Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders

Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders

Got something on your mind get microsoft to do. whether you want to increase your productivity, decrease your stress levels, or just free up some mental space, microsoft to do makes it easy to plan your day and manage your life. with microsoft to do, you can: • stay focused with my day, a personalized daily planner with suggested tasks • get your lists anywhere, on any device • share lists and assign tasks with your friends, family, colleagues, and classmates • personalize your lists with bold and colorful backgrounds • set one-time or recurring due dates and reminders • break your tasks into manageable steps • add notes to any task • attach files up to 25 mb to any task • sync your tasks between outlook and to do • group your lists together by topic or project whether it's for work, school, or home, to do helps you organize and simplify your plans. to do is free and available on all your devices. learn more: https://to-do.microsoft.com follow us on twitter: @microsofttodo need support https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/linkid=2189703 by installing microsoft to do, you agree to the microsoft terms of use: https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/linkid=842575, 3/17/2016 5:45:06 pm, https://go.microsoft.com/fwlink/linkid=842576.

Best To-Do List Apps for Windows 11 and Windows 10

These apps will help you track your progress and get organized.

Keeping track of your progress is one of the best ways to improve your productivity. To-do list apps make it easy to organize your tasks and stay up to date. Applications provide much more functionality than a written list, since they support features like setting reminders, syncing with digital calendars, and attaching files and notes. All of the best to-do list apps for Windows 11 and Windows 10 share quite a bit of functionality, but are separated by their premium features and availability across platforms.

Best to-do list apps for Windows

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Microsoft To-Do | Free

With this app, you can create lists that are available across multiple platforms, share your lists with friends and colleagues, and set reminders. It is regularly updated with new features such as attaching files, integrating with Microsoft Mail and Calendar, and syncing with Outlook. It integrates with several Microsoft 365 service as well.

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Todoist | $4/month for Premium

Todoist is a powerful to-do list with the ability to add tasks with natural text. For example, if you say "write an article at 2 pm," it will set the reminder accordingly. It also has the option to integrate with services, including Outlook, Amazon Alexa, IFTTT, and Slack. Todoist has a free version, but to use all of its features, you'll have to upgrade to its premium version that costs $4 per month.

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Trello | $5/month for Premium

Trello isn't a traditional to-do list. Instead, it's an online productivity board. In it, you can create different boards with multiple columns to keep your items organized. You can add files, notes, due dates, and labels to each card to keep things organized.

Ticktick | $2.40/month for Premium (paid annually)

Ticktick | $2.40/month for Premium (paid annually)

TickTick is packed with features including smart lists, recurring reminders, sharing lists, and marking items with differing priorities. You can also track your productivity using statistics and achievement scores.TickTick has a free version, but to unlock all of its features, you'll need to upgrade to premium. The paid upgrade gets you full calendar access, advanced filters, and even a white noise generator.

Any.do | $3/month for Premium

Any.do | $3/month for Premium

While many to-do list apps are cross-platform, Any.do takes that to the extreme. It's available on Windows, iOS, Android, the web, and on smart assistants like Amazon Alexa and Google Assistant. You can even use it to tick off to-dos on your smartwatch! It has an extensive list of features as well, though, for many of them, you'll need a premium subscription that costs $3 per month.

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Best Window to-do list apps

To-do lists are incredibly useful tools when used correctly. One of the features that will make any to-do list more useful is the ability to add and manage items from any device you use. Each of the apps in this list supports cross-platform syncing so you can easily add and check off items. Microsoft To-Do has a good feature set for a to-do list application including shared lists, file attachment support, and integrating with Microsoft 365 and other popular services. It's free, making it a good value, and is regularly updated with new features from Microsoft so you can have confidence that it's going to get even better in the future. These factors put together earn Microsoft To-Do the top spot of the best windows 10 to-do list apps.

If you'd like to use something outside of Microsoft's ecosystem, Todoist is an excellent option. It integrates with services like Alexa and Dropbox and makes it easy to add new items to your list thanks to its natural voice entry.

All of the apps on this list are going to be the best option for certain users. Luckily, each of them has a free version so you can try them all out without opening your wallet.

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Sean Endicott brings nearly a decade of experience covering Microsoft and Windows news to Windows Central. He joined our team in 2017 as an app reviewer and now heads up our day-to-day news coverage. If you have a news tip or an app to review, hit him up at  [email protected] .

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task tracker app windows

The 7 best to do list apps in 2024

A hero image with the logos of the best to-do list apps

There are too many to-do list apps. Trying them all would be a massive task, and I know because I did it.

Why are there so many apps for something easily done with sticky notes or any other scrap of paper? Because managing tasks is an intensely—even irrationally—personal thing. People will reject anything that doesn't feel right. That's a good instinct, but it makes it hard to find the right app.

And now I'm offering you what I feel is the cream of the crop. Whatever you're looking for, one of these task management apps is going to be right for you. Click on any app to learn more about why I chose it, or keep reading for more context on to-do list apps.

The best to-do list apps

What makes the best to-do list app, how we evaluate and test apps.

I've written about technology in general, and productivity specifically, since 2013. In that time, I've personally tried basically every major to-do list app that has come out, and I've always relied upon at least one of them to function.

Of course, when it comes to managing a to-do list online, everyone has different criteria. I kept this in mind as I tested, and I tried not to just pick the apps that suited me best, but the ones that suit different people who approach task management in other ways. Regardless, there were a few features that made certain apps stand out.

What is a to-do list app for?

To-do lists help you organize your work and keep track of tasks. A good digital to-do list makes it easier to get work done—and makes it harder to miss deadlines.

What makes a good to-do list app?

The best to-do list apps:

Make it fast to add and organize tasks . Ideally, a task is added and categorized in a couple taps or keystrokes. If adding your to-dos is a hassle, you just won't do it.

Offer multiple ways to organize your tasks . Tags, lists, projects, and due dates are all helpful, and the best to-do apps offer at least a few categories like this.

Remind you about self-imposed deadlines . Notifications, widgets, emails—if you're using an online to-do list, it should help you track what needs to happen when. This is one of the big reasons to use an app over a notebook.

Offer clean user interfaces . The best to-do app fits into your workflow, so you can get back to what you're supposed to be doing. As a professional reviewer who spends a lot of time testing, I generally have a phobia of ugly apps.

Sync between every platform you use. Which platforms will depend on what you personally use, but I didn't consider anything that doesn't sync between desktop and mobile. You really should be able to check your to-do list when you're at the store or otherwise out and about.

While AI is starting to creep into to-do apps, it's not broadly useful yet. No app made this list just because it had some AI scheduling or could automatically suggest sub-tasks, but no apps were excluded over it either. While some people might find these features useful, I suspect most people looking for a to-do app want to be able to keep track of all the things they have to do—not get more tasks added to a list by a robot.

I tried to find the task list apps that balance these things in various ways. None of these options will be right for everyone, but hopefully one of them is right for you.

The best to-do list apps at a glance

Best to-do list app for balancing power and simplicity, .css-yjptlz-link{all:unset;box-sizing:border-box;-webkit-text-decoration:underline;text-decoration:underline;cursor:pointer;-webkit-transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;transition:all 300ms ease-in-out;outline-offset:1px;-webkit-text-fill-color:currentcolor;outline:1px solid transparent;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='ocean']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='white']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']{color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:hover{color:#2b2358;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='primary']:focus{color:#3d4592;outline-color:#3d4592;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']{color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:hover{color:#a8a5a0;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-color='secondary']:focus{color:#fffdf9;outline-color:#fffdf9;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='inherit']{font-weight:inherit;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='normal']{font-weight:400;}.css-yjptlz-link[data-weight='bold']{font-weight:700;} todoist (web, windows, mac, android, iphone, ipad).

Todoist, our pick for the best to-do list app for balancing power and simplicity

Adding tasks was quick on every platform in my tests, thanks in part to natural language processing (type "buy milk Monday" and the task "buy milk" will be added with the next Monday set as your due date). You can put new tasks in your Inbox and then move them to relevant projects; you can also set due dates. Paid users can create custom filters and labels, and there are also some basic collaboration features.

Todoist is flexible enough to adapt to most workflows but not so complicated as to overwhelm. And it adds new features regularly: you can view projects as a Kanban board, for example, and navigating the app by keyboard is much smoother after recent updates. There's even an AI assistant on paid plans that can help make tasks more actionable. Overall, this is a great first to-do list app to try out, especially if you don't know where to start.

Add new Google Calendar events to Todoist as tasks

Google Calendar logo

Save new incomplete Todoist tasks in Notion databases

Notion logo

Add new saved Slack messages to Todoist as tasks

Slack logo

Todoist price : Free version available; paid version from $5/month.

Best to-do list app with embedded calendars and timers

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TickTick, our pick for the best to-do list app with embedded calendars and timers

TickTick is a fast-growing task list app that offers a wide array of features on just about every platform you can imagine. Adding tasks is quick thanks to natural language processing. There's also a universal keyboard shortcut offered on the desktop versions and pinned notifications and widgets on mobile, which makes it quick to add a task before getting back to what you're doing. Tasks can be organized using lists, tags, due dates, and priorities, and there's also the ability to add subtasks to any task.

TickTick offers all of this with apps that feel native—the macOS version is distinct from the Windows version, for example, in ways that make sense given the differences between those two systems. TickTick also offers a few features that are above and beyond what other task tracking apps offer.

Create Notion items from new TickTick tasks

TickTick logo

Create TickTick tasks from new Google Calendar events

Create ticktick tasks from new google tasks.

Google Tasks logo

TickTick price : Free version available; paid version from $3.99/month.

Best to-do list app for Microsoft power users

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Microsoft To Do, our pick for the best to-do list app for Microsoft power users

The real standout feature here is the deep integration with Microsoft's ecosystem. Any email flagged in Outlook, for example, shows up as a task. Outlook users can also sync their tasks from that app over to Microsoft To Do, meaning there's finally a way to sync Outlook tasks to mobile. Windows users can add tasks using Cortana or by typing in the Start menu. For example, you can type "add rice to my shopping list," and rice will be added to a list called "shopping." If you're a Windows user and an Outlook user, this is the app for you (though it does work well on Macs and iPhones too).

It's also one of the prettiest to-do list apps on the market, in my opinion. You can set custom background images for every one of your lists, allowing you to tell at a glance which list you're looking at. You're going to be looking at your task list all day—it might as well look good. 

Add new tasks in Google Tasks to Microsoft To-Do

Microsoft To Do logo

Add new Microsoft To Do tasks to Notion databases

Create tasks on microsoft to-do from new google calendar events.

Microsoft To Do price : Free

The best to-do list app for most Apple users

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Reminders, our pick for the best to-do list app for most Apple users

There have always been loads of high quality to-do apps available for Apple devices, in part because the built-in Reminders app just didn't match up to the expectations of productivity-loving Apple fans. They wanted a nice computer, a nice smartphone, and a nice to-do app—and Apple was only giving them two out of three. 

But over the last few years, that's changed. Reminders has gone from being a very basic to-do list to a solid task management app. It has tags, due dates, sub-tasks, and Smart Lists, you can share tasks and lists with other Apple users, and you can even trigger reminders based on your location. It also offers multiple ways to view your tasks and offers a few unique touches, too, like grocery lists that automatically group products by category. 

Reminders price : Free on Apple devices

The best to-do list app with elegant design

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Things, our pick for the best to-do list app with elegant design

To-do list apps tend to fall into two categories: the complex and the minimalist. Things is somehow both.

That's about the highest praise I can give a to-do list app. This is an app with no shortage of features, and yet it always feels simple to use. Adding tasks is quick and so is organizing them, but there's seemingly no end of variation in ways to organize them. Areas can contain tasks or projects; projects can contain tasks or headers that can also contain tasks; and tasks can contain subtasks if you want. It sounds confusing, but it isn't, which really speaks to how well Things is designed.

Other task tracking apps offer these features, but Things does it in a way that never feels cluttered, meaning you can quickly be done with looking at your to-do list and get back to whatever it is you're doing. Combine this blend of functionality and beauty with features like a system-wide tool for quickly adding tasks, integration with your calendar so you can see your appointments while planning your day, intuitive keyboard shortcuts, reminders with native notifications, and syncing to an iPhone and iPad app.

The only downside here is the complete lack of versions for Windows and Android, though this decision is probably part of what allows the team to focus on making such a clean product. If you're an Apple user, you owe it to yourself to try out Things.

Add saved Slack messages to Things as to-dos

Things logo

Create to-dos in Things from new Notion database items

Create to-dos in things from new google tasks.

Things price : $49.99 for macOS (15-day free trial), $19.99 for iPad, $9.99 for iPhone.

Best to-do list app for Google power users

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Google Tasks, our pick for the best to-do list app for Google power users

If you live in Gmail and Google Calendar, Google Tasks is an obvious free to-do list app to try out. That's because it lives right in the sidebar of those two apps, and offers more than a few integrations. Plus, there's a dedicated mobile app.

The app itself is spartan. Adding tasks is quick, particularly if you spend a lot of time in Gmail anyway, but there's not a lot of organizational offerings. There are due dates, lists, descriptions, subtasks, and the ability to "Star" tasks. There's not much beyond that, which is ok. On the desktop, the integration with Gmail is a key selling point. You can drag an email to Google Tasks to turn it into a task, for example. You also can see your tasks on your Google Calendar, if you want.

The best to-do app is one that's always handy. If you're the kind of person who always has Gmail open on your computer, it's hard for any app to be handier than Google Tasks. The mobile versions make those tasks accessible on the go.

Save new tasks in Google Tasks in Notion databases

Create trello cards from new google tasks tasks.

Trello logo

Google Tasks price : Free

Best to-do list app for people who forget to use to-do apps

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Any.do, our pick for the best to-do list app for people who forget to use to-do apps

Any.do offers a really slick mobile app that makes it quick to add tasks, organize them into lists, and add due dates. But where it really shines is with its daily "Plan my Day" feature, which forces you to schedule when you'll accomplish your various tasks, so that you remember to actually do things. Any.do also integrates nicely with Google and Outlook calendars, allowing you to see your appointments and your tasks in one place. This is exactly what you need if you're the kind of person who adds things to a list and forgets about them. The built-in AI can even suggest subtasks if you want to work in smaller steps.

