What is a good task app for mac?
There are many apps out there that can help you manage your tasks. These range from simple to complex, but all of them do the same thing: they help you organize and prioritize your tasks. You can use these apps to plan projects and manage your schedule, or even just keep track of what chores or errands need to get done.
We’re going to go over a few popular options for good task apps for mac. Each one has its own unique features and strengths, so take some time to consider your needs before choosing one.
Good Task App For Mac
Keeping track of your tasks is intensely personal. That’s why there are so many to-do list apps—because none of them feel “just right” to everyone. This is particularly true for Mac users.
If you’re using a Mac, that’s probably, at least in part, because you’re particular about the software you use. You’re pickier than the average computer user, and you expect things to look and work a certain way.
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Applications that don’t feel like they were designed for macOS are distracting because things like keyboard shortcuts, notifications, and menus don’t work the way they do in other applications. That disrupts your workflow, which defeats the entire point of productivity software.
I thought about all of these things while I tested every Mac to-do list app I could get my hands on, so here are the best to-do list apps you can find for macOS.
The best to-do list apps for Mac
Things for a blend of powerful features with elegant design
Todoist for Mac users who need to sync with other platforms
OmniFocus for power users and GTD fans
Reminders for a simple option for Apple-only users
GoodTask for making Reminders more powerful
2Do for a fully customizable to-do list with multiple syncing options
TaskPaper for a text-based list for managing tasks with only your keyboard
TickTick for a cross-platform option that feels native to the Mac
Microsoft To Do for the best free to-do list app for Mac
A few more options
What makes a great to-do list app for Mac?
How we evaluate and test apps
All of our best apps roundups are written by humans who’ve spent much of their careers using, testing, and writing about software. We spend dozens of hours researching and testing apps, using each app as it’s intended to be used and evaluating it against the criteria we set for the category. We’re never paid for placement in our articles from any app or for links to any site—we value the trust readers put in us to offer authentic evaluations of the categories and apps we review. For more details on our process, read the full rundown of how we select apps to feature on the Zapier blog.
There’s an incredible range of Mac to-do list apps out there, all looking to serve different kinds of users. Which one you prefer may well boil down to personal taste. In my opinion, the very best Mac to-do list apps need to do five key things:
Offer multiple ways to organize tasks, such as tags, lists, due dates, or projects
Make it fast to add new tasks without opening the app, ideally using a keyboard shortcut
Remind you about self-imposed deadlines
Offer a clean interface, with native macOS features like notifications, widgets, and integration with the menu bar
Sync tasks to your phone
All of our choices offer free trials of some sort, so try out anything that looks useful to you.
Best Mac to-do list app with a blend of powerful features and elegant design
Things (macOS, iPhone, iPad)
Things screenshot
To-do list apps tend to fall into two categories: the complex and the minimalist. Things is somehow both.
Open Things for Mac, and it looks simple: you’ve got an Inbox for your tasks and the option to add more lists. Dig a little, though, and there are all kinds of advanced tools here. There are nesting ways to organize your tasks: areas can contain tasks or projects; projects can contain tasks or headers that can also contain tasks; even tasks can contain sub-tasks if you want. It sounds confusing, but it isn’t, which really speaks to how well Things is designed. There’s no right way to use this system. Use as many or as few of the organizational options given to you, however you like, to make sense of your chaotic list of tasks; choose which things you want to do today; and then do those things.
Other applications offer features like this, sure, but Things manages to do so without feeling cluttered. And as a native application with no Windows or web equivalent, Things feels very much at home on the macOS desktop. Combine this blend of functionality and beauty with features like a system-wide tool for quickly adding tasks, integration with your calendar so you can see your appointments while planning your day, intuitive keyboard shortcuts, reminders with native notifications, and syncing to an iPhone and iPad app. It’s a powerful way to organize your tasks—and then accomplish them.
Zapier’s Things integrations let you quickly create Things tasks from Slack messages, emails, and even Trello cards.
