Your inbox is bursting with ideas, to-dos, and vague future plans. You’ve read the Getting Things Done book and know exactly how it should work. But your current task app fights against the GTD methodology instead of working with it. Nirvana is a cloud-based task manager specifically built to strictly follow the Getting Things Done workflow, without compromises or “flexible interpretations”.
Who is behind Nirvana?
Nirvana was founded in 2010 by Elbert McLaughlin. From the start, the company chose an unusual path: no external investors, no venture capital, no acquisitions. A bootstrapped business that stands completely on its own feet.
That independence has advantages and disadvantages. It means Nirvana doesn’t have to chase rapid growth or keep investors happy. The focus remains on what works best for GTD practitioners. The downside is that development moves slower than competitors with millions in funding. Updates come less frequently, and the interface still has that 2010 look.
What makes Nirvana unique is the strict interpretation of the GTD workflow. Where other apps implement GTD concepts superficially, Nirvana has everything built in natively: Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For, Scheduled, and Someday/Maybe. The most well-known feature is the ‘Focus’ list, which automatically filters tasks based on how much time and energy you have available. That feature alone makes it clear that people who truly understand GTD work here.
Who is Nirvana for?
Nirvana is made for people who take the Getting Things Done methodology seriously. GTD purists will find an app here that doesn’t try to be clever or “improve” the method. It works exactly as David Allen describes it in his book.
Freelancers and individual users who want to optimize their personal productivity are well-suited here. The app doesn’t force you to work in a certain way, but supports you if you want to follow GTD.
But Nirvana isn’t for everyone. Large teams can’t do much with it. There are no collaboration features, no shared projects, no comments or mentions. You can email tasks, but that’s about it.
Also, if you work visually with Kanban boards or Gantt charts, you need to look elsewhere. Nirvana is a list-based app without frills. And if you’re not familiar with GTD, the structure can be confusing at first. The app doesn’t explain why things are organized the way they are.
What can Nirvana do?
The free version of Nirvana gives you access to the core functionality, but limits you to 5 projects and 3 reference lists. Recurring tasks are also behind the paywall. For full GTD implementation, you need the Pro plan.
- GTD Inbox processing: Everything that comes in lands first in your Inbox. There you decide what happens with it: does it become a task, a project, a reference or do you throw it away. That decision tree is built natively into the interface.
- Next Actions lists: Tasks you can do now automatically appear in your Next list. No endless to-do list you have to scroll through, only actions that are actually available.
- Focus list: This is where Nirvana really shines. You indicate how much time and energy you have, and the app filters your tasks accordingly. Only have 15 minutes? Then you only see quick wins. Running on fumes? Then you don’t get tasks that require deep focus.
- Start dates for tasks: A rare feature that’s essential for GTD. Tasks can get a start date and remain hidden until that date. This way your Next list doesn’t get cluttered with things you can’t do yet anyway.
- Waiting For lists: Keep track of who you’re waiting on without cluttering your own task list. Perfect implementation of the GTD concept.
- Project management: Projects can be sequential or parallel. With sequential projects you only see the next action, with parallel projects all available actions. Simple but powerful.
- Areas of Focus: Group projects and tasks under life domains like Work, Health or Finance. Helps you see if your attention is well distributed.
- Tags and Contexts: Label tasks with locations (@office, @home) or tools (@computer, @phone). Then filter your list on what you can do now.
- Checklists: Add subtasks to actions. Useful for routines or procedures you perform more often.
- Email to task: Send an email to your personal Nirvana address and it automatically becomes a task in your Inbox. Works well for quick capture.
- Energy and time filters: Give tasks an energy level (low, medium, high) and estimated duration. Filter your list on what fits your current state.
The interface is functional but not beautiful. Everything is where you expect it, but the design feels dated. No fancy animations or modern UI patterns. For some users, that’s calming; for others, boring.
What stands out is what isn’t there: no file attachments, only links. No voice capture. No widgets for your home screen. No natural language input. Nirvana does GTD well, but adds little modern functionality.