The desktop version isn't quite as slick as the mobile version—it feels cluttered and is more than a little confusing. You can use it through your web browser, or download the app (which just makes the web browser version run in its own window). Still, Any.do's mobile version alone makes a compelling reason to give it a shot, especially if that's where you do most of your task management.

Add new Google Calendar events to Any.do as tasks

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Add google calendar events for new tasks in any.do.

Any.do price: Free version available; paid version from $2.99/month, billed annually

Other to-do list options

I focused on dedicated to-do list apps in this roundup, but plenty of other software can fulfill the same function. Here are a few ideas if none of the above quite fit what you're looking for:

Sticky note apps can also do the trick. So can a piece of paper. Don't overthink things! I still rely on my Moleskine notebook from time to time.

What's the best to-do list app?

The best to-do list app is one that you actually use. Personal productivity is just that—personal. Some folks will like the simplicity of an app like Todoist, while others will love the elegance of Things. Try each of the apps on this list for a couple days to see how they work for you.

Finding the right task management system is hard because it's so personal. To that end, let me know if there's anything you think I missed.

Related reading:

This post was originally published in April 2018 by Andrew Kunesh and has also had contributions from Justin Pot. The most recent update was in December 2023.

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Harry Guinness

Harry Guinness is a writer and photographer from Dublin, Ireland. His writing has appeared in the New York Times, Lifehacker, the Irish Examiner, and How-To Geek. His photos have been published on hundreds of sites—mostly without his permission.

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Everything in planner in microsoft 365, plus:.

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“Now that we have a unified system with Project for the web, project managers have one place to manage their projects.”

Frequently asked questions

Why is microsoft launching a new planner experience, how does the announcement of the new planner impact existing project customers, when will the new planner web experience be available, i already moved to project for the web. what will happen to my work, is there any change in pricing with this announcement, what changes should customers currently using project for the web, planner, and the tasks by planner and to do app in teams expect to see.

Tasks by Planner and To Do Teams:

  • Starting in April 2024, Tasks by Planner and To Do will be renamed Planner. This app will receive the new Planner experience bringing together your work across plans, projects, and to-do lists.

Planner web app:

  • Later in 2024, new Planner capabilities and experiences will become available in the Planner web app, ensuring experiences are aligned across the Planner web app and the Planner app in Teams.

Project for the web:

  • Project for the web remains available with no change to its existing functionality. 
  • Starting in April 2024, your work in Project for the web will also be accessible in the new Planner app in Microsoft Teams.
  • Later in 2024, after the new Planner app is available for the web, you’ll be able to use the new Planner web app to access capabilities available in Project for the web.

Will Microsoft Project be retired?

For customers currently using project for the web, are there added benefits to using the new planner.

  • New enterprise work management capabilities.
  • Copilot in Planner (preview) - see plans and pricing .
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  • Clean, intuitive design.

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[ 2 ] While final pricing for Copilot in Planner has not been announced, users with a Project Plan 3 or Project Plan 5 license will be able to preview Copilot in Planner capabilities once it is rolled out to their organization.

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The best task management software: Time to get it done

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Keeping track of everything that needs to be done can be overwhelming, especially when it comes to your work. Sure, lists are competent enough, but task management software can be a complete game-changer when tackling projects and to-dos.

Task management software helps manage, track, delegate, and assign tasks -- whatever you or your organization is working on. Depending on the platform, task management software can have helpful templates, charts and graphs, customizable automation, and integration with other apps you use daily, like Slack or Microsoft Outlook.

We've rounded up the best task management software options for all types of workers, whether you are a remote worker, a visual person, a spreadsheet expert, or just need something to help you keep track of life's tasks.

Best for remote workers

With much of the workforce working remotely now, many companies should look for task management software that caters to remote employees. Proofhub is great for remote workers since it has critical features like time tracking, a group chat, team announcements, proofing and final approval, project templates, and more. The platform also integrates with apps your team is probably already using, such as Outlook, Google Drive, or Dropbox.

Proofhub has two pricing options: for $99 per month, you get 100 GB of storage, unlimited users and projects, custom workflows, advanced activity logs, data exports, and more. The cheaper plan at $50 per month gets you 15 GB of storage, up to 40 projects, and unlimited users. What's great about Proofhub's pricing is that each plan accounts for unlimited users instead of having to pay per user, which means large companies with lots of employees would greatly benefit by choosing Proofhub.

 Pros:

  • Great mobile app
  • Focus on collaboration
  • Unlimited user pricing plans

 Cons:

  • Needs more budgeting tools 

Best for flexibility

Trello is one of the most popular task management platforms, and for a good reason: it is easy to use and navigate and is super flexible, no matter what you need it for. In addition, the platform uses the Kanban-style method to organize your tasks: a visual work management method that shows your tasks as they move through workflow stages. You might recognize this as different vertical lists.

What's great about Trello is that it's not only useful for businesses, but if you're planning a wedding, a trip, or are just someone who likes lists, Trello can be useful for these instances too. Lots of reviewers have said they have even used Trello for meal planning.

Unlike many other task management software on this list, Trello offers a free tier with no cap on team members, so you can use Trello for free no matter how many employees are on your team. Otherwise, Trello has plans at $6 per month, $12.50 per month, and $17.50 per month.

  • Super straightforward interface
  • Flexible ways to use it
  • Free option with unlimited users
  • Have to pay extra to add on certain features like time tracking 

Best for those who like spreadsheets

Monday.com is an excellent option for task management software if you strictly work with spreadsheets. The platform has multiple board views similar to spreadsheets, including a Kanban board. The boards are super customizable, and, like spreadsheets, you can use the formula column to create both simple and complex formulas like you're used to in Excel.

Monday.com also supports Slack, Microsoft Teams, Google Calendar, Microsoft Outlook, Dropbox, and more. There is also a mobile app available for iOS and Android devices so you can take your workflow on the go.

The platform has five pricing options, including a free tier, but the pricing can be confusing to navigate since you choose a plan based on your team size.

  • Also has a Kanban board view
  • Five different pricing options
  • Mobile app available
  • Not as many third-party app integrations as other options
  • Could use improvements in automation
  • Per-user pricing means adding more users costs more 

Best to adapt to your preferences

If you're looking for software that can adapt to different workflow views, ClickUp is one to consider. The platform has multiple views for managing tasks in whatever way you want: board view (Kanban board), list view, box view, calendar view, table view, timeline view, and a "me mode" to focus solely on your own assigned tasks.

Other features include the ability to assign multiple people to a task, native time tracking, and a Gantt chart, a horizontal chart that shows what has to be done and when.

ClickUp offers five per-member pricing plans: free, $9 per month, $19 per month, $29 per month, and an enterprise solution. Unfortunately, these plans cost the highest per member of any other task management system on this list.

  • Choose from multiple views
  • Time tracking feature
  • Not as easy to learn -- it can be overwhelming at first
  • Slow to load sometimes
  • Most expensive monthly pricing per member 

Best for prioritizing

Another popular task management software is Asana. Asana has more than 100,000 companies using its platform worldwide. This software is convenient when prioritizing tasks and projects, so you have a clear idea of what to work on based on what needs to be done sooner based on a low, medium, and high scale.

Asana gives you a list view option, a board option, a timeline option, and a calendar view, so no matter which view you prefer, you can clearly see what tasks need to be done and when they are due. This platform is excellent for teams on the smaller side; otherwise, it can get too cluttered and overwhelming. It's also important to note that you can only assign one person per task on Asana, making group projects more difficult to delegate.

Pricing is also pay per user and ranges from a free plan to $13.49 per month, all the way to $30.49 per month. The free plan will get you many basic features, but it caps out at 15 people.

  • Works offline
  • Complete tasks based on priority
  • Move tasks between different boards
  • Hard to create recurring tasks
  • Could have better integration with more apps
  • Cannot have multiple assignees to one task

How did we choose these task management software options?

We narrowed down our list of task management software to encompass platforms that people are already familiar with, along with platforms that offer different features or cater to different types of workers. We looked at the pricing plans for each software to make sure they were at an average price point and listed the monthly plans rather than the yearly plans.

We also considered our own experiences with this software and read tons of verified reviews from customers about their experiences.

What features to look for in task management software?

Many task management software will offer the same types of features across the board, but the key ones to look out for are display/dashboard customization since everyone prefers to work in different ways. Automations are also important to have since it makes recurring tasks much easier to handle without having to enter in something new for every new project or deadline. You also want a platform that offers collaboration between people in case roles change or a task must be handed off.

Other valuable features but not necessarily ones that every organization needs include time tracking, budgeting, and third-party app integrations.

What is the best free task management software?

While almost all platforms offer a free tier option, Trello by far provides the most features to the most individuals at its free tier. The free plan gets essential features like built-in automation, unlimited cards, unlimited activity logs, custom backgrounds, templates, and more, no matter how many users are on your team. 

Are there other task management software options to consider?

Here are a few other platforms for task management: 

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Todoist apps for all your devices

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The Best To-Do List App

A smartphone on a desk that is displaying a to-do list next to a pen, coffee mug, post-it notes and a highlighter.

By Kaitlin Mahar

Kaitlin Mahar is a writer covering deals and sales. She strives to help readers make savvy purchases and steer them away from buyer’s remorse.

Mastering your to-do list can seem like a Sisyphean task. But a good to-do list app should help you regain control over your routines and keep chaos at bay.

Our to-do list app picks, Todoist , TickTick , and the Apple-exclusive Things 3 , are a breeze to use, have thoughtful designs, and feature flexible organization schemes, so you can conveniently hop in, address your obligations, and enter new tasks—then get right back to the doing.

Everything we recommend

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The best to-do list app for most people

This app offers nearly every function you could want in a to-do list app ensconced in a clean, intuitive interface. A subscription is required for reminders and other key features, though.

Buying Options

Budget pick.

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The best free to-do list app

This app offers the most comprehensive free service we tested, with lots of features and a great user experience. It’s less refined than our other picks, but many will be perfectly happy with it.

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A better option for Mac users

With ample features and flawless integration with Apple devices, this app offers the best combo of design and functionality. But it’s only good for solo users who are all-in on the Apple ecosystem.

Todoist is one of the best-known to-do list apps, and for good reason—it’s simply a joy to use, with a treasure trove of helpful functions, such as progress tracking, unlimited reminders, and organizational features that make managing multiple projects a breeze, including color coding and 150 filter views. It’s compatible with Apple, Android, Windows, and Linux, as well as automation programs like Zapier and IFTTT. It gets regular updates and has a strong, clear privacy policy , with daily automatic data backups, data encryption, and no ads.

We relegated Todoist to The competition in a previous version of this guide due to its limited calendar integration offerings and counterintuitive interface, both of which have since been improved. In fact, Todoist’s uncluttered, straightforward design made the app a clear winner this time around in our testing. As with all of the to-do list apps we tried, its calendar features were still lacking in some ways, but it integrates with pretty much any calendar you might use.

You can choose between a free beginner plan and a paid pro plan , but we found the lack of reminders and other crucial features made Todoist’s free plan far too limited compared with other free options. Considering how significantly Todoist Pro improved our day-to-day lives, the subscription is well worth the $5 per month or $48 per year.

TickTick stands out from our other picks because its free plan is much more comprehensive. Like Todoist, TickTick (our former top pick) offers pretty much everything you could need to organize a variety of workflows, including useful functions like a Pomodoro timer. TickTick also has the best natural language support we’ve seen—for example, “Pick up the dry cleaning at 3 p.m.”—which makes creating tasks a breeze. Its seamless calendar integration was also the best we’ve seen. It’s available on all major operating systems and works with a wide range of integrations.

Although this app provides a good-enough user experience, it’s generally a little less streamlined than our other picks and takes a little longer to get the hang of. But as is the case with most apps, you’ll quickly catch on the more you play with it.

Casual users should be able to get along just fine without needing to upgrade to the premium plan . And if you do opt for the paid plan, it’s slightly cheaper than Todoist on a monthly basis, but it offers comparable upgrades—stuff like constant reminders , robust collaboration tools, and expanded calendar integrations.

Things 3 is an impressively powerful to-do list and task management app—but it isn’t available on Windows or Android devices. For individuals who exclusively use Apple devices, it offers plenty of organizational options (including tags, task prioritization, task statuses, and color coding) without being overwhelming.

Compared with our other picks, its natural language input is more limited, and it lacks location-based reminders and many collaborative features. But its thoughtful, clean interface made it just as easy and enjoyable to use—and at times more so—as Todoist.

It also integrates seamlessly with Apple’s proprietary services (like Apple Calendar and Reminders), as well as IFTTT and Zapier, but those integrations are optional. Unlike other Apple-only apps we tried, Things 3 is robust enough to be used on its own, without needing to rely on Apple’s apps for added functionality. With a fair price and strong privacy standards, it’s a great choice for Apple users seeking an affordable, capable alternative to Reminders.

The research

Why you should trust us, who this is for, how we picked and tested, our pick: todoist, budget pick: ticktick, also great: things 3, what to look forward to, the competition.

Staff writer Kaitlin Mahar has been a dedicated to-do list maker for over a decade. She used to keep all her lists and to-dos scattered across her desk on post-its and scrap paper, scrawled in notebooks, and clogging up her phone space in the form of infinite notes app entries. Inevitably, things would fall through the cracks. Since she downloaded her first to-do list app back in 2021, her brain (and desk) have never felt cleaner.

This guide builds on the work of writer Jordan McMahon, who wrote the first version in 2019. He’s been writing about software for publications including Motherboard and Wired since 2017, covering everything from illustration apps to productivity apps that have helped him make sense of his scrambled, ADHD brain. He couldn’t function without a to-do list app to keep him on track.

In researching this guide, we consulted a variety of experts, including C. Vaile Wright, PhD , senior director of healthcare innovation at the American Psychological Association (APA) and contributor to the association’s annual Stress in America study, and Thorin Klosowski, a former Wirecutter editor and now privacy and security activist at Electronic Frontier Foundation . We also reviewed research conducted by Russell Barkley, PhD , an internationally recognized authority on ADHD and ADD.

