Task App Custom Filtered Views Sidebar: 2026 Guide
Fabio Bergmann
Todoist's free plan caps you at just 3 saved filters versus 150 on Pro — proof that a "custom filtered view" is a feature apps quietly ration. A custom filtered sidebar view is a saved query (due date, tag, priority, project) that shows only matching tasks and lives permanently in your sidebar.
Disclosure: Dooit, one of the apps mentioned below, is our product.
Key takeaways
- Custom filtered views are saved queries (due date, tag, priority, project) that live in the sidebar and update automatically as tasks change, unlike static default views.
- Free plans cap you hard: Todoist's free tier includes only 3 filter views versus 150 on Pro, while Amazing Marvin and Superlist take different limit approaches.
- Nested AND/OR logic separates the apps: Linear and TickTick support advanced grouped conditions, while Things 3 skips custom filters for fixed built-in views.
- Todoist Pro's $60/year price is 60 times its $0 Beginner plan, so the entire annual upgrade cost is incremental from free.
- Pinning, favoriting, and drag-to-reorder are how most apps organize sidebar views, but only some (like ClickUp) guarantee pinning access on every plan.
Why Your Task App Sidebar Feels Cluttered (And What Fixes It)
Sidebar clutter isn't a task-count problem. Default views like Today, Upcoming, and All Tasks force you to scan everything instead of seeing only what matters right now. Custom filtered views fix this by saving a specific query, like overdue plus high priority, as a permanent one-click shortcut.
- Default views mix urgent and irrelevant tasks together.
- Re-sorting or re-searching every morning wastes time and breaks flow.
- A saved filter removes the repeated decision about what to look at.
Todoist's built-in views like Today, Upcoming, and Priority cannot be edited with filter queries. Things 3 and TickTick use fixed built-in views too, so the fix is always a user-defined filter layered on top.
What Are Custom Filtered Views in a Task App Sidebar?
A custom filtered view is a saved query, built from attributes like due date, tag, priority, or project, that lives permanently in the sidebar and shows only matching tasks. Unlike default views such as Today or Inbox, you define the exact criteria, and the list updates live as tasks change.
Todoist defines filters as custom views built with query syntax, and notes they can narrow tasks by task name, date, project, label, priority, and date created. TickTick describes its equivalent, the Smart List, as a list that filters and displays tasks based on certain conditions.
Custom Filters vs. Built-In Smart Views
Built-in smart views ship fixed. TickTick's include Today, Tomorrow, Next 7 Days, Inbox, and Assigned to Me. Custom filters are yours to define, name, and save with query syntax. The distinction matters: you can't rewrite a built-in view's logic, but a custom filter persists across sessions once saved.
How Do I Create a Custom Filtered View in a Task App?
Most apps follow the same three-step pattern: open the sidebar's filter or view menu, define your criteria with a query builder or filter syntax, then name and save it. Todoist, TickTick, ClickUp, and Linear all support this, though the exact menu labels differ.
- Todoist: open Filters & Labels, click Add, name the filter, enter a query, and save it.
- TickTick: add via List Management or the Add > Filter option; filters appear under lists once enabled.
- ClickUp: apply filters in a view, then save the configuration as a named view.
- Linear: build from filtered issues, projects, or initiatives, then save.
What Filter Criteria Can You Use to Build a Sidebar View?
Filter criteria vary by app, but most cover due date, project or list, tag or label, priority, and assignee. Some go further into custom fields, time estimates, or keyword content. The available criteria set determines how granular and useful your saved sidebar view can be.
- Todoist: task name, date, project, label, priority, date created.
- TickTick: list name, tags, date, other attributes, and keyword content.
- ClickUp: status, due date, priority, custom fields, task type, assignees, tags, and time estimates.
- Linear: filtered issues, projects, and initiatives with grouped conditions.
Custom Filtered Views vs. Default Views: What's the Difference?
Default views like Today, Upcoming, or Inbox are fixed by the app and cannot be edited with filter queries. Convenient but rigid. Custom filtered views are user-defined, savable, and reusable, letting you combine attributes the built-in views never anticipated, like "high priority AND due this week AND tagged client-work."
Things 3 sits at one extreme. It uses separate built-in views such as Today, Upcoming, and Anytime rather than user-created sidebar filters. That means zero setup and no attribute-based custom filtering.
Can You Combine Multiple Filter Conditions With AND/OR Logic?
Yes, but support varies significantly. TickTick and Linear both support AND and OR logic, with Linear also allowing nested filter groups for complex conditions. ClickUp supports combining multiple filters in one view. This logic depth is what separates a simple label filter from a genuinely powerful saved view.
- TickTick: normal filtering, or advanced filtering with OR and AND logic.
- Linear: grouping conditions with AND/OR, including nested filter groups.
- ClickUp: one filter or a combination of filters per view.
- Simple label-only filters with no logic are the baseline most other tools default to.
