Your calendar is packed with meetings, your task list is growing faster than you can check things off, and you don’t know where to start anymore. Every morning you begin with planning, but by midday everything is thrown into chaos again. Sound familiar?
Motion promises to put an end to that with AI that automatically plans your day. No more manual block shuffling, no endless puzzling with your calendar. But does it really work as well as it sounds? And is it worth that hefty price?
I dove into all the features, pricing, and reviews to tell you exactly what you’re getting into.
Motion: the company
Motion is developed by the American company UseMotiom Inc. The tool combines a smart calendar with project management and task management, with AI playing the leading role. Instead of you having to figure out when to work on which task, Motion does that automatically for you.
The company primarily focuses on knowledge workers who struggle with a busy schedule and too many tasks. They claim that users save an average of 30 days per year through automatic scheduling. Whether that’s accurate I’ll leave open, but it does show what they’re focusing on: time savings through automation.
Motion has SOC 2 Type 2 certification, which means they take security and privacy seriously. For a tool that has access to your complete calendar and all tasks, that’s reassuring.
Who is Motion for?
Motion isn’t for everyone. If you have a quiet job with few appointments and tasks, this is overkill. But in a few situations Motion can really make a difference:
You have ADHD or struggle with setting priorities. Multiple users mention this specifically: Motion takes decisions out of your hands. You no longer have to figure out what you’re going to do now, the AI has already figured that out for you. That saves enormous amounts of mental energy.
Your calendar is constantly full of meetings. If your day is regularly interrupted by appointments, Motion ensures that your tasks are automatically rescheduled. Meeting running long? The rest of your day is immediately adjusted.
You work in a team with many dependencies. Motion immediately shows whether deadlines are realistic when you look at your entire team’s workload. No more optimistic promises that nobody can deliver on.
You already use tools like Calendly. Motion has booking pages built-in, so you can have external appointments scheduled without an extra tool. Saves another subscription.
Motion is less suitable if you prefer to maintain full control over your planning yourself, or if you have a limited budget. Then there are cheaper alternatives that might be a better fit.
What can Motion do?
Motion is packed with features that all revolve around one goal: scheduling your day as efficiently as possible. These are the most important ones:
- AI auto-scheduling – Het hart van Motion. Je voert taken in met een deadline en prioriteit, en de AI plant automatisch wanneer je eraan werkt. Verandert er iets? De planning past zich direct aan. Geen handmatig geschuif meer.
- Projectmanagement – Volledige projectweergaves met Kanban-borden, lijsten en Gantt-charts. Je kunt taken toewijzen aan teamleden, afhankelijkheden instellen en zien of deadlines realistisch zijn.
- Workflow templates – Maak herbruikbare templates voor terugkerende projecten. Handig als je vaak vergelijkbare trajecten doorloopt, zoals klantonboarding of contentproductie. Scheelt veel setup-tijd.
- Kalenderintegratie – Werkt naadloos met Google Calendar en Outlook. Al je afspraken worden automatisch meegenomen in de planning van je taken.
- Meeting assistant en booking pages – Laat anderen zelf afspraken inplannen in je agenda, net als Calendly. Motion kiest automatisch momenten die passen bij je werkdruk en voorkeuren.
- Time tracking – Houd bij hoeveel tijd je daadwerkelijk aan taken besteedt. Handig voor facturering of om te zien waar je tijd naartoe gaat.
- Team collaboration – Zie de werkdruk van je hele team in één overzicht. Motion waarschuwt als iemand overbelast is of als deadlines niet haalbaar zijn met de huidige bezetting.
- Mobiele apps – Beschikbaar voor iOS en Android, plus desktop apps voor Mac en Windows. Hoewel gebruikers wel klagen dat de mobiele apps trager zijn dan de webversie.
What sets Motion apart from regular task managers is the complete integration between calendar and tasks. Your schedule and your to-do list are no longer two separate things you have to manually synchronize. Motion does that automatically, and adapts as soon as something changes.
What does Motion cost?
