Latest news with #toDoList
Android Authority
27-07-2025
- Android Authority
I've tried dozens of to-do apps — these 6 clicked with me, but one's my favorite
Megan Ellis / Android Authority I may not be that big of a productivity nerd, but I do like my things organized, and I go to great lengths to find a system that works for me. My style is that I don't control every minute of my day — so I'm less of a calendar person and more of a to-do list guy. That's a subtle way of saying that I've tried a lot of to-do apps before zeroing in on one. I have an unbeatable favorite that works perfectly for my workflow, but there are several others that are equally capable, if not more, and could easily become the app you impulsively open. Here are some of the top to-do list apps you can try, along with my favorite one: TickTick Megan Ellis / Android Authority No matter which to-do app I try to test the waters, I keep coming back to TickTick. It's that good! In fact, it's the most feature-rich app I've come across — and that statement has remained true through the years I've used it. It's got excellent timing options for setting reminders, like 'first' or 'last working day of the month,' and it doesn't get any more granular than this. You'll also find options to change the view to Kanban for easy scrolling, ways to share lists with friends and family, and dedicated apps (not web wrappers) available across a variety of platforms. It's definitely a power-user app, but without feeling bloated. The nicest thing is that it doesn't constantly nudge you to pay for it. Most of the features I need are available in the free plan, and I've never felt the need to upgrade. Todoist Andy Walker / Android Authority Todoist feels like the productivity app that email whizzes would die for. It gives you a morning overview of your day when you wake up, an evening review of what you did (and didn't), and a daily digest email for your tasks. It feels like that sophisticated executive in a sharp-looking black suit who likes keeping everything in order. There are a bunch of ways to organize your tasks under 'My Projects,' with further filtering available through labels and priority levels. Like TickTick, it also supports natural language input, so you can type 'put out trash tomorrow at 7 AM,' and it will automatically pick the date and time. It's the perfect minimalist to-do app, though a lot of features are locked behind a paywall. Microsoft To Do For those in the Microsoft 365 ecosystem who use Outlook for work, Microsoft has its own first-party to-do list app with deep integrations. And it's surprisingly easy to use and doesn't look clunky like Outlook. Thankfully, you don't have to take a subscription from Microsoft to access it. The app is completely free and is quite feature-rich for one of Microsoft's non-core apps. It's got several customization options to add groups and nest lists under them, which is great for things like managing multiple projects from a single client. Microsoft has also done a good job of not making the app look boring, thanks to nice wallpapers and the option to add custom ones too, so you can add an inside meme as a background for a list shared with your friends for an upcoming trip. Google Tasks Andy Walker / Android Authority I recently gave Google Tasks a go, and while it pales in comparison to TickTick, it's still worth your consideration if you want something basic to handle your daily chores. Think of it as the to-do app version of Google Keep — it's free, doesn't try to do too much (ironic, given the name), comes bundled with your Android phone, and doesn't overwhelm you with too many options. While it's come a long way over the years and is actually useful for a lot of users with minimal needs, I wish Google made some critical improvements. For instance, it still doesn't support location-based reminders (something Keep has been able to do for ages), nor does it have any sharing features. It could easily beat Microsoft To Do, but so far, it's stuck just a step behind. Notion Dhruv Bhutani / Android Authority Productivity nerds saw this coming from a mile away, right? Notion is a lot of things — you can mold it however you like and make it personal to you. So why not make it a task manager too? You can use checkboxes to create your own minimal to-do list, but you get access to a lot more complexity if you pick pre-built Notion templates for task management, and they won't cost a dime. It sure isn't the most intuitive one on this list, especially for someone who just wants a simple task manager. But if you're already using Notion, it's safe to assume you're in the top percentile of people who can be labeled productivity nerds. Pair that with the urge to use a single app for every single thing, and Notion is your answer. It doesn't get better than this. Post-it Yeah, Post-it is on this list — and not the paper kind. Just hear me out. A Post-it note is a scribbled list of things you need to do or keep in mind while doing something. It doesn't have any other attributes — no time, no date, no hierarchy, nothing. Just notes, stuck on your kitchen shelf for you to glance at once in a while. What if you could do exactly that on your phone? Post-it has an Android app that lets you stick a Post-it note to your home screen. Simple. It just sits there with a list of text in a handwriting font for authenticity, of course — so you can glance at it while scrolling through your home screens. The app actually offers much more, like creating a virtual canvas for brainstorming, full of colorful notes, but I use a single note on the home screen for things that aren't urgent but need my attention, maybe within a week or two. Like calling a friend I've been putting off for months. Which to-do list app do you prefer? 0 votes TickTick NaN % Todoist NaN % Microsoft To Do NaN % Google Tasks NaN % Notion NaN % Post-it notes NaN % Having a solid to-do list app gets half the job done. If the tool works well, you won't have to fiddle with it all the time, trying to make it work. You can pick a tool as complex as Notion or as simple as a Post-it note app on your home screen. What's your favorite kind of task management — the easy way, the complex one, or somewhere in the middle? Let me know via the poll above or in the comments below.
