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timmmay

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#248673 5-Apr-2019 08:06
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I use a couple of task list apps. I'd quite like to consolidate them down to one.

 

Main requirements:

 

  • Syncs between devices, but does not use Google Calendar / Tasks
  • Allows lists to be shared (e.g. grocery list with wife), but defaults to private
  • Allows multiple lists
  • Has a prioritization system - ideally low / medium / high, but simple star type system ok
  • Allows extended text / notes with an item
  • Nice UI that minimises key presses

 

 

Q: What's your favorite Android todo app, and why? Can you suggest anything else for me to try?

 

 

 

Here's what I've tried

 

GTasks

 

My default for years. It works well, but it syncs with Google calendar, which given how many todo items I have makes the calendar view messy. You can't share lists with others. It's also not really maintained much, the company also makes TickTick which gets more active development.

 

Good points: You can quick add a task, but in the standard add task screen you can set priority and reminders with few keypresses.

 

TickTick

 

This one does everything I need, it's quite fully featured, including shared lists, but I don't really like the UI. The free plan is fine, the limits don't really matter all that much - you can have 9 lists, 99 items, and lists can be shared with one other person. If you need more advanced features it's about US$28 per year, which gives you different views, more tasks lists and reminders, features like task duration, and heaps of other things I doubt many people need.

 

It has a few great features:

 

  • You can have a 1x1 widget which is a shortcut to view a list, add a task to a list, or search
  • There are other widgets to let you view your lists
  • Fairly good user interface - from the add task screen it's not too many clicks to set priority, set reminders, etc.
  • There are different swipes on events for different things (list below)
  • A range of options when a reminder comes up - edit, delay by different times, etc

Short Swipe Right: mark the task as done
Long Swipe Right: set priority
Short Swipe Left: quick date menu
Long Swipe Left: move the task to a list

 

This is definitely my the front runner. I don't think I'd want to pay $30 a year for it, given the competition, but if there was a midrange version where you buy the app once I'd pay for it.

 

Microsoft Todo

 

This is a fairly decent app too, and it's free. It syncs with Microsoft Todo online, and you can share lists. It's fairly efficient in terms of clicks required to do anything. Its theme is large and wasteful of space, trying to be pretty rather than focusing on being functional. There's not many settings or ways to customise it, unlike some of the other todo apps. All in all it's a pretty good todo app. If it was aimed at being a bit more efficient rather than a pretty it might be my pick.

 

My Tasks App

 

Website. A really nice, efficient tasks app, efficient in terms of clicks. However, it doesn't let you share lists with others, so that immediately rules it out as "one tasks app to rule them all" for me. If I didn't need to share lists with my wife this might be my pick.

 

Wunderlist

 

I tried this yesterday after seeing it on Geekzone. It seems ok, but it has a few things I don't like. When you create a task, you then have to click back into it to set a reminder. When you set a reminder there are preset times, but if you want a custom time that's an extra click. It's just not well optimised in terms of usability. Also, when a reminder comes up there's no obvious way to mark it done. When a reminder comes up it doesn't turn the screen on, but maybe I have it configured incorrectly.

 

The Microsoft Passport integration is only ok. I tried to delete my Wunderlist account but it said "incorrect password". I'd copied and pasted that password from my password manager, so I think there's a problem there.

 

All in all, it just requires many more clicks to get things done than other apps. Recently sold to Microsoft. Microsoft Todo app has a feature to import Wunderlist lists... I wonder if they're going to kill the app.

 

SplenDO

 

Huge negative that it shows animated ads, but the app is $3 and you can remove it for a day by watching an advertising video. It also shows video ads while you're using the app.

 

The add task UI is pretty good, but there's no way to enter more text with an item.

 

All in all, it's about the worst I've looked at.

 

Memorigi

 

Nice user interface, fairly quick to get things done. Users the "Eisenhower Box" method of prioritisation. Doesn't have shared lists. All in all it seems good, but I only had a quick look, and nothing really stood out to me as anything other than a well done, standard to-do app.

 

Any.Do

 

This one looks like it's trying to organise your entire life, not just be a todo list. It has a premium version that costs a few dollars per month. The interface isn't well optimised - to set a reminder or anything else for a task you have to create it then go back in to edit it, which is unnecessary extra clicks. It has a grocery list which shares with others, and it includes organising things by supermarket aisle  - a nice touch if it works. I don't know if you can share other lists, like we might have a holiday packing list, I haven't dug in far enough. The un-optimised interface for todo list creation was enough to steer me towards other easier apps.

 

Google Keep

 

Keeps seems like more of a notes app with reminders. You can share notes, not lists. Maybe a note is a list... not sure. I only had a quick play. Given the comments here that it's not reliable I'll skip it.

 

Trello

 

Trello is a good tool, but for me, it isn't really made to be a simple to-do list so the app isn't really optimised for that.

 

Todoist

 

Todoist looks really good, but notifications are a premium feature that cost $36 per year so I couldn't even try it out.

