The 9 best to-do list apps in 2026

The best to-do list app in 2026 is Done if you want a list that can also do some of the work: you can assign any task to an AI agent and approve the result. If you just want a fast, reliable list, Todoist is the all-round benchmark, TickTick is the best free option, and Things 3 is the best-designed app on Apple devices. Below are the nine to-do list apps worth trying, what each one is best for, and how to pick.

The best to-do list apps at a glance

• Done: best overall, and best for handing tasks to an AI agent. Web, iOS and Android. Free plan.
• Todoist: best for fast capture and integrations. Every platform. Free plan.
• TickTick: best free to-do list app, with a calendar, habits and a focus timer built in. Every platform.
• Microsoft To Do: best for Outlook and Microsoft 365 users. Free.
• Things 3: best design, for Apple devices only. One-time purchase per platform.
• Any.do: best for planning your day with tasks and calendar side by side. Free plan.
• Google Tasks: best for Gmail and Google Calendar users. Free.
• OmniFocus: best for Getting Things Done power users on Apple devices. Paid.
• Habitica: best for turning your to-do list into a game. Free.

What makes a great to-do list app?

Every app here can hold a list. What separates the good ones is how little they get in your way. We judged each app on five things:

• Fast capture: you can add a task in a few seconds, ideally by typing a plain sentence like "call the accountant friday".
• Organization that scales: projects, tags, due dates and recurring tasks, without forcing a system on you.
• Everywhere you are: apps on the devices you use, with sync you never have to think about.
• Reminders that work: due dates and notifications you can trust, so the list holds what your head doesn't.
• A fair price: a useful free plan, or a paid plan that earns its cost.

1. Done: the best to-do list app overall

Done is a fast to-do list with one thing the others don't have: any task can be assigned to an AI agent, such as Claude, ChatGPT or any MCP client, which claims it, proposes a plan, does the work and reports back in the task itself. Nothing closes without your approval, so you stay in control of what gets handed off. As a plain list it covers the basics well: natural-language capture, projects and goals, tags, recurring and dependent tasks, list, board, week and calendar views, Google Calendar sync, shared workspaces and a 30-day Trash. It runs on the web, iOS and Android, and the free plan includes 100 AI-agent calls a month with no credit card. Best for: founders, operators and anyone whose list is full of work an assistant could do.

2. Todoist: the best for fast capture

Todoist is the benchmark most to-do apps are measured against. Its natural-language input is quick and accurate, it has polished apps on every platform, and it connects to a long list of other tools. Filters and labels let you build almost any view you want. Its AI features help you capture and break down tasks but don't do the work for you. Best for: people who want a proven, cross-platform list and lots of integrations. Free plan, with paid tiers for reminders, more projects and teams.

3. TickTick: the best free to-do list app

TickTick packs a to-do list, a calendar view, a habit tracker and a Pomodoro focus timer into one app, and its free plan is unusually generous. It's a good fit if you'd otherwise juggle three apps for planning, focus and habits. The tradeoff is a busier interface than the minimalist apps on this list. Best for: anyone who wants the most features without paying. Free plan, with a low-cost Premium upgrade.

4. Microsoft To Do: the best for Microsoft 365 users

Microsoft To Do is free, simple and tied closely to Outlook: flagged emails show up as tasks, and the My Day view helps you pick what to focus on each morning. Shared lists work well for households. Its capture and organization are basic next to Todoist or Done. Best for: people already living in Outlook and Microsoft 365 who want a no-setup list. Free.

5. Things 3: the best-designed to-do list app

Things 3 is widely considered the most beautiful to-do list app, with a calm layout, thoughtful keyboard shortcuts and a clear Today and Upcoming flow. It's a one-time purchase with no subscription. It is only available on Mac, iPhone, iPad and Apple Watch, and it has no web app or collaboration. Best for: individuals fully on Apple devices who value design over features.

6. Any.do: the best for planning your day

Any.do puts your tasks and your calendar side by side and nudges you through a short daily planning ritual, which suits people who think in days rather than projects. It covers the basics across mobile, desktop and web, with reminders and shared lists. Many of its more useful features sit behind the Premium plan. Best for: people who want a simple daily planner that mixes tasks and events. Free plan, with Premium and team tiers.

7. Google Tasks: the best for Gmail and Google Calendar

Google Tasks lives in the side panel of Gmail and Google Calendar, so you can turn an email into a task or drop a task onto your calendar without leaving either one. It's deliberately bare: lists, subtasks, due dates and repeats, and little else. Best for: Google Workspace users who want a free, zero-setup list next to their inbox. Free.

8. OmniFocus: the best for GTD power users

OmniFocus is built around David Allen's Getting Things Done method, with contexts, defer dates, reviews and custom perspectives for slicing a big list any way you like. That power comes with a learning curve, and it's centered on Apple devices. Best for: people who already practice GTD and want a tool that bends to their system. Paid subscription or license, with a free trial.

9. Habitica: the best for gamifying your to-dos

Habitica turns habits, dailies and to-dos into a role-playing game: finishing tasks earns experience and gold, and skipping them costs your character health. Joining a party with friends adds real accountability. It's less suited to serious project work. Best for: people who need motivation more than organization. Free, with an optional subscription.

How do you choose the right to-do list app?

Start with your real bottleneck. If tasks slip because you never wrote them down, choose the fastest capture, such as Todoist or Done. If you can't fit everything into a day, pick an app with a calendar view, such as TickTick or Any.do. If your list is full of work that someone else could do, choose Done and hand those tasks to an AI agent. Then give your top two a week each and keep the one you actually open every day.