This free to-do listing app retains me organized and sane

[ad_1] <img class="e_Mg" decoding="async" loading="eager" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="a task in the ticktick app on a smartphone next to a pocket watch" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="a task in the ticktick app on a smartphone next to a pocket watch" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/a-task-in-the-ticktick-app-on-a-smartphone-next-to-a-pocket-watch-scaled.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

For a very long time I puzzled if I used to be merely resistant to the productiveness advantages of to-do listing apps since they didn’t truly assist me full my targets within the long-term. It appeared like if I wasn’t in a position to full a process instantly, it could disappear into the ether, by no means to be seen once more or in the end accomplished.

Then a colleague steered TickTick to me in 2018. The app impressed me a lot that I exploit it to at the present time although newer productiveness apps have launched in the marketplace — it has develop into one of many free apps I can’t stay with out.

What's your favourite to-do listing app? 14 votes

TickTick

36%

Todoist

7%

Google Duties

36%

Microsoft To Do

7%

One other app (tell us within the feedback!)

14%

TickTick continues to be one of the best to-do listing app for me

<img class="e_Mg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="tasks in the ticktick app on an android smartphone" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="tasks in the ticktick app on an android smartphone" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/tasks-in-the-ticktick-app-on-an-android-smartphone-scaled.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

A typical downside I encounter when utilizing productiveness apps is that they attempt to do an excessive amount of directly and it truly takes a while to set them up and get acquainted with their options. Contemplating I've ADHD, an app that may assist me maintain organized makes my life simpler. However on the similar time, I get overwhelmed when there’s an excessive amount of info to soak up and an excessive amount of to study in a brief time period.

It additionally implies that when a process isn't front-and-center, I'll typically overlook about it. You'll be able to’t rely on me to open an app each day to examine my reminders if it’s not already in my each day routine.

That is the place TickTick excels — it is easy and intuitive and does not pressure you to become familiar with all of its options directly.

And that’s the place TickTick excels — it’s easy and intuitive and doesn’t pressure you to become familiar with all of its options directly. In actual fact, you don’t have to even create an account to get began. You merely set up the app and begin including duties instantly. These duties could be as easy or as sophisticated as you need them to be. For instance, I often set my duties to be a easy textual content be aware that pops up at a sure time. However if you wish to categorize your reminders, you'll be able to add tags, subtasks, precedence flags, and attachments. It's also possible to assign them to particular lists if you wish to manage your duties additional. For instance, I've lists for Purchasing, Work, and Private objects.

Different options embody a calendar view (although some calendar views are locked behind a paywall), a behavior tracker, an Eisenhower Matrix tab, and a newly launched countdown function. However I largely use it for the reminder options, together with different free apps that maintain me organized.

After I set reminders, additionally they stay in my notification bar, even when I dismiss the preliminary popup. This takes care of the issue of needing a process to stay front-and-center. At any time when I examine my telephone, the listing of each day duties is there ready for me.

The function that retains me coming again

<img class="e_Mg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="the snooze option for a task in ticktick" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="the snooze option for a task in ticktick" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/the-snooze-option-for-a-task-in-ticktick-scaled.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

In addition to its easy but highly effective interface, there’s one other function that retains me coming again to TickTick — the power to snooze my notifications. That is the very first thing that set aside the app for me and it ensured that even when I couldn’t get to a process instantly, I might be reminded of it later.

You can argue that this simply feeds into my behavior of procrastinating, however as a rule, it offers me the time to organize for the duty and get began. For instance, I'll get a reminder to e mail somebody once I’m not presently at my desk — so I can snooze it for quarter-hour whereas I end my espresso and switch my PC on.

If I understand I gained’t be attending to my process that day, I can snooze it to ping me the following day as a substitute. That is excellent on days the place one thing interrupts my schedule or I find yourself with an surprising migraine and may’t full my duties for the day.

The app does not consistently ship me notifications for decrease precedence duties.

On the similar time, the app doesn’t consistently ship me notifications for decrease precedence duties. If it did, the notifications would truly hamper my productiveness moderately than bolster it. I've a reminder for a weblog publish that has been sitting in my TickTick inbox for weeks, however that’s not as a consequence of me forgetting it, however me struggling to search out the time to finish it. So I let it sit in my inbox in order that it stays within the periphery of duties I have to finally accomplish, with out it turning into a nuisance that causes me to prematurely dismiss it.

