These days, many of us cannot imagine living without an app that helps us manage our busy, nay, overwhelming schedules.
It keeps us afloat in our oceans of family and work commitments, collaborations, projects, daily tasks, community endeavors, and “me” time. It’s a definite lifesaver.
Let's get started with an answer to a question many people have:
Why do I need to use a to-do list app?
Let's get to it…
Benefits of Using To-Do List Apps
1. Helps you get things done.
When several projects run simultaneously, it’s easy to lose track of what needs to be done at specific dates and times. These apps can help you accomplish your tasks and ensure that nothing gets left undone and overdue. (Check out this roundup of the best apps to improve your productivity.)
2. Helps you keep track of your life.
It’s easy to get overwhelmed with daily schedules. However, imagine how extra complicated it is for people diagnosed with ADHD. The apps are helpful in ways that help them keep their commitments at work, in their communities, and with their families.
3. Keeps you organized.
These apps help you regain control of your life by showing you the bigger picture of what lies ahead in the day or the week. This way, you can plan and make decisions accordingly, keeping you firmly grounded.
4. Improves your memory.
You can use the apps to keep a record of things you need to do and clear some head space for other equally essential thoughts.
Moreover, whenever you check your to-do lists, you reinforce your information recall. It makes it easier to remember stuff.
5. Gives you a boost of motivation.
There is a feeling of satisfaction for having achieved something as you cross of an item from your list. This, in turn, increases your drive to accomplish more because you have proof that you can get things done.
Remember to reward yourself when you’ve finished something significant from your task list! Schedule it in your app so you’ll remember to do so.
In this post, we’ve rounded up the best apps for keeping all aspects of your life on track.
Some of the apps have been around for years and maintain a strong following because they can intuit the user’s needs when it comes to productivity and time management. Others are new in the market and have interesting and useful features that you can try to see if they suit you.
I now present the 16 best to-do list apps for you to reach greater heights in productivity this year.
Best To-Do List Apps
1. Todoist
Although Todoist has been around for quite some time, many users still love it and are unwilling to trade it for other task-organizing tools.
It is one of the most beautifully designed apps for time management and productivity. It possesses a ton of useful features that can help you organize your needs.
It can understand different variations in how you set your schedule. The Kanban system allows users to shift cards around between due dates and between projects.
2. Google Keep
Are you looking for a tool to quickly type a list of things to do or buy, save notes with photos, and access them across devices? Google Keep has you covered.
Its ease of use helps transform the regular task list into a beautiful thing. If you keep or plan to keep a digitized bullet journal, this is the ideal app for it, as lists can be color-coded according to your purpose.
You can set up reminders so you don't miss anything you need to accomplish in your life.
3. Any.DO
With a beautifully designed interface, Any.DO allows you to drop and drag tasks and then swipe to mark them complete.
The feature that most users prefer with this app is the push notification they receive in the morning, which lists all of the things to do for the day.
Other attractive features include the ability to add tasks using voice commands, Slack and Alexa integration, and cross-platform availability.
4. Google Tasks
If you tend to use a lot of Google products, this app will be your best ally for organizing your life. The app easily integrates with your Google calendar as part of the whole set of Google productivity tools.
In Gmail, you can easily drag and drop emails into Tasks, which enables you to add a new item to your to-do list quickly.
5. TickTick
TickTick is one of the best for creating to-do lists and a powerful tool for keeping your life organized.
Whether it’s creating a checklist to get things done quickly and in an orderly manner, collaborating with others on specific tasks, or setting habits for your daily routine, this app does it all and more.
This app syncs across all your devices, so you’ll never miss an item on your to-do list. Furthermore, you can organize all your lists with tags or store them in designated folders for quick access.
The app is free, with in-app purchases available to access premium features.for iOS | for Android
6. Carrot To-Do
Users describe Carrot To-Do as a productivity tool with feelings. Carrot calls itself “your new task master.”
It expresses happiness and praises you whenever you complete a task. However, it also has a bad side that comes out when you don't, and this app can shower you with insults, too.
As a to-do list app, it is pretty straightforward and simple, but it lacks most of the features you'd expect to find in other apps.
However, if you are looking for an exciting and fun app that can help you keep track of your schedule and tasks, Carrot is a must-try.
For iOS
7. Focuster
The main draw for Focuster is that it helps users keep their focus. This is the first of its kind as an app that automatically arranges your tasks according to priority based on what you enter on the left sidebar of its interface.
It has a quick-capture feature allows you to capture things as you work on your device with the least intrusion on your focus.
For iOS
8. Cozi
Families will love this app. With Cozi’s collaborative feature, everyone can share their lists or notes with their family members.
Further, others can add items or edit something on an existing to-do list.
Nothing will be missed, as all added information can be accessed on the app. A reminder can be sent to another person (e.g., spouse or child) about a dentist appointment or a science project due soon.
