Pricing
Paid plans from $4/mo
Model: freemium
Quick Verdict
Todoist is the best task manager for people who want something that just works. the natural language input is unmatched. You can capture a task in 3 seconds from anywhere. it won't replace a full project management tool like Asana or Linear, but for personal productivity and small team task tracking, it's hard to beat. the free tier is generous, and Pro at $4/month is one of the best deals in productivity software. if you have <a href="/articles/adhd-apps-for-adults">ADHD</a>, the low-friction capture is especially valuable.
What works
- Natural language input is the fastest way to capture tasks anywhere
- Beautiful, clean interface that doesn't feel cluttered even with hundreds of tasks
- Works on every platform. Web, Mac, Windows, iOS, Android, browser extensions
- Free tier is genuinely useful (not crippled to force upgrades)
- Fast. Opens instantly, syncs instantly, no loading spinners
- Great for ADHD. Low friction task capture reduces the barrier to writing things down
What doesn't
- No built-in time tracking or time estimates (need integrations for this)
- Limited collaboration features compared to Asana or ClickUp
- No native calendar view on all plans (only on Pro and above)
- Can feel too simple if you need complex project management with dependencies and Gantt charts
- AI features are basic compared to Notion AI or ClickUp AI
Key Features
Natural Language Input
Type 'meeting with Sarah tomorrow at 3pm p1 #work' and it creates a task with the date, priority, and project filled in. This is the killer feature. Captures tasks at the speed of thought.
Projects and Sections
Organize tasks into projects with sections, sub-tasks, and custom filters. Flexible enough for GTD, kanban, or whatever system you use.
Smart Scheduling
AI suggests when to do tasks based on your patterns. Not always right, but useful for spreading work across days instead of piling everything on Monday.
Integrations
Works with everything. Gmail, Slack, Google Calendar, Zapier, IFTTT. The browser extension and email forwarding make it easy to turn anything into a task.
Karma System
Gamification that tracks your productivity streaks and awards points for completing tasks. Silly in theory, surprisingly motivating in practice.
Templates
Pre-built project templates for common workflows. Useful for recurring processes like blog post publishing, client onboarding, or weekly reviews.
What is Todoist?
Todoist is a task manager. that sounds boring, and honestly, it kind of is. But that's the point. it does one thing (managing tasks) extremely well, without trying to be a note-taking app, a calendar, a wiki, and a project management tool all at once.
it's been around since 2007, has 40+ million users, and is available on literally every platform. the killer feature is natural language input: you type "call dentist tuesday 2pm" and it creates a task with the right date, time, and details filled in. sounds small. it's not. It's the difference between capturing tasks effortlessly and forgetting them because opening an app felt like too much work.
Who Should Use Todoist?
individuals who want simple task management: if you've tried Notion, ClickUp, or Asana and felt overwhelmed, Todoist is the antidote. it's opinionated about simplicity and it works.
ADHD brains: the low-friction task capture is genuinely valuable if initiating tasks is hard for you. see our ADHD apps guide for more on this.
cross-platform users: if you switch between Mac, Windows, iPhone, and web throughout the day, Todoist's sync is the most reliable i've used. tasks appear everywhere instantly.
probably not for you if: you need complex project management with dependencies, Gantt charts, resource allocation, or team workflows. look at Linear, Asana, or ClickUp instead. todoist is a task manager, not a project management suite.
Pricing
the free tier gives you 5 active projects, basic filters, and 1-week activity history. it's enough for casual personal use.
Pro at $4/month (billed yearly) adds unlimited projects, reminders, calendar view, labels, and 150MB file uploads. this is the sweet spot for most people.
Business at $6/user/month adds team features: shared projects, admin controls, team inbox. reasonable for small teams.
compared to competitors: Notion is free for personal use but has a steep learning curve. Things 3 is a one-time $50 purchase but only works on Apple devices. ClickUp has a more generous free tier but is infinitely more complex.
How We Use Todoist
at Blue Orchid, we use Todoist for personal task management alongside Linear for project work. the split works well: Linear handles the technical project tracking, Todoist handles everything else. Client follow-ups, content ideas, personal reminders, admin tasks.
the quick capture from anywhere (email forwarding, browser extension, keyboard shortcut) means tasks don't fall through the cracks. for our full productivity setup, see our best AI tools for small business guide.
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