Android Authority
07-06-2025
- Android Authority
This free to-do list app keeps me organized and sane
Megan Ellis / Android Authority For a long time I wondered if I was simply immune to the productivity benefits of to-do list apps since they didn't actually help me complete my goals in the long-term. It seemed like if I wasn't able to complete a task right away, it would disappear into the ether, never to be seen again or ultimately completed. Then a colleague suggested TickTick to me in 2018. The app impressed me so much that I use it to this day even though more recent productivity apps have launched on the market — it has become one of the free apps I can't live without. What is your favorite to-do list app? 0 votes TickTick NaN % Todoist NaN % Google Tasks NaN % Microsoft To Do NaN % Another app (let us know in the comments!) NaN % TickTick continues to be the best to-do list app for me Megan Ellis / Android Authority A common problem I encounter when using productivity apps is that they try to do too much at once and it actually takes some time to set them up and get acquainted with their features. Considering I have ADHD, an app that can help me keep organized makes my life easier. But at the same time, I get overwhelmed when there's too much information to take in and too much to learn in a short period of time. It also means that when a task is not front-and-center, I will often forget about it. You can't count on me to open an app daily to check my reminders if it's not already in my daily routine. That's where TickTick excels — it's simple and intuitive and doesn't force you to get to grips with all of its features at once. And that's where TickTick excels — it's simple and intuitive and doesn't force you to get to grips with all of its features at once. In fact, you don't need to even create an account to get started. You simply install the app and start adding tasks right away. These tasks can be as simple or as complicated as you want them to be. For example, I usually set my tasks to be a simple text note that pops up at a certain time. But if you want to categorize your reminders, you can add tags, subtasks, priority flags, and attachments. You can also assign them to specific lists if you want to organize your tasks further. For example, I have lists for Shopping, Work, and Personal items. Other features include a calendar view (though some calendar views are locked behind a paywall), a habit tracker, an Eisenhower Matrix tab, and a newly launched countdown feature. But I mostly use it for the reminder features, in conjunction with other free apps that keep me organized. When I set reminders, they also live in my notification bar, even if I dismiss the initial popup. This takes care of the problem of needing a task to remain front-and-center. Whenever I check my phone, the list of daily tasks is there waiting for me. The feature that keeps me coming back Megan Ellis / Android Authority Besides its simple yet powerful interface, there's another feature that keeps me coming back to TickTick — the ability to snooze my notifications. This is the first thing that set apart the app for me and it ensured that even if I couldn't get to a task right away, I would be reminded of it later. You could argue that this just feeds into my habit of procrastinating, but more often than not, it gives me the time to prepare for the task and get started. For example, I may get a reminder to email someone when I'm not currently at my desk — so I can snooze it for 15 minutes while I finish my coffee and turn my PC on. If I realize I won't be getting to my task that day, I can snooze it to ping me the next day instead. This is perfect on days where something interrupts my schedule or I end up with an unexpected migraine and can't complete my tasks for the day. The app doesn't constantly send me notifications for lower priority tasks. At the same time, the app doesn't constantly send me notifications for lower priority tasks. If it did, the notifications would actually hamper my productivity rather than bolster it. I have a reminder for a blog post that has been sitting in my TickTick inbox for weeks, but that's not due to me forgetting it, but me struggling to find the time to complete it. So I let it sit in my inbox so that it stays in the periphery of tasks I must eventually accomplish, without it becoming a nuisance that causes me to prematurely dismiss it. Is TickTick's premium plan worth it? Megan Ellis / Android Authority So if TickTick is such a great app, why don't I subscribe to the premium plan? This mostly has to do with my own personal preferences and keeping my software subscriptions to a minimum. There was a time I was subscribed to the app's premium