To-do list apps are for everyone. Having a bunch of tasks awaiting you can be overwhelming, but research (PDF) suggests they’re less likely to fall through the cracks if we make a plan to do them—even if it’s something as simple as jotting it down on a to-do list. Whether you’re prone to forgetting appointments, constantly missing deadlines, or you just need a grocery list to avoid picking up another package of salami every time you go to the store, a to-do list app is an effective way to make sure you never miss the big or small stuff.

But to-do list apps do more than just throw all your tasks onto a screen. They can help to alleviate the stress of wading through all your work and the fear of potentially missing something. Since 2020, the APA has reported that the average monthly stress level among all adults was a 5 out of 10. Wright told us work and money are the two primary stressors for Americans, and in 2022, nearly 40% of adults said they couldn’t bring themselves to do anything when they felt stressed out. These apps won’t singlehandedly lower your stress levels, but they can help you make the most of your task list and be more efficient—which, in turn, can help you feel physically and mentally healthier.

Barkley emphasized the importance of using a paper journal and a time-tracking device to stay on top of tasks in a 2009 lecture (video) , noting that “because anything you agree to do or anything others ask you to do is to be immediately written in that journal, and that journal is welded to your body. That is your working memory.”

But Barkley was speaking just two years after Apple unveiled the first iPhone . Today, the one thing nearly everyone has welded to their bodies is a smartphone, and a multitude of apps serve as journals and time trackers without leaving you saddled with the conundrum of actually remembering to read what you’ve written down. (But if you prefer to go the analog route, we’ve got plenty of planner and notebook recommendations.)

A good to-do list app shouldn’t monopolize time you could be spending getting your work done, and the best is flexible enough to evolve with a changing workflow and allow for simple, information-dense tasks. A bad one makes it difficult to organize and complete tasks and slowly chips away at your ability to get anything done as your pile of unfinished tasks looms over you.

To find the best options, we looked for apps that met our standards in the following areas:

  • Intuitive design and ease of navigation: We only considered apps with interfaces that are visually pleasing and easy to navigate and that can sync up regardless of which device you use to update your to-dos. Based on the advice of C. Vaile Wright, senior director of healthcare innovation at the APA, we required the apps we tested to offer basic features (like tasks, subtasks, and projects or lists) and noted which ones made it easiest to get through our to-dos.
  • Calendar integration: Apps that integrate with your existing calendar, whether by showing the day’s events above your daily tasks or having a separate calendar tab, give a better overview of all the information you need to effectively triage your workload. Some apps also now offer two-way calendar syncing, so your appointments and to-dos show up side-by-side. No app we tested integrates external calendars perfectly, but some do it better than others.
  • Collaboration: A majority of American adults ( about 87% ) live with other adults, so it’s important that these apps offer collaborative capabilities for divvying up chores, tracking progress on shared projects, and keeping tabs on bill payments. When possible, we looked for effective cross-platform integration, so if you live in a household that uses both Apple and Android devices, you can still work together. Real-time syncing and notifications are also important for knowing when another user has added to a list or completed a task.
  • Reminders: Even the best to-do list app can’t bring structure to your life if you never check the dang thing. Reminders surface tasks based on due date or location when you need them so nothing ever slips through the cracks.
  • Price: Whether up-front or subscription-based, paid to-do list apps add features that may be worth the extra expense for some people. Still, all else being equal, a lower price is better, and free is best. We dug into each app’s free and paid plans and gauged if their free tiers provided enough features to get by.
  • User experience: We only tested apps that had mobile and desktop functionality. In addition to general navigability, we looked for customization tools—but not so many that they’d overwhelm users—and accessibility features. Because some forms of visual impairment can make it uncomfortable to look at minuscule fonts, bright colors, or large blocks of white over black text, we noted whether apps offered adjustable font sizes and dark modes. We also considered their privacy and data policies, as well as the apps’ overall quality; red flags included poor user reviews, customer support issues, infrequent updates, and shady pricing tactics.
  • Input method: We preferred apps that let us quickly create lists, tasks, and subtasks without too much fiddling or confusing syntax. Features such as voice input, smart assistant integration, and natural language input and processing helped us seamlessly toss tasks where they needed to go.

To-do list apps mean different things to different users—to some, they’re for project management, while for others, they’re for tracking everything from the contents of the fridge to the kids’ soccer practices. That’s why we began this process by sifting through reader feedback and examining user reviews and expert coverage from other media outlets, including PCMag , CNET , TechRadar , and Apple Insider .

Kaitlin, the author of this guide, also polled 11 to-do list app users on their primary uses for these apps and their most valued features and functions. This left us with over 20 to-do list and project management apps to consider.

Once we had our final list of candidates, we fiddled with the apps’ settings on Apple, Android, and Windows PC devices, organized them to reflect our routines, and tracked how effectively they helped us stay on-task. We first evaluated how well we could get by using an app’s free plan when applicable, then upgraded when necessary to determine if the experience and features were worth the price.

We tested each app on its ability to perform basic functions, calendar integration, reminders, and collaboration capabilities without the assistance of other applications like Zapier or IFTTT. Specifically, we noted how much friction an app added to or removed from each day’s workflow.

A smartphone displaying a to-do list in the app Todoist.

Todoist is the best to-do list app because, despite its minimalist appearance, it’s powerful without being overwhelming. Navigation is a breeze with this app, thanks to this its intuitive interface, and it offers lots of useful tools and tutorials to help new users learn the ropes without sucking up too much of their time. It even has a newly launched AI Assistant for performing tasks. As with every app we tried, this one’s calendar capabilities weren’t perfect, but it integrates with pretty much any calendar you use.

It’s easy to get started. Todoist provides a thoughtful user experience from the moment you make an account. To start, it asks questions about your familiarity with to-do list apps (beginner, intermediate, and expert) and what you’ll use the app for (including personal, business, and education).

Whether you’re on mobile or desktop—or, honestly, even the web app—it’s quick to get the lay of the land, as Todoist seems to anticipate your initial moves and any questions you may have as you navigate. And though it has plenty of templates to help you get started, you don’t have to use them. Unlike other apps we tested, such as Notion, Todoist isn’t dependent on templates to have a positive, successful experience.

It’s reliable, customizable to your needs, and a pleasure to use. Todoist offers reliable automatic syncing across devices, and it works well online and offline, syncing just a bit quicker than TickTick, our budget pick. It’s customizable without being overwhelming, thanks to organizational features like color coding, themes, and other app integrations.

Todoist is also compatible with a variety of project management and organization techniques, such as the Getting Things Done method , the Pomodoro Technique , the Eisenhower Matrix , and the KonMari method . Completing tasks and subtasks is genuinely enjoyable, with a satisfying click, a charming chime, and even a burst of confetti that provides a motivational serotonin boost.

A screenshot from the to-do list app Todoist.

Adding new tasks is simple. The talk-to-text input method makes it easy to switch between typing and dictating. Its natural language input was a very close second to that of TickTick, with just a few more errors. When writing “work out for 60 minutes today at 12:30,” Todoist caught the time of day but not the duration, despite the in-app tutorial indicating that this should work. Similarly, setting reminders using Siri was tricky—you had to say phrases just right, or it got confused.

That said, these minor hiccups didn’t really detract from our experience, as evidenced by the app’s top scores in our UI tests. And the layout is even more focused, thanks to a November 2023 update that included a bottom navigation bar, Quick Add and Quick Find features, and a ring around your profile picture that tracks your progress toward your daily completed tasks goal ( if you’ve set one ). The sidebar is also customizable—you can even hide it if you want, though this may lead to Projects being out of sight and, therefore, out of mind.

A screenshot from the to-do list app Todoist.

The interface is straightforward and intuitive. Todoist’s modern, uncluttered design is as easy on the eyes as it is on the brain. Any wayward tasks are automatically dropped into your inbox. So you can always check (and double-check) there to ensure nothing has fallen through the cracks and move them to your Projects later. Tasks can be itemized within different Projects and can be customized with color coding and 150 filter views.

Sorting Projects and to-dos is as simple as dragging and dropping—which is also helpful if you need to move tasks from one project to another—or moving things around in the settings menu. You can also select a priority of 1 to 4 for each task (with 4 being the least important and 1 being the most) and then sort by priority. This app has more-limited text formatting options than our other picks, but it has other accessibility features, such as multiple color themes, including dark mode, and 18 language options , which is double the amount offered by Things 3 but about half the amount offered by TickTick.

It’s powerful and feature-packed. Todoist’s simple layout belies the depth of its feature list and the sheer amount of stuff you can do with it—not to mention what it can do for you. Pro subscribers can import tasks from their email and add widgets on Apple and Android devices. Notifications always reliably go through and are stored in the app under a little bell icon, as well, so you can always go back and check them later to ensure you didn’t miss anything.

A screenshot from the to-do list app Todoist.

We were particularly delighted by the ability to set personal goals that grow the more you use the app. For example, our goal for the first day was to complete five tasks. Checking them off was very motivating, thanks to pie charts that filled up as we got closer to our goal. The Smart Quick Add feature maximizes the helpfulness of labels, as you can just type “@labelname” to tag a task.

Todoist even has an AI Assistant, which sets it apart from our other picks. And unlike other AI-enabled apps we tested, like Motion , it was more of a supplemental feature than a necessity to get full functionality out of the app.

You can bring a friend (or 24). Todoist’s Beginner plan limits you to five guest users , which isn’t too bad compared with TickTick’s two and Things 3’s zero. But it’s a pittance compared with Todoist Pro, which allows up to 24 guest collaborators on projects. Users can easily share Projects (like grocery lists) with others via email by clicking the sharing option up top.

Assigning tasks and subtasks is equally user-friendly with the embedded drop-down menu, and we liked that you can assign while waiting for collaborators to accept invites for an uninterrupted workflow. You can add, edit, tag other users, and emoji react to comments. However, this could still be a little more streamlined, and we wished the app had the ability to thread responses. Deleting comments was easy, and we appreciated that Todoist asked us to confirm before zapping them out of existence.

The Pro plan is worth it—and fairly priced for what you get. For $5 monthly or $48 annually, Todoist Pro gives you an impressive amount of features. Unlike free users, who can only get notifications via email and set due dates, paying subscribers can add task durations, get access to more themes and custom views, and have a higher file upload capacity. Pro users also get access to unlimited reminders: As soon as you add a task, you can implement reminders, making them recurring, based on your location or based on the morning or afternoon.

Customer service is a cut above the average. Considering you’re paying a fee, we were happy to see the customer service is better than what you get from totally free apps. Todoist has an array of troubleshooting capabilities, including a forum for questions, a help page, and a customer support contact page.

After using the latter to ask a question of its support team, we had to answer a few automatically generated questions to get to the correct contact form, but that was the worst of it. Once we submitted a query, we were immediately issued a ticket, and we received an emailed response within three business days containing straightforward advice and supplemental tutorials.

You can try Pro before you buy it, but it’s not straightforward. Technically, Todoist Pro doesn’t have a free trial—essentially, the Beginner plan could be considered a free trial—but there are some workarounds if you want to try before you buy. If you sign up for an annual subscription and cancel within 30 days of purchase or renewal, you can get a full refund. But this doesn’t apply for monthly subscriptions.

Removing the app from our devices didn’t delete our content, and we appreciated that we could cancel an account without having to jump through any hoops, whether on the mobile or desktop app (though the web app is the easiest experience).

Flaws but not dealbreakers

  • You’ll likely need to use Todoist’s paid plan; the free plan is more restrictive than that of TickTick. However, even on the Pro plan only some features are unlimited— Pro users are capped at 300 projects , with 25 users per project. We also don’t love that free plan users are only permitted manual backups, whereas Pro users’ data gets backed up automatically.
  • Despite being our favorite app overall, Todoist is still lacking in some areas. For instance, it integrates with Apple Calendar, Google Calendar, Outlook Calendar, and any other calendar that allows you to subscribe with a URL feed . But you can only set up these integrations using the web app, and it’s still not perfect no matter which app you use. We were disappointed to find that our daily calendar events didn’t populate in the app, as they do in TickTick and Things. We were also frustrated that they didn’t disappear when we checked them off in the app—after contacting support, we learned we had to manually enable this option, which could only be done on the web app.

A smartphone displaying a to-do list in the app TickTick.

If you need help staying on task but don’t want to pay for a to-do list app, TickTick is your best choice. It works across Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, and Linux, so you and other users you collaborate with can keep up with your life across all the devices you have now, as well as ones you might get in the future. Not only can you download apps for Apple and Android smartphones, computers, and tablets, but you can even download an Apple Watch app and a web app.

Free users miss out on some features—stuff like more complicated calendar integrations and advanced collaboration tools—but I’ve personally used TickTick for years and never felt like I was limited. Compared with other free to-do list apps we tried, like Microsoft To Do and Google Tasks, it offers a more streamlined experience and a generous amount of features on a wider range of platforms. But should you decide to pay for the Premium plan, it’s still cheaper than Todoist while offering similar features.

A screenshot from the to-do list app TickTick.

You can hit the ground running. TickTick’s overall learning curve was slightly higher than with Todoist, but it’s leagues ahead of other free options. For some, this app may be a better option for managing tasks over projects, as lists can be out of sight, out of mind, and syncing between apps was somewhat delayed. But we appreciated the app’s thoughtful suggestions to help us get started, including a Welcome list with task samples to help new users get the hang of the app and learn more about its capabilities.

We liked TickTick’s ability to grow from a basic list of tasks to a curated set of projects, each with self-contained tasks. You can have as little or as much structure as you’d like thanks to organization features like deadlines, tags, and task prioritization and statuses. Using the Smart Lists feature, you can create custom filters to only show the tasks you absolutely need to see, without having to keep them all in the same place.

This flexibility nudges TickTick ahead of the organization that our also-great pick, Things 3, offers, putting it on par with Todoist. This app also stands out for its built-in habit tracker —through which you can employ reminders that encourage you to do things like water the plants—and Pomodoro timer. Attaching files is very intuitive, as well, with the ability to include photos, documents, and even recordings.

A screenshot from the to-do list app TickTick.

