You want to keep track of your tasks, but which app do you choose? Todoist is popular among productivity enthusiasts. Google Tasks is already in your Gmail. I used both for weeks and I’ll tell you what I encountered.
Todoist in brief
Todoist is a task management app that’s all about speed and structure. You type “tomorrow 2:00 PM dentist” and the app understands exactly what you mean. It works on virtually any device and syncs lightning fast. The app is loved by people who juggle many projects and want to categorize everything with labels and filters. Since December 2025, it has become quite a bit more expensive – the Pro plan went from $ 1 to $ 1 per month.
Google Tasks in brief
Google Tasks is the minimalist sibling in the task management world. It’s hidden in Gmail and Google Calendar, but does exactly what it should do: write down tasks and check them off. You drag an email to your task list and you’re done. No fuss with complicated features. It’s completely free and since November 2025 you can put tasks directly as time blocks in your calendar. Perfect for those who already live in the Google universe.
Todoist vs Google Tasks: the differences
The biggest difference? Todoist is built for people who want to organize their tasks. Google Tasks is for people who just want to write down their tasks.
That natural language input in Todoist is really a killer feature. Type “every Monday 9:00 status update #work @priority1” and the app picks up everything: the recurrence, the time, the label, the priority. With Google Tasks, you have to set all that manually through dropdown menus. Takes more time. Feels less smooth.
But here’s where it gets interesting: Google Tasks has something that Todoist doesn’t have. That direct integration with Gmail and Calendar. Are you in your inbox? One click and that email is a task. No copy-paste, no context switching. And since November 2025, you can drag tasks directly to your calendar as time blocks. That’s time blocking without the hassle. Todoist does have an Outlook integration since June 2025, but it feels less natural.
Project management is where Todoist really shines. You create projects, subprojects, sections within projects. You filter by labels, deadlines, priorities. You see Kanban boards. Google Tasks? You have lists. And more lists. Want complex filtering? Forget it. But honestly, for 80% of people, that’s not necessary at all.
Collaboration is also a different story. Todoist has Team Workspaces where you can share projects, assign tasks, and post comments. Google Tasks has… nothing. No native sharing feature. Want to collaborate? Then you have to go to Google Keep or another tool. That’s just a missed opportunity.
And then the platforms. Todoist runs everywhere: Mac, Windows, Linux, iOS, Android, web. Google Tasks only has mobile apps and a web version that’s hidden in Gmail and Calendar. No standalone desktop app. Do you work a lot on your computer? Then you have to open your browser every time.
Reminders are also a thing. With Todoist, they’re behind the paywall. In the free plan, you can set deadlines, but you don’t get push notifications. Google Tasks just sends reminders. Free. Although users complain that those notifications are often too subtle.
Pricing compared
Google Tasks is free. Period. No limitations, no paywall, no hidden costs.
Todoist has a free plan, but it’s pretty limited. Maximum 5 projects, no reminders, no labels, no filters. For many people, that’s too tight. Then you have to go to the Pro plan: $ 7 per month or $ 60 per year. That used to be $ 5 per month, but in December 2025 the prices went up. For teams, there’s Business: $ 10 per month or $ 96 per year.
Is that price worth it? Depends. Do you use those filters, labels, reminders, and project management every day? Then yes. Are you a casual user who just wants a shopping list? Then you’re paying for features you’ll never use.
That price increase has caused some unrest, by the way. On Reddit, you regularly see posts from people switching to free alternatives. Google Tasks benefits from that.
Conclusion
Choose Todoist if you need structure and power. If you have many projects, work with teams, or just love that fast natural language input. It’s a professional tool for people who take their productivity seriously. But expect $ 60 per year.
Choose Google Tasks if you want simplicity and are already in the Google ecosystem. If your tasks mostly come from emails and you want to plan them directly in your calendar. It’s free, it works, and it doesn’t get in the way. For most people, that’s enough.
Personally? I use Todoist for work and projects. But for personal tasks and shopping? Google Tasks. Why would I pay for something that can be free?