Add saved Slack messages to Things as to-dos
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Slack, Things
Slack + Things
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Add new Trello cards to Things as to-dos
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Things, Trello
Things + Trello
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Create Things to-dos from starred emails in Gmail [Business Gmail Accounts Only]
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Gmail, Things
Gmail + Things
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Things price: The macOS version costs $49.99 but offers a 15-day free trial. The iPad version costs $19.99, and the iPhone version costs $9.99.
Best Mac to-do list app for syncing with other platforms
Todoist (macOS, iPhone, iPad, Watch, Android, Windows, Web)
Todoist screenshot
Most Mac users stick to the Apple ecosystem…but not all of them. If you need to sync your tasks from macOS to Windows, Android, or basically any other non-Apple option, Todoist is one of the first apps you should check out. Like Things, it’s deceptively simple but has all kinds of advanced task management features hidden just below the surface, though Todoist does feel a little less at home on the Mac desktop.
That’s because the Mac app for Todoist is basically the web version in a dedicated window. There are a few native Mac features: notifications and a universal keyboard shortcut for quickly adding tasks. It’s enough to make the Mac app worth installing for Todoist users.
And Todoist is a solid application. You can arrange your tasks in all sorts of meaningful ways, including a Kanban board. Keyboard shortcuts work great inside the app. And you can sync your tasks to basically any device on earth.
Todoist integrates with Zapier, which means you can automatically create tasks in Todoist whenever something happens in one of your favorite apps. Here are some examples.
Add new Google Calendar events to Todoist as tasks
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Google Calendar, Todoist
Google Calendar + Todoist
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Add new starred emails to Todoist as tasks [Business Gmail Accounts Only]
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Gmail, Todoist
Gmail + Todoist
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Add new saved Slack messages to Todoist as tasks
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Slack, Todoist
Slack + Todoist
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Todoist price: Free; some features, including labels and attachments, require a subscription that starts at $3/month.
Best Mac to-do list app for power users and GTD fans
OmniFocus (macOS, iPhone, iPad)
Omnifocus screenshot
If you’re particular about how your tasks are arranged, and I mean really particular, OmniFocus is right for you. This app is a power user’s dream, allowing you to organize your task in seemingly infinite variations. There are three different kinds of projects you can set up, for example. There are six main views by default, ranging from the Inbox for unsorted tasks, Forecast for seeing scheduled tasks in context with any of your macOS Calendar appointments, and Review for going over completed tasks at the end of the day or week. You can also create your own views if this isn’t enough for you.
OmniFocus isn’t quick to learn, and things can feel cluttered at times. Once you figure everything out, however, you’ll have an elaborate, GTD-style task list that works exactly the way you want. Combine this with a system-wide keyboard shortcut for quick task entry, and you’ve got no excuse when it comes to keeping things organized. OmniFocus for Mac syncs with iPhone and iPad, and there’s even a web version, so you can access your tasks while using Windows devices (sadly, this is occasionally necessary).
You can connect OmniFocus to your other favorite apps with OmniFocus’s Zapier integrations. Whenever something happens in another app that you want to keep track of in OmniFocus, Zapier will automatically send it there.
Create OmniFocus tasks from new saved Slack messages
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OmniFocus, Slack
OmniFocus + Slack
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Create OmniFocus tasks for new starred emails on Gmail
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Gmail, OmniFocus
Gmail + OmniFocus
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Create OmniFocus tasks from new or moved Trello cards
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OmniFocus, Trello
OmniFocus + Trello
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OmniFocus price: OmniFocus for Mac starts at $49.99 after a 14-day trial. The Pro version, which allows you to customize the sidebar with your own views among other features, costs $79.00. The iPhone and iPad version starts at $49.99 and also offers a 14-day free trial. Alternatively, you can subscribe to all versions starting at $9.99/month.
Best simple Mac to-do list app for Apple-only users
Reminders (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Web)
Reminders screenshot
The best to-do list is the one you have with you, right? If you own a Mac, you already have Reminders, which comes free with every Apple device.
Apple’s default app for managing tasks is a simple one, allowing you to create lists of tasks and schedule when you’ll do them. There are a few views: Today, Scheduled, All, and Flagged. Beyond that, though, you can see individual lists. It’s simple, sure, but this simplicity might be a big plus: you get in, add tasks, and then get to work.