It’s laid out well and pretty to look at. With a charming interface, TickTick’s design is attractive, easy to navigate, and consistent across different platforms. The mobile and desktop apps had somewhat different layouts and functionality, but both made lists feel less like a stack of obligations and more like a neatly laid out garden you can tend to with ease.

For personalization that isn’t too overwhelming, organizational features include color coding, templates, integrations, and even customizable app icons. The default font size can seem pretty small on mobile, but you can adjust it to your preference—plus other accessibility features like dark mode (regular and auto) and 37 languages.

It’s easy to get the lay of the land quickly, but should you run into issues, its help center has short tutorial videos, troubleshooting articles, and forums with answers to general questions. Getting in touch with TickTick’s customer service was painless, with a contact form that’s easy to find. Filling out the form felt more complicated than necessary, but we were issued a ticket immediately after making a support request and a representative contacted us within one business day.

Its natural language input and calendar integration were the best of any app we tried. Telling TickTick, “Turn in draft to editor at 3 on Monday” magically becomes a task with the correct deadline, thereby easing the friction of getting tasks from your brain into the app before they have a chance to slip your mind. As you enter new tasks, you can easily augment them with tags, due dates, and priorities. You can also add new tasks via Siri on iOS, though it wasn’t as seamless as with Things 3. We had to say commands just right or else it would get a bit discombobulated.

TickTick’s Subscribed Calendars view is a useful overview of your daily responsibilities and commitments, blending them together in one place. This is helpful for visualizing your daily schedule, but it may be hard to parse on particularly busy days.

The free plan only offers local calendar integration, meaning it links with whatever calendar you’re using on your device, but this wasn’t an issue for us. Any adjustments you make to items in either TickTick or your calendar show up in both apps, though you may need to close the apps completely and reopen them before seeing reflected changes.

It offers powerful, customizable reminders. TickTick’s reminders can be set to show up at a particular time, date, and frequency before the task’s due date. Even on the free plan, you can set daily, weekly, weekdays, monthly, yearly, and even location-based reminders, which can be snoozed, dismissed, or marked as done depending on your workflow. Recurring reminders let you push repeating tasks out of your brain and trust you’ll get alerts when you need them. And you can pick and choose which notifications you want to get, which can be especially helpful if you don’t want your phone blowing up over every little change.

You’ll find limitations elsewhere, though: You can’t set task durations, or multiple reminders for tasks (or any reminders at all for subtasks). And the constant reminders feature is the most persistent of any we tested, but it’s only available for paying subscribers. That said, we didn’t miss these features in everyday use.

It offers robust collaboration capabilities. As with Todoist, sharing projects with others is simple—you can send lists to a collaborator’s email or download and send as an image or text using the built-in sharing feature. Assigning tasks and subtasks to collaborators can easily be done while still waiting for them to accept your initial invite, and adding comments and emoji reactions and tagging users is equally straightforward, but we couldn’t thread comments, and deletion is permanent. However, with the free version, collaboration is limited to two people. This is fine if you live in a two-person household, but may be insufficient for larger families, people with multiple roommates, or group projects.

If you want to upgrade, the paid version is nearly on par with our top pick (and a little cheaper). For about $4 monthly or $36 annually, TickTick Premium gets you additional lists, tasks, and subtasks, as well as access to custom smart lists and filters, more sharing features, white noises, premium themes and fonts, subtask reminders, activity tracking, and use statistics. You can add more and larger file attachments and expand your productivity with capabilities like setting start and end times for tasks and unlimited use of features like the Eisenhower Matrix . The paid plan also offers supplemental daily, three-day, weekly, and monthly calendar views.

If you want to take TickTick Premium for a test drive, you can—kind of. Though its Payments and Upgrade help page doesn’t explicitly say you can get a free trial, you can apply for a refund within 14 days of purchasing from Apple, Google, or TickTick. (Just be sure you’ve canceled your subscription first to avoid getting charged, or else it’ll auto-renew.) You’ll be reverted back to the restrictions of the free plan after canceling, but it won’t erase any data or content created while you were a Premium subscriber.

A smartphone displaying a to-do list in the app Things 3.

If Todoist and TickTick are the Lexus and Honda of to-do list apps, then Things 3 is the Mercedes—once again, you can’t underestimate the power of German engineering. If you do all of your work on Apple devices and don’t collaborate often with others, this app offers the best user interface and overall experience. In particular, its calendar integration was among the best of all the apps we tested, and its simple yet powerful organization made sifting through each task a breeze.

But this app isn’t without its limitations. Its natural language support is limited and finicky, it doesn’t have any collaborative capabilities to speak of, and the app itself doesn’t allow for recurring or location-based reminders—which can be a dealbreaker if you’re prone to forgetting to take care of things while out and about. It also isn’t available for Windows and Android devices and costs a flat fee per device ($10 for the iPhone and Apple Watch apps, $50 for Macs, and $20 for iPads).

It’s easy to navigate . Creating an account is simple using your preferred email (iCloud, Gmail, etc.) to sign up for Things Cloud , which you can turn on under the Settings menu. An account isn’t required to use Things 3, but be aware that the app will be wiped if you remove it from your device without being backed up to an account.

You can also create accounts using separate emails—such as a work email to use the desktop app on a business MacBook and a personal email for your iPhone—but using Things 3 for both personal use and work can be a pain. You’ll need to be signed in with the same email if you want your tasks and projects to carry over across your different devices.

Once you’re logged in, Things 3 provides straightforward explanations showing what to do and where to go. The mobile and desktop apps work well offline, with effective real-time syncing and no lagging.

The interface is simple, efficient, and good-looking . With no custom filters or search views, Things 3 isn’t as customizable as other apps we tested. But everything is laid out plainly, with enough personalization to help keep things tidy and delightful animations that bring the app to life while making it easy to find your place. You also can fluidly switch between typing and using text-to-speech, and the Quick Entry feature was a nice addition. Other special features, like incorporation with Shortcuts and templates, further expand Things 3’s reach.

A screenshot from the to-do list app Things 3.

Completed items are transferred to your Logbook, a helpful record that’s synced across devices, aside from subtasks, which gray out after you’ve checked them off and remain within the task until it is completed. You can also search for tasks throughout the app using your Inbox, which collects unassigned tasks and thoughts. Perhaps unsurprisingly, our experience using Siri and widgets with Things 3 was also better—nearly seamless, in fact—than with our other picks.

Its layout is incredibly well organized. Things 3’s desktop app has a clean, minimalist interface that is relatively straightforward to navigate. The mobile app, meanwhile, is equally simple—possibly even a little too simple. Because Things 3 has so much to offer, you may experience some hiccups in terms of intuitiveness, but overall, its learning curve was gentle, and it’s by far the easiest to use and most comprehensive of the Apple-exclusive to-do list apps we tested.

A screenshot from the to do list app Things 3.

This app organizes everything into a hierarchy of Areas > Projects > Headings > Tasks. Areas represent different parts of your life, like work, health, travel, and home responsibilities. Under each Area, you can set up Projects for things like long-term projects or all the stuff you promised your friends you’d take care of. Each Task can even have subtasks, in the form of checklists.

This structure allows for clear organization that’s quick to navigate. Creating lists and tasks was straightforward, and while creating subtasks was a little less intuitive, it was still easy enough to figure out. If you’re really detail-oriented, you can create Headings under each project without having to dive into separate pages for each category.

A screenshot from the to-do list app Things 3.

Within these branches, you can add color-coding, themes, and automatic tagging to help organize things even further. It even has neat little progress bubbles next to each project that fill up as you check off more tasks within the project.

It integrates seamlessly with Apple Calendar. This makes it the best all-encompassing hub for everything Apple users need to address on a given day. In the Today and Upcoming tabs, you’ll see all of your scheduled events for the day ahead with enough visual distinctions to be discernible but not cluttered. This is particularly useful for visualizing daily and monthly schedules (though weekly schedules were a bit harder to parse). In fact, it was way more organized than TickTick’s Subscribed Calendars tab—we just wish it had Todoist’s two-way calendar syncing capabilities.

If you don’t use Apple Calendar, no worries—you can link your other calendars, like Google Calendar, to Apple Calendar and all your events will carry over. In fact, we found this integration allowed us to automatically import all our calendar events into Things 3, even while logged into multiple calendar accounts.

It has a steep up-front price, but some may prefer it to a subscription. Unlike many other popular to-do list apps, Things 3 is a one-time purchase that can feel a little pricey, especially since you have to pay a different fee for each device. But once you take the plunge, you will always have access to Things 3. The Mac desktop price—currently $50—works out to about the cost of 10 months of Todoist Pro. And though you need to buy the iOS app separately to keep Things 3 on your phone, it’s a more manageable $10.

You can get a 15-day free trial for the desktop app, which is on the short side but still the best we’ve experienced. It doesn’t require a credit card, instead showing a reminder up top of how many days you have left, and the app simply stops working at the end of the trial if you opt not to pay.

Support is responsive enough. Developer Cultured Code maintains a forum for questions, plus an on-site contact form if you need to speak to a person. The company is located in Germany, and its response times are limited to Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. When we reached out with a question, we were pleasantly surprised to receive an email response within a day. The representative’s thorough response even linked out to a supplemental tutorial article on the Things 3 forum for additional assistance.

We previously included OmniFocus in this guide as a competition option with a robust selection of features and customizability, but held off on retesting it ahead of the impending release of OmniFocus 4. After several delays,  the app was released prior to the publication of this guide in December 2023 , and we look forward to possibly reconsidering and testing it in a future update.

This is not a comprehensive list of all to-do list apps we’ve tested. We have removed those that are discontinued or no longer meet our criteria.

Beehive Innovation’s 2Do is one of the most customizable apps we considered. Unfortunately, it lags behind its competitors with less functionality, a longer learning curve, and fewer regular, significant updates. If you can get past those hurdles, 2Do may be worth it as a more customizable and affordable alternative to Things 3.

GoodTask came in close second to Things 3 for Apple devotees, but it just fell short. If Things 3 is a luxury brand, GoodTask is a Class 1 knockoff—they’re nearly identical, but GoodTask just slightly misses the mark in terms of quality. It’s essentially a beefed-up version of Apple Reminders (which you need to get full functionality). That’s not necessarily a negative, if you just want to supercharge something you’re already familiar with. But it feels more like an add-on than a to-do list app that could be used on its own.

Google Tasks ( Android , iOS ) is a fine, free option if you actively use other Google apps and services, like Google Keep. But compared with our picks, we found its interface too simple, with no desktop app or web app and limited features.

Microsoft To Do isn’t a bad to-do list app—it’s just that Todoist and TickTick are much better. As far as free apps go, it’s leagues ahead of Google Tasks, with more features and a cleaner interface. But it’s just a little less polished than many of its competitors, and certain functions were only available on either the mobile or the desktop app, not both.

A productivity TikTok darling, Motion offers everything you could want on paper, but the actual user experience was a classic case of over-promising and under-delivering. This app’s main appeal is its AI auto-scheduler. It’s great when it works, but most of the time we found it was simply clunky and complicated to use. The subscription is also way too expensive for what you get—yes, it’s cheaper than hiring a personal assistant, but the onboarding process is just as time-consuming.

Notion is a good choice if you want a customizable app that allows you to start from scratch and fully make it your own, but it’s very barebones. The AI assistant ( $8 per month after a free trial) and a trove of downloadable templates can help you spend less time fumbling around in the app, but it’s annoying that they’re more or less required to compensate for the base app’s lack of features and poor navigation.

Jordan McMahon contributed reporting. This article was edited by Ben Keough and Erica Ogg.

Meet your guide

task tracker app windows

Kaitlin Mahar

Kaitlin Mahar is a staff writer for Wirecutter’s Deals team. Her byline has appeared in Delish, Esquire, and Town & Country. When she’s not hunting for deals and fiercely defending the Oxford comma, she’s a proud cat parent, an avid yogi, and a co-producer and co-host of the podcast Crime Culture . Please tell your pets and grandparents she says hi.

Further reading

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The Best App for Getting To-Dos Done

by Ganda Suthivarakom

In this week’s newsletter: TickTick is our new favorite to-do list app, but we also love Things 3 for Mac users.

A phone with a two-factor authentication app open on the screen sits next to the corner of a laptop computer.

The Best Two-Factor Authentication App

by Max Eddy and Thorin Klosowski

Two-factor authentication is critical to securing your online accounts, and Duo Mobile offers the best combination of security, accessibility, and ease of use.

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The Best Meditation Apps

by Caira Blackwell

After testing 19 meditation apps, we think Headspace best serves most people seeking a convenient way to practice mindfulness.

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We Checked 250 iPhone Apps—This Is How They’re Tracking You

by Thorin Klosowski

Apple is introducing a suite of new opt-in privacy guidelines for iOS users, so we dug into more than 200 apps to find out exactly what that means.

Best task management software of 2024

Keep on top of your work whoever you are

Collaboration

If your company is not quite big enough for dedicated project management software, which can be expensive and cumbersome to use, but has outgrown more basic to-do list apps that are less feature-rich, fortunately somewhere in the middle lies task management software.

Task management software is a place for businesses, freelancers, and individuals to handle single and recurring actions. Choosing dedicated software rather than relying on basic to-do list apps opens up the possibility for dealing with tasks at scale, and collaborating with colleagues or clients.

These apps also serve as a place for accountability, where users can track their progress and manage previous and upcoming tasks. Most will offer a dashboard, sometimes customizable, which you can use to see this sort of data.

For businesses handling multiple projects simultaneously, task management software can helps streamline workloads and prioritize tasks.

Setting task management apart from its relative, project management, is that task management hones in and focuses on the work required to get something done. Project management takes a broader look at entire strategies, incorporating things like costs and resources.

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The best task management apps of 2024 in full:

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Monday.com team planning page

1. Monday.com

Our expert review:

Reasons to buy

Reasons to avoid.

Monday is best known for its project management software, though it has some more specialized spinoffs including its Work Management service that enables execs to manage higher-level operations, and Dev for streamlining developer processes.

While Monday offers a powerful project management tool, you can also use the app for handling day-to-day tasks, and it has specific appeal to the super-organized. That’s because you can choose from a number of views (like Kanban, Gantt, and timeline) to showcase any type of data you want, with options to add more columns or fields.

