Todolist App Guide 2026: 6 Top Picks Compared

To-do apps in 2026 run from free-forever tools to AI-heavy team suites, with Superlist topping the range at $21 per person/month. The right pick depends less on price than on how fast the app keeps up with the way you actually work.

Key takeaways

• Todoist Pro costs 5.0× more than its free Beginner plan ($5 vs $0/user/month), a clear example of how "free" to-do apps monetize limits, not features.
• Google Tasks isn't a standalone competitor here. It's a lightweight, calendar-embedded tool, distinct from full apps like Todoist or ClickUp.
• Most ranking apps blur personal and team pricing. Separating solo plans from collaboration tiers shows which apps are actually built for individuals.
• Keyboard speed and natural language scheduling are workflow differentiators most comparison articles skip.
• Free plans from Todoist, TickTick, Superlist, Any.do, and ClickUp all cap lists, tasks, or storage. Uncapped use typically starts at $5–$9/month.

Disclosure: Dooit is our product. This comparison includes it alongside competitors, cited from each vendor's published pricing.

Why Do So Many Todolist Apps Feel Slow or Bloated?

Todolist apps often feel slow because most add features faster than they optimize speed, leaving loading spinners, sync delays, and cluttered interfaces. The problem isn't a lack of options. It's finding an app that keeps pace with fast, keyboard-driven thinking without friction, tier confusion, or feature bloat slowing your daily planning.

Feature creep is the main culprit. ClickUp describes itself as an all-in-one platform bringing tasks, docs, goals, chat, whiteboards, dashboards, and AI into one app. That breadth helps teams, but a solo user tracking three projects and a habit streak rarely touches whiteboards or chat.

No spinners, no loading, no lag. As fast as you can think.

• Feature creep adds AI chat, whiteboards, and docs most individuals never open.
• Free-to-paid paths gate basics like unlimited lists or filter views.
• Mouse-dependent UIs slow down power users who want to plan in seconds.

What Are the Key Features to Look for in a To-Do List App?

The key features in a to-do list app are flexible views (list and board), natural language scheduling, reminders, cross-device sync, and habit tracking. For power users, keyboard shortcuts, undo/redo, and quick-add speed matter as much as feature count. A cluttered app with dozens of features can feel slower than a minimal one.

Feature depth varies widely. Todoist's free plan includes Smart Quick Add and flexible list and board layouts, while TickTick bundles a Pomodoro timer, Eisenhower Matrix, and a Habit Tracker with detailed statistics and feedback. Weigh what you'll use daily against what merely looks good on a feature grid.

• Multiple views: list, Kanban/board, calendar, timeline.
• Natural language date input ("tomorrow", "every Monday").
• Reminders, recurring tasks, and filters or saved views.
• Habit tracking with streaks, kept separate from one-off tasks.
• Real-time sync across web, desktop, and mobile.

Is the Todolist App Free? Comparing Free Tiers and Their Real Limits

Most major to-do apps offer a free tier, but "free" rarely means unlimited. Todoist's free plan caps at 5 projects, TickTick at 9 lists and 99 tasks each, and Superlist at 5 shared lists. Amazing Marvin has no free plan at all, only a 14-day trial, while Any.do and ClickUp offer more generous free-forever tiers.

• Todoist Beginner: free forever, 5 personal projects and 1 week of activity history.
• TickTick free: 9 lists, 99 tasks per list, list and kanban views.
• Superlist Free: 5 private and shared lists, 25MB uploads, and 500MB storage.
• Any.do Personal: free forever, no credit card, with tasks, lists, reminders, and calendar.
• ClickUp Free Forever: unlimited tasks and members, but built for teams.
• Amazing Marvin: no free plan, 14-day trial only.

Data takeaway: across the five apps with free tiers, uncapped or near-uncapped use starts at $5/month (Todoist Pro, Superlist Basic, ClickUp Unlimited) and tops out at $9/month (Dooit) — a narrow $5–$9 band separating "free" from "unlimited."

What Is the Google To-Do List App, and How Does It Differ From Full-Featured Competitors?

Google's native to-do product is Google Tasks, a lightweight list tool embedded in Gmail and Google Calendar for quick capture and due dates. Unlike Todoist, TickTick, or ClickUp, Google Tasks lacks Kanban boards, habit tracking, keyboard-shortcut depth, filters, and goal horizons, which makes it a companion tool rather than a standalone system.

Google Tasks works best when your tasks already live inside your inbox or calendar. Flag an email, set a due date, done. But once you need board views, recurring habits with streaks, or saved filters, you'll outgrow it. It's a capture layer, not a planning system.

• Integrates directly into the Gmail and Google Calendar sidebars.
• No native Kanban board, habit streaks, or advanced filtering.
• Best for simple reminders tied to email or calendar events.
• Power users needing views, shortcuts, or habits tend to move on fast.

The Hidden Cost Gap No One Talks About: Todoist Free vs. Pro

Todoist Pro costs 5.0× more than the free Beginner plan, $5 per user/month versus $0, to unlock 300 projects (up from 5), calendar layout, task duration, and full reporting history. Calculated straight from Todoist's own pricing page, that multiple shows how steep the free-to-paid jump can be compared to flat pricing models.

