The 5 Best To-Do List Apps in 2026

Our picks at a glance

#	App	Best for	Price	Works on
1	Kalend	Best overall	Free	iOS
2	Todoist	Best cross-platform	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
3	Things 3	Best design	Paid	iOS, Mac
4	TickTick	Most features	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, Web
5	Notion	Best for custom lists	Free + paid plans	iOS, Android, Mac, Windows, Web

Most to-do lists fail for the same reason: they become a dumping ground. Tasks pile up, nothing has a date, and you stop trusting the list, so you go back to keeping everything in your head. A good app fights that by making it fast to add a task, easy to give it a day, and clear what actually needs doing next.

This guide ranks to-do list apps on those basics first, then on price, privacy and which devices they run on. You will find a free option with no account, a cross-platform favorite, a polished Apple app and two picks for people who want more than a plain list.

1
Best overall
Kalend

To-dos, calendar, habits and a journal in one free app

1

A free, private to-do list with projects and repeats that sits right next to your calendar on iPhone and iPad.

Kalend covers what most people need from a to-do list without charging for any of it. Tasks can belong to projects, repeat on a schedule and sit on specific days, so a weekly report or a monthly bill shows up when it should. Because your iPhone calendars appear in the same app, you can see whether a task really fits into today or belongs on a quieter day.
It is also one of the most private choices here. There is no account and no company server, your list syncs through your own iCloud, and it keeps working offline. You also get habits and a journal, which you can ignore if you only want a list. The catch: Kalend runs only on iPhone and iPad, and you cannot share a list with a partner or team.

Good for
iPhone users who want a capable to-do list that costs nothing

Watch out for
No shared lists, and no app for Mac, Android or Windows

Read the Kalend review App Store iOS
2
Best cross-platform
Todoist

Clean, cross-platform to-do list with natural language input

0

Natural language entry, filters and labels on every major platform make it the most dependable list for mixed devices.

Todoist is the to-do list that follows you everywhere: iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows, Linux, the web and browser add-ons. Adding a task is quick because it reads plain language, so typing 'pay rent every month' sets the repeat for you. Labels and custom filters keep a long list manageable, for example showing only quick calls or only errands, and the clean design holds up as your list grows.
Shared projects make it easy to split chores at home or hand off work to a colleague, something Kalend and Things 3 cannot do. Sync across devices is fast and reliable. The catch is the free plan: it caps the number of projects, and features like calendar layouts and longer activity history need Pro. There is also no built-in focus timer if that is part of how you work.

Good for
Anyone who uses several platforms or shares lists with others

Watch out for
The free plan limits projects, and many extras need Pro

Read the Todoist review Visit website iOSAndroidMacWindowsLinuxWeb
3
Best design
Things 3

Beautifully designed task manager for Mac and iPhone

0

The calmest, most polished to-do list on Mac, iPhone and iPad, with no subscription to keep paying.

Things 3 makes a to-do list feel organized rather than overwhelming. Areas hold the big parts of your life, like work or home, and projects inside them break goals into steps with headings. Today shows what you have committed to, Upcoming shows what is on the way, and Someday keeps ideas out of sight until you want them. Quick Entry on the Mac captures a task without leaving what you are doing.
Every detail is designed with care, and sync through Things Cloud is quick across your Apple devices. You pay once per platform instead of a subscription, which many people prefer for an app they plan to use for years. The limits are firm, though: it only runs on Apple devices, there is no web version, and there is no way to share a list or assign a task to someone else.

Good for
Apple users who want a beautiful personal list and dislike subscriptions

Watch out for
Apple devices only, and each platform is a separate purchase

Read the Things 3 review Visit website iOSMac
4
Most features
TickTick

Tasks, calendar, habits and focus timer in one app

0

Adds a focus timer, habit tracker and Eisenhower matrix to a solid to-do list, with a free plan that does a lot.

TickTick is the to-do list for people who want their list to do more. Beyond tasks and subtasks, you can sort work with the Eisenhower matrix, start a Pomodoro timer on any task, and track habits alongside your list. Natural language input sets dates as you type, and the calendar and timeline views show how your tasks spread across the week, which helps you spot an overloaded day early.
The free plan already includes reminders, the habit tracker and the focus timer, which is more than most rivals give away. Premium unlocks the full calendar views and higher limits. It runs on every major platform, Linux included. The trade-off is a busier screen than Todoist or Things 3, and fewer third-party integrations, so it is less ideal if you want your list wired into lots of other tools.

Good for
Students and planners who want tasks, focus and habits in one place

Watch out for
The interface feels busy, and integrations are limited

Read the TickTick review Visit website iOSAndroidMacWindowsLinuxWeb
5
Best for custom lists
Notion

Docs, wikis and databases in one flexible workspace

0

Turns tasks into a database you can shape into lists, boards or calendars, right alongside your notes and docs.

Notion is not a to-do app in the usual sense, which is exactly why some people love it for tasks. You build a task database with the fields you want, such as status, priority or client, then view it as a list, a Kanban board or a calendar. Tasks can link to project pages and meeting notes, so the context for each item is one click away.
That flexibility works best for teams that already keep docs and wikis in Notion, since everyone can see the same task board. For a personal list, it is more effort than it needs to be. Adding a quick task on your phone is slower than in Todoist or Kalend, large databases can feel sluggish, and offline support is limited. Individuals can still get a lot from the free plan.

Good for
Teams that want tasks linked to their docs and wikis

Watch out for
Slower to add quick tasks, with limited offline use

Read the Notion review Visit website iOSAndroidMacWindowsWeb

What should you look for in a to-do list app?

Speed of capture comes first. If adding a task feels like a chore, you will stop doing it and the list will drift out of date. Look for quick entry from a widget or a shortcut, plus dates and repeats you can set while typing. Then check how the app decides what you see today, because a clear today view matters more than any number of extra features.

Next, think about where you need the list. If you only use an iPhone, an Apple-only app is fine. If you switch to a Windows laptop at work, you need a cross-platform app like Todoist or TickTick. Finally, look at the price model: free with nothing locked, a one-time purchase, or a subscription you keep paying for as long as you use it.

How do you keep a to-do list from getting out of control?

Give every task a home. Each one should either have a date, sit in a project, or go into a someday list you review now and then. Keep today's list short enough that you could realistically finish it, and move the rest forward on purpose rather than letting it pile up. Apps help here: Things 3 has Someday, Todoist has filters, and Kalend puts your calendar beside your tasks so you can see when you are overbooked.

Compare the top picks

Things 3 8.8

Frequently asked questions

What is the best free to-do list app?

Kalend is the best free to-do list app for iPhone and iPad, with projects, repeats and your calendar and nothing behind a paywall. For Android or Windows, the free plans of TickTick and Todoist are both solid.

Is Kalend or Todoist better?

Kalend is better if you use an iPhone and want a free, private list with your calendar and habits included. Todoist is better if you need your list on Android, Windows or the web, or want to share projects with other people.

Is Things 3 worth paying for?

If you live on Apple devices and want a calm, polished list without a subscription, yes. If you need sharing or a Windows or Android app, it is the wrong choice.

Which to-do list app works on both iPhone and Android?

Todoist and TickTick both run on iPhone, Android, Mac, Windows and the web, and sync between them. Notion works on both too, but it is better suited to team task boards than quick personal lists.