There’s no universal keyboard shortcut for adding tasks, but there is integration with Siri for Mac, which is something no other app on this list can claim. And iCloud integration means you can sync tasks with your iPhone and iPad very easily. You’ve already got this application, so why not give it a shot?
Reminders price: Included with all Macs, iPhones, and iPads.
Best Mac to-do list app to make Apple Reminders more powerful
GoodTask (macOS, iPhone, iPad, Watch)
GoodTask screenshot
Reminders is great but not exactly feature-rich. GoodTask is unique in that it uses Reminders as a backend: add anything to GoodTask, and it will show up in Reminders and vice versa. So what’s the point? GoodTask offers features that Apple doesn’t in Reminders.
First, there’s Calendar integration, meaning you can see your calendar appointments and your tasks in one place. You can also create smart lists, allowing you to filter your tasks using things like tags, due dates, and locations. You’ll have to spend some time setting this up before it’s any better than Reminders, but if you’ve got a specific overview of tasks in mind, you can probably design it here.
Integration with Reminders means all your tasks sync to the iPhone and iPad without the need for any other software, though there are versions of GoodTask available for those devices if you want the same power on them. And there’s a universal keyboard shortcut for adding events—that alone might make this app worth using over Reminders. Pop-up panels for planning your day, or seeing only which task you need to work on now, are also nice touches. Overall, this is a nice upgrade over Apple’s default app, so check it out.
GoodTask for Mac price: $39.99 with a 14-day free trial. GoodTask is also available on Setapp, which is a $10/month subscription service with access to dozens of Mac apps. There’s also an iPhone and iPad version available for free, with an in-app purchase of $9.99 to unlock all features.
Best fully-customizable Mac to-do list app with multiple syncing options
2Do (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Android)
2Do screenshot
2Do fits right in on the Mac desktop. It looks a little cluttered at first glance, but it’s also really powerful. You can create lists, then put projects or checklists inside those lists. You can add tags and due dates. You can create smart lists, allowing you to view your tasks however you like. And there are way more options than that if you’re willing to put the time in. This is a power user’s to-do list, which you can bend to just about any workflow. It’s going to take you a while, but it’s going to be worth it.
There’s no calendar integration, which is unfortunate, but there are plenty of other integrations with the rest of your system. A universal keyboard shortcut makes it quick to add new tasks, notifications let you know about upcoming deadlines, and there’s even a handy Today widget for quickly checking off tasks.
Syncing is unique here because there are multiple options. You can sync to the iPhone or Android version of 2Do using iCloud, Dropbox, Yahoo Calendar, Fruux, Toodledo, or any CalDAV server. You can also access synced tasks on any of those services, albeit without the 2Do-specific features. It’s a wide range of syncing options, beyond what any other app here offers, so give it a spin and see how it all works for you.
2Do for Mac price: $49.99, and there’s a 21-day free trial. 2Do is also available on Setapp, which is a $10/month subscription service with access to dozens of Mac apps.
Best text-based Mac to-do list app for managing with only your keyboard
TaskPaper (macOS)
TaskPaper screenshot
Wondering why to-do lists have to be so complicated? TaskPaper isn’t. This text-based option means you can just start typing to create your to-do list. Projects end with colons; tasks begin with a hyphen; tags start with the @ symbol. It sounds simple, but it’s surprisingly powerful once you get used to it, especially with the filtering and search options.
There isn’t an iPhone version, but the third-party app Taskmator ($4.99) is compatible and syncs using Dropbox. Alternatively, you can set up TaskPaper to sync over items from Reminders.
TaskPaper price: $24.99 with a free trial. TaskPaper is also available on Setapp, which is a $10/month subscription service with access to dozens of Mac apps.
Best cross-platform to-do list app that feels native to the Mac
TickTick (Mac, iPhone, iPad, Watch, Android, Windows)
TickTick
TickTick is a straightforward to-do list app you can run on basically every platform on earth. Unlike other cross-platform apps, however, TickTick actually feels like a native Mac app. Some of this is good design choices, but there are also features that make TickTick stand out: a menu bar icon with a miniature version of your list, integration with appointments from Calendar, and native notifications. There’s also a keyboard shortcut for adding tasks from anywhere.