The Beginner plan gives you 5 personal projects and 3 filter views. Pro raises that to 300 projects and 150 filter views — a 60× jump in project capacity and a 50× jump in filter views, both gated behind the first paywall. The math is simple; the implication is bigger. Multi-tier pricing forces you to predict future needs before you commit.

Flat single-tier pricing skips the guessing game. Dooit runs one $9/month plan where every user gets full functionality from day one, with no tier to outgrow. That's a different tradeoff, no free tier, but a clearer one.

Todolist App Comparison Table: Pricing, Platforms, and Core Limits

Todolist pricing runs from $0 free tiers to $21/person/month for Superlist Super, with most individual-focused plans landing between $5 and $9/month. Platform support is nearly universal across web, desktop, and mobile, but core limits like list caps, task caps, and storage vary sharply between free and paid tiers, as shown below.

App	Free tier	Paid entry	Platforms	Standout
Todoist	5 projects	$5/mo Pro (5.0× Beginner)	Web, iOS, Android, desktop	Filters & 374K+ reviews
TickTick	9 lists, 99 tasks each	$49.99/yr Premium	Cross-platform	Habit + Pomodoro
Amazing Marvin	None (14-day trial)	$8/mo Pro	Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android	Custom workflows
Superlist	5 lists, 500MB	$5/mo Basic	macOS, iOS, Android, Web	Shared lists + AI
Any.do	Free forever	Premium (trial)	Web, Desktop, Android, iOS	Daily planner
ClickUp	Unlimited tasks/members	$7/mo Unlimited	Mac, Windows, Linux, mobile	All-in-one platform
Dooit	None (7-day trial)	$9/mo flat	Desktop + mobile, real-time sync	Sub-50ms, keyboard-first

Disclosure: Dooit is our product. Prices reflect each vendor's published pricing at time of writing; annual billing often lowers the effective monthly rate.

Todoist: Filters and a Large Review Base

Screenshot: Todoist pricing page, August 2026.

Todoist suits users who want a widely-reviewed app with deep filtering. Its free Beginner plan covers basics, while Pro ($5/user/month) unlocks 300 projects, custom reminders, and full reporting history. The large review count signals staying power, though the tiered structure keeps real power features behind a paywall.

Todoist's pricing page cites 374K+ five-star reviews — the largest review base in this comparison and a clear signal of staying power. The Business plan at $8 per user/month adds a shared team workspace with up to 500 team projects and 1000 members, so it scales from solo to team without switching apps. For a head-to-head, see our Todoist alternative comparison.

TickTick: Built-In Habit Tracking and Pomodoro

Screenshot: TickTick features page, August 2026.

TickTick bundles habit tracking, a Pomodoro timer, and an Eisenhower Matrix alongside standard lists, features many competitors treat as separate apps. Its free tier covers 9 lists and 99 tasks each; Premium ($49.99/year) raises those caps and adds calendar views, so it suits users who want habits and tasks in one place.

TickTick describes its Habit Tracker as offering detailed statistics and feedback to help users develop good habits, and its feature page highlights Calendar, Eisenhower Matrix, Pomodoro, Timeline, and widgets. Premium pushes limits to 299 lists and 999 tasks per list — roughly a 33× and 10× jump over the free caps. If habit tracking is your priority, weigh it against dedicated approaches in our TickTick alternative guide.

Amazing Marvin: Customizable Workflows, No Free Plan

Screenshot: Amazing Marvin pricing page, August 2026.

Amazing Marvin is built for deep customization: custom workflows, views, and analytics. It's the only app here with no free plan at all. A 14-day trial (no credit card) lets you test before committing to $8/month billed annually, which makes it a considered purchase rather than a casual download.

Marvin's plan costs $8/month billed as $96/year and includes unlimited tasks and projects, custom workflows, analytics and insights, and apps for Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android. The company states plainly it has no free plan currently. Our Amazing Marvin alternative roundup covers who should look elsewhere.

Superlist: Small Shared Lists With AI Add-Ons

Screenshot: Superlist pricing page, August 2026.

Superlist fits users who occasionally share lists with a partner, roommate, or small team without needing full team infrastructure. Its free tier covers 5 shared lists for up to 5 people; Basic ($5/month) unlocks unlimited lists and Voice AI, while Super ($21/month) adds AI meeting notes. Pricing scales steeply for AI-heavy use.

• Free: 5 lists, 5 people, 500MB storage.
• Basic: $5/mo or $59/yr, unlimited lists, Voice AI, 25GB storage.
• Super: $21/mo or $249/yr, AI Meeting Notes, AI Chat, and Slack summarization.

The jump from Basic to Super is 4.2× ($5 to $21/month), driven almost entirely by AI features. If you want light sharing without that overhead, our Superlist alternative comparison lays out the options.

Any.do: Free-Forever Personal Planning

Screenshot: Any.do en page, August 2026.

Any.do's Personal plan is free forever with no credit card required, covering tasks, lists, reminders, calendar, and a daily planner. It works for users who want simplicity without a paywall. Premium adds location reminders and Focus Mode, while Family and Workspace plans handle shared or team use, keeping personal and collaborative tiers clearly separated.