plan, but I ended up canceling my subscription because I wasn't using the premium features enough to justify the cost. I think that TickTick's premium version is one of the better options out. That said, I do think that TickTick's premium version is one of the better options out there if you're looking for a to-do list app that can integrate with other software and sync multiple calendars. The annual plan costs $35.99, making it more affordable than many of its alternatives. With the premium version, you get access to more calendar views, the filter feature, more lists, more active tasks, the Constant Reminder feature, and more attachments per day. Since I value TickTick's simplicity, its free plan does more than enough for me. I am also able to sync my smartphone's local calendars without needing the premium plan. But if you like TickTick and you just want to extend its functionality, then I'd recommend trying out its premium version. Are there any TickTick alternatives out there? Megan Ellis / Android Authority While TickTick is perfect for my needs, you might still be on the lookout for other to-do list apps that have certain features or integrations. While the premium version of TickTick supports integration with calendars and more calendar views, not everyone wants to have to pay for a reminder app. If TickTick isn't for you, consider one of these alternatives: Todoist: While some people might find Todoist a bit overwhelming, it includes plenty of features in its free version. One of Todoist's best features is the availability of templates, which you can copy over to create tasks from. For example, the Shopping List template gives you categories and items you can edit and then check off. Its calendar view is also better at getting a days-long overview of what you have ahead of you. I also like that you can enable morning and evening overviews for your tasks, which would be useful for people that like to check-in with their daily progress. While some people might find Todoist a bit overwhelming, it includes plenty of features in its free version. One of Todoist's best features is the availability of templates, which you can copy over to create tasks from. For example, the Shopping List template gives you categories and items you can edit and then check off. Its calendar view is also better at getting a days-long overview of what you have ahead of you. I also like that you can enable morning and evening overviews for your tasks, which would be useful for people that like to check-in with their daily progress. Google Tasks: If you're looking for a completely free to-do list app, then Tasks includes essential features such as checklists and reminders. The app is best suited for those who already use other Google apps such as Google Calendar and Gmail since it allows you to create new tasks from within them. If you're looking for a completely free to-do list app, then Tasks includes essential features such as checklists and reminders. The app is best suited for those who already use other Google apps such as Google Calendar and Gmail since it allows you to create new tasks from within them. Microsoft To Do: If you're a heavy user of Microsoft's apps, then Microsoft To Do is a fitting option to sort and organize your tasks. The app does require a Microsoft account to sign up, but this allows you to integrate your flagged Outlook emails as tasks and sync assigned tasks with Planner. If you're a heavy user of Microsoft's apps, then Microsoft To Do is a fitting option to sort and organize your tasks. The app does require a Microsoft account to sign up, but this allows you to integrate your flagged Outlook emails as tasks and sync assigned tasks with Planner. Another robust free to-do list app, has useful features like an overview tab for your schedule and an intuitive, categorized grocery list template. Its calendar view is also more intuitive than TickTick's limited free calendar view. Another robust free to-do list app, has useful features like an overview tab for your schedule and an intuitive, categorized grocery list template. Its calendar view is also more intuitive than TickTick's limited free calendar view. ClickUp: If you're looking for an app that still has a free version, but packs in a bunch of productivity features, then ClickUp is a good choice that includes to-do lists and reminders. In addition to your tasks, you can also add documents and events, track time spent on tasks, and collaborate with team members. Each to-do list app has its strength and weaknesses, but I find that TickTick is the most feature-rich while also addressing the specific pain points I have with reminder apps. Then again, you could always get ChatGPT to send you reminders.
