To-Do List Apps for 2022
So, as a self-confessed productivity advocate, I try my very best to organize my tasks daily, to ensure I am productive throughout the day, and also so I don’t forget anything that may be crucial to the day’s schedule.
I used to write things down on sticky post-it notes, and soon I would have numerous multicolored notes adorning my monitor bezel. Needless to say, I would lose track of what was what, what was urgent, etc., causing a breakdown in my productivity and also resulting in a messy office environment too. So I turned to apps.
If you have read my other articles, you will know that I have been primarily a Windows and Android user for most of my adult life. It is only recently that I have discovered the Apple ecosystem, and now I have a mac mini, iPad, and iPhone. This has led to me experimenting with numerous task apps over the years, on different platforms too, Windows, macOS, Android, iPadOS, iOS, and even Chromebook.
In this article, I will break down my recommended task list app selection for 2022, paying attention to what features are available, the costs involved, etc. Please note these are in no particular order.
So let’s get started.
Top 7 To-Do List Apps to Try
- Todoist
- Google Tasks
- Apple Reminders
- Any.do
- Microsoft To Do
- Things
- Google Keep
- TickTick
Todoist
Todoist is a very powerful application for both individuals and businesses alike, especially if you have to manage multiple users. Todoist is versatile and is truly flexible, allowing users to organize tasks and priorities in a variety of ways to conform to many task management styles, including kanban, molding itself to your workflow.
Tasks can be distributed to teams, and in doing so, it will send notifications when there’s a comment or action, so everyone has access to essential information. Goals can be configured to ensure the completion of a set number of tasks per day, and points can be obtained for completing them, essentially driving users to accomplish their tasks.
User task lists can be accessed from a browser if necessary. The application is free to download, is available in 19 languages, and is available on iOS, Android, Mac, Linux, and Windows. The Pro tier has a cost of $36 a year, and the Business tier has a cost of $60 per user. Monthly payment options are also available.
Google Tasks
Having been a dedicated Google fan, my task list of choice for many years was of course Google Tasks. Integrated directly into the right-side panel of Gmail it has been my go-to for a long time. You can add tasks by dragging emails and linking tasks to your Google calendar events, it’s great!
However, in 2008, Google launched the Google Tasks app. It is an easy-to-use, relatively basic task manager and to-do list maker that is freely available across multiple platforms, including Android, iOS, and web. Although the app has a simplistic user interface, it has robust features. Behind that basic design are some pretty powerful task management tools, like the ability to create recurring tasks, multiple lists, and even sub-tasks on a project. Furthermore, if you need more complete project management, it integrates with Trello, Todoist, Evernote, and Zapier.
The app is free to use, with no in-app purchases required.
Apple Reminders
Out of the box, the Reminders app from Apple is on every iOS device. Like other preinstalled Apple apps, initially, it can feel quite basic, but for many, this simplicity is what makes it shine. However, under this exterior appearance, you’ll find more depth to the app than you’d expect.
Integrating deep into the Apple ecosystem, it works extremely well with Siri which can be invoked within apps like Safari with the phrase ‘remind me about this website’. This will alert you on the chosen date and time, allow you to jump back to Safari on that page.
Although Apple default apps normally only get new features once a year when a new version of iOS is released, it is still a powerful app. With iOS 15, numerous new features have helped the app keep up with other apps featured in this article.
Tagging was introduced, so now you can easily group and view all items with the same tag via the new Custom Smart lists feature. One long-requested feature that made it into the iOS 15 release is natural-language support, so you can type statements such as ‘Call Jerry every other Thursday at 6PM.’ and it will recognize the date and time.
Other useful functionalities include the ability to add picture attachments to tasks and an option to be reminded about a due item the next time you message the chosen individual.
Reminders a is robust and powerful task list application that works on iPad, iPhone, and Mac. Free to use, it is my new favorite task list manager. Recommended.
Any.do
Those of you who need a lot of reminders to ensure they don’t forget anything will like smart reminders built into Any.do. Allowing single-touch reminder creation, the app offers one-time, repeat, and location-based options. Organization can be done through lists or tags, and you can add notes, subtasks, and attachments.
Featuring an integrated calendar, a smart grocery list, recipe import, and Siri or Alexa integration. Sharing lists is easy, you can assign tasks, and monitor the progress of your projects, and everything syncs seamlessly across all your devices.
Premium features can be unlocked with a subscription fee. $5.99 a month, or 26 a year.
Microsoft To Do
Having used Microsoft To Do for a while, I admired its simplicity. It is a cross-platform app that can be integrated with Outlook tasks and all Office 365 apps. Although not having a robust set of features such as Todoist, it is ideal for regular Microsoft users and isn’t missing any essential features.
It has color and background options for a visually appealing user interface and a dark mode for when you need to rest your eyes. Tasks can be broken down into subtasks, assigned to others, and organized into groups and steps. There’s a daily planner and personalized suggestions to update your daily list.
This app is free to use, there are no premium features.
Things 3
Although Things 3 has won two Apple Design Awards in the past, it is more than just a well-designed app. Things 3 includes unrivaled calendar integration, keyboard navigation, keyboard shortcut support, and some very functional widgets. Furthermore, it has one of the best Apple Watch apps.
Things 3 can add standalone tasks one at a time like any other task application, but a big strength for this app is the ability to quickly convert a single to-do item into a project. Then it is easy to fill it with subtasks and more detail about the project itself. Things 3 is an app you should turn to when a simple ‘one item at a time’ to-do system just won’t do.
Despite the powerful and robust set of features, there is a downside to Things 3 to consider. It has a relatively expensive upfront cost and has to be purchased separately for every platform (iOS, iPadOS, and MacOs) you want it on. It also lacks support for Windows or the web, which may put some people off, but if you want a great-looking app with a lot of horsepower under the hood then look no further.
Google Keep
Although I have used Google Keep, as many have, as some kind of post-it note storage, it was originally intended to be used as a note-taking app. It offers some very basic, albeit robust task management capabilities. Organization of checklists can be accomplished with labeling and color-coding, and each item can accommodate a due date.
Using Google’s location services you can assign location-based reminders too. Although the main user interface is basic, it is flexible, allowing for a long set of tasks, which are searchable via the excellent Google-based search. You can add notes from any app, text, photos, and even voice.
The app is free to use, with no in-app purchases required.
TickTick
TickTick is currently all the rage right now, and for good reason. It is a cross-platform fully-featured to-do list app that allows you to add tasks via voice input. It has a feature set designed to encourage and improve productivity.
Including flexible calendar views, collaboration tools, smart date parsing, smart lists, tags, Pomodoro timers, white noise generator to help you focus, and more. Furthermore, you get achievement scores for completing tasks that can be reviewed and assessed to help improve your productivity.
The app can be downloaded for macOS, Windows, Linux, Apple Watch, iPhone, iPad, and Android, and your task list can be viewed within your web browser of choice. Downloadable browser extensions are also available to further enhance your productivity.
The app comes with a free tier with a basic feature set. The premium tier has a 15-day free trial and then will cost $2.79 a month, or $27.99 a year.
Summary
I have used all of these task managers and all are flexible and allow varying degrees of control of productivity. I prefer a basic task manager myself, and Apple Reminders does everything I need. However, this is not cross-platform. If I wanted a solution that would fit that need, then I would choose TickTick or Todoist. Please let me know what other task manager apps I may have missed in this overview and why you like them. Many thanks.
Paul Jacobs — March 6, 2022 — scoping-tech.com