Any.do's help center lists four plan types, Free, Premium, Family, and Workspace, and confirms support across Web, Desktop, Android, and iOS. Premium and Team plans offer free trial periods, though purchase options vary by platform and location.

ClickUp: Teams Wanting an All-in-One Platform

Screenshot: ClickUp faqs page, August 2026.

ClickUp is built for teams that want tasks, docs, goals, chat, and dashboards in one platform rather than a dedicated personal to-do app. Its Free Forever plan includes unlimited tasks and members, but the feature depth, from Sprint Management to whiteboards and AI, aims at collaborative work, not solo keyboard-driven planning.

ClickUp's FAQ describes its Free Forever plan with unlimited tasks and members, Kanban boards, Sprint Management, Calendar view, and 24/7 support. Paid tiers run Unlimited at $7/user/month, Business at $12, and Enterprise with custom pricing. It runs on Mac, Windows, and Linux plus mobile, with the desktop app working seamlessly alongside the web experience.

Dooit: Keyboard-First Solo Workflows and Habit Streaks

Screenshot: Dooit blog page, August 2026.

Dooit targets individuals who want speed over sprawl. It's built for every action to complete in under 50ms, with 20+ keyboard shortcuts, undo/redo, and natural language scheduling like "next Friday" or "every Monday." A single $9/month plan with a 7-day trial replaces tiered pricing, though its feature surface is smaller than all-in-one platforms.

Plan your day, get sh*t done, hit your goals.

• Sub-50ms actions with no spinners or loading lag.
• Kanban and list views switchable with a single keystroke.
• Goal tracking across week, month, year, and multi-year horizons.
• Daily habit tracking with streaks alongside tasks and projects.
• Real-time sync across devices, including a dedicated mobile app.
• Limitation: one flat plan means no free tier, and fewer collaboration features than team tools like ClickUp.

One plan with everything. No tiers, no add-ons, no surprises. Dooit is a fit if you plan solo and live on the keyboard. If you need shared workspaces, docs, and chat, a team platform will suit you better. For a broader view, our best task management apps guide compares seven tools.

Which To-Do List App Fits Personal Use vs. Team Collaboration?

Personal-use apps like Dooit, Any.do Personal, Amazing Marvin, and Todoist Beginner/Pro prioritize individual speed, habit tracking, and goal horizons. Team-oriented apps like ClickUp, Todoist Business, and Superlist Basic/Super add shared workspaces, member limits, and collaboration features. Choosing the wrong category often means paying for unused team infrastructure.

• Personal-first: Dooit, Any.do Personal, Amazing Marvin, TickTick.
• Team-capable: ClickUp, and Todoist Business with up to 500 team projects and 1000 members.
• Hybrid/scalable: Superlist, free for personal use with paid team add-ons.

Freelancers usually sit in between: they need personal-tier speed with occasional light sharing, not a full team suite. Paying $12 per user for Sprint Management you'll never open is the common trap — that's $144/year for capabilities a solo planner rarely touches. Match the plan to your actual workflow, not the marketing tier.

Frequently asked questions

Is the todolist app free?

It depends on the app. Todoist, TickTick, Superlist, Any.do, and ClickUp all offer free tiers with caps on lists, tasks, or storage. Amazing Marvin has no free plan, only a 14-day trial. Dooit uses a single $9/month plan with a 7-day free trial instead of a free tier.

What is the best app for to-do lists?

There's no single best app; it depends on workflow. Todoist suits filter-heavy planning, TickTick suits habit tracking, ClickUp suits teams, and Dooit suits keyboard-first individuals who want sub-50ms speed and natural language scheduling without tiered pricing.

What is the Google to-do list app?

Google's native to-do tool is Google Tasks, embedded in Gmail and Google Calendar for quick reminders and due dates. It lacks the Kanban boards, habit tracking, and keyboard shortcuts found in dedicated apps like Todoist, TickTick, or Dooit, which makes it better for simple capture than full task management.

What is the todo list app?

A to-do list app is software that helps individuals or teams capture, organize, schedule, and track tasks, often with reminders, recurring dates, multiple views, and sync across devices. Examples range from lightweight tools like Google Tasks to full platforms like Todoist, TickTick, ClickUp, and Dooit.

What are the top free to-do list apps with no hidden paywalls?

Any.do's Personal plan is free forever with no credit card required. Todoist Beginner, TickTick's free tier, Superlist Free, and ClickUp's Free Forever plan also work without payment, though each caps projects, lists, tasks, or storage. Read the limits before assuming "free" means unlimited.

How do to-do list apps differ for personal use versus team collaboration?

Personal-use apps emphasize speed, habit tracking, and individual goal horizons (Dooit, Any.do Personal, Amazing Marvin). Team-oriented apps add shared workspaces, member limits, and collaboration tools like Slack integration (ClickUp, Todoist Business, Superlist's paid tiers), often at a higher per-user cost.

If you plan solo and want your app to keep up with your keyboard, start free with Dooit and see how sub-50ms feels.