you work with a team or use Windows/Android at all, skip this.
Pricing: $49.99 Mac / $9.99 iPhone / $19.99 iPad (one-time)
9. Superlist – Best for Team + Personal Hybrid
Superlist comes from the folks behind Wunderlist (before Microsoft acquired it and made To Do). It launched in 2023 and has been steadily improving. The pitch is combining personal tasks and team tasks in one app without either feeling like an afterthought.
I’ve been testing it for about five weeks now. The personal side works great – clean interface, fast task entry, smart due dates. The team features are still maturing but show promise. Shared spaces let you see team tasks alongside personal ones without mixing them up.
What Makes It Good
The UI feels modern and fast. Adding tasks with natural language works well (“meeting prep friday 2pm” gets parsed correctly). The split between personal and team workspaces is clean. And the free plan is generous enough for personal use with no task limits.
Real-time collaboration on shared lists is smooth, and the commenting system on tasks works better than most competitors.
Where It Falls Short
Still missing some features you’d expect – no recurring tasks with complex patterns, limited integrations, and no API yet. The app is newer, so it doesn’t have the ecosystem of plugins and templates that Todoist or Notion offer. Also no calendar view at the time of writing.
Pricing: Free / Pro $7.99/mo / Business (coming soon)
How I Picked These Apps
I tested each app for at least two weeks as my primary task manager. Here’s what I evaluated:
- Speed of task entry – If adding a task takes more than 5 seconds, I won’t do it consistently
- Cross-platform sync – Tasks need to be everywhere I am
- Free plan viability – Can you actually use it without paying?
- Reliability – Lost tasks or sync failures are dealbreakers
- Learning curve – How long before it feels natural?
I didn’t include full project management tools like Asana or Monday.com (we have a separate project management tools comparison for that). This list is specifically for personal and small team task management.
Which To-Do App Should You Pick?
After testing all of these, my recommendations boil down to your situation:
Want something that just works? Todoist. It covers 90% of what anyone needs and the free plan is solid.
On a budget and use Windows? Microsoft To Do. Free, syncs with Outlook, gets the job done.
All Apple devices? Start with Reminders. If it’s not enough, try Things 3.
Want calendar + timer + tasks in one app? TickTick. Nothing else combines all three this well.
Need full customization? Notion, but be ready to invest time in setup.
Live in Gmail? Google Tasks is already there. Use it.
The best to-do app is the one you’ll actually open every day. I know that sounds like a cop-out, but after years of switching between apps, the most important factor isn’t features – it’s whether the app fits your existing habits. Try two or three from this list for a week each, and you’ll know which one clicks.
FAQ
What’s the best free to-do list app?
Microsoft To Do and Google Tasks are completely free with no premium tier. For a freemium option, Todoist’s free plan gives you the most functionality without paying.
Can I use a to-do list app offline?
Most apps on this list work offline and sync when you’re back online. Todoist, TickTick, Microsoft To Do, and Things 3 all handle offline mode well. Google Tasks and Notion have limited offline support.
Is Todoist worth paying for?
If you need reminders, calendar view, or more than 5 projects, yes. The Pro plan at $5/month is reasonable. But try the free plan first – many people never need to upgrade.
What happened to Wunderlist?
Microsoft acquired Wunderlist in 2015 and shut it down in 2020, replacing it with Microsoft To Do. The original Wunderlist team later created Superlist as a spiritual successor.
Are to-do list apps better than paper?
Depends on you. Paper works great for daily planning but fails at recurring tasks, reminders, and collaboration. If you manage more than 20 active tasks or need reminders, digital apps have clear advantages. For a simple daily list of 5-10 items, paper is perfectly fine.
Do I need a to-do list app or a project management tool?
If you’re managing your own tasks and maybe sharing a list with a partner or small team, a to-do app is enough. If you need Gantt charts, resource allocation, or managing 10+ people – check out project management tools instead. There’s also our Trello vs Asana vs Monday.com comparison if you’re leaning that direction.