Do you know that feeling? Your head is full of ideas, tasks, habits you want to track, and sometimes you just want to write down how your day was. Most apps force you to do all this in separate tools. Lunatask throws that overboard and puts everything into one app. I used it for three months and can tell you exactly whether that works.
Lunatask: the company
Lunatask was built by Carl Pullein, an independent developer who struggled with ADHD himself and with frustration about existing productivity tools. He didn’t want to build just another to-do list. He wanted a place where you could organize your entire life without putting your privacy at risk.
That privacy thing isn’t just marketing. Lunatask uses end-to-end encryption for everything. Your journal, your tasks, your habits—no one can read them. Not even the developer. For people who take their personal data seriously, that’s a relief.
The app is relatively young but growing fast. What started as a desktop app for Windows, Mac, and Linux now also has mobile versions. And although it’s a one-man show, you regularly see updates and improvements appear.
Who is Lunatask actually for?
Lunatask focuses mainly on people with ADHD or anyone who struggles with focus and structure. The app uses methods like Must/Should/Want and the Eisenhower Matrix to help you prioritize without feeling overwhelmed.
Perfect for you if you’re a solopreneur who not only wants to keep track of tasks, but also wants to build habits and maintain relationships. Or if you’re simply someone who wants to have everything in one overview without giving your data to big tech.
Not for you if you work in a team. Lunatask has zero collaboration features. No shared projects, no comments, no access for colleagues. This is a strictly personal productivity tool. Also not ideal if you mainly work on your phone — the mobile app is functional but feels less polished than the desktop version.
Features of Lunatask
Lunatask packs more into one app than most competitors. Here are the main features you get:
- End-to-end encryption – All your data is encrypted before it leaves your device. Even if someone hacks the servers, they only see unreadable garbage. For people who don’t want to casually share their journal or personal notes, this is incredibly valuable.
- Task list with Kanban and Eisenhower Matrix – You can view your tasks as a list, as a Kanban board (like Trello), or as an Eisenhower Matrix that helps you distinguish between urgent and important. That last one is especially useful if you quickly get distracted by things that seem urgent.
- Habit and mood tracker – Want to work out or meditate daily? You can add habits and track how often you stick to them. Plus a mood tracker to discover patterns between your habits and how you feel.
- Personal CRM (Relationship management) – This is unique. You can add contacts with notes about when you last spoke, what you discussed, and when you want to reach out again. Ideal for freelancers or networkers who want to keep relationships warm.
- Journal and notes (Markdown) – A simple journaling feature where you can write down your thoughts. Supports Markdown for formatting, but don’t expect a fancy editor with images or attachments. It’s intentionally kept basic.
- Pomodoro timer – Built-in timer for the Pomodoro technique. 25 minutes of focus, 5 minutes break. Works well and integrates with your tasks, but it’s not revolutionary compared to other Pomodoro apps.
- Must/Should/Want method – This is where Lunatask is truly different. Instead of giving everything a deadline, you categorize tasks into what you really must do (Must), what you should do (Should), and what you would like to do (Want). This greatly helps with setting realistic expectations.
That Must/Should/Want method deserves some extra explanation. With many productivity apps, you get stressed by your task list because everything seems equally important. Lunatask forces you to be honest: how much truly needs to get done today? Usually that’s only 2–3 things. The rest is a nice bonus.
The Eisenhower Matrix works according to the same principle but with two axes: urgent versus important. Tasks that are both urgent and important you do first. Tasks that are important but not urgent you schedule. And tasks that are urgent but not important? You should actually delegate or delete those.
Lunatask pricing
Lunatask has a free version you can use without limits. But it’s quite restricted: you only get 2 ‘Areas of Life’ (think work and personal), a maximum of 7 daily habits, 30 relationships in your CRM, and no calendar integration. You also miss the Eisenhower Matrix, which is actually one of the strongest features.
For Premium you pay $ 8 per month or $ 72 per year (that’s $ 6 per month). Then you get everything: unlimited areas, habits, relationships, calendar integration, and all views. No trial, but you can see the free version as a permanent test version.
Is it worth it? If you’re only looking for a task list, Todoist is cheaper and better. But if you really want everything in one app – tasks, habits, journal, relationships – then $ 6 per month is actually quite reasonable. Especially compared to Amazing Marvin, which costs $ 12 per month.