9. Habitica
Suppose you want to add fun (and nostalgia, for some readers) to completing your daily tasks. In that case, Habitica is an interesting option as one of the best free apps on the to-do list.
What's unique about this to-do list app is that it transforms your life into a role-playing game. In this vintage RPG, the way you advance to higher levels is by completing the goals that are your daily tasks, responsibilities, and habits.
10. Momentum
We all get distracted while browsing. Our quest for a specific piece of information goes off tangent, and instead of trying to find the right statistics to accompany a report for tomorrow's work meeting, you find yourself reading up on a traditional method for making a bird feeder wreath.
Momentum, an extension to Chrome, aims to help you get things done.
With the extension activated in your browser, your new tab will feature a breathtaking image in the background, an inspiring quote, and a to-do list where you can add items and cross them off as you accomplish them through the day.
For Chrome
11. Remember The Milk
Users of Remember The Milk app only have praise for its intuitive features that help keep their schedules and tasks organized. As one of the oldest apps that help people get things done, it has a simple user interface that allows users to truly focus on finishing tasks as scheduled.
Moreover, while on “Weekly View,” this app allows you to have a quick overview of all the tasks you have for the whole week. It provides you with a bigger picture of how hectic (or calm) your schedule will be in the days ahead, helping you shift tasks around to balance your workload.
12. Trello
Trello is designed to help teams maintain or improve productivity by providing a space to manage projects, workflows, and tasks.
Trello’s features can also work for individuals who prefer a visual representation of their tasks or to-do lists.
The app provides an interface that allows users to create a process flow to track the progress of their current tasks. To do this, you create task cards and drag each card across the board towards a designated “finish line.”
Your to-do list is always available at a glance whenever you access the app.
Trello is available for free.
13. Microsoft To-Do
Whether you start from scratch or import your tasks from Todoist, Outlook, or Wunderlist, Microsoft To-Do can accommodate you. Like the other apps mentioned above, it helps you manage your tasks and projects and gives you reminders when an item on your list is due.
It also reminds you when you're supposed to start working on a list item. Unlike other apps, however, it does not provide you with a list of things you need to do.
Rather it offers suggestions on what to do next, listing items that are overdue or almost due, as well as stuff that it thinks are relevant to your schedule for the day.
14. Twobird
If you’re an entrepreneur, checking your email can often become a time-suck activity. The email app “Twobird” is quite helpful in developing an inbox-zero habit.
It is designed around the premise that your email inbox is a significant to-do list. This app consolidates everything in your inbox, giving emails, notes, and lists equal status.
The app also has a built-in calendar to keep track of your schedule. Your inbox becomes the command center of your communications, schedules, to-do lists, etc.
The interface provides an overall view of everything that needs your attention, whether it’s an idea that needs fleshing out, an email that needs a reply ASAP, or an appointment you don’t want to miss.
Twobird is currently available for free.
15. TeuxDeux
If you’re looking for a straightforward to-do list, you’ll likely appreciate Teuxdeux (pronounced “to do”). It is a straightforward yet effective to-do list that you can access anywhere through its sync feature.
As with a traditional to-do list written on paper, you can see all the items in your to-do list in one place on the app’s streamlined interface. Unlike the conventional paper to-do list, however, you can drag and drop items to rearrange them.
If you leave some tasks undone for the day, the app also features automatic task rollover, so you can easily accomplish them the next day.
This app is available for free.
16. Cheqmark
via Cheqmark
At first glance, Cheqmark appears to be just another to-do list app. However, this web-based tool's simple design belies its versatility for various uses.
First, if you love making lists, it is easily one of the most accessible apps. It can accommodate daily, weekly, or monthly lists; lists for personal challenges and habit tracking; your bucket list; and even brain dumps to keep your head clear and calm the monkey mind.
The app also provides eye-catching templates to keep your lists visually interesting. And if you enjoy making lists from scratch, Cheqmark allows you to make custom lists to your specifications.
This app allows you to download your lists to print them out as needed.
The best thing about it? The app is free.
Final Thoughts on To-Do List Apps
There you have it. Thirteen of the best to-do list apps that will help you get things done in this brand new year.
Did your favorite app make it on the list? Have you discovered the app that works for you with what’s been featured today? Please share your thoughts with us in the comments below.
Time is a precious resource. Managing it wisely should be one of our top priorities. The apps mentioned above are a great way to effectively identify your priorities and balance your work and personal life schedule.
If you want to know more time and productivity strategies, check out this post about a 25-minute habit called the Pomodoro Technique and learn how to master time management.
Learn to get more done with these related posts:
- 19 Habits of a Highly Organized Person
- 11 Printable Weekly To-Do List Templates
- 9 Best Apps for Couples to Make Your Relationship Stronger
Finally, if you want to level up your productivity and time management skills, then watch this free video about the 9 productivity habits you can build at work.