Saving, Pinning, and Reordering Views: The Sidebar Organization Gap
Sidebar organization varies more than most guides admit. Todoist lets you favorite and drag-reorder filters, ClickUp lets you pin views on every plan tier, and Superlist uses a dedicated Favorites section to pin lists. Few comparisons cover this organizational layer.
- Todoist: favorite a filter and drag and drop to rearrange sidebar order.
- ClickUp: pin views to the Views Bar, available on all plans.
- Superlist: the sidebar is primary navigation, and a Favorites section pins any list.
- Linear: saved views can be favorited for easier access.
How Many Filtered Views Can You Actually Save? (The Pricing Gap)
Free plans quietly limit filtered-view counts. Todoist's free Beginner plan caps you at 3 filter views, while Pro unlocks 150 for $5/user/month billed yearly. That $60/year Pro cost is fully incremental, because the free tier is $0.
Stat that matters: Pro's 150 filter views are 50 times the 3 you get free — the single steepest free-to-paid jump in this comparison.
Put differently: Todoist Pro's yearly price is 60 times the Beginner plan's $0, so there's no discount tier bridging free and paid. Superlist's Basic plan at $59/year lands $1 under Todoist Pro. And Amazing Marvin frames its own pricing plainly:
Pricing is simple and honest, with no feature gates or upsells.
Free vs. Paid Filter View Limits
| App / Plan | Price | Filter views |
|---|---|---|
| Todoist Beginner | $0/month | 3 |
| Todoist Pro | $5/user/mo (yearly) | 150 |
| Amazing Marvin | No feature gates | Custom views included |
| Superlist Basic | $59/year | Lists, not attribute filters |
Do Custom Filtered Views Update Live, or Do You Have to Refresh?
Filtered views in the apps reviewed here display tasks based on matching conditions rather than static snapshots. A task that gains a matching tag or due date appears in the relevant sidebar view automatically, without a manual refresh step.
TickTick's Smart List filters and displays tasks based on certain conditions as they're met. Todoist filters run on live query syntax, not saved snapshots. That live behavior is what makes filtered views usable for daily triage instead of one-time searches.
Todoist vs. TickTick vs. ClickUp vs. Linear vs. Superlist vs. Things 3
Screenshot: Todoist website, August 2026.
Each app handles filtered sidebar views differently: some offer deep AND/OR logic (Linear, TickTick), some gate filter count behind pricing (Todoist), and some skip custom filters for fixed views (Things 3). Compare the core mechanics below, then shortlist two or three before testing directly.
| App | Filter logic | Organization | Free-tier limit | Shared views |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Todoist | Query syntax | Favorite, drag-reorder | 3 filters | Team filters |
| TickTick | Normal + advanced AND/OR | Under lists in sidebar | Smart Lists | — |
| ClickUp | Combined filters | Pin on all plans | Pinning free | Yes |
| Linear | Nested AND/OR | Favorite saved views | — | Yes |
| Superlist | List-based | Favorites pin lists | 5 private / 5 shared | Yes |
| Things 3 | None (built-in only) | Fixed views | — | No |
For deeper head-to-heads, see our Todoist vs TickTick and Todoist vs Things 3 comparisons.
Todoist: granular query-based filters
Todoist treats filters as full query-syntax views, separate from built-in Today, Upcoming, and Priority views, letting you filter by name, date, project, label, priority, and creation date. The catch: free users get only 3 saved filters, while Pro at $5/user/month yearly unlocks 150. That's a steep free-to-paid cliff.
- Add filters via Filters & Labels > Add > name > query > save.
- Favorite and drag-reorder filters in the sidebar.
- Team filters are shared, customizable views using the same query syntax to narrow tasks by name, date, project, label, priority, and date created.
- Business plan pricing shifts to $10/user/month monthly ($8 yearly) starting December 10, 2025.
TickTick: AND/OR filter logic on a budget
Screenshot: TickTick website, August 2026.
TickTick supports normal and advanced filtering with full AND/OR logic, built from list name, tags, dates, and keyword content, and added via List Management or the Add > Filter option. Its built-in Smart Lists (Today, Tomorrow, Next 7 Days, Assigned to Me) cover common cases without a custom filter.
- Filters appear under lists once enabled from the sidebar.
- Advanced filtering mode supports combined logic conditions.
- Smart Lists handle common built-in scenarios separately from custom filters.
ClickUp: pinning multiple filtered views
Screenshot: ClickUp website, August 2026.
ClickUp lets you stack multiple filter conditions (status, due date, priority, custom fields, assignees, tags, time estimates) into a single saved, named view, then pin it to the Views Bar. Pinning is available on every plan, removing the tier-gating friction seen elsewhere.
- Filter combinations span custom fields and time estimates, not just dates and tags.
- Save any filtered configuration as a named, reusable view.
- Pinning works identically across all pricing plans.
If ClickUp feels heavier than you need, our simple alternative guide covers lighter options.
Linear: nested AND/OR filter logic
Screenshot: Linear docs page, August 2026.