Along with the Windows and macOS apps, Monday has iOS and Android apps, though if you’re a real power user you may struggle to see everything you need on a mobile device. Unlike some software, all apps are available regardless of plan, including the free tier which allows up to three boards - these are similar to categories, and can represent projects or clients. Three paid tiers follow, along with an Enterprise level, but for the most part if you’re just looking for a basic task management app you may be able to get away with the free plan.

Read our full Monday.com review .

divider pink

2. Airtable

Like Monday, Airtable is generally considered for its project management capabilities and the two often go head-to-head. Both are designed with a user-friendly interface designed to mask deep, powerful capabilities in a way that makes them easy to use, but Airtable might just take the marginal lead in terms of design.

Because it’s the tool of choice by some pretty respectable brands, like Expedia and Shopify, you can expect top-notch features and plenty of integrations with third-party apps that you may use elsewhere in your business.

Pricing is similar to Monday, but there are only two paid plans available. The free version of Airtable will appeal to SMBs who want to spread their tasks across more bases (projects or clients), because there’s no limit. The limit comes in the number of records per base, though at 1,200, it’s unlikely to be a cause of concern for smaller companies.

Read our full Airtable review .

Todoist screenshot

Admittedly, Todoist is more of a to-do list app - the clue is in the name. However, we value the app for its extensive list of features that see it outperform a number of more rudimentary competitor apps in the to-do list cetegory, earning its place on this list of the best task management apps.

Getting started with Todoist is an easy process, especially if you’re familiar with other to-do list apps including your smartphone’s built-in reminders app. As your demands begin to grow, Todoist continues to offer more advanced tools like being able to categorize tasks into separate, distinguishable projects, and arguably most important, collaboration.

The free tier has its limitations but is a promising option for businesses that don’t need a fully-fledged task management app that resembles project management software. There’s a pair of paid plans that tackle the limitations, and fortunately, pricing is especially attractive.

Read our full Todoist review .

ClickUp website screenshot

On the other end of the scale as businesses that need a really detailed solution, though they may not be able to justify big IT spends just yet. ClickUp promises to be the “one app to replace them all.”

The task management portion of the software is really customizable, and there are dashboards to help you visualize your progress. You can also choose to organize with tags, priority statuses, relationships and dependencies, and more.

Beyond this, ClickUp offers whiteboarding, goal management, cloud storage, and a chat feature so that you don’t have to jump between a third-party app. They’re all part of the free tier, which offers customers the chance to try out and use all of ClickUp’s features under certain limitations, though most will end up going for the trio of affordable paid plans which are topped by an Enterprise tier.

HubSpot Task Management

5. HubSpot Task Management

HubSpot is best known for its CRM platform which helps sales teams to effectively manage and grow their departments. The firm’s Task Management tool markets itself as being specifically for this audience, enabling workers to handle tasks natively without needing to open another app.

This is part of what makes it such an effective tool because marketing and sales-related automations can populate and manage tasks according to your workflow. From the app, you can monitor progress toward deadlines and line up future workloads with queuing. 

The tool itself is free, but most companies will find themselves paying for more advanced HubSpot plans anyway. Pricing varies and businesses can see them spending hundreds of pounds per month or more, but given that the task management app comes as part of their existing CRM and marketing suites, it’s well worth a mention.

Hitask website screenshot

Hitask doesn’t claim to be the ultimate project management software - instead, it offers “delightfully simple” task management from its mobile and desktop apps, along with a web app and Chrome extension .

Some competitors can be criticized for complex layouts that make it hard for small businesses and workers who are unfamiliar with the software to find what they’re after. Everything in Hitask lives within one dashboard, including projects and tasks, a calendar, and time-tracking tools.

Don’t expect anything near the number of integrations that companies like Airtable and Monday offer, but you can at least sync your Outlook Calendar and Google Calendar . The free tier doesn’t allow sharing and collaboration, but the cheapest of the two paid plans is much lower in price than some other rivals, offering unlimited storage.

Smartsheet website screenshot

7. Smartsheet

If you’re already using spreadsheet software like Excel or Google Sheets to manage your tasks, and enjoy organizing tasks yourself among columns and rows, then you’ll likely slide right into Smartsheet with ease.

The layout resembles a typical spreadsheet, and while it’s very cleanly designed, it looks more functional than some other apps. You can still make use of sorting and filtering options, and dive deeper if you need to.

It also offers a one-up on other spreadsheet apps because of the task management-related integrations that it can handle. The free plan is fine for getting started, and offers simple social logins like Sign in with Apple , Google Workspace, or Microsoft 365, and the paid levels are affordable if not attractively priced.

MeisterTask website screenshot

8. MeisterTask

MeisterTask is a lesser obvious company when it comes to this sort of software because it doesn’t market itself as aggressively as some competition, but that doesn’t make it any less worthy of a space on this list. Especially given its friendly and colorful layout that makes it easy to use, and its commitment to security.

Beyond the customizable dashboard which acts as a home page, users can select from projects and tasks, or view an agenda specifically designed for the user. Time is of the essence with MeisterTask, because there are time-tracking tools and deadline monitoring built right into the app.

It’s also a great hub for communicating on specific tasks. Users can organize tasks with tagging, and talk via comments, mentions, and reactions. Desktop and mobile apps are available.

We've also featured the best time management apps .

Should I pay for a task management app?

Free vs paid is a common discussion, especially when it comes to software that you can readily get your hands on for free. Task management apps are designed to cater to a wide audience, ranging from individuals and self-employed workers to SMBs, and right up to large enterprises. As such, whether or not you should pay, and how much, depends on what you need. Many smaller firms can get away with free tiers or the cheapest plans, while companies that employee hundreds of employees will see themselves spending significantly more. As a rule of thumb, you’ll generally want to avoid the free tiers if you want more than the most basic, and limited, tools.

How we tested the best task management apps

To test for the best task management apps we first set up an account with the relevant software platform, whether as a download or as an online service. We then tested the service to see how the software could be used for different purposes and in different situations, with varying requirements as per different businesses’ needs. Also forming part of the testing was a detailed comparison between what each service offers, and its value for money. 

Read how we test, rate, and review products on TechRadar .  

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With several years’ experience freelancing in tech and automotive circles, Craig’s specific interests lie in technology that is designed to better our lives, including AI and ML, productivity aids, and smart fitness. He is also passionate about cars and the decarbonisation of personal transportation. As an avid bargain-hunter, you can be sure that any deal Craig finds is top value!

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Project Management

Best task management software in 2024: project task tracking tools for individuals and teams.

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Best Task Management Software1

Completing task lists can be stressful. That’s why it’s good practice to log tasks and organize them to create structure, rather than having them swirling around your mind. To help with that, we’ve created this roundup of the best task management software.

Dan Ginn

Last Updated: 28 Mar'24 2024-03-28T16:30:40+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

In the modern era, we always have things we need to do, both personally and professionally. As organized as we like to think we are, all of us can benefit from a little help when it comes to getting tasks in order and ensuring we don’t forget them. In the digital world, we can access plenty of support tools, and in this article, we look at the best task management software.

Key Takeaways:

  • For its ease of use and list of features, Airtable will appeal to the widest range of users looking for a good task manager tool.
  • monday.com is the best project management tool that includes task management.
  • The four other choices include Todoist , Any.do , TickTick and Asana is the most advanced tool in this list, and will serve you well for both basic and more advanced use.

Much of what you read in this article is geared toward the basic user, either for personal use or small teams that don’t require a ton of features to be able to keep on top of new and recurring tasks. This article will also be useful for those transferring from paper-based task management to a visual online task management tool, as all options are super easy to use.

If you’re a project manager and came to this article looking for the best Gantt charts, Agile software tools and other advanced tools, you probably won’t find what you’re looking for. The good news is that we have an article that focuses on the best project management software , which will no doubt help you find what you need.

For those who just want to get on top of their to-do lists and find a piece of software to help organize individual tasks, continue reading. You’re exactly where you need to be.

Check out our project management courses and grab a limited-time offer. Registration available now!

The Top Task Management Apps

Logo: Airtable

What Makes the Best Task Management Software?

We have tested and reviewed each of the online task management tools listed below. Our testing focuses on features, ease of use, security and customer support. While we have reviewed many task management software solutions, the five below are the cream of the crop and scored well on each of our criteria.

  • Airtable — Offers the best task management features and will appeal to a range of users
  • monday.com — Pound for pound, the best project management software for all users
  • Todoist — Priorities simplicity over features, opting to do the basics very well
  • Any.do — Goes out of the box and creates cool features that help with managing tasks
  • TickTick — Has a beautifully designed app which is a joy to use
  • Asana — Perfect for managing basic tasks and complex projects

Airtable is our top choice of the best software for task management. For a basic task management system, it’s certainly not lacking in features, and it’s easy to use. However, if you want task management and project management wrapped in one easy-to-use package, monday.com is the top choice.

Todoist was next, and some may prefer the design of the user interface. Any.do makes the list because of its excellent security and privacy, while TickTick and Asana are appealing because of the well-functioning task management tools each company has created. 

Task Management Tools vs Project Management Software

If you’ve read our article on best project management tools, you may be thinking this is a rerun of something you’ve seen before, but it’s not. While there’s a certain degree of crossover between task management and project management services, there are also many differences. 

Project management tools are best suited for large-scale, complex projects, often for multiple users who work on different pieces of a project. A good task management tool is more streamlined, offering a basic way to organize tasks, track task progress and help reduce the overwhelming that tends to occur when you have multiple pieces of work to complete. 

For a deeper understanding of the differences, check out our task management vs project management article .

The 6 Best Task Management Software

Moving on from that comparison, let’s get into this roundup of the best task management tools, starting with Airtable, our number one choice.

1. Airtable – Best Team Task Management Software

airtable grid view

More details about Airtable:

  • Pricing : Free; $10 per user per month, billed annually
  • Provider website : airtable.com
  • Super easy to use
  • Free plan is great
  • Good range of features
  • Pro plan is expensive

Airtable is a super simple tool that still has enough features for us to label it versatile. While it doesn’t have a traditional list view, it has what it refers to as a “grid” view. This view is essentially built to resemble a spreadsheet, and it’s here you’ll likely view and manage tasks.

To help with managing tasks, you can track progress by labeling each task by status, either as “to do,” “in progress” or “done.” If you want to switch up your views, there’s also a basic kanban board. When we say basic, we mean a very bare board that doesn’t have as much substance as a tool such as Asana (which you’ll learn about farther down).

If you prefer a calendar view of your tasks, Airtable has a native calendar that we really like. Each part of the calendar is spaced out perfectly, and viewing it doesn’t give us a headache or overload our brains with information. Some may find the gray design a little dull, which we get, but it’s one of the best task management tools as far as functionality goes.

Set Task Dependencies

With Airtable, project managers can assign tasks and set task dependencies so the team can prioritize and complete them in order of importance. This feature is a great way of “eating the frog,” which is the process of completing the most difficult tasks first in order to move forward with your work as quickly as possible.

airtable slider 1

For those on a budget, Airtable’s free plan may suffice. You get most of the core task management views, including the grid, kanban and calendar. The only thing missing are views such as Gantt charts, which you can access through the Pro plan. Chances are, those looking for basic task management software will likely not miss having access to Gantt charts.

If you feel like spending your money, there’s no need to go past the Plus plan (which lets you enter more tasks and is good for larger teams). Overall, Airtable does what it needs to do and that’s why it’s a great work task tracker service. You can learn more about it by reading our Airtable review .

  • Up to five users. Unlimited bases. 1,000 records, 1GB of storage per base. Revision and snapshot history for two weeks. Views: grid, calendar, form, Kanban board, gallery and list. 100 automations per month.
  • Everything in free, plus unlimited users, 50,000 records and 20GB of storage space per base. Adds Gantt charts and timeline views. 25,000 automations per month.
  • Everything in Team, plus 125,000 records, 100GB of storage per base, 100,000 automation per month. Admin controls, single sign-on (SSO) and premium integrations with third-party services.
  • Everything in Business, plus 500,000 records, 1TB of storage per base, and 500,000 automation monthly.

2. monday.com – Best Project and Task Management Tool

monday list

More details about monday.com:

  • Provider website : monday.com
  • Plenty of features
  • Easy to use
  • Hundreds of integrations
  • Nothing to note

monday.com is an easy-to-use project management tool that targets a range of users. Depending on what plan you subscribe to, you can use it as a fully fledged project management solution, or a space to log and track basic tasks. Keeping in theme with this article, we’ll zone in on monday.com’s free and Basic plans , both of which offer a list view.

After signing up for the service, you’re automatically greeted with the list view when you first enter your account. Here you can input whatever tasks you need to do, and also add details that clearly outline what the task entails.

All the traditional functionality comes with monday.com’s list view. You can assign tasks to other users (the free plan limits you to five users per account,) set due dates and log progress with the “working on it,” “stuck” and “done” labels, all of which are color coded in green, amber and red.

Use the Native Document Creator

If part of your task management involves creating documents, monday.com offers a native document creator which you can use for personal use or to collaborate with others. It’s not as advanced as Google Docs or MS Word, but it should suffice when creating a basic document. 

monday get started

If you feel you want to bump up your user experience, monday.com has more expensive plans which provide Gantt charts and calendar views, as well as a host of third party software integrations for you to choose from. The software itself is easy to use, which is why monday.com is the best all rounder. To learn more, check out our monday.com review .

  • Maximum users: 2
  • Minimum users: 3
  • Enterprise-level features.

3. Todoist – Simplest Task Manager

todoist-slider-3

More details about Todoist:

  • Pricing : Free; $4 per user per month, billed annually
  • Provider website : todoist.com
  • Excellent list view
  • Comprehensive free plan
  • Privacy concerns

Todoist epitomizes everything good online task management app needs to be. It’s not fancy and full of frills, nor does it overload you with more features than your mind can handle. Instead, it sticks to the basics and offers strong task management features that help bring some organization to your life.

