You don't need to always rely on paper for your to do list.
But a 2018 study by Foxit found that 44% of people still use paper for their work needs like managing your to do list for the day, whilst that's not a bad thing with digital to do apps, you could be saving time, managing tasks better and handling them all without using paper.
In fact, thousands of people every week are using the list below to better find the best to do list app to handle tasks for work, life & their side projects. We've been reviewing over 750+ productivity apps and these are our favourite 12 to do apps for 2024.
Best 12 To Do List Apps for 2024: Quick List
There are hundreds of to do list apps, we've shortlisted these 12 to do apps as the creme della creme, the best of the breed and the top dogs of task management apps:
- 1. Todoist — The best all-round to do list app on the market
- 2. Akiflow — A fantastic dashboard for your tasks, calendar & external tasks
- 3. TickTick — Combining timeline, calendar, boards & even habit tracking
- 4. Things 3 — The best iOS and macOS to do list app with one-off pricing
- 5. Microsoft To-Do — A perfect list to do app for collaborating with others
- 6. Timestripe — A goal focused to do app with impressive habit & board abilities
- 7. OmniFocus 3 — One of the best to do apps for the Getting Things Done concept
- 8. Motion — Infused with AI, Motion handles tasks, calendar & meetings in one base
- 9. Routine — A new and stunning hub for to dos, calendar & notes
- 10. Structured — Ideal for time-based to do lists and on the go productivity
- 11. Actions by Moleskine — An iOS masterclass for task management on the go
- 12. Sunsama — A healthy, mindful way to handle your weekly tasks & calendar
Let's dig into our best to-do list apps we've chosen:
What should I use a to do app for?
To do apps are one of the most common arsenals for productive people because they handle tasks, lists and maybe even some light project management.
A to do list app is designed to capture tasks in an inbox that pop into your mind, create lists to sort tasks into the right location and then assign due dates, deadlines, assignees, and even details of the task so when it comes to crunch time you can crack on with what you need to get it done.
How we picked these to do list apps?
Witchcraft? Or just out of a hat? Nope. We've picked these 12 to do apps for a reason. Here's what criteria we used to bring these to do apps into the best list below:
- Reliable and good standing — All of these task management applications have been around for a few years already and have a committed community base with customer support, good relationships & over our 10+ years of reviewing have impressed us.
- Range of features for handling tasks — Not all of these task applications are one size fits all, they span a range of abilities allowing you a wider spectrum to choose from and pick the best to do app for you.
- Solid list management for light projects — All of these have a way to handle lists so that you can take action on ideas and captured tasks for later.
As an independent review site, we're eager to make the best selection of tools for the job, and we'll make sure we break down how they might be useful for the scenario at hand.
1. Todoist
Best All Round To Do List Application
- Pricing: Free with Todoist Premium (starts at $4 per month)
- Best Features: Board View, Todoist Karma & Custom Views
- Most Suited For: Anyone as it handles such a broad need for task management
What makes Todoist one of the best to do apps?
Todoist is one of the best all rounder to do list apps and what we mean by this is very simply, if an 85-year old woman asked us for a to do app, we'd probably recommend Todoist, it has a friendly, approachable nature with features that would offer her a great task management application for her endeavours whether they be starting a business or pruning the garden.
We'd also recommend it to a busy professional because the features are scalable too, which means the more you dig - the better the tool gets. For a busy professional, they might be using Todoist templates, karma and custom views to help design the boards for their projects. It really is an app for everyone, Todoist.
Todoist comes with a great simple design and has plenty of features for planning tasks into the next 7 days and beyond. The capture they have an inbox, for adding ahead they have natural language input to save time adding due dates each time and a simple three-way traffic light system for adding tasks and what priority they have. Todoist is also priced well at $4 per month which makes it approachable with a good free plan too.
Here's our review of Todoist if you wanted more in-depth insights into how it works.
2. Akiflow
One of the Best Daily Planner Apps
- Pricing: Starts from $14.99 per month
- Best Features: Time Slots, Calendar View & Rituals
- Most Suited For: Busy Professionals & Time Blocking Lovers
What makes Akiflow one of the best to do apps?
Akiflow is haven for all your tasks. Whilst Akiflow can be used as a task management application and a place to manage your calendar as a solo experience (eg. tasks only hosted by Akiflow) it offers a way to connect apps like Gmail, Notion, ClickUp and more to help bring in tasks from projects you might work on with a team.
Akiflow is a perfect place to combine your calendar and your tasks in one base and bring in tasks from other applications. With it being a daily planner application, this is one of our most recommended apps for task management these days. If you're okay with your budget being stretched a little more than say Todoist, this is a fantastic option as it saves money on using a calendar and tasks app in one.
Our Akiflow review goes into more detail on whether or not you need to dig into it or eager to dive into Akiflow, here's a beginner's guide to Akiflow & 30% off your first 3 months.