 

Remember the Milk

 

I only had a quick play with this. It has a nice UI generally, but the thing that stopped me going further is that to add a reminder at a specific time requires a LOT of clicks. Adding a due date is quick and easy, but times not so much. I didn't look further as it doesn't do what I need.


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Geektastic
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  #2211088 5-Apr-2019 08:14
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The nicest to use is Things but it works only on Mac and iOS.

At least Wunderlist is cross platform, something which is all too rare







nickb800
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  #2211089 5-Apr-2019 08:18
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Trello fits most of your criteria. Not sure about starting/prioritising though. I use it as my to do list as well as shared shopping lists

timmmay

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  #2211102 5-Apr-2019 08:48
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nickb800: Trello fits most of your criteria. Not sure about starting/prioritising though. I use it as my to do list as well as shared shopping lists

 

That works better than expected. It's optimised for a different sort of activity I think, particularly online, so it's not right for me, but it's an interesting option :)




nzgeek
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  #2211439 5-Apr-2019 17:36
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My wife and I have been playing with tasks apps recently, to better manage our lives.

We decided to use a dedicated app, Bring!, to manage our groceries. It's been great for that, although you're stuck with the default grocery categories.

We're using Wunderlist for more general tasks, and it's been quite functional for that. One thing we like is the ability to make recurring tasks, to keep track of frequent items like housework. But yes, the UI is a little clunky in some areas and for do with some polish.

I had been using GTasks for a while, but it's quite lacking in many areas and it looks like you've found some much better apps.

tripp
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  #2211441 5-Apr-2019 17:46
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Tried google keep?  It's what i tend to use etc


paulchinnz
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  #2211462 5-Apr-2019 19:05
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I use google keep despite it missing basic functionality like alphabetical sorting because haven't found a compelling alternative that makes it worth the effort of entering data into, and learning, a new app.


nickb800
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  #2211468 5-Apr-2019 19:29
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paulchinnz:

 

I use google keep despite it missing basic functionality like alphabetical sorting because haven't found a compelling alternative that makes it worth the effort of entering data into, and learning, a new app.

 

 

Don't you find it taking ages to load in browsers, only showing half a list, and loosing stuff altogether? I was fully invested in Keep but it got soo bad that I left for Trello, taking my shopping list with me


 
 
 

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mdf

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  #2211478 5-Apr-2019 20:14
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+1 Trello. The shortcut to my main Trello board is probably the second most used shortcut on my home screen.

 

For bigger / more formal stuff, I use a more traditional Kanban approach for lists (to do --> doing --> done) with checklists on the card. For life, I have several lists that I just jot things down on individual cards as needed.


Geektastic
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  #2211479 5-Apr-2019 20:16
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Not that it affects your comment about Android, but Wunderlist does allow you to add due dates etc at the time of creation in the OSX version.





mdf

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  #2211484 5-Apr-2019 20:26
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Geektastic: Not that it affects your comment about Android, but Wunderlist does allow you to add due dates etc at the time of creation in the OSX version.

 

Wunderlist was bought my Microsoft; they've since announced it will be deprecated in favour of To-Do. To-Do looks promising, but is still quite raw and you really need to be on O365 to get the most out of it.


timmmay

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  #2211486 5-Apr-2019 20:31
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I read that Wunderlist is being decomissioned in favor of Microsoft Todo.

 

Trello is a good tool, but for me, it isn't really made to be a simple to-do list so the app doesn't work quite how I'd like

 

Google Keep is more of a notes app with reminders. You can share notes, not lists. Maybe a note is a list... not sure. I only had a quick play. Given the comments here I'll skip it.

 

Todoist looks really good, but notifications are a premium feature that cost $36 per year. I couldn't even try it out - though I had it installed once before so maybe I used a free trial period then.

 

Front runners for me are Microsoft Todo (though maybe I'll wait until it's a bit more mature) or one I already use for shared lists, TickTick.


networkn
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  #2211510 5-Apr-2019 22:18
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I used Wrike for a long time, I had the paid tier under a promotion they ran, but then the free version was more or less meeting my needs and then they starting pulling basic functionality out until it wasn't what I needed. It's still a great task manager app though.


Geektastic
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  #2211563 6-Apr-2019 08:09
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mdf:

Geektastic: Not that it affects your comment about Android, but Wunderlist does allow you to add due dates etc at the time of creation in the OSX version.


Wunderlist was bought my Microsoft; they've since announced it will be deprecated in favour of To-Do. To-Do looks promising, but is still quite raw and you really need to be on O365 to get the most out of it.



That would be a shame since nothing made by Microsoft is ever much good on my experience.

Is To Do cross platform or do those with Apple devices need to begin the search. Again.





timmmay

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  #2211602 6-Apr-2019 09:01
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Microsoft Todo is cross platform, available on iPhone. MS Todo is fairly basic, but seems to get the basics right.


nutbugs
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  #2211606 6-Apr-2019 09:13
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I've been using Remember The Milk for a few years. Does what I need. Must admit I haven't compared it to more recent offerings.

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