Todoist

The task manager that stays out of your way

Todoist is a task management app that's been around since 2007 and somehow keeps getting better. It's clean, fast, and handles everything from grocery lists to complex project workflows. The AI features are newer and genuinely useful. Natural language input and smart scheduling save hours.

What is Todoist?

Todoist is a task manager. that sounds boring, and 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.

What you get

• 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.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Todoist free?

Yes, Todoist has a free tier with 5 active projects, basic filters, and collaboration for up to 5 people. It's enough for casual personal use. The Pro plan at $4/month adds unlimited projects, reminders, calendar view, and more. It's worth upgrading if you use it daily.

Is Todoist better than Notion for task management?

For pure task management, yes. Todoist is faster, simpler, and the natural language input is unmatched. Notion is better if you want an all-in-one workspace that combines tasks with notes, wikis, and databases. Most people who try both end up using Todoist for tasks and Notion for knowledge management.

Does Todoist have AI features?

Yes, but they're basic. Smart scheduling suggests when to do tasks, and the AI assistant can help break tasks into sub-tasks. These features are useful but not as advanced as Notion AI or ClickUp AI. Todoist's strength is simplicity, not AI.

Is Todoist good for ADHD?

Very good. The natural language input means capturing tasks takes 3 seconds instead of 30. The karma system provides dopamine hits for completing tasks. And the clean interface avoids the overwhelming feeling that complex tools create. Many ADHD productivity coaches specifically recommend Todoist.

Todoist vs Things 3. Which is better?

Things 3 has a more beautiful interface and is a one-time $50 purchase. But it only works on Apple devices and has no web app or Windows version. Todoist works everywhere, has better collaboration, and the natural language input is faster. If you're Apple-only and prefer a one-time payment, Things 3. Otherwise, Todoist.