Motion is not cheap, I have to admit that right away. There is no free version, only a 7-day trial period. After that you pay:
Individual plan:
- $34 per maand bij maandelijks betalen
- $19 per maand bij jaarlijks betalen ($228 per jaar)
Team plan:
- $20 per gebruiker per maand bij maandelijks betalen
- $12 per gebruiker per maand bij jaarlijks betalen ($144 per jaar)
Yes, you read that right: the team plan is cheaper per person than the individual plan. That’s a strange choice. If there are two of you, you’re better off taking the team plan and paying $1 per month instead of $1.
For teams, Motion is actually reasonably priced when you look at what you get. You’re essentially replacing multiple tools: a project management tool, a booking tool, and a calendar app. That quickly saves you other subscriptions.
For individual users, $1 per month is quite pricey, especially when you compare it to alternatives. You really need to get a lot of value from the automatic scheduling to justify that price.
What should you watch out for?
Motion sounds great on paper, but there are a few things users run into. Good to know before you take out a subscription:
The mobile app is a weak point. Multiple reviewers complain that the iOS and Android apps are slow and regularly have bugs. If you work on the go a lot, that can be frustrating. The desktop and web version are good though.
There is a learning curve. Motion works best when you configure tasks properly with deadlines, priorities, and time estimates. The first week you’re mainly busy getting to know the system and fine-tuning it. Don’t expect it to work perfectly right away.
The AI sometimes makes strange choices. Users report that Motion sometimes schedules tasks at illogical times, or creates too many small blocks. You have to regularly intervene manually and guide the AI.
Customer service is slow. Especially for individual plan users. Priority support is only for business accounts. If you have a problem, it can take days before you get an answer.
Canceling is difficult. Multiple users complain that it’s hard to stop your subscription. Motion doesn’t make it easy to leave, which is always a red flag.
Few native integrations. Motion works with Google Calendar and Outlook, but if you want to import tasks from other tools you often have to make workarounds. No direct connections with Slack, Notion or other popular tools.
Limited control. Some users find the automation frustrating. If you like to determine yourself when you work on what, Motion can feel restrictive. You have to trust the AI a bit, and that’s not for everyone.
Motion reviews
I’ve looked at and read a number of Motion reviews and there are some I’d like to share with you.
1. ToolFinder
ToolFinder takes you through a comprehensive review of Motion, with Francesco focusing mainly on the question of whether the app is worth its price tag. He emphasizes that Motion is not cheap, but clearly explains how the AI-driven planning works and for whom this can be a game changer.
The review goes deep into the core functionality: how Motion automatically organizes tasks based on attributes like deadlines, priorities and working hours. Francesco shows that the app is especially valuable for people who want to save time on productivity administration. He appreciates the project management capabilities and the built-in booking function, so you no longer need a separate calendly-like tool.
Pros
- AI-planning bespaart veel tijd aan het organiseren van je dag
- Combineert kalender, taken en projectmanagement in één tool
- Ingebouwde booking-functionaliteit voor externe afspraken
- Overzichtelijk design dat makkelijk te gebruiken is
Cons
- Prijzig voor individuele gebruikers ($19/maand bij jaarabonnement)
- Kalenderweergave voelt wat beperkt aan
- Je moet veel attributen invoeren om het AI-systeem goed te laten werken
2. Cybernews
Cybernews dives into Motion with a critical look at both the promised functionality and the actual value in practice. The reviewer wisely starts with a security check and is positively surprised about the SOC 2 Type 2 certification and annual external audits.
The review particularly highlights Motion’s versatility: task management with different views (list, Kanban, Gantt), calendar integration, AI-scheduling and time tracking. The reviewer appreciates the flexibility, but also notes that the AI-scheduler has a learning curve and that you need to invest time to make the system work well. An honest caveat is that customer support for individual users doesn’t get priority.
Pros
- Sterke beveiligingsstandaarden met SOC 2 Type 2 certificering
- Werkt op alle platforms (web, desktop, mobiel)
- Veel visualisatieopties (lijst, Kanban, Gantt)
- AI Meeting Assistant voorkomt eindeloze e-mailwisselingen
- Time tracking handig voor freelancers en facturering
Cons
- Beperkte mogelijkheden voor samenwerking met klanten
- AI-automatisering heeft een leercurve en vraagt finetuning
- Priority support alleen voor business-gebruikers, niet voor individuele abonnees
3. Efficient App
Efficient App explains why they switched from Asana to Motion after seven years, and that says enough. The reviewer focuses on the three core features that distinguish Motion from other project management tools, and shows with practical examples how powerful the combination of calendar and task management is.
