Todoist vs TickTick: an honest comparison
Both are solid task managers. Both have loyal users for good reasons. Here is where they differ — and why a third option might be worth considering if you think in next actions.
How they compare
Core philosophy
A clean, focused task manager. Todoist does one thing well: capturing and organizing tasks. It has stayed lean over the years, resisting the urge to become a project management suite.
An all-in-one productivity app. TickTick includes tasks, habits, a Pomodoro timer, and a calendar — all in one place. If you want everything under one roof, this is the pitch.
Task capture
Natural language input is Todoist's strength. Type 'call dentist tomorrow at 2pm #errands' and it parses the date, time, and label automatically. Quick add works everywhere.
Also supports natural language, with similar parsing for dates and tags. TickTick's quick add is fast, though slightly less refined than Todoist's. Both handle capture well.
Organization
Projects and sections for structure, labels for tagging, filters for custom views. Powerful but requires some setup to match a specific workflow. GTD is possible with workarounds.
Lists, tags, and smart lists. TickTick adds folders to group lists, which helps with complex setups. Built-in calendar view provides a visual layer that Todoist lacks.
Recurring tasks and reminders
Strong recurring task support with natural language. 'Every Monday' or 'every 3 days' are handled cleanly. Reminders are available on the Pro plan.
Equally capable recurring tasks, plus habit tracking with streaks and statistics. If you want to build recurring habits alongside your tasks, TickTick has the edge.
Pricing
Free plan covers the basics. Pro ($5/month) adds reminders, filters, and labels. Business plan for teams.
Free plan is more generous than Todoist's. Premium ($35.99/year) adds calendar view, Pomodoro stats, and more. Better value for feature-seekers.
Platform support
Available everywhere: web, desktop, mobile, browser extensions, email plugins, smartwatch apps. Deep integration ecosystem.
Also broadly available: web, desktop, mobile, browser extensions. Slightly fewer third-party integrations than Todoist, but all major platforms are covered.
So which one should you pick?
If you want a clean, focused task manager with strong natural language capture and a mature ecosystem of integrations — Todoist is hard to beat.
If you want more built-in features — habits, Pomodoro, calendar view — without needing separate apps, TickTick offers better value.
Both are good tools. The real question is whether either one matches how you actually think about your work.
What if due dates are not the point?
Both Todoist and TickTick organize your work around when things are due. That works well if your life runs on deadlines. But if you have tried that approach and ended up with a growing list of red overdue badges — the problem might not be you. It might be the model.
tingdo takes a different approach. The home screen is not a calendar or a 'today' view. It is your next actions list, organized by context: things you can do at your computer, things that need a phone call, errands to run.
No due dates unless you genuinely have a deadline. No overdue state. No guilt. A calm weekly review keeps the system honest. tingdo is a GTD task manager — the Getting Things Done methodology is the default, not a workaround.
#errands
- Buy oat milk
- Return package at post office
- Pick up prescription
#computer
- Draft project proposal for Q2
- Cancel that subscription you forgot about
- Reply to Marco's email
Built for people who think in next actions
No due-date pressure
Deadlines exist for genuine deadlines. Everything else is organized by context and intention.
A guided weekly review
A calm, step-by-step review that keeps your projects moving. One item at a time, no overwhelm.
Capture without friction
Type + and a title. That is the whole process. Project, context, and deadline are optional.
Import your tasks
Export your tasks from Todoist or TickTick as CSV and import them into tingdo. Your projects and tags come along.
See what working without overdue feels like
Open tingdoFree to use. No credit card needed.