Is TickTick’s premium plan value it?

<img class="e_Mg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="ticktick import and integrations menu with different services" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="ticktick import and integrations menu with different services" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/ticktick-import-and-integrations-menu-with-different-services-scaled.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

So if TickTick is such a fantastic app, why don’t I subscribe to the premium plan? This largely has to do with my very own private preferences and preserving my software program subscriptions to a minimal. There was a time I used to be subscribed to the app’s premium plan, however I ended up canceling my subscription as a result of I wasn’t utilizing the premium options sufficient to justify the fee.

I believe that TickTick's premium model is without doubt one of the higher choices out.

That mentioned, I do assume that TickTick’s premium model is without doubt one of the higher choices on the market in case you’re on the lookout for a to-do listing app that may combine with different software program and sync a number of calendars. The annual plan prices $35.99, making it extra reasonably priced than lots of its options. With the premium model, you get entry to extra calendar views, the filter function, extra lists, extra lively duties, the Fixed Reminder function, and extra attachments per day.

Since I worth TickTick’s simplicity, its free plan does greater than sufficient for me. I'm additionally in a position to sync my smartphone’s native calendars while not having the premium plan. However in case you like TickTick and also you simply need to prolong its performance, then I’d advocate making an attempt out its premium model.

Are there any TickTick options on the market?

<img class="e_Mg" decoding="async" loading="lazy" sizes="(min-width: 64rem) 51.25rem, 80vw" title="various to do list app shortcuts on a smartphone screen" srcset="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-scaled.jpg 2560w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-64w-36h.jpg 64w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-1000w-563h.jpg 1000w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-1920w-1080h.jpg 1920w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-1536w-864h.jpg 1536w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-675w-380h.jpg 675w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-300w-170h.jpg 300w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-1280w-720h.jpg 1280w, https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-840w-472h.jpg 840w" alt="various to do list app shortcuts on a smartphone screen" src="https://www.androidauthority.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/various-to-do-list-app-shortcuts-on-a-smartphone-screen-scaled.jpg"/> Megan Ellis / Android Authority

Whereas TickTick is ideal for my wants, you may nonetheless be looking out for different to-do listing apps which have sure options or integrations. Whereas the premium model of TickTick helps integration with calendars and extra calendar views, not everybody needs to must pay for a reminder app.

If TickTick isn’t for you, take into account considered one of these options:

Todoist: Whereas some folks may discover Todoist a bit overwhelming, it contains loads of options in its free model. One in every of Todoist’s finest options is the provision of templates, which you'll be able to copy over to create duties from. For instance, the Purchasing Listing template offers you classes and objects you'll be able to edit after which examine off. Its calendar view can also be higher at getting a days-long overview of what you've gotten forward of you. I additionally like that you could allow morning and night overviews to your duties, which might be helpful for those that wish to check-in with their each day progress. Google Duties: In the event you’re on the lookout for a totally free to-do listing app, then Duties contains important options corresponding to checklists and reminders. The app is finest suited for individuals who already use different Google apps corresponding to Google Calendar and Gmail because it means that you can create new duties from inside them. Microsoft To Do: In the event you’re a heavy person of Microsoft’s apps, then Microsoft To Do is a becoming choice to type and manage your duties. The app does require a Microsoft account to enroll, however this lets you combine your flagged Outlook emails as duties and sync assigned duties with Planner. Any.do: One other strong free to-do listing app, Any.do has helpful options like an summary tab to your schedule and an intuitive, categorized grocery listing template. Its calendar view can also be extra intuitive than TickTick’s restricted free calendar view. ClickUp: In the event you’re on the lookout for an app that also has a free model, however packs in a bunch of productiveness options, then ClickUp is an effective alternative that features to-do lists and reminders. Along with your duties, you may as well add paperwork and occasions, monitor time spent on duties, and collaborate with crew members.

Every to-do listing app has its energy and weaknesses, however I discover that TickTick is essentially the most feature-rich whereas additionally addressing the precise ache factors I've with reminder apps. Then once more, you may all the time get ChatGPT to ship you reminders.