Unlike Airtable, Todoist’s strength lies in its list view of tasks. The list view is what you would expect it to be: a linear view that lets you schedule tasks by adding due dates and priorities, as well as leave comments. It’s also possible to embed the exact location of where your task needs to be completed, both in the list view and the reminder section.

Todoist offers a basic kanban board view, which, although it won’t make it on our roundup of the best kanban boards, functions well enough to make task management simple and free of complications. Users can customize the board, however it’s only possible on the Pro plan. 

Unlimited Task Archive 

Although only available on the paid plans (which are super affordable), Todoist offers an unlimited task archive. This means that no matter how far in the past you completed a task, if you need a reminder of the work you did, you can simply search for it in the archive and it will be there. Todoist’s free plan does offer an archive; however, it’s limited to only one week.

todoist-slider-1

Although it gets the basics right, Todoist isn’t without its flaws, which mainly pertain to privacy. While Todoist won’t sell customer data, it will share it with a list of vendors that’s far too long for our liking. It also holds your data for six years, unless you remember to opt out.

If that’s no concern for you and you just want the best tool for the job, Todoist is an excellent piece of task management software and we’re certain it will help you bring all your tasks together, so you can complete them. To learn more about the platform, check out our Todoist review .

  • 1 main user 5 active projects 5 collaborators (per project) 5MB file uploads
  • 1 main user 300 active projects 25 collaborators (per project) 100MB file uploads
  • Multiple users, (price is per user) 500 active projects (per member) 50 people (per project)

4. Any.do – Excellent Task Organizer

any.do reviews calendar

More details about Any.do:

  • Pricing : Free; $2.99 per user per month, billed annually
  • Provider website : any.do
  • Beautiful design
  • Separate tasks
  • WhatsApp integration 
  • No native calendar

Aside from being an enjoyable name to say (try it and see), Any.do is a beautifully designed task management app that helps with both your personal and professional life. As soon as you enter the web app, you’re greeted by a very clear layout that helps you get going in no time at all.

Simply click “create task” and a new box will appear with very clear details of the type of data you can enter into your tasks.

You can set reminders, create recurring tasks (paid plan only), leave notes and add tags. There’s no native calendar built into the app; however, Google users can integrate their Google Calendar if they wish to have a calendar view of the tasks they need to complete.

One slight niggle is that regardless of whether you’re in your work or personal list, a new task will automatically go into the personal queue by default, unless you manually change it yourself. That’s our only real concern in terms of functionality; aside from that Any.do works exceptionally well.

Send WhatsApp Reminders

For those who use WhatsApp (ahem, everyone), you can integrate Any.do with your account. Once integrated, you can convert your WhatsApp messages into tasks or reminders and they will sync with your Any.do account. 

While Any.do offers a mobile app, this feature is great for those who don’t want lots of apps on their phones but still want to do some task management inside the apps they do have.

any.do slider 1

Although best used for personal task planning, Any.do does have a plan that targets team use. As with the Premium plan , Any.do allows you to prioritize tasks and assign them to the users you add to your account. It’s still very basic, but if you and your team only require a space to track tasks and complete basic work, there’s likely no need to look for an alternative software.

Because it’s so easy to use, we especially recommend Any.do to the novice user of visual task management software solutions. Advanced users may need more substance, although if you don’t, Any.do will suit your needs as well. To learn more, read our full Any.do review .

  • Adds location-based reminders, tags, themes, recurring tasks and integration with WhatsApp.
  • Adds team-focused features like kanban boards and a built-in calendar, among other things. Comes with a 14-day free trial. Price is per user.

5. TickTick – Best Task Management Tool for Individuals

ticktick slider 5

More details about TickTick:

  • Pricing : Free; $2.33 per user per month, billed annually
  • Provider website : ticktick.com
  • Efficient task management
  • Voice recognition
  • Constant pings to upgrade

Because of its range of features and straightforward design, TickTick is a popular task manager app among project managers. In addition to the traditional way of organizing tasks and to-do lists, TickTick also allows you to sort tasks into folders, providing you with a cleaner overview of all your projects and tasks.

To add more depth to your tasks, you can also log how much time you expect a particular task will take to complete. That’s slightly different from setting start and due dates, as this allows you to program the length of the task in minutes and hours. For example, you may say it takes two hours to write an article.

TickTick also ranks highly with regard to security and privacy. It doesn’t sell your data, and if you decide to delete your account, all your data will be deleted from its systems within 90 days. 

On a security front, TickTick promises to let you know if there’s been a data breach within 72 hours. There hasn’t been a breach to date, which is evidence that the platform is doing everything right in terms of keeping your data safe.

Use Voice Recognition

TickTick is one of the few task management tools that allows you to add tasks through speech to text. This takes away the sometimes cumbersome task of typing out multiple tasks, either on your computer or mobile device. When testing the performance of TickTick’s voice input feature, we found it to be very accurate, even with the not-quite-dulcet tones of a Northern English accent.

ticktick slider 1

While TickTick’s free plan helps you log and prioritize tasks, the Premium plan takes things to the next level. You can create almost 300 more lists, add more members and attach more files to your tasks. There are also some reporting features that let you track the progress of your personal and assigned tasks.

In the world of task management apps, TickTick is right up there with the best of them. It could offer more detailed customer support, but for quality task management software like this, it’s unlikely you’ll ever be at a loss as to what to do with it. To find out if this is the task manager for you, check our TickTick review .

  • List, Basic filters, Kanban, Caps on use
  • Calendar, Extra filters, Track progress, Caps raised

6. Asana -Best Free Task Management Tools

best kanban asana

More details about Asana:

  • Pricing : Free; $10.99 per user per month, billed annually
  • Provider website : asana.com
  • Great kanban board
  • Clean list view
  • Advanced features

Like monday.com, Asana isn’t solely a piece of task management software. Asana comes with more advanced features like Gantt charts, time tracking tools and the ability to seamlessly manage multiple projects at once. It’s one of the best project management tools for multiple projects .  

The list view allows you to segregate tasks into different sections, allowing you to see start and due dates, as well as task priorities. Those on the paid subscription can create customer tabs, giving you ultimate control over how you manage and create tasks.

As far as this roundup goes, Asana has the best kanban board you can use. It’s great for assigning tasks, tracking task progress and navigating through multiple projects with ease. It’s not the head honcho of kanban boards — that title belongs to Trello.

Integrate Third-Party Apps

Asana has a long list of third-party app integrations. Being a popular online task management software service, it has been able to partner with the likes of Slack, Venmo and Microsoft, plus several more. Users can also integrate with Google apps, making Asana a great collaborative task management tool.

Asana-homepage-2020

Compared to other task management software tools, such as Todoist, Asana is expensive. That’s mainly because it’s offering a lot more than the competition. The good news is that it’s one of the best free task management software solutions , and for those who don’t need the extra features, it will surely suffice. Check out our full Asana review to learn more.

  • Up to 10 users
  • Price is per user. unlimited users, expanded features
  • Price is per user. unlimited users, even more features
  • Custom pricing, advanced security features

Final Thoughts

Now that you know the best tools to manage tasks, all you need to do is select the right task management platform for your needs. Airtable remains the best task management tool, which should appeal to a range of project managers and solo professionals. Its user-friendly interface and generous free plan are why it’s our best task management tool.

The other options are not far behind, and all of them do what we would expect from a quality task management software provider. For more advanced task management, such as handling complex tasks and implementing strong team collaboration, monday.com is the stand-alone choice. If that’s not what you need, any of the other four services will serve you well.

Which is your favorite option in this roundup? Is there another task management solution you would like us to test and review? What’s the biggest hurdle you face when trying to manage projects and tasks? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

FAQ: Task Management Tools

A task management tool is a simple piece of software that allows you to log, visualize and prioritize your short-term and long-term tasks. Most tools provide a basic list view of all your tasks, making them easy to digest, manage and complete.

We’ve reviewed many and our top five are: monday.com , Asana , nTask , Wrike and Jira .

Atracker is an excellent time tracking app that allows you to monitor any type of activity you do, and pings when you’re taking too long to complete a task. Read our best time management tools guide to find more options.

I use kanbantool to manage my tasks. Have you tried it, I think the tool is amazing!

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Your task list is at the center of your life — it's important everything is there. Connect the tools you're already using and bring tasks from your favorite apps into your task list.

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“It is an amazing app. A real gem.”

“Ddaanngg Lunatask is super snazzy”

“I've tried ALL the organizational/habit tracker/to-do list apps out there... and I have fallen in love with Lunatask. Every detail seems to have been carefully thought through. I wholeheartedly recommend it!”

“One of the very few E2EE task managers with a great design and dedicated developers!”

“I tried every single to-do app out there and Lunatask is the first I truly stick to and really like to use on a daily basis.”

“I love the different workflows, they make so much sense to me.”

“I'm loving Lunatask”

“Lunatask manages to put together the most important planner apps into one nice package without being too overwhelming. I've tried a lot of different kinds of software and the dev of this one really got it right!”

via Microsoft Store

“Definitely a tool worth trying. With its multiple opinionated prioritization systems, it does the heavy lifting for you.”

“I love your app! I've tried every single productivity app and yours is undoubtedly the best. Thank you so much for creating it.”

“This app is literally incredible.”

“Intrigued by this to-do app”

“Wow, this app has a lot of clever concepts. I tried many different todo apps (MANY!), and this one definitely gets a lot of things right.”

“Dang, this app is awesome”

“I don’t think I’ve ever paid for a premium plan so quickly. Just a few clicks using the app and I could tell, everything I wish my to-do list would do, this does it.”

“Lunatask has really been life-changing. I know it sounds dramatic, but it really has helped my routine so much!”

Mobile app

Everywhere You Go

Apps for ios and android (in beta), support for ipad and android tablets.

  • Mac App Store
  • Microsoft Store
  • iOS and Android

Documentation

  • Lunatask vs Todoist
  • Lunatask vs TickTick
  • Todoist vs TickTick
  • Idea Portal
  • Slack Community
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of Use

© 2019-present Lunatask, an all-in-one privacy-focused productivity and life-tracking app

Made with love in Prague. Used all over the world 🌎

Free Windows time tracker

Clockify is the most popular free time tracking app for Windows that lets you and your team log hours straight from your desktop while working.

Free time tracking app for Microsoft Windows screenshot

How to track time with Windows desktop app

Create clockify account.

Sign up here for free

Download Windows time tracking app

Download Clockify for Windows

Start the timer

When you start working, just click the button to start the timer. You can also continue timer from previous activity.

Windows time tracking app screenshot of time entries

Stop the timer and enter details

You can enter what you've worked on and add a project, task, tag, and billability status.

Windows time tracking app screenshot of editing details

Add time manually

Forgot to start the timer? Switch to manual mode and add how much time you've worked manually.

Windows time tracking app screenshot of editing details

Enable auto tracker

Clockify can track what apps and websites you use so you can later create time entries based on time spent in other apps, either one by one or in bulk (data is visible only to you).

Windows time tracking app screenshot of auto tracker

Don't forget about the timer

Desktop app has a lot of handy features that can help you better track time, which you can enable in Preferences:

  • Default project: Track time without having to manually select the project all the time.
  • Auto start/stop: Let Clockify automatically start the timer when you turn on your computer and stop the timer when the computer is turned off.
  • Idle detection: Forgot to stop the timer? Windows app can recognize when you're inactive so you can discard idle time.
  • Reminders: Receive a notification when you forget to start the timer.
  • Pomodoro: Work in intervals and get notified when it's time to take a break.

Turn on Idle detection in Preferences

Use web version

In the web version , you can review and export reports, manage projects, invite people, and review timesheets.

Web version of Clockify app

an illustration of assembly line representing task management software

Getting organized: The best task management software

Level up your team’s task management system to boost efficiency and enhance collaboration.

By the team at Slack May 24th, 2024

A to-do list can get you only so far. More often, we find ourselves spending too much time prioritizing countless tasks to ensure that a project goes smoothly. Task management systems can make complex projects easier to handle.

If you’re looking to add task management software to your team’s toolkit, we’re here to help. We’ve sifted through this saturated market to identify the best task management programs to streamline and automate your workflows in 2024.

What is a task management app?

Task management refers to the process of overseeing a task from beginning to end, including planning, implementation, quality assurance, and tracking and reporting status updates. If you’re managing various tasks among different work projects, a task management tool can make it easier to prioritize action items and stay organized, on schedule and on budget.

What to look for in a task management program

The best task management software should be easily accessible to stakeholders and provide a user-friendly, visual representation of your in-progress tasks and where each one stands in its lifecycle. Many platforms use graphs, charts, lists and other graphics to clearly display information in a way that’s easy to understand. Look for a task management app that:

  • Creates a digital “paper trail”
  • Gives everyone on the team input
  • Clearly displays the status of each task
  • Tracks due dates
  • Automates repetitive tasks

Who uses task management software?

Just about any team can benefit from good task management technology. If you’re working with multiple people on multiple projects or initiatives, you can probably use help planning, prioritizing, tracking and organizing your team’s ideas, responsibilities and to-do items. The best task management tools integrate seamlessly into your existing work process and can even automate certain workflows , letting your team focus on the most important tasks.

Benefits of task management software

Task management software helps you handle projects more efficiently, with a reduced risk of human error. The advantages of using a task management app include:

  • More visibility and trust between teams and management
  • Less mental clutter
  • Uniform, streamlined processes
  • Time savings
  • Lower likelihood of redundant efforts and having to repeat tasks
  • Flexibility for team members to access projects and tasks at their convenience

How to choose the right task management software

The best task management app should help your team navigate its biggest roadblocks. Here’s how to pick the best platform for you.

1. Identify your team’s specific requirements

Your team is unique, and your chosen time management system should adapt to your needs and processes. What sorts of projects does your team handle, and how many do you typically tackle at a time? How big is your team? Will you need mobile access, or scalability if your team is growing? What about remote work support?

2. Evaluate the user interface and ease of use

The best task and project management software should be quick to learn and easy to understand. Think about how your team members will actually use the software in their day-to-day work.

For example, if your team will need to use its task management app while they’re in the field or otherwise away from their desks, you should prioritize platforms with strong mobile apps. And if your team is not particularly tech-savvy, you’ll want software with a simple, intuitive interface.