Organizing your tasks isn’t complicated: you have lists, tags, due dates, and a few advanced views, including a calendar view and an Eisenhower Matrix. And there are a few features here that other apps don’t offer, including a built-in Pomodoro timer. Try out TickTick if you’re looking for something straightforward yet powerful, particularly if you need to sync over to non-Apple devices.
With TickTick’s Zapier integrations, you can automatically create tasks in TickTick whenever you do things like save a message in Slack or star a new email.
Create TickTick tasks for labeled Gmail emails [Business Gmail Accounts Only]
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Gmail, TickTick
Gmail + TickTick
More details
Create TickTick tasks from new Google Calendar events
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Google Calendar, TickTick
Google Calendar + TickTick
More details
Create TickTick tasks from new saved Slack messages
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Slack, TickTick
Slack + TickTick
More details
TickTick price: Free, but premium features like a monthly calendar view and custom smart lists require a $2.99/month subscription.
The best free to-do list app for Mac
Microsoft To Do (Android, Windows, macOS, iPhone and iPad, Web)
A screenshot of the Microsoft To Do Mac app
Is it weird for a Microsoft app to show up on a list of Mac apps? Sure. But for a long time, no list of Mac apps would exclude Wunderlist, and Microsoft To Do is that app’s spiritual successor. It’s also completely free and the prettiest to-do list app for Mac.
Users can add as many custom lists as they want, and even sort those lists into groups. Every list has a custom background, which is a nice touch—it looks good, sure, but you also always know which list you’re looking at. There’s also support for due dates and the ability to share lists with other To Do users. Mac users are less likely to care about this, but To Do is extremely integrated with the Microsoft ecosystem—tasks can sync with Outlook, for example.
There are downsides. One big one: there’s no universal keyboard shortcut for adding tasks. But it’s by far the nicest to-do list for Mac you can find for free.
Microsoft To Do integrates with Zapier, which means you can do things like create a task in To Do whenever important tasks pop up in your other apps. Here are some examples to get started.
Create tasks in Microsoft To-Do from new tasks in Google Tasks
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Google Tasks, Microsoft To Do
Google Tasks + Microsoft To Do
More details
Create Microsoft To-Do tasks from new starred emails in Gmail
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Gmail, Microsoft To Do
Gmail + Microsoft To Do
More details
Create tasks on Microsoft To-Do from new Google Calendar events
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Google Calendar, Microsoft To Do
Google Calendar + Microsoft To Do
More details
Microsoft To Do price: Free.
Other options
I tried a bunch of different types of apps for this article, so here are a few more options for you to consider if you’re not concerned about keeping your tasks on a dedicated to-do list app:
Trello isn’t a to-do list per se but you can use it to organize your life, and there’s a Mac app with native notifications and system-wide keyboard shortcuts.
Evernote, OneNote, or any other note-taking app can work very well as a to-do list, and most offer a Mac app.
Taskheat allows you to organize your to-do list as a flowchart, which is neat, but it can’t sync with any other platform.
Todo.txt is an open-source standard for storing your to-do list in a plain text document. The command line app runs in the macOS Terminal, allowing you to add and manage tasks with commands. If that’s not your style, TodoTxtMac is a nice GUI for the same standard.
best to do list app for mac free
If you are obsessed with productivity and always have tons of things to tackle in a day, I would bet you use a to-do list app.
To-do list apps are a dime a dozen. Just Googling to-do list apps can give you an overwhelming amount of results, all claiming to be the best one out there!
But why is the market literally filled with hundreds of to-do list apps? You see, to-do lists are personal. Every person has a different way of writing their to-dos and requires a different tool based on their process of jotting down tasks.
Some need a blank piece of paper with no distractions while others might need to color code, organize notes, add various types of digital content and tasks in separate folders.
Then there are people who need to collaborate with their teams or peers and create a joint to-do list. Some need a casual-looking, fun tool while others might need something more professional and feature-rich.