What does Nirvana cost?
Nirvana has a free Basic plan that lets you get acquainted with the GTD workflow. You get access to all core features, but are limited to a maximum of 5 projects and 3 reference lists. Recurring tasks are not available in the free version.
The Pro plan costs $ 5 per month with monthly payment. If you choose an annual subscription, you pay $ 29 per year, which comes down to $ 2,42 per month. That is significantly cheaper than competitors like Todoist or Things 3.
There is no trial period, but the free version is generous enough to test whether Nirvana suits you. In the past, Nirvana offered a lifetime license, but that is no longer available for new users. The company has switched to a subscription model.
For what you get, the price is fair. No hidden costs, no per-user licenses, just a flat fee for full access. The app works on all platforms without additional costs.
What should you watch out for?
The biggest concern with Nirvana is the development pace. Updates come sporadically and the interface feels outdated. Some users compare it to abandonware, software that still works but is barely maintained. That may be too harsh, but the concerns are not unfounded.
Synchronization between devices usually works well, but there are regular complaints about sync bugs on mobile apps. Tasks that don’t appear, changes that don’t come through, or conflicts that need to be resolved manually. Not daily, but often enough to be annoying.
The absence of collaboration features is a deliberate choice, but it is a limitation. You can’t share projects, assign tasks, or leave comments. For personal productivity that’s not a problem, but as soon as you need to work with others you run into limitations.
The mobile apps are functional but basic. No widgets, no Siri integration, no quick capture via voice. You have to open the app and type. In 2024 that feels old-fashioned.
The lack of subtasks is also a miss. You can create checklists within tasks, but no real hierarchy of tasks and subtasks. For complex projects you have to think of workarounds.
Finally: the design is clinical and boring. No colors, no personality, no visual hierarchy. For GTD purists that’s a plus, but for most people it feels dated and uninspiring.
Nirvana alternatives
If Nirvana doesn’t quite fit, there are alternatives that offer similar functionality with different trade-offs.
- Todoist: Choose this if you want a more modern interface with more integrations and collaboration features. Todoist is more flexible but follows GTD less strictly. You have to set up the structure yourself.
- Things 3: Go for this if you’re fully in the Apple ecosystem and value design. Things is beautifully designed and works seamlessly on Mac, iPhone and iPad. Downside: one-time purchase per platform and no Android or Windows version.
- Everdo: Choose this if privacy is important and you want to store your data locally. Everdo is very similar to Nirvana in terms of interface and functionality, but stores everything on your own device instead of in the cloud. Also a one-time purchase here instead of subscription.
Frequently asked questions
Some questions that often come up with people considering Nirvana.
Is Nirvana suitable for teams?
No, Nirvana is built for personal productivity. You can email tasks to others, but there are no shared projects, no assignments, and no comment features. For teamwork you need to choose a different tool.
Does Nirvana fully support the GTD method?
Yes, Nirvana is one of the few apps that offers native support for all GTD concepts. Inbox, Next Actions, Waiting For, Someday/Maybe, and Areas of Focus are all built in. You don’t have to think of workarounds to make GTD work.
Is there still a lifetime deal available?
No, Nirvana offered a lifetime license in the past but has switched to a subscription model. The lifetime option is no longer publicly available for new users. Existing lifetime users do retain their access.
Conclusion
Nirvana is a niche player that does one thing well: implementing Getting Things Done as it’s meant to be. If you take GTD seriously and want an app that goes along with the methodology instead of fighting against it, this is a strong candidate. The Focus list and start dates alone make it worthwhile.
But you do have to put on blinders for the outdated design and slow development. Nirvana feels like an app from 2010 that never really got modernized. For some people that’s calming, for others frustrating.
Choose Nirvana if you’re a GTD purist and functionality matters more than form. Choose something else if you expect modern features, work with a team, or value regular updates and beautiful design. The free version gives you enough room to test if the GTD approach works for you.