The most impressive part of the review is the demonstration of auto-scheduling: how Motion automatically schedules an entire project team, taking everyone’s agenda into account, and immediately warns if deadlines are unrealistic. The reviewer emphasizes that Motion makes you much more realistic about planning, because the system honestly shows when something doesn’t fit. The workflow templates also get a lot of attention – these make onboarding much easier than with tools like Asana or ClickUp.
Pros
- Kalender en projectmanagement volledig geïntegreerd – geen gescheiden tools meer
- Auto-scheduling plant je hele dag en past zich automatisch aan bij wijzigingen
- Workflow templates maken setup veel eenvoudiger dan concurrenten
- Geeft realistische waarschuwingen als deadlines niet haalbaar zijn
- Je kunt events direct in je projecttemplates inbouwen
Cons
- Minder configuratiemogelijkheden dan tools als ClickUp (wat ook een voordeel kan zijn)
- Vereist gedisciplineerde procesopzet om optimaal te werken
Motion alternatives
Motion doesn’t quite fit what you’re looking for? These are the best alternatives:
- Sunsama – Kies dit als je liever zelf de controle houdt over je dagplanning en een rustigere, meer mindful benadering zoekt. Sunsama focust op bewust plannen in plaats van alles automatisch te laten gaan. Minder AI, meer intentie.
- Akiflow – Beter als je taken uit heel veel verschillende apps wilt verzamelen (Slack, Gmail, Trello, etc.) en deze handmatig in je agenda wilt slepen. Akiflow heeft minder geavanceerde AI dan Motion, maar is sterker in het consolideren van taken uit verschillende bronnen.
- Reclaim.ai – Goede keuze als je voornamelijk je Google Agenda wilt optimaliseren voor meetings en gewoontes, zonder uitgebreid projectmanagement. Reclaim is meer een slimme laag bovenop je bestaande kalender dan een complete productiviteitstool.
Each of these tools has a different philosophy. Motion goes for maximum automation, Sunsama for conscious control, Akiflow for integration with other apps, and Reclaim for calendar optimization. Which one fits best depends on how you prefer to work.
Frequently asked questions
Does Motion have a free plan?
No, Motion doesn’t have a permanently free plan. You do get a 7-day trial period to test the tool. After that, you need to pay for a subscription.
Does Motion work with Outlook and Google Calendar?
Yes, Motion integrates seamlessly with both Google Calendar and Microsoft Outlook and Exchange. All your appointments are automatically synchronized and included in the AI planning.
How does AI planning work?
The AI analyzes your tasks, deadlines, priorities and available time to automatically create the most efficient schedule for your day. If something changes (a meeting runs over, you add an urgent task), the system automatically adjusts the rest of your day.
Can I use Motion without a team?
Yes, Motion has an Individual plan specifically for solo users. You get all features including AI scheduling, project management and booking pages. The team plan is only needed if you want to collaborate with multiple people.
Does Motion work offline?
No, Motion requires an internet connection to work. The AI scheduling happens in the cloud, so without internet you can’t access your schedule.
Conclusion
Motion is a powerful tool that can really help if you’re struggling with a full calendar and too many tasks. The AI scheduling works surprisingly well and saves you time daily on planning and rescheduling.
But it’s not perfect. The mobile apps are slow, customer service leaves something to be desired, and the price is on the high side for individual users. You really need to get a lot of value from the automatic scheduling to justify $1 per month.
Who is Motion worth it for? If you have a busy schedule with lots of meetings, struggle with setting priorities, or work in a team with complex projects. Then Motion can really make the difference between chaos and control.
Who is it not for? If you have a quiet work week, prefer to keep full control yourself, or have a limited budget. Then there are cheaper alternatives that fit better.
My advice: try the 7-day trial. Really invest that week in properly configuring your tasks and habits. Only then can you truly assess whether the AI scheduling works for you. And pay attention to cancel on time if it doesn’t work out, because that seems to be difficult.