Since the use cases are endless, there exists an endless stream of to-do list apps to help you get stuff done.
The good news is that there are a ton of options to pick and choose from. The bad news is that there are a TON OF OPTIONS TO PICK AND CHOOSE FROM!
If you don’t have that kind of time to go through Google search results, install an app, play around with it, and see if it’s the right one for you, don’t fret. We’ve got you covered!
What are To-Do List apps?
Before we dive into the list, let us go through a brief overview of what To-Do list apps are and what are they used for?
Well, as the name suggests, a to-do list app is a digital tool to write down your tasks, things to do, projects- basically, anything you want to accomplish in a day or don’t want to forget.
A to-do list app gives a clear overview of your day so you are always ready to get work done and not spend time wondering what to do next.
What Makes a Great To-Do List App?
As we discussed before, every person has a different way of writing their to-dos and requires a different tool based on their process of jotting down tasks.
However, for a to-do list app to be worth using, it must have the following features and functionalities-
Interface: It must have a clean and easy-to-use interface, having no friction between writing down tasks and to-dos.
Scalable: It must be scalable in case you want to share notes and tasks with your teams and peers.
Organization: It must keep all your to-dos organized so you don’t have to keep looking for your goals and objectives.
Search: It must have awesome search capabilities to quickly find the exact text you are looking for
We have done our bit to find the best possible to-do list app that does everything mentioned above and more. Hopefully, you’ll find the one you are looking for!
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List of 10 Best Free Online To-Do List Apps:
In this list, we are covering only those to-do list apps which are free or have a free plan available. You ready? Let’s dive in…
- Todoist
Todoist: To do list app
Todoist is another task manager/to-do list creator tool, with a clean and simple interface that lets you create tasks in minutes.
Just go to Todoist, create a task, set a due date (or a recurring due date), organize the task into a project, and add a due date.
You can even share projects or delegate a task to a teammate and add a priority level so you know what’s important and what can wait.
The app is available for desktop as well as your smartphone so you can quickly take a glance at your tasks on the go.
Read more: How To Create A Checklist The Right Way!
- Google Keep
Google keep: To do list app
A note-taking/to-do list app by Google, Google Keeps allows users to add notes, audio, photo, shared to-do lists, etc. in one place.
Keep not only lets you maintain a catalog of tasks and reminders, but it also allows you to set location and time-based triggers to make sure you follow up on your to-dos.
For example, you can set a location-based reminder to pull up your grocery list right when you get to the store or set a time-based reminder to make sure you never miss those deadlines.
You can also share these notes with your colleagues and keep everyone on the same page. However, Keep is geared more towards personal note-taking and to-dos rather than an office environment.
- Evernote
Evernote: To do list app
Evernote has been in the note-taking and productivity business for a decade, earning itself over 225 million customers and over 20,000 businesses worldwide.
Evernote helps all your personal ideas, to-do lists as well as professional meeting notes and work documents in one place. Easily create separate tags and folders for the different types of information and keep it all organized.
This to-do list app auto-syncs across all your devices, including desktop, smartphone, and tablet. Your ideas, photos, and clipped pages are always available, no matter where you are.
- Microsoft To-Do
Microsoft to do: To do list app
After their acquisition by Microsoft, the Wunderlist team came up with Microsoft To-Do, a note-taking, and a to-do list app.
If you are a heavy Office 365 user, then Microsoft To-Do can be a great addition to your workflow. To-Do allows users to sync their tasks and to-dos to Outlook for keeping your workflow in sync.
Users can keep track of deadlines by adding reminders, due dates, and notes to their to-dos.
To-Do’s Suggestions take a look at your to-dos across your lists and recommend the most important ones for you each day, making it easy for you to prioritize your tasks.
You can also share lists with colleagues, friends, and family and collaborate on projects to get things done faster. However, it’s still more geared towards personal use and lacks decent collaboration features.
Read more: 11 Best Focus Apps to Eliminate Distractions!
- Any.do
Any.do: To do list app
Lifehacker names this the best to-do list app for iPhone and we were certainly not disappointed by their judgment.
A beautiful, clean to-do list app, Any.do lets you organize your tasks, lists, and reminders in one easy-to-do list app.