The price tag does become an issue if you use the free version. Those 2 Areas of Life really are too few for most people. You’ll probably want to separate at least work, personal life, and maybe health or hobbies. So you’ll quickly end up needing Premium.
What should you pay attention to?
The mobile app is the biggest pain point. On desktop, Lunatask feels fast and intuitive. On your phone, it feels like you’re using a watered‑down version. Things load more slowly, the interface feels less polished, and some actions that take one click on desktop take more steps on mobile.
No collaboration features. Absolutely none. You can’t share tasks with your partner, no projects with colleagues, no shared habits. If you ever want to do something together, you’ll need another app. Lunatask simply isn’t built for teams.
The notes are intentionally kept simple, but sometimes too simple. You can’t add images, attach files, or create tables. It’s Markdown and that’s it. If your notes need to be more than text, it becomes frustrating.
The Kanban board feels a bit clumsy. Dragging cards doesn’t always go smoothly, and the layout doesn’t use screen space optimally. If you’re used to Trello or Notion, this will disappoint. The list view and Eisenhower Matrix are much stronger.
Small bugs pop up regularly. Nothing that makes the app unusable, but still annoying. Sometimes a habit doesn’t sync right away, or a task temporarily disappears from your overview. It’s usually fixed quickly, but it reminds you that this isn’t a product from a large team.
What do others think?
The overall sentiment is positive. People especially appreciate the unique Must/Should/Want method and the combination of tasks, habits, and journal in one app. The full end-to-end encryption receives a lot of praise from privacy‑conscious users.
Techlore, a YouTube channel focused on privacy, praises the all‑in‑one approach but calls the mobile app “clunky”. TheAriannaBradford, who makes reviews for people with ADHD, finds the structure perfect for her audience but had trouble with the mobile installation (although that has since improved).
The most common complaint? The mobile experience. Almost every review mentions this as a downside. The lack of collaboration features also comes up regularly, especially from people who hoped to use it with their partner.
What people appreciate most is the developer’s involvement. He responds to feedback, fixes bugs quickly, and listens to feature requests. For a one‑man show, that’s impressive.
Lunatask alternatives
Is this not quite the right fit? Here are three alternatives:
- Todoist – Simpler and faster for pure tasks, but lacks life-tracking features. Choose this if you want a simple, fast to-do list without journaling or habits.
- Amazing Marvin – Even more customizable for ADHD, but more expensive and complex. Choose this if you want full control over your workflow and interface and have the budget.
- TickTick – Similar all-in-one features, but with less focus on privacy and encryption. Choose this if you need a web version and privacy is less of a priority.
Frequently asked questions
Is there a free trial for Premium?
No, Lunatask uses a freemium model. You can use the free version indefinitely to test whether the app suits you. There is no temporary trial for Premium, but the free version gives you enough insight to make a decision.
Is my data safe?
Yes, Lunatask uses end‑to‑end encryption for everything you store. Your journal, tasks, habits, notes — it’s all encrypted before it leaves your device. Even the developer can’t read your data. If privacy is important to you, this is one of the few productivity apps that takes it seriously.
Does Lunatask support hard deadlines?
No, and that’s a deliberate choice. The app focuses on priorities and start dates instead of strict deadlines. The idea behind it is that deadlines create stress, especially for people with ADHD. Instead, you work with the Must/Should/Want method to determine what’s truly important.
Conclusion
Lunatask isn’t a perfect app. The mobile experience could be better, it lacks collaboration features, and the notes are basic. But if you’re a solopreneur or someone who struggles with focus and priorities, it offers something few other apps do: a complete overview of your life in one place.
That Must/Should/Want method alone is worth trying. It helps you be realistic about what you can do without feeling guilty about the rest. And the privacy is really excellent – finally a productivity app where you can keep a journal without a company looking over your shoulder.
For $ 6 per month you get tasks, habits, journaling, and relationship management in one app. That’s a good deal if you’re looking for that combination. But if you mostly work on your phone or collaborate with others, look at alternatives. I’ve been using Lunatask for three months now and it has really improved my workflow, but I also mainly work on desktop and by myself.