3. Consider integrations with your existing tech stack

Task management doesn’t happen in a vacuum; you probably already have a set of tools you know and like. Look for a task management app that seamlessly integrates with those tools so your team can move quickly and easily between managing projects and completing them.

4. Look for automation capabilities

The best task management systems can help you cut down on actual labor hours by automating repetitive tasks that don’t require much human input.

Slack’s Workflow Builder , for example, simplifies processes by automating repetitive workflows, such as sending follow-up surveys after certain meetings or delivering paperwork to new hires on their first day. This frees up users to focus on larger tasks, which can boost engagement and productivity. It also cuts down on manual errors and context switching.

The best task management software

Our picks for the best task management trackers are user-friendly and compatible with other popular tech tools. These apps offer customization options and automation features. Plus, they integrate with Slack .

Asana ranks among the most popular task management software solutions, offering a clean layout that makes it easy to delegate responsibilities and track projects, subtasks and status. The project management platform also features AI-powered tools for goal-setting and reporting.

Project management software Wrike makes our list thanks to its highly customizable workflows and data visualizations. Users can assign and check work in Wrike, streamlining processes and boosting team collaboration .

Flow is a simple task management app that packs a powerful punch. You can zoom out for a high-level overview of each project and then zoom back in to track each individual task. Easily view your own tasks and those delegated to other team members.

Work management platform Trello makes collaboration and organization easy with customizable boards, cards and lists that break down even the most complex projects into sensible, digestible steps.

Jira Cloud , an agile task management tool, is designed for big, complex projects across various industries. The software walks you step-by-step through designing and customizing each project. AI-powered support features make Jira even easier to use.

Are you more of a visual collaborator? Miro is one of the best for visually oriented people and projects. From mind mapping to real-time data visualization and digital sticky notes, it offers a full-scale collaboration platform for agile teams. Plus, Miro is free.

The highly customizable Workast lets users plan, implement and complete projects all in its work management platform. It integrates with a wide variety of applications and makes everything you need for each project, from forms to meeting notes, readily available with just a couple of clicks.

Notion , another free task management platform, stands out for its easy drag-and-drop format. Even those unfamiliar with other project management platforms can easily get the hang of Notion’s intuitive interface. The software makes it simple to break down your project into bite-size steps that make sense for your team’s work style.

Cloud-based Figma , along with its whiteboard companion, FigJam, takes remote collaboration on design projects to the next level. This task management app focuses on interface design, making it easy for distributed teams to brainstorm, prototype, diagram and even keep digital sticky notes as they work through each project’s lifecycle.

Monday.com is a flexible operating service that lets users create their own project management apps, no coding required. Use it to easily tweak and scale your workflows as needed, and automate simple workflows to save time and reduce errors.

Integrate your favorite task management software with Slack

Slack makes your favorite task management tools work even better for you. Integrating your task management software with Slack can give you important reminders, real-time status updates and automated workflows right in the AI-powered collaboration platform you know and love. To get the most out of your task management system, contact Slack’s sales team or sign up today.

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Top Time Tracking Apps for Personal and Team Productivity

task tracker app windows

In today's fast-paced world, time is a precious resource that needs to be managed efficiently. Whether you are an individual looking to improve your personal productivity or a team aiming to streamline your work processes, having the right time tracking app can make all the difference. In this article, we will explore the top time tracking apps that can help you achieve personal and team productivity goals.

Top Time Tracking Apps for Personal Use

Efficient time management is essential for personal growth and success. When it comes to choosing a time tracking app for personal use, there are several options available in the market. Let's take a closer look at some of the most effective ones:

Exploring Efficient Time Management with Chisel

Chisel is a powerful time tracking app that offers a range of features to help individuals manage their time effectively. With Chisel, you can easily track the amount of time you spend on different tasks and projects. It also provides insightful reports and analytics to help you identify areas where you can improve your productivity.

One of the standout features of Chisel is its ability to integrate with popular project management tools such as Trello and Asana. This integration allows you to seamlessly sync your tasks and projects, making it even easier to track your time accurately. Additionally, Chisel offers a user-friendly interface that is both visually appealing and intuitive to navigate.

Toggl: Your Ultimate Time Tracking Companion

Toggl is a popular time tracking app that offers a simple and intuitive interface. With Toggl, you can track your time with just a few clicks and effortlessly switch between tasks. It also provides real-time insights and reports to help you stay on top of your work.

One of the standout features of Toggl is its ability to integrate with a wide range of other apps and tools, such as Google Calendar and Slack. This integration allows you to streamline your workflow and track your time across different platforms. Additionally, Toggl offers a Pomodoro timer feature, which helps you stay focused and maintain productivity by breaking your work into manageable intervals .

Clockify: Simplifying Time Tracking for Individuals

Clockify is a free time tracking app that is perfect for individuals who want a straightforward solution. It allows you to track your time, categorize your tasks, and generate detailed reports. Clockify also integrates seamlessly with other tools, making it a versatile choice for personal productivity.

One of the standout features of Clockify is its ability to track time offline . This means that even if you don't have an internet connection, you can still track your time and sync it later when you're back online. Additionally, Clockify offers a browser extension that makes it easy to start and stop timers directly from your web browser.

Boosting Productivity with RescueTime

RescueTime is a time tracking app that focuses on helping individuals understand their digital habits and optimize their productivity. It tracks the time you spend on different websites and applications, giving you an overview of how you use your time. With RescueTime, you can set goals and receive alerts to stay focused and avoid distractions.

One of the standout features of RescueTime is its ability to block distracting websites and apps during specific times of the day. This feature helps you create a distraction-free work environment and stay focused on your tasks. Additionally, RescueTime offers a weekly email report that summarizes your productivity and provides insights into how you can improve your time management.

FreshBooks: More Than Just Invoicing

Although FreshBooks is primarily known as an invoicing software, it also offers time tracking capabilities. With FreshBooks, you can track the time spent on tasks and seamlessly convert them into invoices. This app is perfect for freelancers and solopreneurs who want an all-in-one solution for managing their time and finances.

One of the standout features of FreshBooks is its ability to track billable and non-billable hours separately. This feature allows you to accurately calculate the time spent on client work and differentiate it from non-client related tasks. Additionally, FreshBooks offers a mobile app that lets you track your time on the go, making it convenient for freelancers who are always on the move.

Must-Have Time Tracking Tools for Teams and Businesses

When it comes to team productivity, having a reliable time tracking app is crucial. Effective time management not only helps teams stay organized but also allows businesses to optimize their workflows and boost overall productivity. Here are some of the top apps that can help teams and businesses streamline their time management:

Chisel for Team Efficiency

Chisel, as mentioned earlier, is not only suitable for personal use but also offers robust features for team efficiency. It allows teams to collaborate on projects, track their time collectively, and generate comprehensive reports. With Chisel, you can ensure that everyone in your team is aligned and working towards the same goals.

Furthermore, Chisel provides a user-friendly interface that makes it easy for team members to log their time and keep track of their progress. Its intuitive design and seamless integration with other project management tools make it a valuable asset for any team.

Hive: Collaborative Time Tracking Made Easy

Hive is a collaborative time tracking app that simplifies team coordination and enhances productivity. It offers features such as task management, project tracking, and integrated communication tools. With Hive, teams can track their time collaboratively, share progress updates, and make real-time adjustments to their workloads.

Moreover, Hive's intuitive interface and customizable dashboards allow teams to visualize their time allocation and identify areas for improvement. By providing a centralized platform for task management and time tracking, Hive empowers teams to work more efficiently and effectively.

Hubstaff: Streamlining Team Time Management

Hubstaff is a robust time tracking app that provides a comprehensive solution for team time management. It offers features such as GPS tracking, activity monitoring, and project management tools. With Hubstaff, businesses can effortlessly track their team's time, monitor their progress, and ensure accountability.

Additionally, Hubstaff's advanced reporting capabilities allow businesses to gain valuable insights into their team's productivity and identify potential bottlenecks. By streamlining time management and providing real-time data, Hubstaff enables businesses to make informed decisions and optimize their operations.

WebWork Time Tracker: A Comprehensive Solution for Businesses

WebWork Time Tracker is a versatile time tracking app that caters to the specific needs of businesses. It offers features such as employee monitoring, task management, and detailed reporting. With WebWork Time Tracker, businesses can optimize their workflows, improve team collaboration, and boost overall productivity.

Moreover, WebWork Time Tracker's advanced reporting capabilities allow businesses to analyze their team's time allocation and identify areas for improvement. By providing a comprehensive solution for time tracking and task management, WebWork Time Tracker empowers businesses to streamline their operations and achieve their goals.

Timeneye: Enhancing Team Productivity

Timeneye is a user-friendly time tracking app that focuses on enhancing team productivity. It allows teams to track time effortlessly, set budgets, and analyze their performance. Timeneye also integrates with other popular project management tools, making it a seamless addition to any team's workflow.

Furthermore, Timeneye's intuitive interface and customizable reports enable teams to gain valuable insights into their time allocation and identify areas for improvement. By providing a user-friendly and comprehensive solution for time tracking, Timeneye empowers teams to work more efficiently and effectively.

FactoHR - Time Tracking and Beyond

FactoHR is a comprehensive HR software that offers time tracking as one of its features. It provides businesses with a centralized platform for managing employee time and attendance, leave management, and more. With FactoHR, businesses can streamline their HR processes and efficiently track their team's time.

Moreover, FactoHR's advanced features, such as automated time tracking and leave management, simplify administrative tasks and reduce manual errors. By providing a comprehensive HR solution, FactoHR enables businesses to focus on their core operations and ensure efficient time management.

Wrapping Up: Choosing the Right Time Tracking Tool

As we conclude this article, it is important to emphasize the significance of choosing the right time tracking app for personal and team productivity. Consider your specific needs, budget, and the features offered by each app before making a decision. Whether you are an individual striving for personal growth or a business aiming to maximize team efficiency, investing in a reliable time tracking app can significantly enhance your productivity and success.

When selecting a time tracking tool, it's crucial to look for features that align with your workflow. Some apps offer advanced reporting capabilities, allowing you to analyze your time usage patterns and identify areas for improvement. Others provide integrations with project management software, streamlining your workflow and ensuring seamless tracking of tasks across different platforms.

Moreover, consider the scalability of the app. As your needs evolve and your team grows, you'll want a time tracking tool that can adapt to your changing requirements. Look for apps that offer customizable settings and the ability to accommodate a growing number of users without compromising performance.

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How to Check if Your Employer Monitors Your Work Laptop

Being tracked is never a nice feeling, but it may be part of your contract.

Quick Links

  • Look for Monitoring Software
  • Check for Suspicious Connections
  • Look for Unusual Certificates
  • Check the Event Viewer and Console Logs
  • Look for Processes Consuming High Resources
  • Check Webcam Activity and Look for Suspicious Extensions

What to Do if Your Employer Is Monitoring Your Activity

Key takeaways.

  • If you find monitoring software running on your system, your employer is likely tracking you at work.
  • Check for suspicious connections, look for unusual certificates, and review the Event Viewer and Console logs for suspicious activities.
  • Monitor processes that consume high system resources, and check recent webcam activity to determine if you're being spied on.

Do you have a sneaking suspicion that your employer is keeping tabs on your work laptop? It's a common and valid concern, but there are some simple ways to find out if you're being tracked at work.

1. Look for Monitoring Software

The most obvious sign that your employer might be monitoring your activity is the presence of monitoring software on your computer. To check the list of installed programs on a Windows device, right-click the Start button and open Settings . Navigate to the Apps tab on the left sidebar and go to Installed apps in the right pane.

To check the list of installed programs on a macOS device, open Finder and go to the Applications tab on the left.

Then, open System Settings and go to General > About . Then, scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on System Report . Then, expand the Software category in the left sidebar and select Applications . Here, you'll see a list of built-in applications.

If you find monitoring software in the list, your employer can likely monitor your activity. However, do not disable or uninstall these programs as they might be essential software installed by your employer, and removing them could put your job at risk. Also, avoid tampering with any security software or mistaking it for tracking software.

2. Check for Suspicious Connections

If someone is remotely monitoring your activity, they must have a connection to your computer. So, checking for suspicious remote connections can help you confirm if you're being spied on. To check for suspicious connections on Windows, open the Command Prompt app, type the command "netstat -ano," and press Enter .

On macOS, open Terminal, type the command "netstat -an | grep ESTABLISHED," and press Enter .

These commands will display all active network connections and their corresponding process IDs.

Look for any unusual or suspicious connections. You can investigate these connections by using their IP addresses in an IP address lookup tool to see if they belong to a company offering monitoring services. This can help you confirm whether your employer is remotely spying on you.

3. Look for Unusual Certificates

Employers can use custom security certificates to decrypt the encrypted data sent from your laptop to other servers, allowing them to monitor any internet traffic. Checking the installed certificates can help confirm if you're being spied on. On Windows, open the Start menu and type "certmgr.msc" into the search bar. Press Enter to open the Certificate Manager.

Navigate to Trusted Root Certification Authorities and Intermediate Certification Authorities to view installed certificates. Look for any certificates that seem suspicious.

On macOS, open Finder, type "Keychain Access" in the search box, and open Keychain Access . In the Keychain Access window, select System Roots or System from the sidebar and Certificates or My Certificates from the tabs at the top. Look through the list of certificates for anything unusual or suspicious.

Check the issuer of these certificates. If they are issued by your employer or monitoring software installed on your device, you're likely being spied on. Be aware that you shouldn't delete these certificates, but you can cross-check the owner or author to figure out what might be tracking your activity.

4. Check the Event Viewer and Console Logs

Reviewing the activity logs in Event Viewer and Console can also help you spot signs of monitoring. To check these records on Windows, press Win+R , type "eventvwr," and press Enter . Expand Windows Logs , select Security , and look for Event IDs 4624 and 4625 , which represent successful and failed login attempts .

If these logins occur after office hours, it's a potential sign that someone is spying on you. Likewise, check other Event IDs to confirm if you are being tracked. On macOS, you can check these logs from the Console app. Press Command+Space , type "Console," and press Enter . Select system.log from the left sidebar and look for suspicious activity.

