The Best To-Do List Apps in 2026

How to pick a to-do list app

The best to-do list app is the one you'll actually keep open — which comes down to three things: does it run on all your devices, is capturing a task instant, and does it match how much structure you want. Some people want a clean list and nothing more; others want a calendar, habits, and reminders in the same place. Here are the seven best in 2026, sorted so you can match one to how you work.

1. Todoist — the best all-rounder

Todoist is the best all-round to-do list app for most people: instant natural-language capture ("email team Friday 9am"), every platform with flawless sync, and the right balance of simple and powerful. In early 2026 it added Ramble, an AI voice-to-task feature. With 19 years in market and tens of millions of users, it's the safe default. Free plan covers 5 projects; Pro is about $5/month — see our free Todoist alternatives if that's tight.

2. TickTick — the best value

TickTick is a very close second and the better pick if you want more than tasks: a calendar view, habit tracker, and Pomodoro timer are built in, on every platform, for $35.99/year. Fast natural-language input and a usable free tier round it out. The best value if you'd otherwise pay for several apps. See our TickTick comparison.

3. Things 3 — the best for Apple users

Things 3 offers the calmest, most beautiful experience in the category — the "Lexus of to-do apps" — with a one-time price and no subscription. The catch: it's iPhone, iPad, and Mac only, with no Android or web. If any part of your life is on Android, read our guide on Things 3 on Android.

Want a to-do list that plans itself into your day? Productivity Genie's AI coach does that, free to start on iOS and Android.

4. Microsoft To Do — the best free app

Microsoft To Do is genuinely good and completely free, with no paid tier. It has a clean interface, a "My Day" planning view, reminders, shared lists, and deep Outlook integration — flag an email and it becomes a task. The best choice if you want a capable list at zero cost, especially inside Microsoft 365.

5. Productivity Genie — if a list never tells you what to do today

Every app above stores and organizes tasks beautifully. None of them plan your day for you. Productivity Genie adds that missing layer: an AI coach, Mo, takes your tasks and builds a realistic day, alongside habits, a focus timer, and a short review, on iOS and Android — free to start. It's brand new and mobile-only, and a bigger shift than swapping one list for another. But if you've kept tidy lists for years and still end days wondering where the time went, the plan-my-day layer is the real upgrade. See our AI coach roundup.

6. Apple Reminders — free and already on your iPhone

Apple Reminders has quietly become genuinely capable: lists, tags, smart lists, location and time reminders, and tight Siri and ecosystem integration — free on every Apple device. If you're all-Apple and want zero setup, it may be all you need before paying for anything.

7. Any.do — the polished middle ground

Any.do balances a clean, good-looking interface with tasks, reminders, and a calendar across Android, iOS, and web. Some features are paywalled, but it's a nice middle ground between Microsoft To Do's simplicity and TickTick's depth. See our Any.do comparison.

How to choose

• Best all-rounder: Todoist.
• Best value (with calendar + habits): TickTick.
• Best for Apple: Things 3 or Apple Reminders.
• Best free: Microsoft To Do.
• A plan, not just a list: Productivity Genie.
• Polished middle ground: Any.do.

Whichever you pick, a shorter honest list beats a sprawling one on any app — our guide to simple task management shows how to keep it lean.