Any.do syncs seamlessly across all of your devices, making your to-do list accessible everywhere- be it your laptop, tablet, or phone.
You can also connect your calendar to get a complete overview of your schedule. Users can add smart reminders and can even swap between beautiful themes to change the look and feel of the app.
With a neat and clean interface and some great features, Any.do is one of the best to-do list apps out there!
- TickTick
Ticktick: To do list app
Another great to-do list app, TickTick has all the bells and whistles of a task manager. Users can create new tasks, sub-tasks, set deadlines, reminders and can also share with other users.
Features like voice input, the ability to turn emails into to-dos, or the ability to ask Siri to enter tasks are a nice addition to an overall decent task management app.
A great feature of TickTick is the ability to add recurring tasks that happen every day/week/month so you don’t have to manually add the same thing over and over again.
You can keep your tasks organized in folders, lists, tasks, or subtasks and can even add tags for more flexibility.
Users can also integrate and view their calendars to get a weekly or monthly overview of their tasks ahead.
- Toodledoo
Toodledoo: To do list app
If you need a powerful task manager, you might want to check out Toodledoo.
More than just a to-do list, Toodledo provides you with a place to write long notes, make custom lists, create structured outlines and track your habits.
You can collaborate with friends, family, or co-workers, and we’ll safely store and sync all your data to your devices.
If the user interface feels too overwhelming, you have the ability to customize almost anything in your Toodledo settings and control what, when and how data is displayed.
You can even set alarms for your tasks and Toodledoo will send you an email or in-app notification as a reminder. However, if you are a casual user, Toodledoo may just be too feature-rich for your taste.
- Bear
Bear: To do list app
Bear is more of a note-taking app than a simple to-do list app but it’s worth mentioning. Bear is great for everything from quick notes to in-depth essays.
Users can link notes to each other to build a body of work, use hashtags to organize, and use beautiful typographies to make their writing look great.
If you don’t want to get distracted by its feature-rich editor, you can use the Focus Mode to keep your focus on creating tasks and to-dos.
One of the cons of Bear is that it is only compatible with Apple iOS and Mac. This means Android users miss out right off the bat.
It’s a great to-do list app for basically anything that involves typing, provided that you’re tied to the Apple, ecosystem.
Related: 11 Best Note-Taking Apps for Better Productivity!
- Google Task
Google task: To do list app
For some reason, Google has a task app in addition to Google Keep. Keep is more of a personal to-do list app while Tasks are geared towards professional use.
You can easily manage, capture, and edit your tasks from anywhere, at any time, with to-dos that sync across all your devices.
Integrations with Gmail and Google Calendar mean that you can convert your emails into to-dos and also get a bird’s eye view of your schedule.
Stay on track with due dates and notifications by setting a due date for every task. You can organize your tasks by date or prioritize using drag-and-drop and can even receive due-date notification reminders to keep your tasks on track.
Bonus Tool! Bit.ai
Bit.ai: To do list app
Kicking off the list of the best to-do list apps is Bit.ai. Bit is well rounded and simple enough to be used as a to-do list app by an individual and powerful enough to be used as a full-fledged collaboration and documentation tool for teams.
If you are looking for a new, advanced yet simple editor to jot down to-dos and tasks, look no further!
Bit’s smart, minimal editor is perfect for distraction-free note-taking. No more word-styled ribbon with confusing and distracting tabs and buttons.
The support for Markdown gets rid of all the distractions of a formatting toolbar and mouse clicks by helping you focus on your to-dos and tasks without lifting your fingers off of the keyboard.
One of the best parts is that all the digital assets you need to get work done can be included seamlessly (files, images, editable visual weblinks, rich embeds, etc.)
Conclusion
Whether you need a tool to jot down daily to-dos, journal ideas, or work on an upcoming project with your teammates, there’s a to-do list app for you.
Every one of the above-mentioned free to-do list apps is pretty great at getting the job done.
However, if you are looking for a well-rounded, easy-to-use to-do list app that can be used for both personal as well as professional tasks and notes, you should try out Bit.ai!
Conclusion
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