5. Look for Processes Consuming High Resources

Monitoring software tends to consume high system and network resources. Checking for processes consuming high resources can help pinpoint monitoring software and confirm your suspicions. You can check this from the Task Manager on Windows and the Activity Monitor on macOS .

On Windows, right-click the Start button and open Task Manager . Navigate to the Details tab to view processes in detail.

On macOS, click the Launchpad icon, type "Activity Monitor" in the search bar, and open Activity Monitor . Filter processes that are consuming high system or network resources.

If any process appears suspicious, right-click it and select "Open file location" or "Open in Finder."

If the process leads you to tracking software, it confirms you're being monitored. You can also search online using the process name to check its purpose.

6. Check Webcam Activity and Look for Suspicious Extensions

Lastly, you can check when your webcam was last used and by which application. On Windows, go to Settings > Privacy and Security > Camera . Expand the Recent activity menu, and you'll see a list of apps that accessed your webcam and the last time they did. If you notice any suspicious activity, you're likely being monitored through your webcam .

Another obvious sign of monitoring is if you're using a browser managed by your organization , and you see monitoring extensions installed on it. You might not be able to uninstall them (and, in many cases, probably shouldn't try!), but you'll at least be aware of the monitoring.

If you are certain that your employer is monitoring your activity, check whether they have mentioned this in the job agreement you signed. If your agreement or contract outlines employee monitoring, there may be little you can do. Avoid storing personal data on your work device and refrain from using your laptop for non-work-related activities, especially during work hours.

However, if your contract doesn't mention monitoring, you can gently bring it up with your manager. This will signal your awareness of the situation; if they are willing, they may halt the tracking. Otherwise, just be aware that you're being tracked all the time.

Hopefully, the signs of monitoring are now clear to you, and you can determine if your employer is monitoring your activity in real-time. If the work laptop you use is owned by your company, there isn't much you can do, even if your employer is monitoring you. Just avoid using it for anything personal, and you should be fine.

How to Pin a Window on Top in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

Pinning a window on top in Windows 11 is a handy trick if you need to keep an app or document visible while working on other tasks. The steps involve downloading and using third-party software, as Windows 11 doesn’t have a built-in feature for this.

How to Pin a Window on Top in Windows 11

We will use a free and popular tool called DeskPins to achieve this. Follow these steps to pin any window on top in Windows 11.

Step 1: Download DeskPins

First, go to the DeskPins official website and download the latest version of the software.

DeskPins is a tiny application, and the download should be quick. Save the installer file to a location on your computer where you can easily find it, like your Downloads folder.

Step 2: Install DeskPins

Once the download is complete, run the installer and follow the on-screen instructions to install DeskPins on your PC.

The installation is straightforward. Just agree to the terms and conditions, and click ‘Next’ until the installation is complete.

Step 3: Run DeskPins

After installation, open DeskPins from your Start menu or desktop shortcut.

You’ll notice a small pin icon appearing in your system tray. This indicates DeskPins is running and ready to use.

Step 4: Activate the Pin Mode

Click on the DeskPins icon in the system tray to activate the pin mode.

Once activated, your mouse cursor will change to a pin icon, indicating you can now pin any window.

Step 5: Pin the Desired Window

Click on the title bar of the window you want to pin on top.

After you click, the window will remain on top of all other windows, no matter what other applications you open or switch to.

Step 6: Deactivate the Pin

If you want to unpin the window, click the pin icon in the title bar or right-click the DeskPins tray icon and select ‘Remove All Pins.’

This will instantly remove all pinned windows, returning them to normal behavior.

Once you complete these steps, the chosen window will stay on top of all other open windows, making it easier to multitask without losing sight of important information.

Tips for Pinning a Window on Top in Windows 11

  • Find a Trustworthy Source : Always download DeskPins from its official website to avoid malware.
  • Use Keyboard Shortcuts : Learn DeskPins’ keyboard shortcuts for quicker control.
  • Remove Pins Easily : Right-click the DeskPins tray icon and select ‘Remove All Pins’ to quickly unpin windows.
  • Monitor Performance : If your PC slows down, try unpinning some windows.
  • Alternative Tools : If DeskPins doesn’t work for you, try other tools like Always On Top or TurboTop.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is deskpins safe to use.

Yes, DeskPins is a safe and lightweight application. Just ensure you download it from the official website to avoid any security risks.

Can I pin multiple windows at once?

Yes, you can pin multiple windows using DeskPins. Just activate the pin mode and click on all the windows you want to pin.

Does DeskPins work on all versions of Windows?

DeskPins is compatible with most versions of Windows, including Windows 10 and Windows 11.

Can I set a window to always be on top without using third-party software?

As of now, Windows 11 does not have an in-built feature for pinning windows on top, so third-party software is necessary.

Will DeskPins affect my computer’s performance?

DeskPins is very lightweight and should not noticeably affect your computer’s performance. However, if you pin many windows, you might experience minor slowdowns.

  • Download DeskPins.
  • Install DeskPins.
  • Run DeskPins.
  • Activate the Pin Mode.
  • Pin the Desired Window.
  • Deactivate the Pin.

Pinning a window on top in Windows 11 can significantly boost your productivity by keeping essential information always visible. While Windows 11 lacks a built-in feature for this, DeskPins is a reliable third-party tool that gets the job done effortlessly. By following the steps outlined above, you can easily pin any window on top, helping you manage tasks more efficiently.

Remember, multitasking is an art, and tools like DeskPins are the brushes that can help you paint a masterpiece of productivity. Whether you’re monitoring a live feed, following a tutorial, or keeping an important document in view, having a window pinned on top can be a game-changer. So go ahead, give it a try, and take your multitasking to the next level.

For further reading, you might want to explore other productivity tools and tips to make the most of your Windows 11 experience. And don’t forget to share your new-found skills with friends and colleagues—they’ll thank you for it!

Kermit Matthews Live2Tech

Kermit Matthews is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania with more than a decade of experience writing technology guides. He has a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Computer Science and has spent much of his professional career in IT management.

He specializes in writing content about iPhones, Android devices, Microsoft Office, and many other popular applications and devices.

Read his full bio here .

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IMAGES

  1. FREE Task Tracking App

    task tracker app windows

  2. Microsoft launches new tasks tracking app Lists for Office 365

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  3. How To Use A Task Tracker To Manage Your Projects: 6 Easy Tricks

    task tracker app windows

  4. Free Task Tracker App

    task tracker app windows

  5. Windows 11: How to Use Windows Task Scheduler

    task tracker app windows

  6. 19 Best Task Tracker Apps and Software for 2023 [SELECTIVE]

    task tracker app windows

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  1. Task Tracker Tales: How I Stay on Top of Deadlines

  2. Task Tracker App

  3. To-Do List, Task Tracker 💻🤓 #googlesheets #tasktracker #todolist

  4. Create Task tracker app using ANGULR & JSON Server

  5. How to create a task tracker in Excel

  6. TiDB Cloud Data Services Building a Data Driven Backend

COMMENTS

  1. Microsoft To Do: Lists, Tasks & Reminders

    With Microsoft To Do, you can: • Stay focused with My Day, a personalized daily planner with suggested tasks. • Get your lists anywhere, on any device. • Share lists and assign tasks with your friends, family, colleagues, and classmates. • Personalize your lists with bold and colorful backgrounds.

  2. The Best Task Management Apps for 2024

    Here, Asana is that app. It now includes tools for traditional project management, but it also works perfectly well as a to-do list app. Overall, project management and collaborative task ...

  3. Best To-Do List Apps for Windows 11 and Windows 10

    View. Todoist | $4/month for Premium. Todoist is a powerful to-do list with the ability to add tasks with natural text. For example, if you say "write an article at 2 pm," it will set the reminder ...

  4. The 7 best to do list apps for Windows

    The app has a deep organizational structure to dive into, and you can add notes to any of the subdivisions to keep track of your tasks. For individual tasks, you can assign estimate times, schedule due dates, and assign priorities. With a click, you can turn tasks into projects, projects into categories, save tasks for later with the backburner ...

  5. 7 best to do list apps of 2024

    The best to-do list apps. Todoist for balancing power and simplicity. TickTick for embedded calendars and timers. Microsoft To Do for Microsoft power users. Apple Reminders for most Apple users. Things for elegant design. Google Tasks for Google power users. Any.do for people who forget to use to-do apps.

  6. Todoist

    Organize your work and life, finally. Become focused, organized, and calm with Todoist. The world's #1 task manager and to-do list app. Start for free. 42+ million people and teams trust their sanity and productivity to Todoist. Clear your mind.

  7. Microsoft Planner

    Starting in April 2024, Tasks by Planner and To Do will be renamed Planner. This app will receive the new Planner experience bringing together your work across plans, projects, and to-do lists. Planner web app: Later in 2024, new Planner capabilities and experiences will become available in the Planner web app, ensuring experiences are aligned ...

  8. The 6 Best To-Do List Apps for Windows 10 & 11

    Download: Evernote (Free/Premium) 2. Trello. Trello is a product management app with some to-do list app features. The app helps you create job boards to coordinate and track team tasks. You can create new tasks by adding a card and then setting a due date and reminder.

  9. Microsoft To Do

    Organize your tasks with Microsoft To Do, a smart and easy app that syncs with Outlook and Planner. Download now and get started.

  10. Microsoft To Do

    Microsoft To Do. To Do gives you focus, from work to play. Get started. Learn more. Download To Do

  11. Best task management software 2022: Time to get it done

    Unlike many other task management software on this list, Trello offers a free tier with no cap on team members, so you can use Trello for free no matter how many employees are on your team ...

  12. Downloads

    Todoist works wherever you are. Download Todoist for iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows. Power up with browser and email extensions. Features; For Teams; Resources. ... Track your tasks on your wrist. Apple Watch; Wear OS Named best app for Wear OS; Email. Turn any email into a task ... Download Apps. Help Center. Productivity Methods. Integrations ...

  13. The 3 Best To-Do List Apps of 2023

    Things 3 is an impressively powerful to-do list and task management app—but it isn't available on Windows or Android devices. For individuals who exclusively use Apple devices, it offers ...

  14. Best task management software of 2024

    Pricing varies and businesses can see them spending hundreds of pounds per month or more, but given that the task management app comes as part of their existing CRM and marketing suites, it's ...

  15. Best Task Management Software in 2024 [List & Organization Apps]

    Windows; Mac; Linux; Android; iPhone & iPad; ... TickTick is a popular task manager app among project managers. ... It's great for assigning tasks, tracking task progress and navigating through ...

  16. Encrypted to-do list, life-tracking, journaling and notes app

    Lunatask is an all-in-one encrypted to-do list, habit tracker, journaling, life-tracking and notes app. It remembers stuff for you and keeps track of your mental well-being 🌟. Get Started for Free. A vailable for macOS, Windows, and Linux 🖥. iOS and Android companion apps in beta — get them here 📱.

  17. 19 Best Task Tracker Apps and Software for 2024 [SELECTIVE]

    Check the details to see which one will suit your needs perfectly. Let's begin! Table of Contents: Task Tracking Apps Reviews. List of the Best Task Tracker Apps. Comparing Some Best Apps for Task Tracking. #1) ClickUp. #2) Todo.is. #3) Todoist.

  18. What's the best free task management/to-do app? : r/productivity

    Reply reply. amit-sdp. •. There are several free task management and to-do apps available, each with its own set of features and strengths. The "best" app depends on your specific needs and preferences. Here are some popular free task management/to-do apps: Todoist. Microsoft To Do. Any.do.

  19. FREE Task Tracking App

    Free Task Tracking App. Use Clockify to keep a detailed account of your team's work hours and activity throughout the week. 4.7 (4,492 reviews) Start tracking time — It's Free! ... Available for: Chrome • Firefox • Android • iOS • Mac • Windows • Linux. See who works on what.

  20. Microsoft Planner

    Microsoft Planner - tasks.office.com

  21. Clockify™

    The most popular free. time tracker. for teams. Time tracking software used by millions. Clockify is a time tracker and timesheet app that lets you track work hours across projects. Unlimited users, free forever. 4.7 (4,492 reviews) Start tracking time — It's Free!

  22. Clockify™

    Desktop app has a lot of handy features that can help you better track time, which you can enable in Preferences: Default project: Track time without having to manually select the project all the time. Auto start/stop: Let Clockify automatically start the timer when you turn on your computer and stop the timer when the computer is turned off.

  23. Getting organized: The best task management software

    What is a task management app? Task management refers to the process of overseeing a task from beginning to end, including planning, implementation, quality assurance, and tracking and reporting status updates. If you're managing various tasks among different work projects, a task management tool can make it easier to prioritize action items ...

  24. Top Time Tracking Apps for Personal and Team Productivity

    Clockify is a free time tracking app that is perfect for individuals who want a straightforward solution. It allows you to track your time, categorize your tasks, and generate detailed reports. Clockify also integrates seamlessly with other tools, making it a versatile choice for personal productivity. One of the standout features of Clockify ...

  25. Time Tracking & Timesheets

    Time estimates for your projects and tasks. Easily enter the estimated time that will be spent on projects and tasks to plan ahead for your projects. Key FEATURES: Estimated Times. Actual spent time. Task level estimations. Productivity Reporting. Start tracking time with nTask. Get a Free Demo.

  26. Microsoft Windows

    Microsoft Windows is a product line of proprietary graphical operating systems developed and marketed by Microsoft.It is grouped into families and sub-families that cater to particular sectors of the computing industry - Windows (unqualified) for a consumer or corporate workstation, Windows Server for a server and Windows IoT for an embedded system. ...

  27. How to Check if Your Employer Monitors Your Work Laptop

    On Windows, right-click the Start button and open Task Manager. Navigate to the Details tab to view processes in detail. On macOS, click the Launchpad icon, type "Activity Monitor" in the search bar, and open Activity Monitor. Filter processes that are consuming high system or network resources.

  28. How to Pin a Window on Top in Windows 11: A Step-by-Step Guide

    Step 1: Download DeskPins. First, go to the DeskPins official website and download the latest version of the software. DeskPins is a tiny application, and the download should be quick. Save the installer file to a location on your computer where you can easily find it, like your Downloads folder.