Linear's advanced filters support grouping conditions with nested AND/OR logic, letting you build views far more complex than a flat filter list. Custom views can be created from filtered issues, projects, or initiatives, then saved, shared, and favorited. That makes it strongest for layered, multi-condition filtering.
- Nested filter groups go beyond the flat AND/OR seen in most competitors.
- Views can be created from issues, projects, or initiatives, not just tasks.
- Saved views can be shared and favorited for team access.
Superlist: pinning favorite lists in a shared sidebar
Screenshot: Superlist en page, August 2026.
Superlist's sidebar is built around list navigation, with a Favorites section for pinning any list for quick access rather than a dedicated filter-query builder. Its free plan covers 5 private and 5 shared lists with reminders, repeating tasks, and task assigning. Solid for lightweight shared use.
- The sidebar is the primary navigation surface, not a secondary panel.
- The Favorites section pins lists rather than building attribute-based filters.
- Free plan also includes reminders, repeating tasks, task assigning, labels, and messages on tasks.
- Free plan: 5 private lists, 5 shared lists, 500 MB total storage, 25 MB per file.
- Available on iOS, Android, Web, and macOS.
Weighing Superlist against others? See our Superlist alternative comparison.
Things 3: fixed built-in views without filter setup
Screenshot: Things 3 things page, August 2026.
Things 3 deliberately skips custom sidebar filters, relying on separate built-in views (Today, Upcoming, Anytime) across Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch. This suits users who want zero setup, but it's a limitation if you need attribute-based filtering like priority or tag combinations.
- No user-created filter queries; views are fixed by the app.
- Simplicity trades off against customization.
- Cross-device support spans Mac, iPad, iPhone, and Apple Watch.
Best Use Cases for Custom Filtered Sidebar Views
The most useful filtered views combine two or three conditions to answer a recurring question at a glance. Not "what's due today" but "what's overdue AND high priority" or "what's tagged client-work AND due this week." These patterns are worth saving permanently in your sidebar.
- Overdue + high priority — a daily triage view for urgent slippage.
- Tagged by client/project + due this week — a freelancer workload view.
- Goal-linked tasks by week/month/year horizon — for founders tracking milestones.
- Waiting-on or delegated tasks by assignee — for collaborative teams.
- No-due-date + specific tag — a backlog view kept separate from active work.
A Leaner Alternative: Filtering Without Sidebar Clutter
Not every task app needs a deep filter-query system to feel organized. Dooit takes a leaner approach: Kanban and list views switch with a single keystroke, natural language scheduling ("next Friday," "every Monday") replaces manual date filters, and every action is built to complete in under 50ms with no loading lag.
Disclosure: Dooit is our product.
- Kanban/list toggle via one keystroke instead of building separate saved views.
- Natural language scheduling reduces the need for manual date-based filters.
- 20+ keyboard shortcuts with undo and redo for fast, low-friction organization.
- Single $9/month plan with a 7-day free trial, no tiered filter-count limits.
- Genuine limitation: Dooit doesn't offer Linear-style nested AND/OR custom filter builders. The sidebar stays intentionally simple rather than query-driven, so power users who live in complex saved queries may prefer Linear or TickTick.
Frequently asked questions
Can I save and name a custom filtered view so it stays in my sidebar?
Yes. In apps like Todoist and ClickUp, you build the filter criteria, then name and save it as a permanent sidebar entry. Todoist does this through Filters & Labels > Add, while ClickUp lets you save any filtered configuration directly as a named, pinnable view.
How do I reorder or pin custom filtered views in a task app sidebar?
Todoist supports favoriting filters and drag-and-drop reordering in the sidebar. ClickUp lets you pin views to the Views Bar on every plan tier. Superlist uses a Favorites section to pin lists for quick access, though it's list-based rather than attribute-filter-based.
Can I combine multiple filter conditions with AND/OR logic in one view?
Yes, though depth varies. TickTick supports normal and advanced filtering with AND/OR logic, Linear supports nested grouped conditions for complex layering, and ClickUp lets you combine multiple filters (status, priority, custom fields, tags) into a single saved view.
Do custom filtered sidebar views update automatically as tasks change?
Based on how these apps describe the feature, yes. Filters and Smart Lists display tasks based on live matching conditions rather than static snapshots, so a task meeting the criteria appears without manual refreshing, making filtered views reliable for daily triage.
How many custom filtered views can I add before hitting a limit?
Limits depend on the app and plan. Todoist's free Beginner plan allows only 3 filter views versus 150 on Pro. Amazing Marvin advertises no feature gates on custom views regardless of tier, so check each app's specific plan page before committing.
What's the difference between a custom filtered view and a default view like Today or Inbox?
Default views like Today, Upcoming, or Inbox are fixed by the app and can't be edited with filter queries. Custom filtered views are user-built from criteria like date, tag, or priority, then saved and named, giving you control default views don't offer.
Want to plan your day without wrestling a query builder? Start free with Dooit and see how fast keyboard-first task management feels.