Alternatives
Best Todoist alternatives in 2026
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In December 2025, Todoist raised Pro pricing from $48/year to $60/year. An Android Authority poll found 70% of respondents said they'd switch. Whether pricing, missing features, or both are pushing you to look — here are the alternatives worth considering.
What you'll miss from Todoist
Before looking at alternatives, it's worth being honest about what Todoist gets right. Any replacement needs to match or exceed these strengths, or you'll switch back within a month.
“The pain of running 2 separate GTD universes was greater than not having a desktop client. Todoist was fine, but without defer dates the clutter built up way too fast.” — psidnell, Omni Group Forums
Why people leave Todoist
The price hike was the trigger, but these are the structural reasons people stay gone:
No defer/start dates
The most-requested feature on r/todoist for years. Todoist's January 2025 “Deadlines” update added a second date, but tasks aren't hidden from view until actionable. Every past-due item shows as “overdue” in red — creating anxiety, not clarity. See Todoist Start Dates: The Workaround vs. The Real Thing.
No sequential projects or review mode
GTD practitioners can't run their full workflow in Todoist. No way to show only the next action in a project. No guided weekly review. You end up building elaborate workarounds that require their own maintenance.
$60/year for incomplete GTD
At $48/year, Todoist was a reasonable compromise. At $60/year, it's more expensive than apps that offer the GTD features it lacks. Legacy subscribers keeping their $36/year rate lose access to features released after December 10, 2025.
“The number of overdue tasks slowly ticks up to panic-inducing levels.” — r/todoist user
Six alternatives compared
Here's how the most viable alternatives stack up against what Todoist offers and what it's missing.
| Feature | TickTick | Things 3 | Nirvana | OmniFocus | MS To Do | SingleFocus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Defer/start dates | Partial | ✓* | ✓ | ✓* | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sequential projects | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | ✓* | ✗ | ✓ |
| Weekly review mode | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | Native* | ✗ | ✓ |
| NLP quick capture | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ |
| Cross-platform | ✓ | Apple only | ✓ | Apple only | ✓ | ✓ |
| Team collaboration | ✓ | ✗ | ✗ | ✗ | ✓ | Shared lists |
| REST API | ✓ | URL scheme | ✗ | Omni Auto. | Graph API | ✓ |
| Annual price | $36 | ~$80 once | $39 | $100 | Free | Free** |
* Apple-only. OmniFocus has a limited web app. Things 3 has no web access.
** Free during early access. $36/year for early users when paid plans launch.
Each alternative, honestly
TickTick — the closest feature match
TickTick is the most popular Todoist alternative for a reason: cross-platform, $36/year (cheaper than Todoist), and a broader feature set including Pomodoro timer, habit tracker, and a built-in Eisenhower matrix. NLP input is good (not quite Todoist-level). The free tier is generous.
The catch: Start dates require pairing with an end date — not true defer dates that hide tasks. No sequential projects. No review mode. Sync reliability is a persistent concern in user reviews. Privacy-conscious users note the data is stored in China.
Best for: People who want a Todoist-like experience with more features and a lower price, and don't need strict GTD support.
Things 3 — the most beautiful option
Two-time Apple Design Award winner. The most emotionally satisfying task manager available. True “When” dates that hide tasks until actionable. A calm Today view that feels like a clean desk. If design quality matters to you, nothing else comes close.
The catch: Apple-only — no Windows, no Android, no web app. One-time purchase (~$80 total for Mac + iPhone + iPad). No sequential projects, no custom perspectives, no review mode, no API. Development pace is glacially slow. See Things 3 alternative for non-Apple devices.
Best for: All-Apple users who prioritize design and simplicity over GTD depth.
Nirvana — the GTD purist's choice
Purpose-built for GTD with sequential and parallel projects, true defer dates, proper Waiting For and Someday/Maybe statuses. Cross-platform via web app with native Android and Windows apps. Still actively maintained as of 2026. $39/year.
The catch: No custom perspectives, no review mode, no NLP input, no API. The interface is utilitarian — functional but lacking polish. Feature development has been gradual.
Best for: GTD purists who want the methodology supported natively and can accept a simpler interface.
OmniFocus — the gold standard, with a platform cost
The deepest GTD implementation available. Defer dates, sequential projects, custom perspectives, review mode — everything a GTD practitioner needs. Powerful automation via Omni Automation and Apple Shortcuts.
The catch: Apple-only. $100/year. The web app supports basic task management (including defer dates and sequential projects) but lacks search, review, and perspective editing. No Windows, no Android. See OmniFocus Alternative for the full breakdown.
Best for: All-Apple GTD power users who want the deepest implementation and don't mind paying for it.
Microsoft To Do — the free option
Free, cross-platform, and deeply integrated with Microsoft 365. “My Day” view encourages daily planning. Good for simple task lists with Outlook integration. Smart lists provide basic filtering.
The catch: No start dates, no sequential projects, no review mode, no NLP input. Very limited for anyone following GTD or managing more than basic to-do lists. No API access beyond Microsoft Graph (enterprise-focused).
Best for: Microsoft 365 users who need a simple, free task list integrated with Outlook.
SingleFocus — GTD depth meets cross-platform access
The only cross-platform app that combines defer dates, sequential projects, custom perspectives, and a built-in weekly review. ML-powered focus suggestions, energy lens filtering, rescue mode for overwhelm, and gentle language (“carried over” not “overdue”). NLP input, REST API with 34 endpoints, AI assistant support via MCP.
The catch: PWA rather than native App Store apps. Shared lists only (not full team collaboration). Smaller integration ecosystem than Todoist (API + Zapier/Make/n8n rather than 90+ native integrations). Early access — actively being developed.
Best for: GTD practitioners who need OmniFocus-level features on any device. People frustrated by Todoist's missing start dates. ADHD users who need cognitive load reduction. Free during early access; $36/year for early users at launch.
How to choose
The right Todoist alternative depends on what's actually driving you to switch:
Switching because of price? TickTick ($36/year) or Microsoft To Do (free) are the simplest transitions. Similar feature set, lower cost.
Switching because of missing GTD features? SingleFocus (free, cross-platform) or OmniFocus ($100/year, Apple-only) are the only options with full GTD support: defer dates, sequential projects, review mode, and custom perspectives.
Switching because of overwhelm? SingleFocus (focus mode, rescue mode, gentle language) or Things 3 (calm design, “When” dates, Apple-only) are designed to reduce cognitive load rather than add to it. See ADHD-friendly task managers for a deeper look.
Switching because you need team features? Honestly, Todoist is still the strongest option for team collaboration. TickTick has shared projects. Microsoft To Do integrates with Teams. But none match Todoist's team workflow.
“Thousands of people having to run two separate to-do list manager systems is what marketing experts call ‘an important but unmet customer need.’” — mwooten777, Omni Group Forums
Related guides
TickTick vs Todoist in 2026
The two most popular cross-platform task managers, compared honestly on what actually matters.
Todoist vs SingleFocus
An honest comparison for people who take GTD seriously. Where each app excels and falls short.
Best free task manager in 2026
What you actually get for $0 in every major app. Which free tiers are genuinely usable.
Stop building workarounds for features your app should have
SingleFocus is free during early access. Defer dates, sequential projects, weekly review, and focus mode — on any device. No credit card. No time limit.
Also see: Todoist vs SingleFocus · Todoist Start Dates · Best GTD App 2026
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