The best to do list list apps and to do list online is the one you’ll actually use. There’s no shortage of these types of apps and websites. But if you use them for a week and you don’t see your life improving, try something else. You’ve got nothing to lose – or so we thought.
Free to do list apps are amongst the many different productivity tools. Productivity tools help you manage your self, time, work and schedule better. Many of the free to-do list apps are compatible out of the box with most smartphones.
Google Tasks for Android
A Google-backed task management application for your Android device which fully integrates with all Google applications, Google Tasks ranks #14 in our list of best to-do list apps.
Google Tasks lets you add and manage tasks directly from your Gmail, without any need of opening a new window. The tool takes a crisp take on traditional to-do list apps by providing a simple UI design that makes task management quick and easy.
The tool might not be a good solution for you if you’re looking for comprehensive to-do list management. But, if creating and managing to-do lists on the go is your forte, look no further.
Like many other to-do list apps, Google Tasks also comes with easy drag and drop functionality to help you prioritize your to-dos and make quick changes whenever required.
Key Features
- Easy tasks and subtasks management.
- Multiple task lists for managing different to-dos.
- Due dates and priority setting.
- Synchronization with Gmail and Google Calendar.
- Drag and drop options for arranging tasks according to priority.
- Additional notes on tasks in case of further information adding.
- Tasks sorting filters to retrieve what’s needed.
Pros
- Super useful for basic to-do list management.
- Completely free tool.
- Minimalistic user-interface.
Cons
- Not suitable for advanced task management.
- No time tracking abilities.
- Team collaboration features missing.
Pricing
- Google Tasks is free…
Bear
Looking at the interface of Bear, one has to admit it is a beautifully designed tool. When you dig deeper, you realize that the pretty interface is just the tip of the iceberg. Bear encompasses a multitude of brilliant features especially for those who like to get things done in one go.
With this app, you can write almost entire articles in notes with appropriate formatting and styling. You even get to set word count! How cool is that? In the end, you have an option to convert the notes to Word or PDF. Can it get simpler and swifter than that?
Plus, you get to personalize your app through different themes. With all these and more features, Bear is definitely worth a try.
Key Features
Use Bear as follows to boost your productivity today:
- Create lists with text, images and more.
- Multiple text formatting options and styling.
- Intellisense for error-free writing.
- Create links within lists.
- In-line support for images and photos.
- Hashtags to quickly find and organize notes.
- Focus mode to help concentrate.
- Multiple themes and typography.
- Set word counts and reading times.
- Convert writing into PDF and Word docs.
- Multiple export options including HTML, PDF, DOCX, MD, JPG, and more.
- One-tap formatting on iPhone and iPad with a custom shortcut bar.
- Mobile app for iOS.
Pros
- Beautiful user-interface.
- Notes linking functionality.
- Advanced markup options.
Cons
- Only iOS and Mac compatible.
- Very limited features in the basic version.
- It can seem clunky for first-time users.
Pricing
Invest in this one of the best to-do list apps through one of the following plans:
- $1.49 monthly (one-week free trial).
- $14.99 annually (one-month free trial).
Casual
Primarily a project management tool with useful task management functions, Casual comprises features similar to that of a to-do list app. Instead of burdening you with complex features and heavy modules, Casual makes work casual and efficient.
How? with the help of visual representations – from ideation to planning. Draw tasks to be done, along with their dependent tasks in easy and effective flowcharts.
The flowcharts help you improve and steer your tasks along the way as required. Plus, you can use created tasks and snippets of existing flowcharts to create new lists.
For working in teams, each member gets notifications about the task assigned to them. At a very affordable price range, you can practically use Casual personally and professionally.
Key Features
- Managing tasks through creation, assignment, prioritization, and viewing through lists and flowcharts.
- Managing project workflows via re-usable project creation, milestones, sub-processes, timelines, charts, and visual project summary.
- Team notifications to stay in touch with updates.
- Team management and collaboration through messaging and file share.
- Automatic backup and SSL security.
- Summary reports getting a quick glance at project performance.
Pros
- The visual organization of tasks.
- Free project templates and samples.
- Simple and intuitive user interface.
Cons
- Might not be suitable for complex projects.
- No free version, only free trial available.
- Mobile apps not available.
Pricing
Casual offers the following plans:
- Free trial.
- Personal at $7 per month.
- The group at $21 per month.
- The team at $35 per month.
- Department at $70 per month.
- Enterprise at $133 per month.
Notion
Notion provides an all-in-one platform for managing your daily to-dos, as well as keeping a record of your important documents. No need to switch between multiple applications to keep track of things.
This best to-do list app provides a flexible interface for creating to-do lists, taking notes, and managing data in the form of spreadsheets and databases. In this way, Notion provides multiple ways to connect with your data.
The application comes with built-in templates for you to use and design an outline. This outline brings clarity in the workflow and helps team members understand the project requirements in a better way.
Download: Windows | iOS | Mac | Android
Key Features
- Drag and drop functionality for easy rearranging of items.
- Customizable dashboard which lets you view things you want to see.
- Tasks and Project management through Kanban boards.
- Calendar and list views of tasks.
- Spreadsheets to keep a record of workflows.
- Slash commands as shortcuts for instantly accessing features.
- Offline access, along with sync with other devices.
- Third-party application integrations.
Pros
- Easy checklists management.
- Flexible tasks management through Kanban boards.
- Cross-platform support is available.
- Free version availability.
Cons
- Limited features are available with the free version.
- No native time tracking module available.
- No real-time chat functionality is available for team communication.
Pricing
- Free – unlimited members, 1000 block storage, 5MB file upload limit.
- Personal – at $4 per month, one-member, unlimited block storage, advanced permissions.
- Team – $8 per member/month, unlimited members, priority support, and more.
- Enterprise – at $16 per member/month, all team features, dedicated account manager, and more.
Ikiru
A simple to-do list application at heart, Ikiru works on the concept of creating lists within lists to help you categorize your to-dos the way you want. Create your task lists and assign emoji-style icons to help you with easy identification.
Select light and dark themes to match your preference and easily swipe to mark items or lists as completed. You can also set reminders and due dates to keep track of your work.
Another useful feature of the application is the shake to undo. In case you accidentally mark a list or item as complete, shake to undo. This will make the list go back to its original form.
Download: iOS
Key Features
- Checklists management, with design icons to assign to particular lists.
- Due dates and reminders with individual items in a list.
- Dark and light themes to fit with individual preferences.
- Drag and drop functionality for making quick changes.
- Share lists with collaborators via email.
- Timeline view to keep the schedule in check.
- Photo uploads to lists for giving more context.
Pros
- Simple user-interface with easy drag and drop.
- Automatic backup and sync between devices.
- Multi-language support.
Cons
- Too simplistic for elaborate to-do list management.
- No cross-platform support is available.
Pricing
- Ikiru is priced at $4.99.
Conclusion
There’s nothing wrong with a paper to-do list, but going digital has benefits. Paper is fine if you enjoy writing by hand, crossing off tasks in ink or pencil, and drawing arrows to show when priorities and deadlines change. A to-do list app lets you write, organize, and reprioritize your tasks more efficiently. They also let you attach notes, links, and files to a task, and many let you see when someone else has completed a task. In many ways, a good to-do app is the ultimate productivity app.
To-do lists don’t need to be complicated—plenty of people use a pen and paper for the job without any problem. And yet a new to-do list app seems to come out every day. Why? Because keeping track of your tasks is an intensely personal thing, and people will reject anything that doesn’t feel right pretty much instantly. That makes it hard to find the right app.