Best To Do List App in 2026: 8 Apps Compared

Todoist is our pick for most people because it is fast to use and hard to outgrow. Type a task in plain words, such as a task due tomorrow at 9am, and Todoist sets the date for you. Projects, labels and filters let you organise work, home and personal tasks without a complex setup, and templates help you start a recurring list, such as a packing list or a weekly review. Apps are available on almost every platform, including web, mobile, desktop and wearables, so your list is always close.

The free plan limits the number of active personal projects, and some features, such as calendar layout and AI help, need a paid plan. That limit is fair for a simple list, but a user with many projects will need to pay or archive old projects often. Todoist suits a person who wants a clean, fast list that works everywhere, with enough power for projects and priorities. If you want built-in habits and timers, TickTick may offer more for a similar price.

TickTick is the best value all-in-one task app on this list. Alongside lists and reminders, it includes a calendar view, a habit tracker, a Pomodoro timer and an Eisenhower Matrix view for urgent and important tasks. That bundle replaces several separate apps, which is useful if you want habits, focus sessions and tasks in one place. The paid plan is priced below some rivals, and the free plan is enough to test the core system.

The weakness is clutter. With so many features in one app, the interface can feel busy, especially on a small phone screen. TickTick also has fewer third-party integrations than Todoist, so a user who connects tasks to many other tools may find Todoist easier. TickTick suits a person who wants habits, timers and calendars beside tasks, and who will use those extras often. If you only need a simple list, Microsoft To Do or Google Tasks will feel calmer.

Microsoft To Do is the best free task app for anyone who already uses Outlook, Teams or Microsoft 365. It is free with a Microsoft account, syncs across web, Windows, Mac, iOS and Android, and links tasks to Outlook emails and Teams work. The My Day view helps you pick a small set of tasks each morning, which is a simple daily planning habit. Shared lists make it easy to split household or work tasks with others.

The limits are advanced features. Microsoft To Do has no built-in habit tracker, Pomodoro timer or advanced project views, and its filters are simpler than Todoist. That is not a flaw for a simple list, but a power user may miss those tools. Microsoft To Do suits a Microsoft user who wants a free, reliable list that fits their email and calendar. If you need habits, timers or complex projects, TickTick or Todoist will be a better fit.

Things 3 is the most pleasant task app to use, and Apple users often stay with it for years. The interface is calm, with clear Today and Upcoming views, elegant project layouts and a simple way to schedule tasks for later. Headings, checklists and deadlines cover most personal planning needs, and the app feels fast on iPhone, iPad and Mac. A one-time purchase per platform, rather than a subscription, appeals to users who dislike monthly fees.

The honest catch is platform lock-in. Things 3 has no Windows, Android or full web version, so it only works if you live in the Apple system. Buying Mac, iPad and iPhone apps separately also adds up, even without a subscription. Things 3 suits an Apple-only user who values design and calm, and who wants a personal list rather than a team tool. If you use Windows or Android at all, Todoist or TickTick will be far more practical.

Any.do is built around a simple daily habit: Plan My Day. Each morning, the app walks you through upcoming tasks, lets you schedule them and clears the rest for later. That prompt helps users who forget to open their list, because planning becomes a short daily ritual rather than a chore. Calendar integration, location and time reminders, shared lists and a clean mobile design make it useful for personal and household tasks.

The free plan is useful, but full features, such as unlimited lists, advanced reminders and custom themes, need a paid plan. Any.do also has fewer project management tools than Asana or Todoist, so it is less suited to complex team work. Any.do suits a person who wants a gentle daily planning prompt and a simple list, especially on a phone. If you manage many projects or a team, Todoist or Asana will give you more structure.

Google Tasks is the simplest free option for Google users, because it lives inside Gmail and Google Calendar. You can turn an email into a task, add a due date and subtasks, and see tasks beside your calendar without opening another app. That closeness to email and calendar is its main strength: tasks you create while reading email do not get lost in a separate system. It is free, syncs across devices and needs almost no learning.

The weakness is depth. Google Tasks has no tags, advanced filters, project boards or habit tools, and it feels thin as a standalone app outside Gmail and Calendar. A user with many projects will quickly hit its limits. Google Tasks suits a Gmail user who wants a simple, free list for daily tasks and email follow-ups. If you need projects, priorities and filters, Todoist or TickTick will serve you better, even though they are separate apps.

Apple Reminders is the best free choice for Apple users who do not want another subscription. It is built into every Apple device, works with Siri for voice capture, and supports location reminders, such as a reminder when you arrive home. Smart lists group tasks by date, flag or location, and shared lists make household tasks easy. For a simple personal list, it is fast, reliable and already installed.

The limit is platform, as with Things 3. There is no Android or Windows app, so a mixed-device household will struggle. Project features are also basic compared with Todoist or Asana, with no kanban boards or advanced filters. Apple Reminders suits an Apple-only user who wants a free, simple list with Siri and location reminders. If you need cross-platform work or team projects, choose Todoist, TickTick or Asana instead.

Asana is the best pick on this list for team work, rather than a personal list. It offers projects in list, board and timeline views, task assignments, comments, due dates and workload views, so a team can see who is doing what and when work is due. The free plan covers small teams with basic projects, which is enough to test whether Asana fits a group. Integrations with email, calendars and chat tools help keep work in one place.

The weakness is simplicity. Asana is too much for a person who only needs a shopping list or a daily task list, and its interface can feel heavy for personal use. Paid plans are priced per user, so costs rise quickly for a larger team. Asana suits a team, a small business or a household with complex shared projects, where assignments and deadlines matter. For a personal list, Todoist, TickTick or Microsoft To Do will be faster and calmer.