We’ve all downloaded a to-do list app, spent an hour setting it up, and then never opened it again. These 10 are the ones people actually stick with.

---

1. Carly AI - Best for Getting Things Done Without an App

Carly AI isn’t a traditional to-do list app. It’s an AI assistant you text or email. Tell Carly what you need to do and she handles it — scheduling meetings, adding calendar events, managing your day. No app to open, no inbox to check.

Text “remind me to send the proposal Friday at 9am” and it’s handled. Forward an email with action items and Carly extracts them. It’s task management through channels you already use.

Best for: People who hate opening yet another app

Key features:

• Add tasks and reminders via text or email
• Automatic scheduling based on your calendar
• Extracts action items from emails
• Learns your preferences over time

---

2. Todoist - Best All-Around To-Do List

Todoist nails the fundamentals. Quick task capture, natural language input, projects, labels, and filters. It works on every platform and syncs instantly. The natural language parsing is best-in-class — type “submit report every Friday at 3pm” and it just works.

Best for: Anyone who wants a reliable, cross-platform task manager

Key features:

• Natural language task input
• Projects, labels, and filters
• Recurring tasks
• Karma system for motivation

---

3. Things 3 - Best for Apple Users

Things 3 is the gold standard for design-conscious task management on Apple devices. The interface is beautiful and fast. Drag-and-drop scheduling, headings within projects, and a “Today” view that keeps you focused. No subscription — one-time purchase.

Best for: Apple ecosystem users who value design

Key features:

• Elegant drag-and-drop interface
• Today, Upcoming, and Anytime views
• Headings and checklists within projects
• One-time purchase, no subscription

---

4. TickTick - Best for Built-In Extras

TickTick combines a solid to-do list with a Pomodoro timer, habit tracker, and calendar view. If you want one app that handles tasks, focus sessions, and daily habits, TickTick packs it all in without feeling bloated.

Best for: People who want tasks, habits, and focus timers in one place

Key features:

• Built-in Pomodoro timer
• Habit tracking
• Calendar view with task integration
• Voice input for quick capture

---

5. Microsoft To Do - Best for Microsoft 365 Users

If you live in Outlook and Teams, Microsoft To Do is the obvious choice. It pulls flagged emails into your task list, syncs with Planner, and integrates with the Microsoft ecosystem seamlessly. My Day gives you a clean daily focus view.

Best for: Microsoft 365 users

Key features:

• Flagged emails become tasks automatically
• My Day daily planning view
• Shared lists for collaboration
• Planner and Teams integration

---

6. Google Tasks - Best for Gmail Users

Google Tasks lives inside Gmail and Google Calendar. No separate app needed (though one exists). Click a button to turn an email into a task, set a due date, and it shows on your calendar. Dead simple. If you’re already in Google’s ecosystem, adding another app is unnecessary.

Best for: Gmail and Google Calendar users who want simplicity

Key features:

• Built into Gmail and Google Calendar
• Turn emails into tasks with one click
• Subtasks and due dates
• Available on mobile

---

7. Apple Reminders - Best Free Option (Apple)

Apple Reminders has quietly become a capable task manager. Smart lists, tags, location-based reminders, and shared lists. It works across all Apple devices and is completely free. For most people, it’s genuinely enough.

Best for: Apple users who don’t want to pay for a task app

Key features:

• Smart lists with automatic filtering
• Tags and location-based reminders
• Shared lists and collaboration
• Siri integration

---

8. Notion - Best for Customizable Workflows

Notion lets you build any task management system you can imagine. Kanban boards, databases, calendars, Gantt charts — it’s endlessly flexible. The trade-off is setup time. But if you want a system tailored exactly to how you think, nothing else comes close.

Best for: Power users who want full customization

Key features:

• Databases with multiple views (board, list, calendar, timeline)
• Templates for every workflow
• AI assistant for summarization and generation
• Wiki-style knowledge management alongside tasks

---

9. Any.do - Best for Daily Planning

Any.do focuses on your daily plan. Each morning it walks you through your tasks and helps you decide what to tackle today. The interface is clean and the daily planning ritual helps you stay intentional rather than reactive.

Best for: People who want a guided daily planning routine

Key features:

• Daily planning screen each morning
• Calendar integration
• Shared lists and task assignment
• WhatsApp integration for reminders

---

10. Superlist - Best for Teams and Personal

Superlist bridges personal tasks and team collaboration in one app. Create personal to-do lists alongside shared team projects. It’s from the makers of Wunderlist and feels like a modern successor — fast, clean, and collaborative.

Best for: People who need personal and team task management in one place

Key features:

• Personal and team spaces in one app
• Real-time collaboration
• Due dates and reminders
• Clean, modern interface

---

How to Pick the Right To-Do List App

Don’t overthink this. The best to-do list app is the one you’ll actually use.

If you hate managing apps: Carly AI lets you manage tasks through text and email. No app to check.

If you want a classic to-do list: Todoist is the most reliable all-rounder.

If you’re all-in on Apple: Things 3 or Apple Reminders.

If you’re in Microsoft/Google: Use the built-in option. Microsoft To Do or Google Tasks.

If you want full control: Notion.

Start with one. Give it two weeks. If you’re still checking it daily, you’ve found your app.

Related Articles

Guides

20 Best AI Tools for Consultants [2026]

Jan 28, 2026

Guides

19 Best AI Tools for Executives [2026]

Jan 28, 2026

Guides

22 Best AI Tools for Freelancers [2026]

Jan 28, 2026