3. TickTick
Great Personal To-Do List App
- Pricing: $36.99 per annum
- Best Features: Calendar (Pro), Timeline (Pro), Habit Tracking & Kanban Boards
- Most Suited For: Great for solo users looking at Todoist alternatives
Why TickTick is one of our best to do list apps?
One of the most under-rated experiences for to-do list management is TickTick. It brings together a clean way to add tasks, add due dates and manage them in lists. TickTick has so many features packed away like kanban boards on desktop, habit tracking for creating better routines, and calendar mode for the TickTick pro users.
TickTick used to be a lot cheaper than Todoist, but now they charge the same price. With Desktop 5.0 and Mobile 7.0, TickTick wants to be a more reliable, feature-heavy way to manage your to-do list on the go.
4. Things 3
Best Minimal To Do List Application
- Pricing: $49.99 for macOS, $19.99 for iPadOS, $9.99 for iPhone.
- Best Features: This Evening, Projects & Clean Look
- Most Suited For: Apple-Centric Simple System Professionals
Why Things 3 appears in our list as one of the best?
The masterfully designed task management app created by Cultured Code.
Probably one of the most appreciated to-do list apps, Things 3 is a marvel of design, function and form for managing tasks and projects too. Whilst it is for solo users, Things 3 offers a wide array of features and balance design and function well without having collaborative functions.
Features like projects with deadlines, this evening (a neat feature for breaking tasks into their own "this evening category") and even GTD (Getting Things Done) like features like logbook and anytime.
5. Microsoft To-Do
The Best Free Microsoft To-Do App
- Pricing: Free with Microsoft account
- Best Features: My Day View & Suggestions
- Most Suited For: Microsoft 365 lovers
Why Microsoft To-Do appears in our list?
Formerly Wunderlist, Microsoft To-Do has evolved into a blossoming solution.
Okay, let's put Wunderlist firmly in the past. Microsoft acquired Wunderlist back in 2015. Since then, Microsoft To-Do has been a fan favourite amongst those who manage tasks in the Microsoft ecosystem, those who have a lower budget and people who want the feel and nature of Wunderlist in their palms.
Microsoft To-Do thrives with collaborative to-do lists allowing you to share them with others who use Microsoft To-Do. It also has a "My Day" view for planning tasks, with AI functions like "Suggestions" to better curate your to-do list for the day ahead.
Microsoft To-Do has also good connections with apps like Microsoft Outlook so you can flag and get hold of emails you send that require your upmost attention for your to-do list. In essence, Microsoft To-Do is a Microsoft users dream and perfect for lightweight management of to-dos, the day ahead and light lists you might be keeping.
6. Timestripe
Best Goal Focused To-Do App
- Pricing: Free with $5 per month pricing
- Best Features: Boards, Climbs & Goal Thinking
- Most Suited For: Goal Orientated People
Why Timestripe is one of the best to-do apps?
We need more apps like Timestripe. Timestripe re-thinks tasks by framing to-dos as the key pillars of work, goals. This changes how you plan and think with Timestripe because you an open the app and view your goals for today and for the end of your life.
This helps to allow you to see how your tasks influence your long-term goals, even for the month this can make a big difference and something many to-do apps loose sight on because of their day-to-day nature. Timestripe also packs ways to create boards for saving projects and also a way to weave habits into your routine with a simple implementation, that's a feature called Climbs. One to consider if you want to focus holisitically.
Here's our in-depth review of Timestripe to help choose if it is for you.
7. OmniFocus 3
The GTD Focused To Do App
- Pricing: $99.99 per annum
- Best Features: Forecast & GTD-Focused Nature
- Most Suited For: The GTD Solidified Users for Tasks
Why OmniFocus 3 is one of the best to-do apps?
Built by the folks at OmniGroup, this experience is built from GTD'ers worldwide.
Now for Web, OmniFocus 3 presents a perfect system for Getting Things Done lovers to craft their perfect task management capture setup and processing of tasks to meet the standards of GTD king, David Allen. OmniFocus 3 is a well-built to-do app with easy-to-use management, inbox, folders for all sorting steps, projects and forecast for what's ahead.
This to-do app isn't for the average Sally or Joe who just want to manage their tasks. No, OmniFocus 3 presents a one-stop shop for managing GTD and almost impossible to use without knowledge of Getting Things Done methodology, or at least very un-optimised.
8. Motion
AI Based Auto-Scheduling To Do App
- Pricing: $19.99 per month, billed annually.
- Best Features: AI Auto-Scheduling, Meeting Scheduler & AI Focus
- Most Suited For: Open to Using AI for Task Management & Bigger Budgets
Why is Motion is one of the best to-do apps?
Motion is one of the most expensive options on our list, if not the most expensive option still from time of writing. The application presents itself as a "daily planner application" which is something a bridge between a calendar and task management experience. Motion offers a wide array of features for task planning, calendar management and even management of your schedule with events and meeting booking scheduler.
