Todoist vs TickTick (2026): Which To-Do App Should You Choose?
They're the two most recommended task managers on the internet, and they're more different than they look. We compared Todoist and TickTick on features, free plans, pricing and design, plus one all-in-one option worth knowing about before you commit.
If you've searched for the best to-do app, you've met these two. Todoist is the minimalist's favorite, famous for elegant design and the best natural-language task entry anywhere. TickTick is the feature-packed challenger that bundles a calendar, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer into one app, much of it free. Both are genuinely excellent, so this comes down to what you value.
We'll compare them fairly across the areas that matter, then, because not everyone wants a tasks-only app, flag a third option that combines tasks with a journal, goals and notes. For the wider field, see our best free to-do list apps roundup and Todoist alternatives guide.
Bottom line: Choose Todoist if you want the most refined, distraction-free pure task manager and love natural-language input. Choose TickTick if you want more features for less money, since its free plan includes reminders, a calendar and a Pomodoro timer that Todoist either charges for or lacks. It's close, and TickTick's value edges it ahead for most people.
Here's the honest headline: you can't go wrong with either. Both sync flawlessly across every platform, both have polished apps, and both will organize your life well. The differences are about philosophy, minimalist focus versus all-in-one value, and about what each locks behind a paywall. Let's dig in.
Feature-by-Feature Breakdown
Tap the areas that matter most to you.
Core tasks & input
Both handle projects, sub-tasks, priorities, labels, recurring tasks and filters. Todoist's signature strength is its natural-language input: type "pay rent every 1st at 9am #Finance" and it parses the date, recurrence and project instantly. It's the smoothest task entry in the category, full stop.
TickTick also has natural-language parsing, nearly as good, and adds handy capture methods like voice input and email-to-task. On raw task structure they're very close; Todoist feels a touch more refined, TickTick a touch more flexible.
What you get for free
This is the biggest practical difference. Todoist's free plan is clean but limited: around five active projects, limited filters, and, crucially, reminders are a paid Pro feature. For many people that single limitation is the deciding factor.
TickTick's free plan is far more generous: it includes reminders, multiple lists, a calendar view, a habit tracker and the Pomodoro timer. You hit some caps (list and folder counts) but can run your whole system free far more easily than on Todoist.
Extra features beyond tasks
Todoist stays deliberately focused. It adds productivity trends (Karma), templates and a huge integration ecosystem, but it's a task manager by design and keeps extras minimal.
TickTick throws in a lot more: a built-in calendar, a habit tracker, a Pomodoro focus timer, and Eisenhower-matrix prioritization. If you like one app to do several jobs, TickTick delivers more out of the box, at the cost of a busier interface.
Design, apps & platforms
Both run natively on iOS, Android, Windows, Mac and the web with browser extensions and offline support. Todoist is the design benchmark: calm, minimal, fast, with nothing on screen you don't need. Many people stay purely for that clarity.
TickTick is also well designed but necessarily busier, because it's doing more. If you find lots of features cluttering, Todoist feels cleaner; if you want those features accessible, TickTick's density is worth it.
Todoist vs TickTick: Comparison Table
| Feature | Todoist | TickTick |
|---|---|---|
| Natural-language input | ✓ Best in class | ✓ Very good |
| Reminders on free plan | ✗ Paid (Pro) | ✓ Included |
| Free active projects/lists | ~5 projects | More generous |
| Built-in calendar view | Pro / integrations | ✓ Free |
| Habit tracker | ✗ | ✓ |
| Pomodoro timer | ✗ | ✓ |
| Sub-tasks, labels, filters | ✓ | ✓ |
| Integrations ecosystem | ✓ Extensive | Good |
| Design / minimalism | ✓ Benchmark | Busier |
| Native apps + offline | ✓ | ✓ |
| Journaling / goals / notes | ✗ | ✗ |
| Paid plan | ~$4/mo | ~$35.99/yr |
Pricing Compared
Both are freemium. Todoist Pro is around $4/month (about $48/year), unlocking reminders, more projects, filters and larger uploads. TickTick Premium is about $35.99/year, unlocking advanced calendar features, more lists, custom filters and smart list options. TickTick is both cheaper annually and gives more away for free, so on pure value it wins; Todoist justifies its price with polish and its integration ecosystem rather than raw feature count.
📝 What if you want more than tasks?
Todoist and TickTick are both task apps. If you also keep a journal, track goals or take notes, you'll still need other apps alongside either one. RytePad is worth a look here: it pairs a daily task manager (with free email reminders, like TickTick) with a private diary, long-term and monthly goals, reusable lists and a smart notepad, all encrypted with AES-256 and searchable together.
Being honest: RytePad's task engine is simpler than either Todoist or TickTick, with no natural-language input, sub-tasks or labels, and it's a web app rather than a native one. It won't out-task the two apps above. But if your real goal is one place for your whole day instead of three separate apps, it's a genuinely different answer to the question. We lay out the trade-offs in RytePad vs Todoist.
Try RytePad Free →Want Tasks, Diary, Goals and Notes in One App?
RytePad bundles them with free reminders and encryption, on a genuinely free plan.
Create Your Free Account →Free forever · AES-256 encrypted · No download
Who Should Choose Each
✅ Choose Todoist if…
- You value minimalist, distraction-free design
- Natural-language task entry matters most to you
- You rely on lots of third-party integrations
- You're happy to pay Pro for reminders
- You want a focused, tasks-only tool
✔️ Choose TickTick if…
- You want the most features on a free plan
- Free reminders are a must-have
- You'd use a built-in calendar and habit tracker
- You like a Pomodoro timer in the same app
- You want lower annual pricing
Frequently Asked Questions
Is Todoist or TickTick better?
Both are excellent. Todoist is better for minimalist design and the smoothest natural-language task entry; TickTick is better for value, with reminders, a calendar, a habit tracker and a Pomodoro timer included free. For most people wanting the most for the least, TickTick edges ahead, but Todoist's polish keeps it a top choice.
Does Todoist have reminders on the free plan?
No. Reminders are a paid Pro feature in Todoist. TickTick includes reminders on its free plan, which is one of the most common reasons people pick TickTick over Todoist.
Which is cheaper, Todoist or TickTick?
TickTick. TickTick Premium is around $35.99/year, while Todoist Pro is about $4/month (roughly $48/year). TickTick also gives away more on its free plan, so it's the better value on both counts.
Do Todoist or TickTick have journaling or goal tracking?
Neither is built for journaling or long-term goal tracking; they're dedicated task managers. If you want tasks plus a diary, goals and notes in one app, an all-in-one tool like RytePad covers that ground, though its task features are simpler than either.
Can I switch from Todoist to TickTick easily?
Yes. TickTick offers an import option for Todoist, and both let you export data, so moving between them is relatively painless. Try TickTick's free plan alongside Todoist before fully switching.
Which app is best for students or focus?
TickTick, thanks to its built-in Pomodoro timer and habit tracker alongside tasks, all free. Todoist is leaner and pairs well with a separate focus app if you prefer its minimalist style.
Final Verdict: Todoist 4.5 · TickTick 4.6
This is genuinely close, and both are among the best task apps you can use. TickTick wins on value, free reminders, a calendar, habits and a Pomodoro timer make its free plan hard to beat, while Todoist wins on craft, with unmatched task entry and the cleanest design in the category. Pick TickTick for features-per-dollar, Todoist for minimalist elegance. And if you'd rather not run a separate app for your journal, goals and notes, RytePad is the all-in-one alternative worth trying, just know its task engine is simpler than either.