For the average joe, Motion might not be for you - the price combined with the advanced level of features for simple list management this would be too complex. But for someone in a working knowledge management profession - this would be lapped up.
Whilst Motion is expensive, it gives a great to-do list experience with ability to add lots of detail to tasks, high level planning, Kanban boards, calendar and meeting management - a real technical/IT/sales/marketing person's dream for task management.
9. Routine
A friendly Tasks, Notes & Calendar Hub
- Pricing: Free (for now)
- Best Features: Week Calendar & Console Capture
- Most Suited For: Minimal Daily Planning & Task Management
Why Routine is a great to do app?
Routine is an all-in-one type experience that allows you to manage your tasks alongside the calendar and the notes. You can capture tasks, align them in the calendar and take lighter notes for your lists meaning they want to be your base for planning ahead.
Routine has a phenomenal design and brings a great way to daily plan ahead and also capture all your tasks, notes and calendar events in to your system using the macOS console feature that lives in the background, perfect for speedy capture of tasks and ideas.
Here's our Routine review to dig deeper into the app.
10. Structured
Timeline Focused Task Management
- Pricing: Pro is priced at $9.99 yearly
- Best Features: Timeline View, Events & Progress Timer
- Most Suited For: Great for simple task management & visual planners
Is Structured a good to-do app?
Structured is a great application if you're looking for something, well structured. The app uses a timeline view to help plot your tasks and events ahead for better allocation and focus in the day. For people that like to see what they are doing and like that structure of a day's routine, this will be a superb option.
For those who like apps to be a bit more open plan-like Todoist, then they won't work as well with apps like Structured as it is very fixed in nature. This is super popular with on-the-go users thanks to the Structured app being so great on iOS.
11. Moleskine Actions
The Best Simple To-Do App
- Pricing: $11.99 per year in Moleskine membership
- Best Features: Lists & Design & Look
- Most Suited For: Great for lighter task management
Is Moleskine Actions a good to do app?
Moleskine Actions is such a simple to do application but with a fantastic design, gestures and animations to make it playful and fun in nature. The app allows you to plan tasks for the day, organize them in lists and align them with your Moleskine Timepage events too.
This makes for a great app if you buy into the concept of Moleskine Suite which is a membership that you can get that allows you access to Flow, Actions & Timepage. Moleskine Actions is a super to do app if you want to keep things simple and upgrade the look and feel of your to do app without the need for more features.
12. Sunsama
The Most Mindful To Do App
- Pricing: $16 per month, billed annually.
- Best Features: Notes, Guided Planning & Task Consolidation
- Most Suited For: Mindful Planning of Tasks
Is Sunsama one of the best to-do apps?
Sunsama is one of the better applications out there for making sure you implement a work-life balance, something I'm sure we're all chasing in the busy and hectic lifestyles we have.
Sunsama brings a great way to add tasks, bring them in from other apps (a little like Akiflow) and guided planning which means you'll get a structured system to tee off your tasks for the next day and better align your tasks with your weekly objectives with those features and a lot of people like Sunsama for that approach they go with.
We call Sunsama more of a daily planner but people love it for calendar & tasks in one.
How to pick the perfect to do list app?
There are many hundreds of to-do list applications, trust us - we know.
Finding the right one can be quite stressful because the features feel and might look the same when selecting them. We recommend exploring what your needs are before jumping into the deep end. Your needs are anything that you have experienced with a to-do list (of any format) in the past and where you are aiming for.
Remind yourself with these key questions before looking:
- What hasn't worked about a to-do list app in the past?
- Will I change my lifestyle in 2-3 years? If so, find a tool to map to this.
These can help you navigate your decision. For example, if you are changing from being a student to a working role, then picking a lightweight to-do app like Google Tasks might not be a good bet as you will likely need something more advanced, whereas if you were going from a working role to retirement then maybe moving to something like Todoist would see you through and beyond into your hobby task years.
What does GTD recommend with to do apps?
There's a unspoken rule in GTD (Getting Things Done) by David Allen that recommends you get three productivity tools.
- To-Do List App
- Note Taking App
- Calendar App
This will help you manage all aspects of your life, the lines are very much being blurred when it comes to selection of these, tools like Akiflow and Motion are good examples of that. But this general principle might help you to pick the right now.
Recently we created a list of the best GTD Task Management Apps to explore.
- Best 12 To Do List Apps for 2024: Quick List
- How we picked these to do list apps?
- 1. Todoist
- 2. Akiflow
- 3. TickTick
- 4. Things 3
- 5. Microsoft To-Do
- 6. Timestripe
- 7. OmniFocus 3
- 8. Motion
- 9. Routine
- 10. Structured
- 11. Moleskine Actions
- 12. Sunsama
- How to pick the perfect to do list app?
- What does GTD recommend with to do apps?
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Francesco D'Alessio
Francesco D'Alessio
Francesco D'Alessio
Francesco D'Alessio
Francesco D'Alessio
Francesco D'Alessio
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